As I travel in my van, I return to certain places over and over. Each place is different, but they all speak to me, saying this feels like home. I found some by accident, on my way to some other destination. Others, I had heard good things about them and had to investigate for myself.
Ventura- I can’t remember exactly why I went to this city. I wanted to go to the ocean, but just not in the heart of the LA area. Two friends had grown up there and said that it was awesome for surfing. But I didn’t go there for that.
Once I arrived, I quickly felt at home. The downtown was fascinating and easy to walk. I found a few spots where I could stay overnight with my van. The beach was not crowded and there were miles of pathways along the ocean. There are homeless there but they aren’t overwhelming like in many California beach areas, likely because of few services offered to them. I stay very active when there and never get bored. The only drawback is no good places to shower. Cold showers at the beach don’t count.
Yuma- I admit I wasn’t too impressed when I first went there 4 years ago. It seemed too flat and featureless. But I did go back, mainly to visit Los Algodones nearby. Each time I returned, I discovered new things to like. The main library is the best I’ve ever been in. The downtown is small, but enjoyable to explore. The park has miles of trails alongside the river. I love the homeless shelter! I can do laundry, take a shower, get meals, watch movies, and more, there. A low-cost grocery is next to the shelter. I can sleep at Planet Fitness, the casino, or several other places in and out of the city. And the weather is great in the winter.
Ajo- A friend told me about some places to boondock near this town. So I checked it out. The town is small, but has the basics; grocery stores, library, park, thrift stores, gas stations. This used to be a happening place, before the big mine closed. Now the population is about half what it was before, so there are a lot of vacant buildings. But since it used to be prosperous, many of the buildings are pretty fascinating.
I tend to stock up on groceries before arriving, because food prices are fairly high. This is a great place for bicycling or walking, both in the town and at the places where I camp. The best spot to camp is down in a wash, about 4-5 miles from town. It’s secluded, with few others nearby. I like exploring the desert all around. Internet is sporadic in the area and non-existent in the wash. So I’ll go for a hike and then sit down for awhile wherever I find service. It’s nice to spend 2-3 weeks there each winter.
Las Vegas- This has been a favorite for many years. It can easily be expensive, if I’m not careful. But usually I can stay within budget, by doing simple pleasures. Like people-watching at Fremont Street, checking out the architecture of the casinos, walking in the gritty north section where so many homeless people are, riding the Strip buses, hanging at the library, or trying out a cheaper restaurant. I usually sleep in the parking lot of Circus Circus, but also at the Ferris Wheel, downtown, or an outlying casino. It takes a week or two there before I get ready for some peace and quiet, and leave town.
Salem- It feels the most like home, because it’s so familiar, and I have many friends and family in the area. I know where to park for an undisturbed sleep. I love walking the downtown area and Riverfront Park. The library is quite good. I feel motivated at the gym. Salem Cinema is the best place for interesting arthouse movies and Northern Lights has cheap second run movies.
There are also dangers to beware of. Women friends can suck my money, as can my favorite places to eat. I like Salem, but it often brings back bad memories and I get depressed. Sometimes I feel pulled too many directions by friends and family, because they know I’m only available a small part of each year.
Tijuana- It is a rush to be there. I mostly spend my time in the more seedy areas during the day, and try to leave by dark. It’s interesting to observe the street people, the flea markets, taco stands, the plazas, etc. But everyone watches me, too. I’m seen as a potential source of money for people selling services or items, or someone to rob by the criminals. It’s easy to overspend, so I usually bring a set amount with me and go home when I’m broke. Being in clubs is the most expensive, though I have figured out how to spend slowly there and still have a fairly fun time. I really need to explore the beach area and the ritzier part of the city. I did those with Diana but never went back to explore more.
Aberdeen- I love being there, but more so in the warmer months, because of the rainy winters. I can walk around town for hours without getting bored. It’s easy to bicycle around town, too. The homeless shelter is the best, even though you usually sit through a short church service before you get the evening meal. They serve 3 meals per day, all you can eat, but I generally just go to 4-5 evening meals per week. I think they allow showering and laundry, but I haven’t done those yet.
There is a large shopping center that is struggling to survive, but it’s fun to walk thru. The other shopping center includes Walmart and it is thriving. The library is small but adequate. I feel incredibly comfortable in Aberdeen and could easily spend months there. The only drawbacks are; no Planet Fitness, excessive rain at times, and Walmart seems to be the only safe place to overnight.
Quartzsite- This is home to the RTR in January, but is worth being at most of the colder months. The town is like a giant flea market, with a lot of cheap outdated groceries, books, clothes, etc. The library is dinky. Plenty of fast food restaurants. Gas is cheap. Plenty of boondocking spots SE of town, but it’s necessary to get a free 2-week permit. Hiking into the hills is a blast, as is biking around the town. The Isaiah 56 church has free showers in the mornings and free meals at night. There’s also a laundromat that sells $7 showers. I prefer my solar shower and tent. Free pancake breakfasts at the RV dealer at times.
Ocean Beach is another special place but they have started ticketing vandwellers. I still love visiting, spending the days at the beach and walking around town. It’s a little stressful, trying to find a spot to overnight, up a few blocks from the downtown. It’s all residential houses up there and my van stands out too much. So I try to slide in after 10 pm and leave early in the morning.
The area is kinda funky hippy, but the locals are getting tired of the big homeless population. There is an Episcopal church that has homeless services on Saturdays that I go to some times. Good people doing the work there, and some of the homeless are interesting to observe. Only shower facilities are cold ones at the beach or a monthly hot shower at the church, using portable showers on a trailer. I can go to a Planet Fitness, but that’s a half hour drive away.
Other fun areas include Imperial Beach, Mitchell, Lincoln City, Florence, Coos Bay, Albany, Eugene-Springfield, Crescent City, Porterville, Venice Beach, Slab City, and Reno. Usually a few days in each of these is sufficient, though I’d stay more in Eugene if I could figure out more places to overnight safely.
iggyvandweller 