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Date:         Mon, 15 Apr 2002 22:33:02 -0400
Reply-To:     Ron Semko <vwbuspilot@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ron Semko <vwbuspilot@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Full Timing It, was: living in an rv (no vanagon content)
Content-Type: text/html

<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV> <P>There is a whole segment of our society that are Full Time RV'ers. There are many resources available on the web and elswhere to tap into. Mostly they are retired folks who have sold the farm and taken to the road. Try typing into a search engine RV and see what you get. Try the "Family Motor Coach Association", try Coast to Coast Resorts.</P> <P>Some of you may remember that I sell RV's (actually manage a dealership) for a living. Here in Florida the Snowbirds come down in the winter and go back up North in the Summer. These aren't hippy types. They are old fashioned folks who just love the nomadic lifestyle. Most have worked at the same job for over 20 years, lived in the same home for over 20 years. Then there is the new generation of Baby Boomers that are choosing the RV'ing lifestyle as the retirement lifestyle of choice. It's a lot bigger than most would even imagine.</P> <P>If you need any further resources, feel free to contact me.</P> <P>Ron Semko<BR><BR></P></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>&gt;From: Fryday <FRYDAY@CALIFORNIA.COM> <DIV></DIV>&gt;Reply-To: Fryday <FRYDAY@CALIFORNIA.COM> <DIV></DIV>&gt;To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <DIV></DIV>&gt;Subject: Re: living in an rv (no vanagon content) <DIV></DIV>&gt;Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 13:29:48 -0800 <DIV></DIV>&gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt;I have a lot of hippie artist friends who live in their van. They are usually <DIV></DIV>&gt; big vans with minimal windows and all the windows are very well covered to <DIV></DIV>&gt; prevent light from coming out. This seems to work, but the amount of room is <DIV></DIV>&gt; pretty minimal. <DIV></DIV>&gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt;A bientot, <DIV></DIV>&gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt;Philippe <DIV></DIV>&gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt;On Mon, 15 Apr 2002 04:35:47 EDT <DIV></DIV>&gt; Jeffrey R <OXROAD@AOL.COM>wrote: <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; In a message dated 4/14/2002 4:53:48 PM Pacific Daylight Time, <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; zenlunatic42@HOTMAIL.COM writes: <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; &gt; I was being generous with all my figures and it seems that the rv <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; &gt; would be more expensive so I was wondering if anyone could give me more <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; &gt; specific info on how much it would cost to live in an rv for a month. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I had an idea to live in my Wesfalia in NYC when I lived there and the rents <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; were going up (about 2 years ago). The idea was live in the bus and shower at <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; the Gym where I'd go everyday anyway. Then the idea of moving up to an RV. I <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; had the idea to put bars on the windows of the RV like on low floors in bad <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; neighborhoods in some citys or everywhere in Manhattan. (Dealing with the <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; symptom seems easier than dealing with the problem to some.) And in NYC the <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; non-window vans that plumbers and carpenters use have an iron mesh that hangs <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; on the inside or outside of and locks over the van door windows with a giant <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; pad lock. So even if those windows are busted no one could get in. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; But then there's getting out. Like in case of fire. So it seemed the iron <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; bars on the living compartment would have to be somehow releaseable from the <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; inside. And all these bars to keep out the criminal element when one was away <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; from the RV at work and the like. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; With luck I figured I would need a pump out for the waste once a week which <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; would most likely involve a drive out of Manhattan. Again Gym facilities <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; could be used to minimize filling the holding tanks. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; And all this to avoid the high rent figuring at that time a great deal on my <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; small apartment was $1200 a month. When you're up against that rent the RV <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; might be cheaper for about the same square-footage. (but what if you get <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; ticketed or towed which is easy in a city and which would drive up the cost) <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; But finding parking would be an issue since street parking is at a minimum <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; and I think sleeping in a vehicle is illegal there (not sure of the exact <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; law). <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; So I gave it a test night sleeping on the E. 78th Street in Manhattan in my <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Westfalia. Not a good night's sleep. I felt pretty vunerable and as the city <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; never sleeps many people seem to walk by and peer in the windows trying to <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; look around the curtains, saying "I think there's a guy sleeping in there." I <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; figured after that one-night experience no matter how you slice it, when <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; you're sleeping in a car, even a Westfalia, you're basically living like a <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; homeless person--or are a homeless person. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Now that's if you're going to make the vehicle your home. And I'm not saying <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; there's any shame in it, but it takes a certain amount of fortitude to live <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; that way in a city. And it became obvious to me it wasn't a good idea for me. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; So I kept my apartment and looked at paying the rent a little more fondly <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; after that. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Having said that I did see a handful of people who lived in RVs in Manhattan. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Most of the RVs, in fact all, were extremely run down. And I think it was <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; people without much financial choice in the matter. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I did read a newspaper article several years ago where a guy spend a load of <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; cash building a Manhattan worthy RV to beat the cost of rent and apparently <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; lived down near Wall Street. But I never saw the guy and never got a copy of <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; the article ( I read it in some else's newspaper over someone's shoulder on <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; the subway. So the paper could have been the ONION, I dunno. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Here in LA where I am now I see people who seem to live in RVs and park them <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; on overpasses of the freeway. On the overpasses there is room for legal <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; parking that continues from along the length of the street it carries over <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; the freeway. My guess is the overpass is either state or federally owned and <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; the local police can't bother the RV dwellers in that space as it's <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; technically not their jurisdiction. But that's just a guess. Maybe they just <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; love the sound of the Freeway. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I think in most places you'd find it hard to find a place to park in an RV <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; and sleep without being a target of local police. So you'd find yourself <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; paying for a campsite. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I camped in Malibu on the beach in my Westfalia here when I first moved out <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; for a few weeks. But that was at a State campsite for $10 a night amounting <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; to $300 or so a month if you stayed that long. And regulations dictate a <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; maximum stay of something like 2 weeks or maybe one week. The beach site had <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; no running water and primitive toilets. Up in Malibu Canyon there was a <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; campsite with running hot water and showers for $1.00 extra on top of the $10 <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; a night fee or something like that. So every few nights I would stay up in <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; the Canyon and shower and the like. (Hygene is a priority in my life, but <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; give me a break, I was camping). <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; In Malibu it seemed the Police were pretty strict about enforcing no <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; overnight parking rules on the roadways and parking lots. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; In Hollywood up in the residential areas of the hills I see a Westfalia <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; parked on a regular basis and I think a guy lives in it. But my guess is <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; sooner or later the police will move him along if that's the case. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I guess it depends on where you're going to be and what your needs are. I <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; don't think a month would be impossible. But from my thinking there are <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; obsticals, some of which I hit on above--and add to that personal safety as <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; you can be pretty vunerable in a RV or VW bus stealth camping. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; An if you're going to be in an authorized night to night campsite I'm not <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; sure it would save money with cost of operation of the RV and nightly fees. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Although it sounds like you came to that conclusion as well. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I still haven't totally given up on the idea as it seems somehow absurd to <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; pay rent. And I hate to sound like I'm thinking inside the box, but it seems <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; if it were a solution you'd see more RVs with people living in them rather <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; than using them for leisure. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Anyway that's my lengthy two cents, the rest goes to my landlord. <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; Jeff <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; 83.5 Westy <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; LA,CA <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; <DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; The <DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: <a href='http://g.msn.com/1HM505401/12'>Click Here</a><br></html>


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