Trailer living in CA

[SWbySWesty]

Last night was uneventful. Gym and a hankering for sushi led to heading to Something's Fishy in downtown. I left the trailer at Home Depot for a few hours. If you get up to SB and are craving sushi but have a budget, I got two rolls and saki (don't get this unfiltered one: too sweet) for $20. The saki was $12... :snorkel:

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When I left, it was nearly 10pm and I really didn't feel like exploring. I decided to go back to last night's awesome spot, but instead of climbing the foothills to the view, I stayed down low by the freeway. This was the worst spot I've stayed in since this started. I should have known that it would be busy being the ONLY in/out for a little community of homes. Between people parking, talking and walking until midnight, this morning I awoke to the sounds of the freeway. Just as I was going to get out of the trailer (at least with my pants on), a car with two ladies parks behind me and they chitter chatter outside of it for a bit before walking away. There were lots of cars going by so I just grabbed a drink of water and bailed to get ready at the office.

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This picture looks surprisingly calm, but there were cars going by every other minute since it was close to 0800 and people were going to work. At the end of the road there is a L intersection which is where the freeway is...ie loud. I hope people who have homes here have double pane windows!
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I thought about it more. You know, if I could find a decent spot to park for a few days at a time, I could then bring the moto along and leave the trailer/jeep behind and just ride to work like normal. I could make this work full-time. These are not good ideas :coffeedrink:

 

[JPNCA]

Have you thought about e or w Camino Cielo? (5N12)

This is a great thread!

 

[SWbySWesty]

Yes, I have a lot of experience on those roads, but they aren't a practical commute with a trailer on the mountains...my fuel costs and brakes would hate me. I wouldn't want to leave the trailer unattended up there either for fear it would turn into a shooting target! :costumed-smiley-007 I was planning to go up there for the weekend since I'm going to be dirtbiking Divide Peak OHV Sunday anyways!

 

[JPNCA]

Cool
Good luck
Ill keep an eye out for you around town

 

[SWbySWesty]

Thanks, I generally keep the trailer around Goleta if I disconnect. Mostly it'll stay at a friend's home behind a fence when not in use. This is just a fun experiment. I'm enjoying it. Tonight, I get one night back at my apt so I'll be parking downtown, but then I'm back at it until Sunday afternoon. So no updates until Friday morning! I am very much looking forward to my bed. I think a good investment will be a memory foam or just regular foam pad to supplement the thinner futon mattress in the trailer.

 

[SWbySWesty]

Welcome back to the boondock life...trailer life...hmmm I need a catchy name for this. Alternative life? Either way whatever.

Last night, I knew I was going to be going downtown so in the morning, I dropped the trailer in the parking lot of CVS. I put it next to a large shipping container and wasn't sure if it would be bothered. I decided to make it an experiment and leave it there all day. Off to work I go. I swing by after work and see no signs or tickets telling me to move it. Good, hit the gym and take a crappy spin class. The instructor had the worst idea of playing slow music (acoustic solos and stuff) when we need energetic music. That's neither here nor there. I head to downtown to meet some friends for a brew. I get back to Goleta around 9...I need dinner! A few places are open, but I don't want a huge meal so that knocks out a lot of restaurants. I settle for Taco Bell and get two small tacos. Meh. I'd probably have been better off having some trail mix. I had a sweet tooth and went next door to Vons and got a donut for $0.69. Time to roll:



Did I listen to myself when I said, "Don't try to find new places in the dark." No. I drove up a few random streets fully knowing that I was going against my new general rule, but it was exciting, adventurous and something to do. Needless to say nothing panned out that I was comfortable with or that would put the trailer at a decent sleeping angle. I was going up a small road when a car came up behind me. Since I was slow, I pulled over. The car pulled in behind me so pulled out and continued. The car follows. I find the next safe spot to pull over and do so. The car pulls in behind me. ******. I look around for something and the only thing I've got are keys and a full heavy Nalgene bottle. I grab both and open the door. The car peels out from behind me and takes off. It's a relatively new model sedan, not suspicious at all, but I have a feeling it was a local resident trying to keep me from staying in the area. *******.

I bail and go back down the hill to a specific denomination church near work. I pull in, set myself up and luckily there weren't any lights. In the morning, I thought I'd be alone, but nope. It's gardener day. They hop out and from afar they point and talk about the trailer. Are they going to call the cops? Am I going to be in trouble? Nope, they walk off to do work. I assume they think the trailer is super mega awesome cray cray or whatever the kids say these days. I still just jump out and drive out. I find a nice side street near work to park and here I am!

 

[SWbySWesty]

Well, the chapter is closed. I'm back home as of Sunday. On Friday, I partied at a friend's house and they had an extra bedroom. I crashed there. I was up early and hit the gym followed by a bbq at a friend's place. Standard Saturday shenanigans ensue and I meet up with Tim (who is up in SB for a wedding) because we have a group moto ride tomorrow. He and I crash in front of a friend's place. Him in his RTT and me in the trailer. What is this? A shanty town??
On Sunday, we're up early, breakfast at iHop followed by an awesome dirt bike ride up Divide Peak OHV. This is followed by a brew and tri tip sandwich at the famous Cold Springs Tavern. What a way to end a nomadic journey. Once we came back to town, I stopped at Ralph's, got a 12 pack and watched TV for HOURS. Ralph's taught me something cool about my trailer! I fit in parking structures!

The final setup next door to my house. It's been real, trailer life!

 

[madmax718]

awesome!

This poses the main issue with "stealth" urban camping- if you have something that looks like your sleeping in it, it attracts attention. Your trailer looks to be made for sleeping. Lol. sure its offroad worth and cool, but if your idea is to camp in urban areas and not be detected... I

If you get something slightly larger you can fit your bike INSIDE. As it is now, your the cool guy, not the "grey" guy.

 

[huskyfargo]

Noooooo... don't stop! I love living vicariously through your crazy trailer-life adventure!

 

[madmax718]

Noooooo... don't stop! I love living vicariously through your crazy trailer-life adventure!

I had once thought about doing the same. Heck I still do today. Dating is extremely tough though. Easier to do once you have someone.

 

[jrfromafar]

So how self-conscious would you get if you woke up in the same spot Saturday morning only to find that there is apparently some kind of event happening and you're blatantly sleeping in a trailer in a parking lot? Well, I felt pretty self-conscious. I slinked out of the trailer and jumped in the Jeep. I went across the parking lot where it was quiet and got ready there.

Lol - that reminds me of a time a few years ago - heading up Hwy 1 - I had intended to pull into a campground at Gaviota but everything was FULL. Next intent was some supermarket parking lot in Santa Maria but I was just too tired to drive any more. Can't remember exactly where I was, but it was just a small area where there was a gas station, mini market, etc. I found a turnout, crawled into my Burro (14' fiberglass trailer) and before long I was sawing logs. Woke up in morning broad sunlight surrounded with people and PARADE floats, tractors and decked out cars - I was in the staging area for a PARADE that was about to start! The STREET was blocked off for the parade. I was in a daze like a gyroscope that had been knocked broadside (mind you there was no time to fix coffee & catch my wits). In plain view of hundreds of people watching I calmly left my trailer, got in my Land Rover, started the engine & squeezed out of the blocked off street barricades to the freeway

 

[CLynn85]

No idea how I missed this, but it's freaking awesome. I've often wondered how long I could "pirate-camp" in/around Fredericksburg. Pretty sure I could make a good go of it with just myself, add the wife and the dog, and it's over.

Very cool though and thanks for sharing!

 

[2025 deleted member]

Loved your report.Were you not concerned about getting your trailer stolen when leaving it un-attended? Here in Oklahoma they walk away even with hitch locks. One swing of the hammer takes those things off.

 

[SWbySWesty]

It would be a good feat to steal it. The tongue slides off so they'd have to flatbed it, have their own tongue that fits or ghetto chain it. Plus I doubt someone would steal it because it's quite unique and easy to spot.

 

[crismateski]

It would be a good feat to steal it. The tongue slides off so they'd have to flatbed it, have their own tongue that fits or ghetto chain it. Plus I doubt someone would steal it because it's quite unique and easy to spot.

I have a chain, and have been eyeballing it