Campground or Boondocking, why not both? And Money

Dundee MI sunset after a visit to Cabelas (2010) and mountain near Beluga Point, AK where I frequently visited and hiked in AK (2006)

Along the lines of a trailer and van vs just a van is the question of where to park (the universal van dweller question). In my case, boondocking in various places around work when I work back to back double shifts makes sense. I stealth park, use public facilities and basically do an extended camping trip for up to a week at a time. Then on my off days also in a row, hanging out with the cats, family and friends, and also needing to do laundry, catch up on dishes, cooking for the week and shopping for supplies come into play plus recreation time. Right now, family and cats are one project (too hot for the cats in the van and they can't go to work with me), then the laundry mat, and finally recreation and socialization time.

I also go to campgrounds near recreation areas that have laundry facilities, friends, hookups and a town within driving distance. Hence the thought of a trailer, my family could come hang with me and there is still the van and the trailer separately, not having to break camp to go into town, and actually keeping the cats permanently comfortable at the campground with hookups and AC. Its not the cheapest route, but its an all in one stop. Sometimes time is worth money.

So there is value in both. If money is the issue, which it sometimes is, I boondock near work, use public facilities, and visit nearby parks. Same for off days, if money is the issue, I hang with the cats at the rental room property and find local stuff to do while sleeping in the van most of the time enjoying the gorgeous stars and fresh smelling country air.

If there is extra money, we visit campgrounds, do driving trips and boondock out of town especially when the spring and fall temps create gorgeous scenery and comfortable pet temps. However, there is only room in the van for myself and the cats. Its a mini van after all. lol. So hence the long debates on space, trailers and the trade offs. Besides its just plain fun to look at different layouts, its like house dwellers that admire Frank Lloyd Wright (which I do) only in a smaller space. Its not about how much can you fit in an area, but how can you make the space, well: YOU and how many uses you can get from one thing, space, idea.

In the spirit of freedom and minimalism, learning to NOT multi task life but items, changes the value of money. Money holds less importance and instead of always being in the rat race to get more, you learn to live within your means and find an adventure anywhere. Its called an imagination, and its not just for kids. And as such, there are varying amounts of money in the nomadic community on wheels which decides what type of adventure we each embark on for the moment, but one thing is in common, the love of seeing new surroundings, remaining open and finding the positive in each place we visit.

Some will be van dwellers for a weekend, some for work for a week, and some full time. Some choose it and it chooses some, but in the end, its still a part of life and even if for a short time we go back to our native nomadic nature. There is no right or wrong way, its just the ebb and flow of life.