There are a lot of reasons people make YouTube videos. Sometimes, they’re for fun. Sometimes, they’re informative. Sometimes, they’re designed to get YouTube hits. The most fun ones to make are the ones that land in the middle of that Venn Diagram. This was one of those videos.
In my latest video, I discuss 10 failsafe stealth camping spots. There’s so much to unpack and while a lot of it is covered in the video, I’ll go a little deeper in this post.
First, and I’ve said this before, but vanlife means different things to different people. There are lots of reasons and motivations intertwined with vanlife. Maybe one of these days I’ll write my own little vanlife manifesto and what I believe may be different than what you believe. If there’s one thing I’ve come to realize about vanlife is, like other lifestyles and hobbies, the only thing every vanlifer has in common with every other vanlifer is they feel like they’re doing it right and other people are doing it wrong. 🙂
It’s imperitive to discuss and the different motivations in regards to vanlife because someone who drives a brand new camper van off a lot for taking weekend trips to lakes and campgrounds is having a much different experience than someone who has chosen to live in a vehicle to avoid being houseless. It must be acknowledged that different people in different situations have different needs. Even people who do vanlife can’t agree on what vanlife means and that’s not my job to fix. What I can do is share some of the knowledge I’ve gained along the way in hopes that it might help somebody else.
As my van journey continues to expand, I can tell you that in America, where you are located greatly affects your vanlife experience. Of course people are aware about climates and temperatures and many faul-ltime vanlifers constantly chase the weather (or run from it), moving north in the summer and south each winter. Something I’ve learned from watching vanlife videos from campers all across the country is that parking is also very different depending on your location. For example where I live, parking in front of a stranger’s house is almost sure to warrant a visit from the homeowner. I know that’s now how it is in many large cities where street parking is a way of life, but here in the Midwest where everyone has a driveway, it’s unusual. (I don’t even like it when my neighbors park in front of my house!) Likewise, there is no BLM area available for camping within 2-3 hours of my home. What works for some doesn’t work for everybody, which is why I offer multiple options in this video.
Where one chooses to park has a bit to do with ethics and morals. Some might say parking a church’s parking lot without permission while others don’t have a problem with it. I’ve been thinking a lot about vanlife and stealth camping and how both Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Kohlberg’s moral stages of development. Maybe I’ll make a video about that in the future. My point is, if you’re homeless and need a place to park, the places you’re willing to park may be different than someone on vacation.
Like a lot of things it’s a complicated matter with a lot of variables involved. I’m not on a crusade to get people to buy a van and start parking in hospital parking lots. I’m just out there saying, these places have worked for me and if you’re in need, they might work for you, too.
Safe travels, and enjoy the video. If you have feedback about the topic, I’d love to hear it.
