Date:         Wed, 9 Feb 2000 20:27:13 -0800
Reply-To:     Ron Bloomquist <roadcow@MCN.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ron Bloomquist <roadcow@MCN.ORG>
Subject:      Stealth camping
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi gang,

Well, I guess I can't let this opportunity go by.  Besides, Friday is upon
us.

I did stealth camping in my 1967 VW Splitty in the parking lot of Northrop
Aircraft Corp., down in Hawthorne, California for six months back in the
80's.  I was working on the B-2 Stealth bomber so I guess it was only
fitting.

You see, I was hired away from Boeing, out of Seattle, took the job, drove
down to L.A. and went to work.  Didn't know anybody - no place to live
except in my bus.

Ended up working 10 and 12 hour days and so, at the end of the work day, I
would hop in my bus and leave like any other working stiff - head down to
the Venice beach, catch some rays and read a book.  When the sun finally hit
the horizon I would then find a Mexican restaurant for a cheap meal of
chicken, rice and beans and then roll back into the plant parking lot around
10:00 pm using my magnetic badge to open the security gate, park and then
hit the sack.  Since they were running three shifts at the time my vehicle
didn't stand out.

Back up at 4:30 in the morning.  Fry up some bacon and eggs on my Coleman
and then head off to work a half hour early to use the company showers.  I
would get some stares from the other arriving employees.  Here they just
finished their one hour commute from Oxnard and I come bounding out of my
bus, bright eyed and smelling of bacon and eggs!!

On the rare times I had a weekend off I would go camping in Joshua Tree,
Mojave, Death Valley.

Well, like all good things, it had to end.  I was making way too much money
and had no rent.  The bucks were piling up.  What to do?

I bought a 1974 Harley Superglide.  Way cool! except, where to park it?  Why
not along side my bus?  Then I found a good deal on a MG Midget.  Now I am
taking up three parking places and juggling vehicles all the time.  Finally,
one night plant security is beating on the door of my bus.  "Come out!  We
know you are in there!"

I was informed that camping in the parking lot was not allowed.  Plus, there
were no facilities.

I thought about showing them my pee bottle but...

Anyway, that was one of the most interesting times in my life.  Juggling
three vehicles while homeless and making 50,000 a year.

Oh, yes.  The stealthy part.  I put up 1/4 inch plywood panels over the bus
window on standoffs so I could have the windows open for air circulation and
the interior light of my bus would not be seen.  That way I could read while
in my sleeping bag.  I also had head phones so I could listen to music and
news over the radio.

By the time I finally got thrown out of the parking lot I had developed some
friendships at work and rented a room from one of my friends.  That was the
end of Stealth camping.  It was all down hill from there and soon, way too
soon, back into the normal 'merican rat race.

Ron Bloomquist
ROADCOW
VANARU