Spent most of the day 5/24/10 hunkered beside a garage in Limon, Co, escaping a 50 mph wind that laid big trucks on their sides. In late afternoon things calmed down and I visited Deer Trail, Co. (home of the world's first rodeo) then north into the countryside looking for a suitable place to spend the night. Two miles out a lonely country road I found a firm level field and settled in.
Moving on to Denver, I found this vacant corner of an Aurora Wal-Mart---charmed the guard and was invited to stay indefinitely. The Nearby mega-mall entertained me, so I stayed 3 nights--5/25--27/10.
Then I shifted positions to this vacant lot to be near the City's bicycle trails and parkland---stayed here 5/28--29/10. No one troubled me or even asked what I was doing here.
I returned to the previous Wal-mart spot for 2 nights ( 5/30 & 31 )and then moved to a Home Depot for 2 days(no picture) to do some engineering on my rig----yes--they let me sit right there--never objecting). Then I moved to the Denver Suburb of North Glen, settling in here at the Moose Lodge parking lot for 4 days((6/4-7/10) while I wrote a blog entry, enjoyed the neighborhood and bought a new computer. The old one died.
A host of difficulties fell upon me all at once: 1. NM threatened to suspend my drivers license(prove to us that you live SOMEWHERE) 2. TV receiver died. 3. TV people shut off my East and West coast feed. (this is a big deal to us RVers as it allows us to watch Leno and all other programing 2 and 3 hours earlier. and 4. I cannot get my new computer up to speed. So of course I cried out to Brenda---the best troubleshooter on the planet , who let me join her here at the Greely Moose Lodge. In three days time she had shepherded me through the computer problem and assisted me in dealing with the bureaucrats of New Mexico. (a good story in itself) I installed the spare tv receiver that I carry and got it approved by Direct TV. The final challenge of getting East AND West coast feed approved is an enormous problem (as RV owners will attest) and requires the finesse of a poker player and the guile of a serpent. Diana managed half of the problem by locating the only town in America that now has no over-the-air tv reception--that fact is crucially important. (too complicated to explain why) My serpent-like guile wangled a legitimate address there from the post mistress in that ghost town. (dead as the town is--still has a live post office) BINGO problem solved--service restored.
Got a bright Idea for a new table and went here--in Greely, Co to build it. Took two days and I camped with no objection. (note to Newbies--DON'T ASK PERMISSION --everyone seeks to avoid the burden of responsibility---it is easier to get forgiveness than permission)Stayed the nights of 6/16 and 17/10. The night of 6/18/ I stayed in Greely, Co Wal-mart.
Then 6/19/10 I moved North to the Visitor Center at Ft. Collins, settling in their parking lot overnight--woke to this sight in the morning.
Then moved to this parking lot of a terrific Nature Preserve---spent parts of two days bicycling and enjoying it. (night of 6/20/10)
Temperature got hot in Ft. Collins, so naturally I went to the mountains--Paul recommended the road up the Cache la poudre river--so up I went to cooler climes and spent the night(6/21/10) here at Hewlett Gulch trailhead. Spent most of the day hiking the trail.
Still too warm for me---Decided to go higher---7000 ft or better--noticed this pass on the road to Laramie, Wy. Went there---and as usual, a side road (pumpkin Rd) leads into the countryside--went out about a mile and settled in for the night of 6/22/10.
Next day on to Laramie. Settling on the edge of Wal-mart, shuffling in and out as I enjoyed the city and did my inquiries about the Shepard murder. Stayed 7 nights, all told. (6/23--29/10)RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: In one sense, I sleep in the same place everynight, comfortable--all my stuff handy, just like all the muggles. Moving changes only the scenery and temperature outside my window. Ah but that's a big deal, you see---as much for what I move AWAY from as what I move toward. All scenery fades in intensity--be it ever so beautiful. What everyone really wants is a fireworks style of life with an unending stream of brilliant-but -fading flash/experiences. These camping spots of mine may not strike you as lovely--but they are perfectly adequate for my taste. Often my chosen campsite borders something beautiful or interesting. Almost always it is free and that's important. Some may think that parking lots are lower-scale living, but I cherish a good parking lot home-for-the-night. Real comfort is in the head! ---as we-who-have- escaped fixidity know. Those who pay the big bucks to be plugged in to electricity in a high dollar campground suffer more than pocketbook drain.
Excellent post Randy--and very useful. I've been thinking about disguising the as-yet-to-be-installed windows in my stealth RV with a ladder hung over them on each side, but after this article, maybe I'm being too paranoid. Thanks for sharing your "road wisdom."
ReplyDeleteThanks for this and Welcome back.
ReplyDeleteThanks Wayne--We fans are very interested in your new project and how you reflect on it in your blog. I've wondered if a sliding sign would offer stealth when needed. What the sign said could also add stealth by suggesting a purpose for your presence like 24 hr repair service.
ReplyDeleteInformative post. You should add the implicit assumptions of urban boondocking: that you must have the ability to sleep like a dead man, or that you stay up late at night, when traffic noise finally dies down a bit.
ReplyDeleteThat causes you to sleep through sunrise, the most comfortable time of the day in the summer, and the best time for outdoors-oriented people.
None of this is meant as criticism; it's just that "free camping" advocates ignore the fact that there is a price to pay for their so-called free-ness, as well as the extra transportation expenses.
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ReplyDeleteI've dreamed about an insulated sleeping chamber within the larger RV enclosure = something which could be heated/cooled/ventilated seperately without having to do same for the whole RV. But the best part is the sleeping chamber would be MUCH quieter -- allowing one to more easily ignore the policia knocking like the German Gestapo at 2 AM (then again, it only happened once out of hundreds of nights I've spent stealth camping).
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