Dining, Drinking and Stealth Urban Overnighting?

[buckturgidson]

[1621]

Not familiar with the front curtain behind the seats trick. That's a good one!

I've spent several nights in hotel lots (seem to be popular) and a couple in rest stops (only when I'm falling asleep at 3am). I've also pulled up alongside the idling Semis for a couple hours shut eye as well. Keep a yellow Nalgene bottle with you for a pisser, and use it solely for that purpose.

DON'T try to stealth camp in Walnut Creek - small town cops with attitudes, and twitchy residents to boot.

Just don't make yourself stand out and you'll be fine.

Enjoy the trip.
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'85 Westy

[Rhinoculips]

[allsierra123]

Just about any parking lot will due just try to be gone before the start of business and you should be good. But your right about central coast cops they nailed me more times than any other place and in all my years of driving. Gotta love it there.
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95 GMC Yukon 6.5 TD 2 Door Tow pig/ Daily driver.
91 Vanagon GL. 1.9TD Conversion Sold
81 Vw rabbit 1.6 Diesel. Sold

[VisPacem]

Spots that seems to have been overlooked are the parking lots of RV accessories retailers. If my memory serves me well, I seem to recall the parking of Camping World I believe or RV World, in Anaheim, CA, right off the 5 FWY, within easy range of Disneyland for those who enjoy this kind of things, where overnight stay I seem to recall is allowed up to three nights and it was even set up with hook ups. I do not recall if there was a washroom facility.
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LG aka VisPacemPB, *The* party Pooper

No Regrets (Nothing to do with Vanagons)

[ysquared]

All good advice. I'm in the market this week for a porta-potti and looking at models at various RV centers we have around here. If it was just me, you can't get more compact than a Nalgene bottle. My girlfriend is a frequent travel mate, so she'll need something a bit more elaborate.

I totally agree on not tainting the Westy image by waking up and relieving myself on someone's Azalea bushes.

Not that I'm affiliated, but has anyone tried the parking lots of Vets Halls, Elks Lodges, Kiwanis Clubs, etc., without being a member? I remember meeting an older couple who hopped from club to club in their RV. Seems to me those organizations might be into a donation for an overnight stay.

Ahh! ... the Central Coast ... it's a beautiful place to live, but like most things in life there are trade-offs. The uber-conservative nature of the area only empowers Heir Badges. Come for the weather, the beaches, enjoy the wine ... and leave with a DUI. I've heard of people complain about their vacations here being the most expensive they've ever had.

I've taken great pride and almost 2 years of work in keeping the restoration as stock as possible when viewed from the outside (excepting the GW wheel package). Hopefully enhancing the stealth factor, and avoiding undo attention from Heir Badges. No spray paint or plastic flowers on this baby.

(Sorry, I had to post a pix. My first one of the vehicle here)

The again ... I can't take the Van out without someone saying something to me. I'd like to think someone would be proud to have me park this in front of their house overnight ... even in Flagstaff.
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1985 Westy - 1.9 - 4 sp. - white/ tan
My Space Shuttle on wheels

[Westy-Life]

When my family and I free camp in a city/town, I pull into a nice residential street (not too fancy through), go up to a house and as if it is ok to park for the night in-front of their place. If they give us the green light, I will even pop the top. Usually people are so nice they let our little girl use their bathroom or invite us in for a pop.

It never hurts to ask first.

Cheers!
Dave
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86 Westfalia with 03' TDI Auto trans

[RCB]

[ysquared]

Hmm? In the spirit of the post above.

I'm a newbie here, and maybe this is a naive question, but ... has there ever been a Samba Hostel system suggested? A Sticky posting where you state your travel plans, and then you're invited by other members at those locations to park overnight?

I could see how this might not fly, but it does seem there are friendships in this forum more so than in just hyper-space. I've always had the Groucho Marx attitude "I wouldn't join I club that would have me," but the Samba seems to be my exception.

Maybe this is a question for a moderator?
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1985 Westy - 1.9 - 4 sp. - white/ tan
My Space Shuttle on wheels

[ysquared]

Walmart Map ....

http://www.allstays.com/c/walmart-california-locations-map.htm

Seems like this overnight location might be going the way of an urban myth. Also, with a bit more digging, it seems like Walmart has had several crimes reported in their parking lots lately.
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1985 Westy - 1.9 - 4 sp. - white/ tan
My Space Shuttle on wheels

[Westy-Life]

On our recent 7 month trip in our Westy we used Walmart allot. Never any issue and FREE!!

Cheers!
D
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86 Westfalia with 03' TDI Auto trans

[riceye]

When we are actually camping, state and federal lands provide our sites, be it NRA's, BLM land or actual campgrounds.

If we are on the road, the first choice for a travel respite are rest areas. We try to abide to a six hour limit with our stays.

A close second is state run casinos. They are open 24 hours, have clean rest rooms, and even cheap food and drinks should that need arise. Pretty good security, as well.

I've also slept in motel parking lots when driving was a poor option. Stealth is key, along with an early departure. Crowded lots are better, and empty ones are, well, just a poor choice. Pretty tough to conceal yourself if yours is the only vehicle around. And if you are a guest at a good watering hole, just asking permission to remain in their lot after hours seems to work more times than not. Just be sure to lock the doors.

We always carry a two gallon plastic jug specific for those middle of the night urges, which seem to come with greater frequency anymore, particularly when beer is involved. For females, google "lady j".

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'87 Westy Weekender - daily driver on salt-free roads

There's gonna be some changes made.

“I find that things usually go well right up until the moment they don't.” - Ahwahnee

"Quality isn't method. It's the goal toward which the method is aimed." - Socrates, later quoted by R.M. Pirsig

[danfromsyr]

Not necessarily a Samba Hostel system, but within the Vanagon listserve @ www.vanagon.com there are frequent travel postings which are occasionally followed with an invite for a 1-2 day stay while "enroute" if it falls within a members locality..

no one wants to put their name out in a Mass public listing of wanderers & vagrants to squat for half a summer in their backyard/driveway..

people often like to hear/know whats going on and are more then helpful to the assistance of fellow Vanabonds,
I've also seen some hey I'm trippin thru such&such area posted here and offers of stays given as well..

hope this helped any,
Dan in NY

[GWTWTLW]

[Alan Brase]

In the Type2.com list is a rescue service that is called AIRS. Mostly for breakdowns, but many members list overnighting.
To most of us a Vanagon is a type 2. Some are even air cooled.
Al
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Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home

[kd4yor]

[rockfish]

ysquared: Not to be a buzz kill - but I'm a bit surprised about the attitude towards DUI arrests.

I had a work colleague killed by a drunk driver (t-boned, ran a red light) while driving back to work at lunch time. I also had a very good friend, who was walking in a crosswalk - with the light, get hit by a drunk driver - cracked his head open - 3 weeks in a coma, 2 years of re-hab. He's healthy now, is married and has 2 kids - but can't hold down a job or do half of what he used to do (former national level swimmer).

So as far as I'm concerned, I'm all for any DUI handed out.
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89 Westy
GW 2.5 5-speed trans

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
- John Wooden

[shorepig]

"Personally, I have nothing against it, but once you've seen one or twenty more stepping out in the evening chill to take a leak on your street.. Well?
That gets old.
Go stealth? Get a portapottie and use it."

I agree with buckturgidson

Peeing in front of someone's house is gross, and disrespectful. Not sure about other full camper westies, but my westy came equipped with a urinal built right into the kitchen. Complete with a flushing system. It's right beside the stove. I CALL IT THE SINK. The sink makes a great urinal Just remember to chase your pee with a little water from the tap, it keeps the pipes smelling fresh. If your respectful, you will have your drain cap screwed on, and will drain it somewhere else..but if you're in the getto, let it roll on out.

Another tip - when you get into your van at the end of the night don't put all your interior lights on while your setting up your bed...this is a dead giveaway that you're spending the night. [/quote]

[RCB]

pissing in the sink is a pretty crappy idea.
If your going to be out and about and know its probably not going to be a good idea to drive you need to get yourself prepared.

Drop the bed well B4 hand so all you need to do is to open up the door,get into your van and go to bed, how simple is that.

Sure, you dont want to be watching TV or have the lights on when your "stealthing it" but it does take a little common sense to pull it off.

Gas station parking lots are another place to bed down for the night.

This aint rocket science folks its all about using your Vanagon/Westy when you have to.

Im in no way saying its OK to get pie eyed and then get behind the wheel but if you have had to much to drink its wiser to risk a ticket for sleeping in your van than risk the lives of yourself and others by driving.

[Dogpilot]

I on a trip doing a bit of stealth camping myself at the moment. I tend to travel in the country, so I find dirt roads pull behind a tree. Get up early and be off (totally against my get up late nature). I am used to peeing in a bottle, kind of an airplane thing.

Now my stealth spot the night before last west of Tucumcari, New Mexico, not so hot. We pulled off, found a parallel pipeline road. Turned out I chose a spot where they had just had a mondo rainstorm of the century. So the road was like gumbo. I ended up settling for where we where, rather than backing out in the dark in the mud. Really, the Westy has crappy visibility with really poor lighting for precision night backing.

Well in the morning we got out, just barely. The Syncro is really a remarkable vehicle. We where covered in Mud, so we had to go to a local spray wash place in Tucumcari. It cost $6 worth of Quarters to knock the tip of the mud iceberg off the van. It's going to take a lot more quarters before its all gone.

As for drunk drivers, well Sex Offenders need to register and notify the neighborhood of their presence. Well they kill very few people annually, but drunks kill at least 20K per year and put 600,000 in the hospital. 50% of all on the job injuries are alcohol related. So I think drunks need to register the same as Sex Offenders, I fear more from them than the others. I also think DUI's need to have a special license plate for a minimum of two years.

Now from the mouth of one of my Boy Scouts. I was teaching the Citizenship in the Community Merit badge, when I discussed drinking and the laws. One of the boy intelligently pointed out: "Why do the put bars in places you have to drive to?"
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Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G