Has anyone attempted to live out of their teardrop?

[stumphugger]

I lived 2 or 3 years in a 24 foot long non-fifth wheel. Affordable rental housing was non-existant at that time. Temps in the winter got down to below 0. I had skirting, heat tape, and blocked off some windows with fiberglass insulation. I let water trickle. I would wake up to frost on the walls. Stand up and feet would be freezing, while your head would be warm. It wasn't healthy.

I heated it with two electric space heaters. The refrigerator would quit working when temps got below freezing. I just used a cooler, outside. The roof leaked around the airconditioner. I would put a bucket under that. The hot water would last about 5 minutes in the shower.

It wasn't easy, but it was all there was for me in that place. Later on, a rental house became available, and it was amazing how much stuff I had stored in all the nooks and crannies of the travel trailer.

It was a 1970 something Kit Companion.

[Larry C]

Slow,
you live where the city folk will be wanting to "Bug Out" to during a society collaspe. (If that is what it's called?)

That's why the Interstate Highway System was developed during the early cold war days. In case of a nuclear attack, the cities could be emptied into the surrounding areas.

[8ball_99]

In the summer of 2010 I spent 3 months living in a two man tent while traveling the west flyfishing. The wife flew out and spent two weeks in Yellowstone with me. So it can be done quite easliy. You just have to decide what your needs really are. You have luxuries and you have neccesseries. You decide.

In Oct 2010 I bought a teardrop, its like a hotel on wheels. I now have a side tent, a screen tent, shower/porta potty tent, and a 75 quart Yeti cooler. Damn talk about luxury.

I just got home from a two week trip to Florida to photograph the lighthouses of Florida. Oh and I cook all my meals at the camp.

Happy trails.

But see extended camping trips aren't the same as living somewhere. What were the temps while on these trips? Or the weather... I can't see living in a Tear during winter even here in AL much less further up north where you get tons of snow. Heck its been raining here for almost a week. I guess if you have 2-3 tents for all your needs you could manage. But it makes MUCH more since to have a single enclosed space where you can shower, pody, and cook. Thats the issue with a tear. You will need covered/enclosed spaces for daily activities during bad weather.

We use to tent camp, But unlike a lot of campers we go all different times of the year because we trail ride. Staying in a 3 person tent in May or June is great. Heck you can rinse off in the open air NP and just digg a hole in the woods for other needs. Cook outside or maybe under a easy up during rain. Now try and stay in that tent in january in TN. Rain, snow temps into the teens at night, days not getting over freezing.. Little rain on a 70-80 degree day NP.. Rain on a 34 degree day with no decent place to get dry and warm is a whole other level of suck... I just couldn't imagaine living in a Tear during our winter. Having to wash in outside or in a shower tent in freezing weather.. No warm space to stand up or move around.

[Betsey]

Bear, the gentleman Woodbutcher & I referred to earlier in this thread, is now going into his 7th year of living in a teardrop full time. That includes winters, at least 3 of which were in Minnesota. Currently, he's in Washington state.

Not saying everyone would want to do that but it worked for him.

Betsey

[the other side]

If things got really bad for me I would opt for a shed (if I could find a place to put it). I would insulate it and if there was no electricity around I would have a small generator for whatever. I would find a REALLY small wood stove for heat. I know of a woman around here that lives in a small shed on someones property. One day (without asking permission) she had a shed moved onto their property. They have about 75 acres so they just let her stay there. She has no electric and heats with a wood stove. I don't know much else about her because she freaks out when people even look at her. But a small shed could work just fine for me!!!

[mikeschn]

After living out of my teardrop for a week in MO, I went nuts.

Since we are talking about if things got really bad, and I hope they don't, I would have to build a Winter Warrior with a full time bed, full time table, and full time bathroom. And then hope one of my daughters would let me stay in their yard.

Anyways, I see my minimum size as 66" wide, by 14' long.

But a large outdoors would definitely help.

Mike...

[Woodbutcher]

I find this thread interesting. But I am curious as to where txvespagirl1991 who started this thread went to. She never posted again here.

[Rachkien]

Rachkien wrote:
In the summer of 2010 I spent 3 months living in a two man tent while traveling the west flyfishing. The wife flew out and spent two weeks in Yellowstone with me. So it can be done quite easliy. You just have to decide what your needs really are. You have luxuries and you have neccesseries. You decide.

In Oct 2010 I bought a teardrop, its like a hotel on wheels. I now have a side tent, a screen tent, shower/porta potty tent, and a 75 quart Yeti cooler. Damn talk about luxury.

I just got home from a two week trip to Florida to photograph the lighthouses of Florida. Oh and I cook all my meals at the camp.

Happy trails.


But see extended camping trips aren't the same as living somewhere. What were the temps while on these trips? Or the weather... I can't see living in a Tear during winter even here in AL much less further up north where you get tons of snow. Heck its been raining here for almost a week. I guess if you have 2-3 tents for all your needs you could manage. But it makes MUCH more since to have a single enclosed space where you can shower, pody, and cook. Thats the issue with a tear. You will need covered/enclosed spaces for daily activities during bad weather.

We use to tent camp, But unlike a lot of campers we go all different times of the year because we trail ride. Staying in a 3 person tent in May or June is great. Heck you can rinse off in the open air NP and just digg a hole in the woods for other needs. Cook outside or maybe under a easy up during rain. Now try and stay in that tent in january in TN. Rain, snow temps into the teens at night, days not getting over freezing..
Little rain on a 70-80 degree day NP.. Rain on a 34 degree day with no decent place to get dry and warm is a whole other level of suck... I just couldn't imagaine living in a Tear during our winter. Having to wash in outside or in a shower tent in freezing weather.. No warm space to stand up or move around.

It was summer so the weather was ok, a little cool in the Rocky Mountains.
I had one two man tent for everything with my army backpack and fishing gear. Yes a week in a tent is nothing but it was 92 days with only one night in a hotel when I picked up my wife at the airport in Portland Oregon. Have you been in a two man tent, you can only sit up in the center of the tent.
Yes I still go tent camping when I get the urge.
One can only do what One is willing to do. The first step is always to decide what YOU can and are willing to do. By the way I am 63 years old and retired. To each his own.

Happy Trails

[Larry C]

If you want to see what can be done, check out Noah John Rondeau the Hermit of the Cold River. He lived in a tiny Hermitage which I have seen at a museum. I have also visited his hermitage site deep in the Adirondaks of NY. His living quarters were not much larger than a TD.

http://www.adirondackhistory.org/newadklives/coldriver.html

[8ball_99]

I guess people look at it differently.. When you say live in, I look at that differently then sleeping in.. I could sleep almost anywhere that was out of the weather. All you need is a spot big enough to lay down in. A two person tent, Tear drop, ect... When you say live I think of somewhere to do daily tasks. A spot you could stay in all day during bad weather. You also need a place for food storage, dry cloths, ect.

For "living in" I'd say a small travel trailer or a shed would be 100x better then just a place big enough to sit or lay down in if your talking long term..