From California - New here.

[Pack dogs]

Hi. I'm facing a divorce and have to leave the house.
I've been trying to learn about how to survive if things get bad. It hasn't come to that. I was able to get a van and I plan on traveling a little bit before I settle down somewhere.
I just want to celebrate this new phase in my life and go find myself a bit. Sort out my thoughts. Then I'll get a job.

I'm in southern California. I have a dog.
Some of my hobbies are to play Pokemon GO, watch movies, find new snacks to try, collect old video games.
I was invited to this page from the nicest person on reddit.
I'm hoping to make some friends. I'm quiet a bit. But I heard that some travelers can teach me how to play magic gathering. I would really like that. Thank you.
I'll make a post soon of where I plan to go and seek meet ups.

 

[ERSK]

Hi. I'm facing a divorce and have to leave the house.
I've been trying to learn about how to survive if things get bad. It hasn't come to that. I was able to get a van and I plan on traveling a little bit before I settle down somewhere.
I just want to celebrate this new phase in my life and go find myself a bit. Sort out my thoughts. Then I'll get a job.

I'm in southern California. I have a dog.
Some of my hobbies are to play Pokemon GO, watch movies, find new snacks to try, collect old video games.
I was invited to this page from the nicest person on reddit.
I'm hoping to make some friends. I'm quiet a bit. But I heard that some travelers can teach me how to play magic gathering. I would really like that. Thank you.
I'll make a post soon of where I plan to go and seek meet ups

Welcome @Pack dogs, I'm glad you made it over!! This is such a good community and I am sure you'll meet a lot of helpful people with good advice for ya. Show them some love y'all

 

[TumbleweedandHisCat]

My advice for if things get bad is get yourself some good gear. Light weight tent or tarp sleeping bag. cook stove is good to have but not necessary but definitely cooking pot and trust your instincts above all else

 

[Androoshka]

SoCal is one of the best places to be houseless - at least, weather-wise.

I've been living in my van for about 18 months, and cold weather/rain is HARD. At least, for me it is. Love SoCal weather.

 

[TumbleweedandHisCat]

Yeah the weather is beautiful. But I personally would rather gear up and be a little colder than be there. Super hard to find work easy to get robbed and the cops love to beat up people with backpacks. Lived in LA for 2 years but homeless and housed and I will not be going back. Great weather though

 

[Androoshka]

Yikes. I'm sorry if you got beat up by the cops. I'm in a van, and I shower daily, so I don't look as homeless as I might otherwise. But I've gotten harassed a couple of times - not by cops, but by others.

The thought of being homeless in LA scares me. Too many people, and a lot of agression. Even driving through on the highway system feels dangerous.

 

[TumbleweedandHisCat]

I was living inside showering daily and working was beat up for not having a light on my bike

 

[TumbleweedandHisCat]

Yeah it can be a bit crazy in a van also. Had people sit on my hood and smoke crack while I was sleeping in my van. Then they didn't even want to move once I got up and started the van and beeped. Sat there until I started backing up. But that was in Venice. There are some nicer places to park in the mountains

 

[Androoshka]

Had people sit on my hood and smoke crack while I was sleeping in my van. Then they didn't even want to move once I got up and started the van and beeped. Sat there until I started backing up. But that was in Venice. There are some nicer places to park in the mountains

Crazy. I've always wished there was like a place where nice people congregate who don't belong in the system. I empathize with anarchists, crusty punk-kids, etc., but I always felt like that scene was too aggressive for me. And something away from drugs.

 

[Androoshka]

Yeah... any parking place in nature and away from throngs of people is like, almost always way better. LOL.... Lonley, but safe and calm.

 

[TumbleweedandHisCat]

You ever go to slabs? You can isolate if you want but also meet up for open mic night. If you don't mind the heat and wild dogs. I miss 20 years ago when you could pull up in almost any town and find the local coffee shop and meet up with poets, artist and free thinkers

 

[Androoshka]

You ever go to slabs? You can isolate if you want but also meet up for open mic night. If you don't mind the heat and wild dogs. I miss 20 years ago when you could pull up in almost any town and find the local coffee shop and meet up with poets, artist and free thinkers

Funny you should mention that. I'm researching a trip out there now. I'm going to a commercial meetup called "Burning Van" in Borrego Springs for NYE, and then my plan is to continue on to the Slabs. Planning the essentials right now... thinking about water and food. I don't have refrigeration or a stove in my rig. I might buy a little camp stove so I can boil water for ramen and coffee. Maybe treat myself to a freeze dried meal here and there.

In any case, I hope I can meet some kinder/gentler people in the slabs. The stuff I see online so far is crustier than my preference. It's funny, in some ways, I've lived a hard life (dysfunctional family with physical abuse and alcoholism, military veteran trauma, worked in nursing homes, etc.) but I never felt like a hard person. I always just wanted to be a kind and happy soul. I hope I can find people there that I resonate with.

 

[TumbleweedandHisCat]

Tons of good people and community. But it takes a special kind of crazy to live in 120 degree weather. Plus there's a military bases next to it and they frequently bomb the mountains and you can hear gun fire at all hours so if you have PTSD about that you might reconsider. Will often see tanks rolling thru. Definitely bring water heat stoke is very common there. I mean like as much as you can carry. I barely drink water and drank about 5 gallons a day while I was there. Nearly impossible to find any kind of paying work there so come with your own although last time I was there they had a feed. I stayed about 2 months last time I was there and meet tons of good people there was a bunch of shows at the skate park and they have an open mic every week and a library. Didn't notice drugs being a problem but I find it easy to avoid where ever I go. It's rough living and a lot of people are there to be left alone but there's still community. It's a harsh environment but beautiful