Living in a Van

[StringFive]

YouTube "stealth camper"....and you'll be hooked. LOL

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by RP

I wonder if John Steinbeck's family offered similar encouragement....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travels_with_Charley

Steinbeck spent most of his nights on the road in fancy hotels, with "Charley"... He also had plenty of money, and was a genuine celebrity, which isn't the situation the OP is going to find in his rambles...

A better book for the OP would be "Blue Highways" by Wm. Least Heat Moon.. He lived in his van while rambling...

Don

[SpiderTrap]

I'd suggest a Good Back Up plan . It may have been well in the 50s or 60s , but society has moved on to the point of --Chew You Up and Spit You Out ,... if not careful . You need to be thinking ahead , Wayyy Ahead ..... Travels with Charley was 1960 . People were friendlier then ........Now is a Very Different Story . Many millions live with daily desperation......

[Mr. Jelly]

Are you still here? I thought you'd be gone by now. Winter's coming it's time to head south.

[Murphy Slaw]

Didn't Bronson do it on a motorcycle?

Nobody remembers Bronson..........

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

<>
Nobody remembers Bronson..........

Well, hang in there ...

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by waveform

Perhaps my destiny is not a motivational speaker but Im thinking of living in a van. Traveling has always been something that drives me. Meeting people, places, new stuff. I also want time to play guitar, heading south.

It just seems the world has gotten so freaking nut job crazy the most sense is to live in the wild. Im less afraid of bears then humans. I was thinking of camping and looking for work and a place to live. Maybe live out of the van for a few months see how it is. This way its just the important stuff, music, nature, people. Im a little afraid of the living in a van and homeless stigma.

Yesterday I was traveling home from work and passed a pick-up truck with what appeared to be a manufactured tiny home in the bed. It was reminiscent of a gingerbread house with all the storybook millwork treatments on the external walls and gables, a sleeping loft over the cab and a rear porch with carriage lighting extending far enough to fit a full size Adirondack-style rocking chair. I haven't tried to Go-Ogle it yet but I expect it will have some net-coverage.

I'm a natural born recluse who got tangled up in society. If the opportunity presented itself that same society would wish me farewell with a push back and a gas card for some place far away. And, I would most graciously accept the offer.

[Bob Womack]

So many musicians have lived the life. HERE is a great song by an acquaintance of mine guy named James Ward about living on the open road. Besides being a catch song, the lyrics show great irony that I love. The piano intro ends and the main song starts at 1:01.

Bob

[fingerguy]

Originally Posted by waveform

Perhaps my destiny is not a motivational speaker but Im thinking of living in a van. Traveling has always been something that drives me. Meeting people, places, new stuff. I also want time to play guitar, heading south.

It just seems the world has gotten so freaking nut job crazy the most sense is to live in the wild. Im less afraid of bears then humans. I was thinking of camping and looking for work and a place to live. Maybe live out of the van for a few months see how it is. This way its just the important stuff, music, nature, people. Im a little afraid of the living in a van and homeless stigma.

I visited my sister in California back in the early 90's where she lived as a hippy in a town called Chico. At the time the population of Chico was mostly separated into two groups: college kids and hippies. She was the hippy and her and those she was with lived the life.

I met a couple that have a kid living out of a VW van. IMHO it was sad; there is no reason to live like that. A trailer, I get it for it's a small house but van IMHO is good to transport stuff. I can see having one to go to concerts and stuff but to actually live out of it IMHO was pathetic. They didn't have to live that life they chose to do so and pretending it's still the 60's.

Everything is great when you first think of it, but till you live it or seen it, you really don't know what it's a like.

You can make music your life but I am willing to bet it won't be luxurious one which is fine. I met another guy in Chico who used to be a millionaire working at the stock exchange as a trader or at least that is how I remember it. Anyway, apparently he was miserable and sold all his crap, and not sure what he did with the money but moved to Chico and lives the life as a hippy.

He seems happy, and what not but it's a choice, and it's a choice he lives with. You on the other hand are posting about it saying you are thinking about it. There are two kinds of people in this world: those that do and those that think about it. Usually the later if they need to think about it or especially need to bring it up to others and/or ask about it on a forum usually shouldn't be doing it.

I met some musicians in my life, most never were famous or rich but they love what they do. They played gigs (weddings, bars, etc.) and gave lessons and loved it. Some made a lot of money thanks to the number of students gigs and then there were those that 99% of the time didn't do gigs and mostly taught and always struggling with money.

The point is, those people made a decision to do what they love and living what they call the life. But they didn't ask people if they should do it or announce it, they just did it. So I say go back to thinking about it, and if you really want to do it, you will then do it.

[jseth]

Well, GO FOR IT! Life's too short to not follow the muse where it leads you... and it sounds as though you are looking to discover... something.

Who knows? Maybe traveling around this country will broaden your perspectives, bring some new songs and many new faces...

Talk about "Tiny" living! It would be a real challenge for me to go back to the days when I could easily "live in a van"; until my late 20's, that would have been (indeed, was) eminently do-able.

I currently live in a nicely converted medium two-car garage, and my stuff fits, albeit tightly! Had to downsize a bit and there isn't a lot of room to move around, but it works for me. I have my guitars out, amplifiers set up and stereo and TV lining one wall...

But I would have to get SERIOUSLY SMALL to live in a van again...

Stay in touch, as you can...

[RP]

Originally Posted by fingerguy

...You on the other hand are posting about it saying you are thinking about it. There are two kinds of people in this world: those that do and those that think about it. Usually the later if they need to think about it or especially need to bring it up to others and/or ask about it on a forum usually shouldn't be doing it.

...The point is, those people made a decision to do what they love and living what they call the life. But they didn't ask people if they should do it or announce it, they just did it. So I say go back to thinking about it, and if you really want to do it, you will then do it.

WOW! In your world, you've never experienced more than two kinds of people. There are actually many people who give things a lot of thought before making a decision. People who make a quantum leap in their lives don't or shouldn't get feedback from others??? That's just plain silly. I'm also not sure how you know that the people you alluded to did not give their major life changes any thought before taking the plunge. The OP is using us a sounding board, and I think that's a great use of this forum...

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Cabarone

This...and read "Travels With Charlie" by John Steinbeck while putting the plan together...

Oh Yes, a wonderful book by a truly great writer!

[Truckjohn]

One thing I want to emphasize here....

It often costs nearly nothing to try this sort of thing.

Just go try it on the cheap and see how it goes. Then report back here to us how it went.

This reminds me of Charlie Sheen's character in Wall Street - where he is talking about his dream to his girl....

"My dream is to make enough money so I can ride across China on a motorcycle..."

At the time - I took this as some grand bucket list dream that one has to work hard, make a lot of money, save and plan for years to achieve...

But it was later pointed out to me that when the movie hit theaters - that "Dream" a - riding across the entire nation of China on a motorcycle - would cost less than $750 counting airfare... It's the TIME if takes that is the problem for "normal" people...

The point was the foolishness of ignorance... He already had 100% of the means to achieve his dreams without becoming some big shot fancy pants hotshot millionaire... He was ignorant of that fact that in reality - this bigtime hotshot career would prevent him ever accomplishing it... Because he would never have the time to do it...

The moral of this post. Get to it!

[DHart]

Originally Posted by Truckjohn

One thing I want to emphasize here....

It often costs nearly nothing to try this sort of thing.

Just go try it on the cheap and see how it goes. Then report back here to us how it went.

This reminds me of Charlie Sheen's character in Wall Street - where he is talking about his dream to his girl....

"My dream is to make enough money so I can ride across China on a motorcycle..."

At the time - I took this as some grand bucket list dream that one has to work hard, make a lot of money, save and plan for years to achieve...

But it was later pointed out to me that when the movie hit theaters - that "Dream" a - riding across the entire nation of China on a motorcycle - would cost less than $750 counting airfare... It's the TIME if takes that is the problem for "normal" people...

The point was the foolishness of ignorance... He already had 100% of the means to achieve his dreams without becoming some big shot fancy pants hotshot millionaire... He was ignorant of that fact that in reality - this bigtime hotshot career would prevent him ever accomplishing it... Because he would never have the time to do it...

The moral of this post. Get to it!

Spot on, TruckJohn.

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Well, hang in there ...

I'll be darned....