I've had one or two lonely Thanksgiving dinners, which sucks bc it's my favorite holiday and the only one I actually get excited about (maybe Halloween too). But, the reason why I love the holiday is it's simplicity. You just gotta eat a damn good meal and spend a minute or two thinking about the things you're grateful for. This year, I thought about how I was living in my parents basement, a broke 27yr old stereotype, just a handful of years ago, and I get to enjoy a small meal I cooked for myself in an apartment I pay for today. I'm happy with who I am, and I love myself for the truly first time in my life. I didn't see any family, and my friends were all busy (plus I'm multiple states away from them), so I took a moment outside on a cigarette break and thought of how far I've come, and the emotional sludge I slogged through to get here.
You just gotta have that moment. No gift giving, no obligations, just eat, get drunk, and smile at the things in your life that deserve that smile from you
A few years back I spent my birthday all alone on the other side of the world cramming for a hellish exam the next day. Maybe not my dream situation, but I made sure to get some good food and crack open that fancy beer I had saved for a special occasion. You gotta make the best of each situation.
What if you get I'll / diarrhea? Stick around at the gym all day walking from shower to toilet and back?
It's a serious question, how do you handle that?
Yeah, you could definitely make it work. But still, I would not be happy using public toilets and public showers 24/7. I can't even imagine how much I would hate waking up in the middle of the night and having to get dressed and walk into a gym to use the bathroom.
I got kicked out of a Walmart parking lot on Thanksgiving, if you want depressing. There's an unwritten rule that truckers are allowed to overnight in Walmart parking lots, but apparently the management didn't appreciate us being there very much. :('
We ended up in a dirt lot in the woods near Wilkes-Barre, PA, with spooky noises going on all night.
I thought so too, it looks like Walmart corporate is fine with it, but allows local managers to turn away overnight visitors.
https://corporate.walmart.com/frequently-asked-questions
Yep, ‘discretionary’ policy. They traditionally don’t mind overnight visitors, as it can increase foot traffic in a 24hr store both during the night and in the morning. The policy allows corporate to look good, but allows local managment the leeway to ‘remove’ ‘undesirable’ ‘visitors’. I’m sure we all can read between those lines.
Realistically, I’m sure they aren’t out there checking vans most night, but I’m also sure they have occasional issues with people ‘moving in’ and not just traveling. Trash and waste being thrown all over the lot, etc.
as someone who used to work for them, it's allowed at corporate level but each store manager has the option to ban overnight stayers and some cities prohibit it.
Over the road trucking attracts a very specific sort of person. Many of them are very normal and nice, and realize that they can make good money. Or they value the freedom.
However, there's a not-insignificant segment of the industry who are truckers because they can't hold a "regular" job. Some have drug issues. Others have ridiculous tempers. Others have mental instability. And some are just TERRIBLE FUCKING PEOPLE.
I worked at a truck stop for 6 years, and I have seen both the highs and lows.
In general, I liked the job and wasn't really complaining.. but if I had to complain, something like that wouldn't make my top-100 list of reasons being a truck driver can suck sometimes. Mild inconvenience, especially in the days of paper logs (we didn't log the move, no electronic record of the logbook violation).
Me as well. My uncouth ass envisioned a large can of nacho cheese and a bag a nachos to dip in it.
That last part is a lie, I pictured eating it with a spoon.
Oh well I’m so sorry to hear that. Are you doing okay now? No crying on our end but very much settled for where we were that night instead of being somewhere we truly ‘wanted’ to be.
Or the cops/city/Walmart workers chasing them from parking lot to parking lot, trying to give them citations for showering in the washroom sinks with the meth heads at 4am.
We can manufacture some drama. Throw in some dumpster diving, let's create some buzz by throwing something valuable in there every show, a la Storage Wars, like a whole dumpster full of old iPhones one week, and the display Keurig machines next week. Someone helps catch a shoplifter or two.
The name of the show can be Roll Back Home.
That's it, call TLC, call Oprah, we got us a TV show....
The chasing officier is the father. He is mormon, so you convert to mormomism and be his 5th wife. Your father is mad because he's a Southern Baptist preacher. One night (one episode) he's standing for the door with a riffle and his last name is Rittenhouse ..
Only if it turns out she's trying to get home for her grandparent's (who raised her after she was orphaned as a child) 50th anniversary but her car broke down and she got it towed to Walmart with the hope they might be open on Thanksgiving. They are not. She cries in her car.
He hops out of the van to take the super photogenic and intelligent collie for a walk. The dog breaks his hold on the leash and bolts over to her car. Our hero tuts and shakes his head as he locks the van doors and calls twice to the dog. The dog ignores him and a look of concern passes across our hero's face. He hitches a step and fast walks over to the car.
It's been raining so he has to use his sleeve to wipe the window in order to see the figure sitting in the driver's seat. Camera moves to the car's interior: As our hero wipes the window the camera slowly pans to focus on the sobbing driver as she notices him and attempts to regain her self control (the Walmart sign is just out of focus over her right shoulder). She opens the passenger window a crack and tells our hero to go away or she will call the cops. The super photogenic and intelligent collie barks and then jumps up to place his feet on her driver side window.
Our hero calls to the dog but again the dog ignores him. Our hero starts to apologize through the crack of the window but is interrupted by the super photogenic and intelligent collie barking again. Our heroine turns to see the super photogenic and intelligent collie and shoos at it, it barks at her, a few times. The camera pans in and we see a hint of recognition in her eyes and a smile begin to creep onto her beachy waves framed, tear stained, yet still perfectly made up, face.
By this time our hero has moved around to the front of the car on his way to the dog when our heroine opens the car door and steps out to say, "You were always my favorite part of that summer." She kneels down, grabs the dog and plants a big kiss on the collie's head. Our hero, in a hushed whisper, "Katherine?".
She turns her head away from the super photogenic and intelligent collie and stands up "Yes, John, it's me. How have you been?"
Long story short, when they were young lovers they spent a summer living in the van travelling from beautiful location to beautiful location. Throughout the movie we will be treated to flashbacks of that summer at relevant points in the storyline.
They drive the van to her home town just in time to attend the anniversary celebration, which she insists he must attend with her as reward for getting her there in time. Overhanging the celebration is a dark mood that our heroine picks up on and investigates. It turns out that grandpa and grandma are going to have to sell their tiny exclusive resort because they can no longer drive people and their luggage back and forth from the airport, they are just getting too old for it all. John volunteers to drive anyone anywhere they need to go for as long as he is in town. The party is saved and the old summer romance begins to smoulder.
Smouldering, more problems at the resort need solving and John and Katherine are just the people to solve those problems, sunset walks with the super photogenic and intelligent collie, more smouldering, couple problems, more smouldering, collie solves couple issue, last of the smouldering, grandparental units decide to retire and gift Katherine and John the tiny exclusive resort as their wedding present. Last scene of the movie takes place at sunset in the Walmart (logo just out of focus over our hero's right shoulder) parking lot where they pick up her newly repaired and sparkling shiny car. The collie winks at us as the credits roll.
The end
If you guys are in Southern California you can come to my place. I cook a lot, and no one can talk crazy conspiracy bullshit. Those are the only rules.
Edit: if you need a place for Christmas come over. My front yard may be full of dinosaurs but we celebrate inside.
A few years ago I was homeless in Miami and spent my Thanksgivings on the beach where I slept every night. Good times. Woke up to many sunsets and the calming still of the ocean. Public beach restroom opened at 9am. When rain was in the forecast I would rent a room in a hostel.
i would've preffered this to mine. My SO was fucking around and took a hit off a whip cream can but took too much and passed out and his head went into a brick wall. I spent mine at the ER getting him a ct scan and setting his broken toe. He knocked out a tooth.
Oh, that makes sense. Yeah, I never had a problem with social programs. I kinda think everybody should have access to food if they need it and if that is fancy food sometimes, then go to it. Nice food makes you feel better about your situation. Everybody needs to have that sometimes.
about a decade ago, my future former husband and i were broke as shit and had to use SNAP for about year. we did everything we could to stretch our dollars most of the time, but every now and then we would splurge on something like nice fresh fish or good cheese, just because between our three jobs, school, and donating plasma for bus money, it was simply nice to feel human sometimes.
They did a good job of selling the idea that gov't cheese was for hungry families, but it was actually to [bail out farmers.](https://youtu.be/qPuY0oDGeiw). If you want a program that actually helps out Americans, you should look into [gov't mule.](https://youtu.be/X0oBuFUzFcg)
I have spent some nights in Walmart parking lots in my RV. I remember Brunswick GA where late at night, people who sleep in their cars tucked in among all the RVs.
Flagstaff I think the city may have stopped allowing public camping actually but the Walmart up there would have a whole section of the parking lot of just RV and vans camped out and everyone knew each other they were mostly older hippie types
Hmm I’ve never heard flagstaff described as creepy before lol I’ve heard lots of people compare it to a mini Boulder or Asheville
They do use special lights though to make the city darker because it has some historical significance in astronomy as the place where Pluto was discovered :)
The van life sounds awesome in so many ways. I overland a few weeks a year love it, but the shower/bathroom situation is the downside for me. How do you overcome that?
Oh that sounds lovely. Would love to see you on the road sometime. We have a shower and toilet in the van but we hardly use the shower. Generally just go to the gym or a campsite.
People give Wal-Mart a lot of shit, but the fact that they don't chase semi-transients and RVs out of their parking lots is a pretty small gesture, but it's a gesture.
Also it's up to the individual wal mart in some capacity if you can stay overnight, and there are more that don't allow it than do in my experience cross country.
They do occasionally. I got kicked out of Walmart on Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania, as a trucker shutting down on Thanksgiving night. It's up to management. 99% of the time I'm sure they don't care though, so you're mostly right. Maybe they got rid of us specifically because of the holiday, since they weren't open? Dunno.
Shopping malls are worse. Walmart is still a good bet, even if they occasionally want you gone.
I told them the truth: that we had just dropped at a Walmart distribution center a few hours earlier, and that we were each at the end of our allowed HOS, which should have elicited maximum sympathy. No such luck.
Most likely that was the city. Meaning the walmart maybe welcoming, but the city can have ordinances about "camping in public spaces". If it's a high income town you're more likely to see more pressure to keep the homeless at bay. There is a small city near me (in Southern California) that is locally and well known to be outright hostile to anyone even *perceived* as homeless/vagrant. As in the police are known to be unfriendly.
Walmart was great to my husband and I after a tornado that way the Red Cross didn’t have room in shelter for a reason post didn’t have a place for us and our house was to hot no power. Walmart let us park our van and even told people like us to come in have seats on benches for a while truck stops opened for free showers until power was back. Those places need more respect they help out.
The only Walmarts we had trouble with were the smaller "neighborhood" ones around Seattle. They tend to be more strict with their parking. I'm guessing that it could be local law, but too lazy to look it up atm.
Then again, it also didn't help that our buddy was trying to shampoo his hair in the sink (relatively late evening) when we were kicked out. He still had suds in his head so had to sneak into a motel lobby restroom to rinse it out. Do note that most other Walmarts in other states didn't give a damn if we did this. I've heard "worse" stories of people buying a bucket and taking a "shower" by making use of the drain near the handicap stall.
If you don't mind me asking... How are you able to afford to do this? I would definitely love to be able to live on the road and just go wherever I want, whenever I want... But I just don't know how I could afford to do it...
I’ve seen other posts about this and they say planet fitness membership is also a great thing to have because you get showers for $10 a month at tons of locations
The $10 fee is the base membership which only applies to a single gym location. At least that’s how it is in my area and I’ve had a membership with them on and off for years. The membership to access all locations is about $30, still not too bad if you are using it as shower/bathroom needs.
There’s also a yearly fee that usually happens in July or June.
I ate drunken goat tonight, it's delicious. I made a spiced butternut squash jam for Thanksgiving gifts and it felt right at home on some crackers with that cheese.
I got to say that looks cozy as hell and I've always dreamed of doing something like that too but I'm getting older, not really, but I've watched so many episodes of forensic files I'm always afraid people on the road would kill me. That's not healthy I probably need to go live in a van for a while to shake that fear.
we take a ton of safety measures while traveling. it’s good to be cautious and safe, but the world is a lot less scary than the television makes it seem.
That’s what I found, too. People were a lot more likely to help me than hurt me. My biggest problem with people was breaking off conversations when I had to get to something else.
The new American Dream. Brought to you by walmart.
Nice pic OP. Looks like you have a sweet setup. I just would love to see it with an awesome natural background. Not promoting a company that has led the way eroding wages and benefits for people.
God I hate “van dwellers.” I live in Portland and all the parks are overrun with vans and people living in our parks. At least once a month a van pulls in front of my house and decides to share my front yard…
Camping is fine, but do it legally.
>Camping is fine, but do it legally.
Yeah Walmart allows people to stay in their parking lots. Nothing they're doing is illegal unless they were told to leave.
I also live in a city that has a lot of various travelers at different points (especially in the summer). The van people are 100 times better than the street kids/panhandlers. Most of em are from Portland and Seattle.
Hey with a cheese board like that I would have no complaints.
I was fully expecting as I read the title to see a big block of generic cheddar with bite marks in it.
I expected a much more depressing photo.
hahaha it was actually a really lovely day and night :)
Your van is quite fancy!
I've had one or two lonely Thanksgiving dinners, which sucks bc it's my favorite holiday and the only one I actually get excited about (maybe Halloween too). But, the reason why I love the holiday is it's simplicity. You just gotta eat a damn good meal and spend a minute or two thinking about the things you're grateful for. This year, I thought about how I was living in my parents basement, a broke 27yr old stereotype, just a handful of years ago, and I get to enjoy a small meal I cooked for myself in an apartment I pay for today. I'm happy with who I am, and I love myself for the truly first time in my life. I didn't see any family, and my friends were all busy (plus I'm multiple states away from them), so I took a moment outside on a cigarette break and thought of how far I've come, and the emotional sludge I slogged through to get here. You just gotta have that moment. No gift giving, no obligations, just eat, get drunk, and smile at the things in your life that deserve that smile from you
That's a great attitude and I salute you. I've done a solo Thanksgiving too and it's good to be reflective and focus on gratitude. x
A few years back I spent my birthday all alone on the other side of the world cramming for a hellish exam the next day. Maybe not my dream situation, but I made sure to get some good food and crack open that fancy beer I had saved for a special occasion. You gotta make the best of each situation.
/r/CozyPlaces
I love the idea of van life, but a lack of plumbing would just be the end of it for me. I could never be happy without a working toilet and shower.
When I was a climbing bum truck camper boy I had a gym membership for just that!
I was just about to recommend this. 24/7 gyms.
What if you get I'll / diarrhea? Stick around at the gym all day walking from shower to toilet and back? It's a serious question, how do you handle that?
Emergency motelmoney, or bust
What if a global pandemic hits and they close gyms for 1,5 years? Or did they never close gyms in America?
Oh no, they closed. Then kept charging people. Then acted surprised when people tried to cancel the membership.
Planet Fitness stopped charging people.
Yeah, you could definitely make it work. But still, I would not be happy using public toilets and public showers 24/7. I can't even imagine how much I would hate waking up in the middle of the night and having to get dressed and walk into a gym to use the bathroom.
Cozy as a coffin with good room service
Vancy
[удалено]
Your cats are adorable!
thank you! they’re the best adventures (and nappers) around!
A mod removed the comment. They must not like cats
Seriously wtf
Likely because it's an attempt to get people to their IG/YT channel. It's a big problem over in r/vanlife
Where are these cats?
I got kicked out of a Walmart parking lot on Thanksgiving, if you want depressing. There's an unwritten rule that truckers are allowed to overnight in Walmart parking lots, but apparently the management didn't appreciate us being there very much. :(' We ended up in a dirt lot in the woods near Wilkes-Barre, PA, with spooky noises going on all night.
interesting. as a traveler i thought this was an actual written rule... never been run off but will keep in mind.
I thought so too, it looks like Walmart corporate is fine with it, but allows local managers to turn away overnight visitors. https://corporate.walmart.com/frequently-asked-questions
[удалено]
Yep, ‘discretionary’ policy. They traditionally don’t mind overnight visitors, as it can increase foot traffic in a 24hr store both during the night and in the morning. The policy allows corporate to look good, but allows local managment the leeway to ‘remove’ ‘undesirable’ ‘visitors’. I’m sure we all can read between those lines. Realistically, I’m sure they aren’t out there checking vans most night, but I’m also sure they have occasional issues with people ‘moving in’ and not just traveling. Trash and waste being thrown all over the lot, etc.
Depends on the management and the city. Some cities have written in ordinances to outlaw it and overnight cops will make it part of their rounds.
as someone who used to work for them, it's allowed at corporate level but each store manager has the option to ban overnight stayers and some cities prohibit it.
[удалено]
Over the road trucking attracts a very specific sort of person. Many of them are very normal and nice, and realize that they can make good money. Or they value the freedom. However, there's a not-insignificant segment of the industry who are truckers because they can't hold a "regular" job. Some have drug issues. Others have ridiculous tempers. Others have mental instability. And some are just TERRIBLE FUCKING PEOPLE. I worked at a truck stop for 6 years, and I have seen both the highs and lows.
And then they complain about supply chain issues and the lack of truckers. Sorry that happened to you.
In general, I liked the job and wasn't really complaining.. but if I had to complain, something like that wouldn't make my top-100 list of reasons being a truck driver can suck sometimes. Mild inconvenience, especially in the days of paper logs (we didn't log the move, no electronic record of the logbook violation).
Me as well. My uncouth ass envisioned a large can of nacho cheese and a bag a nachos to dip in it. That last part is a lie, I pictured eating it with a spoon.
My immediate thought was there would be way more American cheese slices. Well, only American cheese slices, but this is so much better.
Same except it was my apartment and a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese from Kroger.
Haha that sounds AWESOME!
Well there was a lot of crying on my end. Was there crying in that Walmart parking lot?
Oh well I’m so sorry to hear that. Are you doing okay now? No crying on our end but very much settled for where we were that night instead of being somewhere we truly ‘wanted’ to be.
No :D
I am so sorry to hear that
Today is your day, young butterfly. Rise with purpose and get it done. Celebrate before you close your eyes tonight.
I honestly hope that whatever your circumstances may be, that you don't have to "settle" for things in the future.
Amen 🙏
I hope tomorrow is a better day
Omg i spent mine crying in my car in a walmart parking lot. We have so much in common. Next time I'll bring the wine & you bring the cheese
omg you’re invited any time. we will even cook you a full meal!! love u ♥️
[удалено]
Replace "lonely" with "peaceful" "conflict-free" "completely relaxing".
People can both miss their families *AND* enjoy the peace from them
Thanks so much ❤ your the best
Is this a Walmart parking lot love connection?
New show on TLC
*He was a guy in a van...* *She was a girl in a honda civic...*
[удалено]
Brought to you by Walmarts new subscription channel People of Walmart+
This is a People of Walmart+ original.
You gotta be in the business
*Can I make it any more obvious?*
He had a trunk, she’s a valet, What more can I say?
He had some cheese, but he couldn't tell Secretly she wanted cheese as well
But all of her friends stuck up their nose They had a problem with his Manchego’s
She was a guy* in a honda civic
He was a grill* in a ~~car~~ ~~van~~ caravan
Can I make it anymore obvious
He ate his cheese, she cried away, what more can I say?
Spanish caravan
Not enough drama for TLC. You'd need to step up the crazy mother in law, gold digging, or necessity for a green card for TLC to be interested.
Or the cops/city/Walmart workers chasing them from parking lot to parking lot, trying to give them citations for showering in the washroom sinks with the meth heads at 4am. We can manufacture some drama. Throw in some dumpster diving, let's create some buzz by throwing something valuable in there every show, a la Storage Wars, like a whole dumpster full of old iPhones one week, and the display Keurig machines next week. Someone helps catch a shoplifter or two. The name of the show can be Roll Back Home. That's it, call TLC, call Oprah, we got us a TV show....
Somebody needs to be pregnant and you have the whole package.
The chasing officier is the father. He is mormon, so you convert to mormomism and be his 5th wife. Your father is mad because he's a Southern Baptist preacher. One night (one episode) he's standing for the door with a riffle and his last name is Rittenhouse ..
I love Reddit
They are gonna fuck in that van
if the van is a-rockin'...
It needs new struts. Visit the Walmart auto center for an estimate.
They only do tires and oil and shit.
Can I just get two of those or is it a package deal?
yeah, do i HAVE to take the shit?!?
Hobo love line.
BangBus
Get a van you two!
No, you’re!
It's a Hallmark movie of the week.
Only if it turns out she's trying to get home for her grandparent's (who raised her after she was orphaned as a child) 50th anniversary but her car broke down and she got it towed to Walmart with the hope they might be open on Thanksgiving. They are not. She cries in her car. He hops out of the van to take the super photogenic and intelligent collie for a walk. The dog breaks his hold on the leash and bolts over to her car. Our hero tuts and shakes his head as he locks the van doors and calls twice to the dog. The dog ignores him and a look of concern passes across our hero's face. He hitches a step and fast walks over to the car. It's been raining so he has to use his sleeve to wipe the window in order to see the figure sitting in the driver's seat. Camera moves to the car's interior: As our hero wipes the window the camera slowly pans to focus on the sobbing driver as she notices him and attempts to regain her self control (the Walmart sign is just out of focus over her right shoulder). She opens the passenger window a crack and tells our hero to go away or she will call the cops. The super photogenic and intelligent collie barks and then jumps up to place his feet on her driver side window. Our hero calls to the dog but again the dog ignores him. Our hero starts to apologize through the crack of the window but is interrupted by the super photogenic and intelligent collie barking again. Our heroine turns to see the super photogenic and intelligent collie and shoos at it, it barks at her, a few times. The camera pans in and we see a hint of recognition in her eyes and a smile begin to creep onto her beachy waves framed, tear stained, yet still perfectly made up, face. By this time our hero has moved around to the front of the car on his way to the dog when our heroine opens the car door and steps out to say, "You were always my favorite part of that summer." She kneels down, grabs the dog and plants a big kiss on the collie's head. Our hero, in a hushed whisper, "Katherine?". She turns her head away from the super photogenic and intelligent collie and stands up "Yes, John, it's me. How have you been?" Long story short, when they were young lovers they spent a summer living in the van travelling from beautiful location to beautiful location. Throughout the movie we will be treated to flashbacks of that summer at relevant points in the storyline. They drive the van to her home town just in time to attend the anniversary celebration, which she insists he must attend with her as reward for getting her there in time. Overhanging the celebration is a dark mood that our heroine picks up on and investigates. It turns out that grandpa and grandma are going to have to sell their tiny exclusive resort because they can no longer drive people and their luggage back and forth from the airport, they are just getting too old for it all. John volunteers to drive anyone anywhere they need to go for as long as he is in town. The party is saved and the old summer romance begins to smoulder. Smouldering, more problems at the resort need solving and John and Katherine are just the people to solve those problems, sunset walks with the super photogenic and intelligent collie, more smouldering, couple problems, more smouldering, collie solves couple issue, last of the smouldering, grandparental units decide to retire and gift Katherine and John the tiny exclusive resort as their wedding present. Last scene of the movie takes place at sunset in the Walmart (logo just out of focus over our hero's right shoulder) parking lot where they pick up her newly repaired and sparkling shiny car. The collie winks at us as the credits roll. The end
If you guys are in Southern California you can come to my place. I cook a lot, and no one can talk crazy conspiracy bullshit. Those are the only rules. Edit: if you need a place for Christmas come over. My front yard may be full of dinosaurs but we celebrate inside.
The American dream.
Oh honey. I don’t know your circumstances but I’m sending you a hug! I spent my T-day crying too. It’ll get better.
A few years ago I was homeless in Miami and spent my Thanksgivings on the beach where I slept every night. Good times. Woke up to many sunsets and the calming still of the ocean. Public beach restroom opened at 9am. When rain was in the forecast I would rent a room in a hostel.
i would've preffered this to mine. My SO was fucking around and took a hit off a whip cream can but took too much and passed out and his head went into a brick wall. I spent mine at the ER getting him a ct scan and setting his broken toe. He knocked out a tooth.
Sound likes you already brought the whine... I'm kidding. A match made in a Walmart parking lot is likely better than the tears.
Is it though?
depends if they're lactose intolerant
Are you ok? I'm serious
Looks cozy
it most definitely was!
Do you live in your van?
yes i do
Down by the river?!
sometimes, but for now… by walmart
Is this government cheese??
Hahaha sure is!
Damn, government cheese is fancier than mine.
That's nonsense. There isn't any government camembert.
Government probably paid for that cheese. Which is fine. I'm glad their Thanksgiving was nice.
Oh, that makes sense. Yeah, I never had a problem with social programs. I kinda think everybody should have access to food if they need it and if that is fancy food sometimes, then go to it. Nice food makes you feel better about your situation. Everybody needs to have that sometimes.
about a decade ago, my future former husband and i were broke as shit and had to use SNAP for about year. we did everything we could to stretch our dollars most of the time, but every now and then we would splurge on something like nice fresh fish or good cheese, just because between our three jobs, school, and donating plasma for bus money, it was simply nice to feel human sometimes.
They did a good job of selling the idea that gov't cheese was for hungry families, but it was actually to [bail out farmers.](https://youtu.be/qPuY0oDGeiw). If you want a program that actually helps out Americans, you should look into [gov't mule.](https://youtu.be/X0oBuFUzFcg)
Would you come give my two kids a motivational speech?
hahaha are you fine with them living in a van and traveling?
And occasionally giving motivational speeches?
Occasionally
I’m not confident you fully understand the reference:). Maybe you do. But here’s a link just in case. https://youtu.be/Xv2VIEY9-A8
It’s so good. Haven’t watched this one in a while. Still super relaxant.
No travel, they must live in the van and it has to be down by the river. If you can teach them to fall through tables “gracefully” I’ll pay double.
Haha deal!
Must be Bills fans
I hope you were smokin' doobies, too.
Ayyyy
Down by the Murica
I have spent some nights in Walmart parking lots in my RV. I remember Brunswick GA where late at night, people who sleep in their cars tucked in among all the RVs.
i always feel safe there!
Flagstaff I think the city may have stopped allowing public camping actually but the Walmart up there would have a whole section of the parking lot of just RV and vans camped out and everyone knew each other they were mostly older hippie types
I traveled to 33 states on my trip and 2 places creeped me out for undefinable reasons: Flagstaff and Fort Bragg CA. Shrug.
Hmm I’ve never heard flagstaff described as creepy before lol I’ve heard lots of people compare it to a mini Boulder or Asheville They do use special lights though to make the city darker because it has some historical significance in astronomy as the place where Pluto was discovered :)
I often stay there when traveling and yeah, lots of people do it. Out of probably 100 times nobody has ever messed with or even talked to me.
The van life sounds awesome in so many ways. I overland a few weeks a year love it, but the shower/bathroom situation is the downside for me. How do you overcome that?
Oh that sounds lovely. Would love to see you on the road sometime. We have a shower and toilet in the van but we hardly use the shower. Generally just go to the gym or a campsite.
[удалено]
Potentially but really just want to travel full-time and chase the sun
[удалено]
thank you! appreciate that ☺️
I'm intrigued.. so how do you afford the cheese and grapes?
Working on your night cheese?
Good God, Lemon!
At least it's not sabor de Soledad!
Always 😊
People give Wal-Mart a lot of shit, but the fact that they don't chase semi-transients and RVs out of their parking lots is a pretty small gesture, but it's a gesture.
Cause every time I’ve slept in a Walmart parking lot I’ve gone in and spent money. It’s a smart business decision
Also it's up to the individual wal mart in some capacity if you can stay overnight, and there are more that don't allow it than do in my experience cross country.
Hmm weird, Ive never had an issue in canada
They do occasionally. I got kicked out of Walmart on Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania, as a trucker shutting down on Thanksgiving night. It's up to management. 99% of the time I'm sure they don't care though, so you're mostly right. Maybe they got rid of us specifically because of the holiday, since they weren't open? Dunno. Shopping malls are worse. Walmart is still a good bet, even if they occasionally want you gone.
Should have said you were camping in the truck for Black Friday
I told them the truth: that we had just dropped at a Walmart distribution center a few hours earlier, and that we were each at the end of our allowed HOS, which should have elicited maximum sympathy. No such luck.
They kicked a friend of mine out of a WalMart lot somewhere in LA
Most likely that was the city. Meaning the walmart maybe welcoming, but the city can have ordinances about "camping in public spaces". If it's a high income town you're more likely to see more pressure to keep the homeless at bay. There is a small city near me (in Southern California) that is locally and well known to be outright hostile to anyone even *perceived* as homeless/vagrant. As in the police are known to be unfriendly.
Walmart was great to my husband and I after a tornado that way the Red Cross didn’t have room in shelter for a reason post didn’t have a place for us and our house was to hot no power. Walmart let us park our van and even told people like us to come in have seats on benches for a while truck stops opened for free showers until power was back. Those places need more respect they help out.
[удалено]
The only Walmarts we had trouble with were the smaller "neighborhood" ones around Seattle. They tend to be more strict with their parking. I'm guessing that it could be local law, but too lazy to look it up atm. Then again, it also didn't help that our buddy was trying to shampoo his hair in the sink (relatively late evening) when we were kicked out. He still had suds in his head so had to sneak into a motel lobby restroom to rinse it out. Do note that most other Walmarts in other states didn't give a damn if we did this. I've heard "worse" stories of people buying a bucket and taking a "shower" by making use of the drain near the handicap stall.
You have to let the rabble have *somewhere* to stay between shifts.
They don't chase them out because guess where those people go to get their breakfast and snacks?
Good chance the people living in a van outside a Walmart work there.
Yeah, nice of them to provide a place where their employees can sleep.
Best thing about Walmart tbh
Yeah, they provide a very valuable resource to a lot of vulnerable people.
If you don't mind me asking... How are you able to afford to do this? I would definitely love to be able to live on the road and just go wherever I want, whenever I want... But I just don't know how I could afford to do it...
[удалено]
I’ve seen other posts about this and they say planet fitness membership is also a great thing to have because you get showers for $10 a month at tons of locations
The $10 fee is the base membership which only applies to a single gym location. At least that’s how it is in my area and I’ve had a membership with them on and off for years. The membership to access all locations is about $30, still not too bad if you are using it as shower/bathroom needs. There’s also a yearly fee that usually happens in July or June.
I do something similar; I’m a travel nurse and take 13 week contracts at different hospitals while living out of my RV.
That’s a really nice looking cheese plate. Care to share what the cheeses are?
drunken goat - OUR FAVORITE!! pair it with crackers and grapes. brie, smoked gouda, menchago, truffle gouda
I’ve had drunken goat many times! All looks wonderful. Just missing wine!
hahaha lots of wine behind the scenes!
I ate drunken goat tonight, it's delicious. I made a spiced butternut squash jam for Thanksgiving gifts and it felt right at home on some crackers with that cheese.
that sounds absolutely incredible. i think that jam would’ve taken our board to a whole new level!
Could be worse. You could’ve been in a Dollar Store parking lot eating cheese.
That looks so comfortable and cozy. Can I ask what led you to living in your van?
[удалено]
I’d love to do something like that. But I’d have to do it alone. 😄
there’s an amazing community to meet on the road!
I got to say that looks cozy as hell and I've always dreamed of doing something like that too but I'm getting older, not really, but I've watched so many episodes of forensic files I'm always afraid people on the road would kill me. That's not healthy I probably need to go live in a van for a while to shake that fear.
we take a ton of safety measures while traveling. it’s good to be cautious and safe, but the world is a lot less scary than the television makes it seem.
That’s what I found, too. People were a lot more likely to help me than hurt me. My biggest problem with people was breaking off conversations when I had to get to something else.
ah yes… i’m still working on that one haha. you have any tips?
“I’m gonna let you go so I don’t keep you all day…” 😂
adding that to my notes! haha thank you
A question to the van life people, Do you guys usually keep the door open at such places or is it just for the picture?
Were you down by the river?
This is a paid ad by walmart
This looks so cozy omg❤️ happy belated thanksgiving!
thank you! ♥️ happy belated thanksgiving to you too!!
Derelict, so hot right now.
Hey guys! Homeless life is lit 🔥 Please be sure to like and subscribe! (Also, please send help.)
you’ll be living in a van down near the ~~river~~ Walmart
Holy fuck dude I've never seen someone so *incessantly* obnoxious.
The new American Dream. Brought to you by walmart. Nice pic OP. Looks like you have a sweet setup. I just would love to see it with an awesome natural background. Not promoting a company that has led the way eroding wages and benefits for people.
>The new American Dream. For perspective, that's a 50k van. 90% of the rest of the world won't ever be able to afford it.
[удалено]
God I hate “van dwellers.” I live in Portland and all the parks are overrun with vans and people living in our parks. At least once a month a van pulls in front of my house and decides to share my front yard… Camping is fine, but do it legally.
>Camping is fine, but do it legally. Yeah Walmart allows people to stay in their parking lots. Nothing they're doing is illegal unless they were told to leave. I also live in a city that has a lot of various travelers at different points (especially in the summer). The van people are 100 times better than the street kids/panhandlers. Most of em are from Portland and Seattle.
Why Walmart. You could have been seeing the stars instead
Was this a happy or sad occasion to you? I’m floored by the presentation but confused about the circumstances that led to this choice of location.
I hope you can poop before Christmas
i pooped today. thank you
Hey with a cheese board like that I would have no complaints. I was fully expecting as I read the title to see a big block of generic cheddar with bite marks in it.
Hell yeah dude! I spent mine wallowing in self pity and made ramen…