Living Rent Free 1974 Dodge Van With Built In Shower

There are thousands of people living in RVs for financial reasons now. They are putting a strain on the areas that would normally be used by those who use their RVs occasionally for recreational purposes. And they are causing a lot of restrictions to be implemented on where you can park your RV.

A lot of RV parks are fully booked these days too, lots of public land though. In Arizona is $180 for a pass from I think September to April and that includes a water station to fill up, dump station and a place to get rid of your trash but no hook ups so your rig needs to be set up accordingly.

She needs an intake, headers and fuel injection...

Very interesting. Cute dog. While not the most comfortable way to live it must be very freeing to live that way having very minimal belongings and responsibilities.

Also, it's way better than being homeless, both on her and the rest of the community.

I tried to find a place to park my LQ trailer in Florida over the winter, every place was at least 6 months out and even then they didn't know if they would have any spots after that!

Yeah it's crazy, usually tent camp at Moss Park in Orlando, couldn't do it this year over the winter, all booked 6 months out.
Thought what the h*ll, I'll suck it up and go in the summer, still no openings 6 months out, didn't look any further.

Yeah the southern tips of Florida and California are booked solid, best alternative is Quartzsite AZ. Mid 70's during the day and 40's at night, no AC needed.

I've been following the channel 'Vancity Vanlife' that that video is from. The channel is based out of Canada, and he's been in his van 4+ yrs.

In one of his earlier videos he mentioned where a lot of the problem comes from for van dwellers are those who have a van or RV and act like squatters. They find a place to park, and never move from that spot. The trash starts piling up, the vehicle starts looking ratty (if its not already), and it becomes an eyesore. This is especially bad if they're parked in a city. You have to keep moving.

In watching his videos, it almost seems like it is easier to be a van dweller up there than here in the States. He's shown how once out of the city, there are usually numerous pull offs where you can park/camp for the night. In a recent video he was talking about 'crown land' where you are allowed to stay for up to 21 days. Community centers often have resources available like showers and water provisions.

Then there's the fact that Canada simply doesn't have the population that the US has making it easier to 'get away'. If I remember correctly, the total population of all their provinces combined is less than the total population of JUST California.

There is a guy here in town with an older motor home who just keeps moving from spot to spot. I see him parked at the library one day, then the post office, then the supermarket, etc. I think he parks for a day and then moves it. His rig is barely legal, lots of duct tape holding things together.

The gal in the video seems right on the edge. She is keeping it together so far but she looks emotionally fragile. She might only be one mechanical failure away from a homeless shelter. That would be tough.

When I had my shop in Rockford, IL there was a Chevy version of the van motorhome with a single axle enclosed trailer that hung around the downtown for at least three years. Parked in 20 or so places moving every other week. Haven't seen it around this year, may have got tired of the cold and went south. But at least she was in the van most of the time "down by the river"...LOL I was going to offer for her to stay in my lot, but never saw here when I thought of it...

Near Stanford University on El Camino Real are lots of motor homes in various conditions that people are living in. We've also seen them in worse condition on side roads and industrial areas. Considering the cost of housing it is not surprising...even though most are eyesores.

Yes, 80% of Canada is uninhabited crown land, same thing as Americas "bureau of land management" with 14 day stays. If you really wanted to get creative and live cheap you could stay down in Arizona for the winter on BLM land and head north to crown land for the summer! I've seen videos of crown land where the people had an entire lake to themselves

I bet she smells funky.

U know what they say once u get past the smell u got it licked.

Just who's this "they"?

Why lick something that smells?

I feel bad for the lady

nice looking ol van , friend in Texas lives in a Houseboat to avoid taxes , its pretty nice .. Keep thinking he will fall into lake some night taking a leak in the dark

Snow birders have been camping in Quartzite as well as a lot of other places in AZ and eastern SO CA since the late 1960s.
I know several guys that would go to Quartzsite in the early to late spring to try and find motorhomes and pickups to buy after the Husband had died there and the wife couldn't or didn't want to take the camping rigs home
I have driven and flown over that area more than once in mid winter and late fall, it is campers as far as you can see
I lived in Blythe as a kid in the late 1950, 1958 to 1961, that area has beautiful late falls, winters and early springs
The temperatures start to increase in mid April and that area stays hot in the days until late fall, mid October, at or above 100+ F in the days, I can remember many 117F+ days in Luly and August with 30+% humidity, HOT,HOT ,HOT, and it will only cools off to around 90F+ at night

Never thought that about Quartszite ^ but I am sure it happens.

Here's a cool one, retired body man / painter single father, seems to be having a blast in his converted shuttle bus.