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Date:         Thu, 23 May 2002 10:51:06 -0700
Reply-To:     developtrust <developtrust@COX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         developtrust <developtrust@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Living in a van
Comments: To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Stan, Once again you are a wealth of practical knowledge. Thanks for the tips to us all. William

> I never use dishes ........ I use paper or recycled plastic dished from > Staufers, Marie Callendar or Healthy Choice frozen meals that I've eaten > at home. > A portable toilet would be a handy thing to have but requires storage > space that is at a premium. I use a bicycle to get to and from campground > bathrooms and in case of an emergency I've used my trusty five gallon > plastic bucket with a plastic kitchen bag (2 times in seven years). > I collect a few mustard, mayonnaise, Horsey Sauce, Ketchup, single > jellies, honey, and butter cups and those candy flavored coffee enhances > as I progress through my normal eat and run existence and use them on > camping trips. I use olive oil and wine vinegar as salad dressings (won't > go bad like the expensive stuff). > I never drink the water from campgrounds or from my holding tank; why > take the risk? > I use a charcoal fire starter by Bic to light my stove, if you get the > quartz type it will light your LP even if its dead because the spark is > at the end of it. > I keep a miniature holder for about twelve regular kitchen matches and > use kelly forceps to hold my paper matches when lighting my Coleman > (gasoline/lantern fuel) not LP canisters. > I clean my windows every day that I camp and unburden the interior of the > Westy completely so it looks like it is on a showroom floor. You'll be > surprised how much you grow to hate that between the seats junk box with > the cup holders you built. I use a 4 man tent to store all my floating > junk boxes etc. > I use a 12 inch florescent under the cabinet light on 120v that I can > move around anywhere when I have the 120v. It runs cool and can be tucked > into lots of locations next to your canvass. > I use a 5" Portable Color 12v/Battery/120v TV/VCR combination that has a > removable rabbit ear setup for better reception. > I take books that are worth reading twice, you make your choices here. > I have a hang on 120v 5000btu Air Conditioner for use if I know I'm going > to have 120v and the evening temps are going to justify carrying it. > http://williamwareagency.com/forsale/stanvan/ac_unit.htm > If you're going to be fishing regularly take some baking soda to wash > your hands and sprinkle on your dirty clothes bag. Use a net type clothes > bag and dry garments before you put them in. > Cleanliness is next to Godliness when it comes to attracting insects. > If your campsite has flies or insects when you get there, change > locations ....... you are what they've been waiting for. The Coleman > lanterns burning 40 or 50 feet away at night are a big help in drawing > them away from your space. > Don't feed the deer, farrow cats, opossums, raccoons, birds or anything > else, they become dependants very quickly. > Never take laxatives, use brand cereal (Cracklin Oats is like candy and > doesn't require milk) use fresh fruits or dried prunes or canned pinto > beans to stay on schedule. Try to drink at least two quarts of water a > day and lay off the beer and soft drinks with high sugar content. > If you're really roughing it; never do you number 2s near your campsite > ........ use your trusty folding shovel and dig a hole to be covered. If > you can see where you just did it when you get back to your Westy ...... > that was too close. > Never sleep in your clothes. You can get good long use out of them if you > hang then every night to freshen. > I'm not talking through my tush here, I've spent many weeks living in my > Westy clearing trees and brush from my 87 acre farm (Ha! Nothing there > but one tiny stripper oil well.) > Avoid potential hazards of machetes, hatchets and knives ....... if you > need a walking stick; take it with you. > If you're going to be hiking off into wilderness take a couple of Road > Flare, Boat Horn on CO2 can, a water treatment kit, rain suit, you know > the routine. > > Stan > > > > > On Thu, 23 May 2002 10:07:34 -0400 lvb <lvb@ALLTEL.NET> writes: > > Interesting article. Only thing I would add would be about not > > rinsing dishes. > > Might be ok with one drop of soap, but most would use more, and not > > rinsing is > > a major cause of dysentery, not very comfortable in a Westy with no > > toilet. > > Thanks. Larry > > > > Rob Gunter wrote: > > > > > I didn't live in a Westy, but I spent 18 months traveling in my > > Ford Van and > > > can give some good tips. > > > > > > Cleaning dishes: Boil water and put into a deep dish plastic tray > > with a > > > small drop of soap. Wash the dishes, dry and put away without > > rinsing. > > > > > > Pots and Pans: Have 2 pots (1 for boiling water), and a fry pan. > > 1 or 2 > > > plates extra. Good bowls. 2 sets of silver No more. > > > > > > If you have other than a propane fridge: give it up. > > > > > > Paying for camping: Don't do that!! When transiting stay at > > Safeway and > > > Wal-Mart National Park. Master the art of Guerilla camping (free > > camping on > > > the sly). National Forests are good too. > > > > > > Saving money: Stop moving > > > > > > Email: Libraries are free (usually). > > > > > > Laptops: Only if you REALLY need them. They will drain your > > batteries > > > fast. > > > > > > Solar Cell: Good idea for a 5-10W. > > > > > > Propane: Gods Gas. > > > > > > Awning: EXCELLENT > > > > > > Folding lawn chair: Needed > > > > > > Outdoor lights: Use candles, less bugs. Sleep with the sun. > > > > > > Showers: Natl parks, community pools. > > > > > > Bicycles: Good if you will be visiting cities. > > > > > > Valuables: Don't take any with you or you will live in fear of > > losing > > > (stolen) them. > > > > > > Fishing gear: Light tackle. > > > > > > Cash: Travelers checks in emergency stash, ATM otherwise. > > > > > > Dry goods: Lots of in bulk. Oat meal is amazingly good. > > > > > > Dry milk: Mix with a small amount of water to make a thin paste > > then add > > > the rest. > > > > > > Flashlight: get an LED one. > > > > > > What to do with your time: Allow lots of free time to think. > > > > > > Mixing with locals: Do. > > > > > > Washing clothes: Keep a 5 gal bucket with a tight lid. Put > > clothes in with > > > soap, drive, rinse, hang up. > > > > > > Type of clothes: Fast drying, nice looking, Salvation Army good. > > > > > > Anything else: Make sure it has more than one use. If you don't > > use it in > > > 2 weeks, pitch it. > > > > > > Feather Comforter: Never leave home without it!! > > > > > > Good luck! > > > > > > Rob G. > > > > > > http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/PassportPl/gunter01/ > > > > > > for a few months while travelling > > > > > > I'd be interested in hearing how folks fare on extended traveling > > trips > > > in these vehicles. > > > > > > things like : > > > > > > Cooking and cleaning dishes with these tiny kitchens ? > > > do you use supplemental equipment ? > > > > > > portable toilets ? > > > > > > Showers ? do you use a portable setup or stop someplace that has > > > showers ? > > > > > > Cold... do you use some kind of portable heat or just dress warmly > > ? > > > > > > Sitting through storms with the top up... ? the canvas doesnt > > look > > > water proof.. ? is it ? > > > > > > Tents, how many folks use tents along the side for this stuff ? > > > > > > any thing related to these issues would be appreciated. > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 00:07:45 -0400 > > > From: "Russell, William" <william.russell@UW-INC.COM> > > > Subject: Re: living in a westy or weekender for a few months > > while > > > travelling > > > > > > I can tell you that I've sat through a viscous storm on the north > > shore > > > of Lake Superior and was nice and dry. The wind was blowing so > > hard > > > that I could barely face into it when I walked to the edge of the > > water. > > > The vehicle felt more stable then I used to feel in my father's > > 1971 > > > Lionel Crank-Up Camper during a storm. > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On > > Behalf > > > Of Clay Moore > > > Sent: May 23, 2002 00:01 > > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > > Subject: living in a westy or weekender for a few months while > > > travelling > > > > > > I'd be interested in hearing how folks fare on extended traveling > > trips > > > in these vehicles. > > > > > > things like : > > > > > > Cooking and cleaning dishes with these tiny kitchens ? > > > do you use supplemental equipment ? > > > > > > portable toilets ? > > > > > > Showers ? do you use a portable setup or stop someplace that has > > > showers ? > > > > > > Cold... do you use some kind of portable heat or just dress warmly > > ? > > > > > > Sitting through storms with the top up... ? the canvas doesnt > > look > > > water proof.. ? is it ? > > > > > > Tents, how many folks use tents along the side for this stuff ? > > > > > > any thing related to these issues would be appreciated. > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > End of vanagon Digest - 22 May 2002 (#2002-629) > > > *********************************************** > > > > ________________________________________________________________ > GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! > Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! > Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.


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