Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 18:29:06 -0800
Reply-To: neil <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: bus alarm... guns. Now: Stealth/urban camping tips
In-Reply-To: <45bbe7c4.180e9a84.72f2.ffff99a2@mx.google.com>
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Thanks for pointers/insight Joy. With your comments and others',
stealth looks a lot more do-able in my mind.
Just in passing, was in Manhattan recently on business. Had been there
once before. Felt totally safe.
And speaking of Cop Shows....
On my first visit to NYcity, I had the good fortune to get free digs
in a 2 floor apt. in the upper east side IIRC. Had a floor to myself!
Upon arrival though, my friend and I found the front door unlocked and
the door to apt. open! Found myself treating that situation like an
opening scene of a "Law and Order" episode.
Hah!
On 1/27/07, Joy Hecht <hecht.joy@gmail.com> wrote:
> The info Neil cited in the archives is all good. Neil, it's funny what you
> say about stealth camping in your own neighborhood. Now that I'm back in a
> house, I find myself kind of automatically scouting for good stealth camping
> spots in my neighborhood. You know, where parking is legal, not right in
> front of a single-family home where they'd wonder who you were. In fact, in
> one of those spots there's often an old RV parked, and I always wonder if
> someone is living there. Though it might belong to folks who live across
> the street and don't have space in their driveway, too.
>
> I'm generally not a fearful type. I was never really afraid of anything
> while I was on the road. Maybe because I grew up in Manhattan, in a rather
> borderline neighborhood - I'm not afraid of crime. I love cities, they don't
> frighten me. But you know, we all choose our risks - living in a van isn't
> risky IMO, but there are other risks I'd never take that plenty of people
> do. We're all different that way.
>
> One of my concerns was that I really like to read in bed, and I was afraid
> of lights being seen. I always draw the curtains, and hang something behind
> the front seats so folks can't see into the back (though usually it's a
> towel, and that's probably not a good thing to hang). I try to block the
> windows more so light inside can't escape - open the stove top, stuff like
> that.
>
> If I want to hang out in the van and do stuff in the evening, I'll park
> someplace where I'm not going to sleep, and be quite open about being there.
> Then when I'm ready for bed I move elsewhere.
>
> I was approached by the police twice. Once in a city park in St. Louis,
> where I searched and didn't see the "no overnight parking" signs. They
> stopped at my van around midnight, I happened to be sitting inside on the
> internet, working. So I moved to another place that I'd scoped out during
> the day. The other time was in Marin County. I was stealth camping on a
> road through a state park, in a pull-off on the road. A cop car came by,
> shone her light on me. I asked if I could help her. That was last December
> when they were having floods up there. She suggested I move to a different
> pull-off on higher ground. Nice lady!
>
> Oh, and regarding facilities in the night - for a long time I didn't
> "stealth" camp except in place with facilities (Walmarts, truck stops) or in
> remote places where a bush was reasonable. Then I finally realized I needed
> a portapotty (or equivalent) and I was being silly not to have one. After
> that I stealth camped all the time.
>
> Showers aren't much use for urban camping! But I'm a member of a Y, which
> gets you access to Ys everywhere in the country, and I'd go work out
> wherever I could and then take my shower there. Occasionally a campground
> was needed for showers. And of course the sponge bath is always an option.
>
>
>
> Joy
>
>
>
> :::-----Original Message-----
> :::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> :::Of neil
> :::Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2007 6:23 PM
> :::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> :::Subject: Was: bus alarm... guns. Now: Stealth/urban camping tips
> :::
SNIP
> :::
> :::Since I am curious about this stealth stuff I searched archives found
> :::some good tips at.
> :::
> :::Others may find this helpful:
> :::
> :::http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0308C&L=vanagon&P=R11822
> :::
> :::Or:
> :::
> :::http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-
> :::bin/wa.exe?S2=vanagon&L=vanagon&q=&s=stealth&f=&a=july+2000&b=jan+2007
> :::
> :::
> :::Anything to add Joy?
> :::
> :::Or other Vanagon Stealth Pros?
> :::
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