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American Nomads (Documentary) Heres a link to one of my favorite documentaries. It follows a retired traveler going on a road trip and interviewing a wide variety of travelers that he meets along the way. From crust punks, train hoppers, and hitchhikers, to rodeo cowboys, retired RVers...

Apparently there are now some self-serve gas stations in Oregon, but when I was there recently (in Portland and on I-5) I only encountered ones where an attendant pumps gas for you. Which made me wonder if anyone has a good method for getting free gas in Oregon when you’re not around any self...

This isn’t exactly a travel story, but it’s something that I figured some of y’all would find intriguing. Many years ago when I was growing up in the Bay Area, I was learning a lot about graffiti as an art form. I found it very fascinating, so I learned everything about it that I could. One...

I drove up to Portland to get away from the heat of the Bay Area only to find myself in an intense heat wave out here as well. I assumed that since Portland is so father north that it would be cooler. Once I’m able to move again, what are some good areas to go to in the western US that stay...

Hey everyone. I’m on my way to Texas for trade school to become an RV Technician. I’m a bit nervous about my safety with the locals and cops. Whether it’s being a traveler and living in a van, looking alternative, or being trans and queer, I’m aware I’m pretty out of the norm, especially by...

Anyone know of anything cool happening in New Mexico for Halloween or day of the dead? This will be my first time in NM, so any other recommendations for things to see and do are appreciated too.

Hey there! I might be working in SF for an extended period of time soon. I have some apps for finding overnight parking spots, but I was wondering if anyone knows of any good spots in the east bay and/or SF that would he good for parking at, night after night? I’m hoping to be working there...

I remember hearing somewhere that if a traveler is gonna get a tattoo of a highway, they’re supposed to earn it by reaching a certain number of miles traveled first. Someone I met on the road encouraged me to not worry about other people’s rules for what to get inked or not. But if there’s a...

Hey everyone! I hit the road in my van a few days ago, and living on the road has been great so far! I’m gonna go to the slabs some time in November, December, or January, and I plan on spending the winter there. I’m looking for camp to join while I’m there. I’ve been to the slabs once...

Hey there! I’m hoping to hit the road again in April or May. I really want to visit the slabs again (I went for 4 days a few years ago), but I’m not sure if there will be enough time before it gets too hot again. I’ve heard of people leaving in April, so I’m wondering, when do the snowbirds...

I did a search and didn’t find this question. But apologies if it’s been asked before. How different is vanlife during the pandemic vs. during regular times? Do you find it harder during the pandemic? Also, how do you deal with loneliness, with everything being closed and it being harder to...

Hey, there! Last winter, my brother, James, and I visited the Slabs for a few days. I was going by the name Erik at the time. We arrived at night and were taken in by a group of hippies who let us stay with them at their camp, which they called The Medicine Post, since they did spiritual...

Hey, y'all! It's Bats, again. I'm hoping to hit the road for the first time soon. I hope to hitchhike and maybe freight hop, but not necessarily freight hop. I'm still trying to find a good backpack that isn't too huge, and to figure out what to bring/leave behind. Below is the packing list...

Hey, Y'all! My name's Bats. I wrote out this post on here before, but accidentally deleted it instead of posting it. Hopefully, things will go better this time :) So I'm finishing up my last month or so of high school, and I want to hit the road afterwards. At this point I'm not sure how soon...

Hey, y'all! My name's Bats (or Batshit). I'm getting close to the end of my senior year of high school, and I've done a tiny bit of traveling so far. During winter break, my brother and I visited the Slabs for a weekend (2 full days, 3 nights, plus 2 days to get there and back). My spring break...

Hey, everybody! This is my first post on Squat the Planet. My name's Erik and I've been wanting to travel nomadically for years now. For now, I'm finishing up my last year of high school, and once I'm done, I'm hitting the road! I'm doing as much as I can to prepare for a traveling lifestyle in...