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Much easier to do when I was younger, but I still do it if napping for ten to 20 minutes at the most. Much easier for me is open a cot with a soft mattress on my truck's bed (truck has a bed topper). No fear from bears scratching my hide in the middle of the night
Over 5-years doing a combo of staying in dumpy motels and living in my van.
Overall pretty interesting, saw a lot of the country.
Started getting a lot less convenient when covid hit, and so many lowlifes took-up living
in their vehicles.....kinda made it worse for those of use who were doing the same and were not troublemakers.
Many times. We used to do budget road trips and get a motel every other night. Most of the time it was in a VW Rabbit or Golf, not the most spacious. DH had no trouble sleeping, I did. My 3 problems - couldn't stretch out flat, couldn't block out all light, people walking by and looking in. I usually pulled a jacket over my head, I can sleep like that.
Rest areas - no. They are often used by people "cruising" for various illicit activities. Truck stops, or better yet, travel plazas - yes. They expect people sleeping in their vehicles there and are open 24 hours. And have security. There is usually a side lot away from the building, for RV's and cars.
Only can think of 2 problems - one in El Paso, was told we couldn't sleep in the car at a truck stop, went down the road to another TS, it was fine. Another time going up the coast in Oregon, pulled into what turned out to be a day-use park, cops said we had to leave, spent the night in the parking lot at the state police barracks.
lil bro got married near vegas nye 98/99 so DW, I and a friend non-stopped one of my full size wagon restores (86 buick estate) out and back on the trip to attend. friend left vegas on his own dollar for a week in san diego but dw and I ran the deep southern route along I17-I10 back and after visiting kin in sedona, overnighted in a rest area way deep in NM just across the divide. seats folded, you had over 4ft wide and 7ft long to nap in.
almost 2 decades ago I got a 90 F150 2wd from a roomie that bought it, worked for lockheed space in long beach and his whole time in cali, got a custom cap interior for the truck and parked in the long beach Y parking lot for showers, and saved all his pennies for when he returned to PA to buy a house. when he got back I picked up the lowish mile, total rust and dirt free truck for a song and we 'camped' in that a couple times, my current 2013 GMC WT has the uber rare much desired leer 122 'aerodyne' on it, Im thinking about doing a removable custom interior so we can try camping in it in deep woods PA NY and canada
I've been planning to do this, but I'm probably overthinking it. I hesitate to do so without a proper bed/mattress, window tinting for privacy, rain guards and mesh screening for the windows, etc. I should probably just do it and get it over with...
I agree that truck stops are safe. Also the parking lots of all-night stores or gyms.
Many times. We used to do budget road trips and get a motel every other night. Most of the time it was in a VW Rabbit or Golf, not the most spacious. DH had no trouble sleeping, I did. My 3 problems - couldn't stretch out flat, couldn't block out all light, people walking by and looking in. I usually pulled a jacket over my head, I can sleep like that.
Rest areas - no. They are often used by people "cruising" for various illicit activities. Truck stops, or better yet, travel plazas - yes. They expect people sleeping in their vehicles there and are open 24 hours. And have security. There is usually a side lot away from the building, for RV's and cars.
Only can think of 2 problems - one in El Paso, was told we couldn't sleep in the car at a truck stop, went down the road to another TS, it was fine. Another time going up the coast in Oregon, pulled into what turned out to be a day-use park, cops said we had to leave, spent the night in the parking lot at the state police barracks.
One time I did this in a 1994 Cavalier RS sedan. Took a while to get a good position. Push seat back away from pedals and partially recline the seat back. Would have been easier if I had the Cavalier wagon. Those rear seats folded flat and I could have slept in the back like a twin bed with a padded or air mattress. Old girlfriend had a 60s Rambler with front seat back that folded flat to form a bed with the rear seat.
One of my last big goals in life is to hit all 50 states by 50, with a trip to Hawaii for my 50th birthday.
I’m down to 12, with 3 good road trips and one family visit to Oregon, I’ll be set for the Hawaii capstone. I have 5 years to do it.
Next summer I’ll most likely knock out Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. I’ve been to Texas and Oklahoma but only airports so I don’t count them. Hotel stops for that one since I’ll be with my daughter.
The ambitious trip is planned for 2025: take my dog and drive up through Michigan, across Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota to Deadwood. Then back through North Dakota, possibly swinging west across Wyoming to see Utah and New Mexico before heading home. Again, I’ve been to airports in New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Michigan, but I don’t count that.
For this one, the plan is to mostly sleep in my car with a few shower stops mixed in.
If I can complete that plan, Oregon will be the last state standing in my way of that Hawaii trip.
Slept in the back of my 4Runner all the time, but it was more camping than road tripping.
I would drive to a trailhead or kayaking launch point and sleep in the back so I could get an early start on a hike or river trip the next day. Easier than pitching a tent.
Even in the 90's that's dangerous unless there are multiple people, are a male who can handle himself or the weather is such you can "sleep" with all the windows up or in a good spot like an official very busy rest stop and even then....
Have you been to some? South Carolina you're the only one at some of these hot, muggy scary looking "rest stops". I swear they used them to film some of those "murderous trucker" episodes on Criminal Minds.
Anyway:
IN the late 1990's I drove back and forth to FL from PA. One trip, my kid was in the Bronco sleeping in the front passenger seat and I pulled into the BUSY rest stop - Northbound on I-95.
Broad daylight SUPER busy 3 PM.
I come out and a band of gypsies surround me trying to distract me. I know all about this crap being Greek.
Kids picking up my skirt and dancing around me...the woman asking me to look at a map and tell her where PENNSYLVANIA was when her CAR had PA tags....etc. So I'm teling her to **** GET OUT and stop trying to scam me (cuz I'm Philly that way)....
Meanwhile, I see two gypsy guys OPEN MY BRONCO PASSENGER DOOR.
LOL My 6'3 college hockey goal tender kid LEAPED up and threw his hands around the guy's neck choking him pushing him to the ground. I think he even surprised himself.
I used to like taking weekend trips to my old haunts in Maryland from NC.
I'd drive up after work on Friday, getting into town around midnight.
Since I'm too cheap to pay for a hotel for just a few hours, I'd go the hotel parking lot and sleep in my vehicle that first night. Then I'd get up and go about my business in town.
The next afternoon I would check in, get freshened up and then stay the night.
The hotel I stay at has a very quiet lot which provides a secure feeling.
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