Quote Originally Posted by AngryScientist View Post
First off, don't kid yourself that any pre-built camper van that is big enough to have a bathroom can successfully "stealth camp" anywhere that people might care. The people who take notice of that type of thing and raise a stink about it arent just going to think a nice big van is parked on their dirt road overnight.

I own a small microcamper that i made myself and it's great, but....

Towing anything, especially if your towing skills are marginal (mine are) and you're not super comfortable towing regularly, adds stress and logistical problems. Oh, you just went down a sweet looking dirt road that quickly got too narrow and you need to turn around or back out a windy road - nope, you're screwed. you also want a tow vehicle that exceeds your needs, it's a real drag (ha!) to tow with an underpowered or under-suspended vehicle. ask me how i know? I finally got a new truck, so i'm set for a while. A good tow vehicle may not be the most practical daily driver, depending on your needs there.

I'm likely going to build out a camper van in the next 18 months or so once i get my actual housing situation sorted, but i wont put a bathroom in it. too many compromises for a very small, maneuverable vehicle. Me, bears and the pope all shit in the woods. it's fine :)

it's a fun project to geek out on, and smart to prioritize your wants and needs before buying anything. it's too bad covid is ruining everything. RV shows can be a fun way to spend a day and get a better feel for what works.
Good thoughts all around. By "stealth" I mean, anyone may know you are sleeping in your vehicle, but they may not care all that much - overnight in a parking lot, overnight on the 101, spend a few hours at a rest stop, whatever. My goal with this is really simple: I want to load up 4-5 days worth of food and chamois, drive south to an area with great climbs, and spend a few days riding until my legs fall off before returning home, maybe after a day or two of working remotely. That's it. When it's me and wifey, it'd be just driving out to the coast and spending the weekend walking the beach while having our own food with us and no need to burden small-town societies with our particles or ourselves with theirs. Yes, Covid won't be with us forever, but I still think there is merit in the lifestyle and would at some point be substituting driving to solo adventures with driving to BWR, other events, meetups, etc.

Of course all of this may go out the window when I go stick my head in one tomorrow. I'm not one to take the butcher's word for it.