Increasing age with decades of prior physically-demanding jobs has taken a toll upon my body. It is becoming difficult to climb into the Pick-up bed with its camper shell (shell) upon it. I bought the truck and shell because I wanted to be prepared for a possible bout of homelessness and have a vehicle to live in.
Past experiences, my own and that of others, taught me that MANY of the USA common folks, those doing the needed jobs society needs to operate on a day-to-day basis; jobs the putrid, disgusting enemy-of-the-common folks politicians proclaim are jobs “Americans will not do.” BAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Vile scum filth lackeys of their wealthy and powerful elite ruling-class masters!!! Anyway… Decades of experience has taught me that there is little to no security for USA common folks. When opportunity allows I highly recommend that all common folks try as much as possible to obtain a vehicle that can be lived in if needed.
I never could afford to raise kids thus avoided spawning. I saw other folks in my socio-economic class having kids and regularly relied upon public assistance in various ways to cover all or part of the kid’s costs. My advice is generally aimed at folks in a position to exist inside a vehicle.
A vehicle is better than a tent (in most instances) or a cardboard box or a homeless shelter where others present may be the type of people you would rather avoid and other possible negatives.
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My long-bed truck has a cargo area a few inches more than 8-feet-long. The camper shell’s rear door extends a little below the top of the tailgate. It is lifted vertically and hinged at the top where it is attached to the rest of the shell. Some parts of the USA refer to the shell as a topper. Small ropes inside the shell run above each window so that dark-colored bed sheets, folded several times to maximize their light and noise stopping ability. They are slid along the rope to prevent outsiders from looking inside the shell and to block light to ease sleeping inside.
When driving the sheets are either removed or slid to allow viewing through the shell’s windows. That allows safer driving. Always drive as safely as possible for many good reasons. One being that you do not want to lose the use of your living/bed rooms because a wreck immobilizes the vehicle.
The shell keeps the wind and rain off you but to combat the cold adequate body coverings are needed. I still have the down-filled sleeping bag obtained in 1978 that I have used at 22-below-zero temperatures and slept comfortably. Crawling out in the morning was tough, though. That was during my long-haul trucking years. An oil leak required my shutting down the engine for the night instead of letting it idle which was normal for that type of weather.
If you must rely upon typical blankets; be aware that the number of them needed to stay warm during frigid weather can be uncomfortable and interfere with sleeping due to the weight of the blankets upon you.
For safety I keep a 20-pound-rated fire extinguisher close by but secured so it doesn’t move around when I drive. I do not use open flames or heating devices with hot elements inside the shell for safety reasons. I would rather be safe than sorry.An exception does exist, however. Using extreme care I would consider a camping-type stove using small bottles of propane gas for fuel.
Never never use it for heating!!! DANGER!!!!!!
Use it for heating food only and not in a confined area; only with adequate ventilation. Outside use only would be safest. Personally, if I bought a camp stove it would be outside use only and during bad weather I would use the value menu at the fast-food joint or visit the local free food place for poor folks if money is lacking or absent.
I use a small, strong rope to tie the rear hatch shut so outsiders can’t just open it when I am inside. The built-in lock is on the outside handle and not designed to be used by someone inside the shell. It is a good idea to keep valuables well-hidden and difficult to find by somebody quickly rummaging through your mobile home when you are away. Depending upon your skills you can create a container with strong hasps and locks that is difficult to open and can not be carried away.
With the increasing difficulty entering the shell due to growing older and less physically agile I have been looking for a used US- built cargo-type van as a replacement. A van is superior in some ways since the living area is easily accessed from the driver seat. It is stealthier and attracts less attention if you can avoid entering your house from the outside as is required with the pick-up and its camper shell.
I haven’t measured with a ruler but it appears there is more headroom in a van. A mini-van-type van would work but the “traditional” boxy cargo vans offer more interior room and it is easier to modify the interior for living purposes. The long-wheel-based models offer a decent amount of room and allow easy use of a porta-potty for the times when a real restroom is unavailable.
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Above is the interior of a used cargo van that would be easy to modify into a decent abode. Depending upon personal choice you may want no side or rear windows, a couple or none at all. Notice the barrier between the cargo area and the driver/passenger area. That is a safety item that prevents cargo from flying forward and injuring or killing those struck when braking or if an object is struck causing instantaneous deceleration with loose object hurled with immense force.
That is why seat and shoulder belts exist; to keep you from hitting the dash, steering wheel or windshield or even tossed out of the vehicle. People have been injured or killed when items flying forward struck them. A heavy item could easily fly through my shell’s window and the truck rear window and have enough force to harm or kill. I ensure my cargo is stowed properly or tied down so it can not fly forward during hard braking or if I hit a solid object thus creating immense force that will send loose items forward with great velocity.
Safety at all times!!!
A desirable item for me would be one or more roof-top vents that can be opened or closed from the inside. During warmer weather they would allow built-up heat from the sun hitting your home to do what heat does; rise upwards.
In the winter interior condensation can be a concern. Stay alert for condensation build-up that could lead to mold growth. Look for it and use rags or a sponge or something to soak up the water. Vehicles with more internal square footage assists in minimizing condensation.
For the folks I know money is always tight and costs must be minimized. Thus larger vehicles are likely not available for mobile house living. There is also the need for not sticking out of the crowd. The ruling elite-class masters, even at the local level, tend to dislike that which exists at a level not akin to their own life-style.
And the elites have their well-paid lackeys that can make your life miserable since your vehicle living is outside their norm. Yes, police are needed and I respect their efforts when dealing with the scum of society but I wish they would respect the good, decent folks at the bottom of the socio-economic hierarchy merely trying to exist. Harassment varies widely in various parts of the USA. It is best to be be “invisible,” attracting no attention and doing nothing to make others even notice you and your living situation.
It is break time… more to come. More to come in future posts.
Have a wonderful week and may good luck and happiness follow you and yours.
And I still urge folks of all countries and societies to try to cast off at least some of the indoctrination/brainwashing all elite classes across the planet use to convince the masses that they rightfully belong at the bottom levels of the socio-economic hierarchy and it is proper for the elites to skim off massive amounts of the wealth the common folks create.
I cover the “scam” topic much more thoroughly in my other blogs.
One last tidbit of Disgruntled Old Coot advice;
BE NICE!!!!!
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Alternative Living Options 