Tag: free camping

Free Camping – How The Naked Hippies Do It

On By Trisha BarnesIn TravelLeave a comment

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Free Camping! We love it and this is how and where the Naked Hippies do it!

We’ve been to 19 states this year, traveling nearly 11,000 miles and not once did we pay for a campground! My last blog post told the “inside” story of why were were able to do this.

We have received so many questions about the nuts and bolts of how we actually do this.

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For those who want to know HOW we manage free camping so easily, this is for you.

 

This is our way, The Naked Hippies Way for free camping. Take whatever ideas you think you can use – but remember, this is all part of being willing to be uncomfortable to live your dream. Our Big Foot pickup camper provides us shelter, a comfortable bed, a fridge and a stove. The kind of free camping we do is for those who want to get off the grid and do it as cheaply as possible.

 

WHERE DO WE FIND FREE CAMPING?

We have slept on the mountaintop in Colorado, in the woods in Minnesota and yes … in WalMart and Flying J truck stop parking lots. It’s all a matter of location and convenience. Since WalMarts are everywhere, they are always the sure backup when a site out in nature is not so readily available.

These are the resources I use to find free camping:

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1. BUSINESS LOCATIONS:

First, get the AllStays App:  This is a lifesaver for us. It’s not free, but it has paid for itself over and over again. I think I use this app more than any other on my phone.

This app gives you a multitude of selections from free and paid camping sites, casinos, state parks, national parks, public lands, RV stores, rest stops and truck stops.

TIP:  When putting in a location, always type in city and state (not abbreviated)

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When we camp at WalMart, we always call to make sure it’s okay to park overnight. It just makes sense to make sure before settling down for the night. You definitely don’t want to be awakened by security telling you to move. Most WalMarts do allow overnight camping; but in some towns and cities, a local ordinance overrides the WalMart nationwide policy, so always ask.

We also usually do a little grocery shopping in the WalMart – a way of “paying” for the privilege of camping there for free. And, we never “set up camp” in the parking lot. We don’t pull out the camp chairs and announce in any way that we are camping. (seen it many times and wondered who really thinks watching WalMart activity is relaxing?!)

Casinos are also a great place to park for the night. The AllStays app will give you the location and a review from those who have camped there before. Again, it always is a good idea to get permission.

Flying J is our number one truck stop for overnight camping. There is always a good number of RVs parked at Flying J along with the diesel trucks. We have become so accustomed to the rumbling noises of the diesels that it’s like white noise to us now as we sleep. There’s also usually a Denny’s available. Or if not, Flying J does a decent job with their convenience food.

One more perk for staying at Flying J is that most of them have RV dump stations and propane tank filling available. We signed up for a Flying J rewards card and can dump for a discounted price of $3.00 – instead of the $10 fee.

2. CAMPING FOR FREE IN NATURE:

We use two websites to find free camping at national parks and on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land:

Campendium and FreeCampsites.

These are great resources that have helped me find amazing, beautiful and free camp sites as we travel. I start by putting in the state and then zoom in to see what is available close to our destination. Most of the free campsites have a 14 day stay limit.

TIP:  Always look for the camp sites that have reviews to help you find the best spot – or to avoid the ones that aren’t so favorable. Read the reviews to find out how scenic the site it, how the roads to access the site are, and what kind of reception your wireless carrier has there. I love the reviews that include pictures as well.

Once I find a location that sounds perfect for us, I have the directions sent to my phone. Easy-breezy!

3. AIRPORT CAMPING!

Now this is one that is definitely outside the box when it comes to camping. We learned this easy and valuable way of visiting cities when we attended an event in Utah a few years ago. Then, we had reservations at the event hotel but our pickup camper wouldn’t fit in their parking garage, so we parked at the airport, used the shuttle and slept in the hotel for 3 nights. 

LIGHTBULB MOMENT! Why are we paying $199 a night when we could go back to our camper every evening and pay only $10 a night for parking?

Since then, we have parked and camped at LAX in Los Angeles, at O’Hare in Chicago and at the San Diego airport. We hop on the shuttles and city transit systems to get wherever we want to go. The bonus – we sleep in our own bed every night and pay a minimal fee for Economy parking and transit services. Plus, we don’t have to drive our camper in horrendous city traffic.

Camping at the LAX economy lot is a thrill for us! We watch the huge jets come in right over our heads. The rumble is amazing, the constant stream of jets is astonishing. How can we sleep with all that noise? We just do. We’re safe as security patrols the area regularly. We’re comfortable because we’re sleeping in our own bed. It’s an incredible hack for free camping!

 

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WHAT ABOUT SHOWERING?

First, you need to know that we converted the shower in our camper to storage. If your RV has a shower, you won’t have to be concerned about this.

You’re going to love our solution. It’s brilliant! We are hippies, but not so much dirty hippies,thanks to this amazing fix to our non-existent shower!

Here’s what we did. We got a membership at Planet Fitness. The “Black Card” membership which I pay $19.95 a month for allows me to take a guest (Bruce) to any Planet Fitness facility in the country. With over 1400 clubs, it’s easy to find a location on our road trip travels using their app. Plus, they are open 24/7!

We’ve had this membership for nearly a year now and have yet to work out! We just shower there. Maybe one day, we’ll actually work out – ha ha!  Flying J has showers available, but only if you are a commercial truck drive, so this solution at Planet Fitness has been perfect for us.

With that said, in between the Planet Fitness stops, we are quite comfortable with sponge baths and baby wipes!

 

WHERE DO WE DUMP OUR SH*T?

As explained earlier, we usually find a Flying J for this necessary but yucky job. The discount we get there makes it worthwhile to bypass Love’s where the fee is anywhere from $10-$15.

We also found that in Iowa and South Dakota, the rest stops provide FREE dump stations! That was such a great service we wish every state would offer RVers.

Now for the grim reality. Sometimes, we are miles or days away from a dump station and the tank starts getting dangerously full.  I have to thank my Grandma Day for guiding me to use coffee cans or jugs for the excess. (she always kept a pee can in the car.)  I started using a “pee can” when we lived in a tent for one summer and were not close to the campground bathroom. Ever since we hit the road in 2013, I’ve kept them handy.

Yep! Lived in a tent in 2009! Want to read the full story of how our dream began when we got rid of everything and moved into a tent? Get my book “RV LIVING: The Naked Hippies Way.”

HOW DO WE GET MAIL?

This is only applicable to full time RVers. We don’t really need an every day delivery of all that usual junk mail. We pay bills online and have online banking services. But, occasionally, we do need to receive mail.

For that, we have a mail service from Escapees which forwards our mail to whatever address we give them. When we know we’re going to be at a friend’s or family member’s home for a visit, we call to have them send our mail there.

 

HOW DO WE GET BY WITHOUT PLUGGING INTO ELECTRICITY?

Until we figured out how to do this in order to charge our laptops and phones, we had to pay for campgrounds. Many RVers have generators for this purpose. Our pickup camper has no extra room for even the smallest generator. We had to figure out something else that would work, and we did.

We have an inverter that is now wired to our truck battery. Our truck has become our generator. We are able to charge our devices as we travel and also when we are parked. Sometimes we run the truck, sometimes we just run the inverter off the battery. This has been the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place so that we can truly camp for free.

Without electricity, our coffee maker sits idle but we have an antique drip-o-lator that makes awesome coffee using the gas stove in our camper.

 

WHAT ABOUT FLAT TIRES AND BREAKDOWNS?

We’ve had 3 blowouts on this trip, plus we had to be towed over the mountains in Arizona when our truck lost power and couldn’t make the steep climbs. We’ve been rescued many times by Good Sam’s Roadside Assistance. Of all the expenses we have, this one is vital to our peace of mind.

You can imagine how difficult (as well as humorous) it would be for Bruce and me to tackle changing a tire on the pickup when the camper is weighing it down. Not gonna happen. Good Sam’s Roadside Assistance has always provided quick and efficient service, sometimes above and beyond the limits of their rules and regulations.

There you have it – The Naked Hippies Way for free camping.

 

It ain’t always pretty and definitely not always comfortable, but we’re free. We’re traveling this gorgeous country now, not waiting for everything to be pristine and top of the line.

We also have the immense blessing of visiting friends and family as we travel. Their hospitality showers us with the luxury of showers, laundry, electricity and meals. But, as the open road continually calls us, we stay to enjoy the conversations and luxury, but eventually, the itch to get moving has to be scratched.

Our next free camping adventure is taking us to Quartzsite, Arizona where thousands of RVers gather for the winter on hundreds and hundreds of acres on BLM land. We will pay for a long-term pass which gives us camping from September to April for $180. With that pass, we’ll have access to a dump station, water and trash disposal.

You might have your own hacks for camping for free! We’d love to hear them. Leave a comment below and we’ll let you know if we try it.

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Maybe we’ll see you on the road!

We’ve visited with many of our Facebook friends this year.

Have we connected on FB yet?

 Trisha

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We’ve been to some AMAZING places this year.

Enjoy the tour!!

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Camping For FREE – We Proved It Can Be Done

On By Trisha BarnesIn Travel

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 Camping for free was our goal when we set out on the open road in April. 

We have traveled nearly 11,000 miles through 19 states in our Big Foot pickup camper – and we have not paid for one night of camping!

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It was a challenge we set for ourselves to see if we were truly set up to be self-sufficient. That was the necessary obstacle to overcome to begin camping for free.

We proved we can do it! In a few days, we are heading to Quartzsite, Arizona where we won’t have electricity to charge our laptops and phones. We’ll have to drive a mile or two every week to dump our black tank, toss our trash in a dumpster and refill our water containers. Our journey this year proved we can absolutely do this boondocking thing in Quartzsite. 

We’ve been on the Naked Hippies never-ending roadtrip pretty much continuously since 2013. We’re living our dream. How are we able to do this? It’s definitely not because we had a huge savings account or lucked out with an inheritance from a rich relative. No, there’s two reasons:

1. We didn’t wait until we had everything perfect.

If we had waited until we could afford a spiffy RV and had a nest egg of savings to pay for gas and camping and all the other expenses of the road, we would still be sitting still in Missouri (and shoveling snow in the winter!)

Instead, we were open to opportunities and blessings that came our way; and mosttof all, just took a huge flippin’ leap of faith believing that everything would be okay, that we would be safe, and that the Universe would provide what we needed. That’s exactly what happened, and it still is happening.

Read the full story of how we began to live our dream – RV LIVING: The Naked Hippies Way: Live Your Dreams, Don’t Wait for “Someday”

2. We are comfortable being uncomfortable

This is really why most people aren’t living their dreams. Most people desire to do something different than they are now, to be free to live life on their own terms … but not if it requires being uncomfortable.

It’s an old Dodge Ram pickup with an even older camper on it. Things wear out. Stuff quits working. We either find a work-around solution or fix it. Most of the time we choose the work-around because sinking a lot of money into something that will have no resell value seems pointless.

So we are comfortable using duct tape and bungee cords to hold things in place; comfortable using coffee cans when the black tank is full and we’re nowhere near a dump station; comfortable making coffee with an antique drip-o-lator on the gas stove because the electric coffee maker requires too many amps to use the inverter; and comfortable with sponge baths instead of daily showers.

The mother of all “get-out-of-your-comfort-zone” is to on occasions be comfortable sleeping at WalMart and truck stops where diesels rumble all night and the lights on the parking lot make it so bright we can almost read a book at night. It’s definitely camping for free and sometimes, all we need a place to sleep for one night before heading on to the more picturesque free campsites we find. 

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Comfortable, too, when one by one, our tires blew out; when our truck lost power and we had to be towed over the mountains in Arizona; when every mechanic we talked to had a different idea about the truck issue; and when a passing car honked to let us know our wonky back door had flown open again.

Good grief! I’m getting a bit grumpy writing about all that uncomfortableness … but then, I remember.

I remember sinking my feet in the sand at Santa Monica beach, gasping in awe at the bluebonnets and Hamilton Pool in Texas; seeing the magnificent and grand Badlands, viewing the battlefield at Little Big Horn, driving through the Black Hills and standing under the Presidents at Mount Rushmore …

stepping in the headwaters of the Missouri River in Montana, the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota and Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron; crossing the five mile Mackinac Bridge; spectacular mountaintop camping in Colorado; touching the border of Canada; tasting pasties for the first time; the mountains, the canyons, the forests, the wide open spaces …

and I say to myself, “It’s worth it all!”

Most of all, I remember all the friends and family we were able to visit. We had a joyous family wedding in Missouri that brought so many family members I hadn’t seen in years; we met in person for the first time many of our dear Facebook friends; we reunited with friends whom we always make sure we stop to see when passing through; and I had days instead of just a couple of hours of uninterrupted, loving and deep conversations with my sisters for the first time in my life.

It’s the friends and family who offer a parking space and an extension cord who have made our journey of 11,000 miles easier. Who have excitedly welcomed us saying, “Come … stay … shower … do laundry!” Who load us up with movies and books, garden produce, boudin, roasted green chilis edible cookie dough and garden produce. Who provide a free massage, a home-cooked meal of fresh crappie or stew, a boat ride and a campfire.

 

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Could we have done all these miles without their gracious hospitality? Of course, but we’ve learned to never turn down these kind of invitations, these gifts. The time we spend on the deck, around the kitchen table, at a restaurant, or in the backyard or living rooms of our friends and family is a treasure that we cherish.

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Thank you for everything Rick Katz, Vincent Molina, Franco and Pammy Gonzalez, Thell and Julia Prueitt, Stephen LeBlanc, Theresa and Pat Griffith, Andrew and Rebecca Christus, Hannah Christus and Patrick Shami, Nick and Sarah Christus, Allison Saufnauer, Russ Mayo, Debby and Dallas Lancaster, Danny John and Marla Jane, Phil and Carol Walsack, Ray Hopkins, JJ Lahr and Keith Haddrill, Barbara and Jim Murdock, Karen and Jim McKy, Dale and Sherri Schlotzhauer, Tom and Janie Sanderford, Tim and Barb-Sanders Cole, Petra Tenwalde, Harold Tsosie, Alan and Niki Schlotzhauer, Robert Tremblay and Carol Begnoche, and Kimberly and Ron Olsen. You have truly made this year’s journey memorable.

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Everything ahead is unknown. We’ve never camped at Quartzsite with the massive number of RVers who come there every year. We know a little of what to expect, but not a lot. But this we do know for sure – whatever comes up, whatever uncomfortable issues we have – we’ll figure it out and have an amazing experience. That’s The Naked Hippies Way!

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HOW and WHERE We Find Free Camping – The Naked Hippies Way

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Enjoy what we saw and experienced on the Naked Hippies Roadtrip 2017!

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Boondocking Tips – Whether You are Vanabode Camping or Not

On By Trisha BarnesIn Travel, Vanabode Dream, Work From AnywhereLeave a comment

Boondocking:  Camping without hooking up to amenities such as water and electricity.

Oh, there’s all kinds of terms for this kind of camping – dry camping, independent camping, dispersed camping.

Without getting into semantics, I’m just going to share these boondocking tips without concern about being concerned about the proper term.

Basically, boondocking can be thought of as primitive tent camping in your RV.

You won’t have electrical or water hookups. You sure as heck won’t find a sewer hookup.

So, a little preparation is necessary such as making sure you have enough water on board and as in our case, an inverter to charge our laptops so we can keep on working online to build our business.

There are two main reasons people choose boondocking … either to get out in nature or to save money on camping … or both.   For us, it’s both.

We’ve been on the road since 2013 and have camped in state parks, national forests, and RV parks from the Gulf Coast to the Pacific Coast, throughout the Midwest, the Southwest and the Northwest.

We’ve also had great times boondocking at Walmart, truck stops, casinos and rest stops.

The following boondocking tips will help you find free sites and give you some pointers on boondocking on public lots.

Be sure to read all the way to the end to learn about boondocking at airports!

WALMART, TRUCK STOP, REST AREAS and CASINO BOONDOCKING TIPS:

  1. There’s a Walmart in nearly every town, which is fantastic for boondocking. But, not all Walmarts allow overnight camping. Check with management to get permission to stay overnight on their lot. Many cities have ordinances against overnight parking.  If you are not sure overnight parking is allowed, go inside and ask.  You’ll sleep much better knowing.
  2. DO NOT pull out your awnings, camp chairs and dog cages when you park overnight at Walmart or ANY truck stop, rest stop or Casino.   C’mon people … it’s a privilege to be able to park for free.  Don’t abuse it.
  3. Park far away from the main entrance.  It’s the common sense, courteous thing to do.
  4. Best truck stop for boondocking – hands down – is Flying J.  The great bonus is that most Flying J Truck Stops have a Denny’s!
  5. You’ll see notices of “no camping” at many rest stops.  That means no setting up camp as mentioned above – no awnings, no camp chairs pulled out, no grilling.
  6. Casinos offer free camping – some even have specified areas for your RV.

Two apps that I rely on frequently are:boondocking-tips-naked-hippies-roadtrip

 

 

 

The US Rest Stop App that lists all rest stops in the US by state and highway.

 

 

Flying J

 

The Pilot/Flying J App that tells me the nearest location of our fav truck stop!
RESOURCES FOR FREE CAMPING SITES:

Boondocking and Free Camping USA Facebook Group

This Facebook group has become my #1 go-to resource for finding free camping as we travel.  There is great participation among group members to help anyone find free camping anywhere in the U.S.

It was information posted in this group that led us to Elk City, Oklahoma for four nights of free camping WITH electricity and water.

boondocking-tips-naked-hippies-roadtrip
Loved this free camping site in Oklahoma – right off I-40!

Here there are daily posts of places to camp across the USA from those who are there now or have been there recently.  It’s a gold mine for campers! Click here to join the group.

FreeCampsites.net

This is a simple, map based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas. Community reviews and ratings provide you with up to date information and help you select the best camp site for your next camping trip.  Click here to visit the freecampsites.

Park your RV at My House!

Here’s another site that is a fantastic idea … RVers who say “come park your RV at my house!”  You’ll have to pay a membership fee in order to participate in this exchange. Click here: boondockerswelcome.com/

Now, as promised …

AIRPORT CAMPING (our secret tip!)

We attend many events for our business and they are always held in big cities where it’s tough to find a parking space for our camper. Plus, we like sleeping in our own bed vs. paying $100/night to sleep inside a motel room.  So, we just park at the airport.

This has worked tremendously well for us in a couple of times in Los Angeles and recently in Chicago.  We park our camper, ride shuttles and trains to get from the economy lot to the airport to the hotel, attend the event each day and then ride the shuttles and trains to get back to our camper to sleep.

All transportation is free.  The parking is cheap, usually $10-12/night.  You can’t beat the price and you can’t beat the comfort of your own bed.

We’ve decided to do this from now on for any city we decide to visit, whether it’s business that takes us there or pleasure.  Instead of fighting traffic and stressing over parking, we’ll camp at the airport, ride the free transportation to the city and enjoy sightseeing.  At the end of the day, we’ll head back to the airport for sleep and get ready to do it all over again the next day.

We absolutely love boondocking!  Most of what we learned came from the Vanabode Book … How to Live and Travel on $20 a Day.
Click the pic to get this amazing resource.

vanabode-naked-hippies-roadtrip

Let me know what other boondocking tips you have – leave a comment below.

simple-freedom-hippie
I wear this shirt proudly!

 

 

Trisha
c:  573-881-6715
f:   Are we connected on Facebook?

 

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