Newbie & Green

[Janie]

Hi all. I hope I am doing this right, I don't know much about proper forum etiquette. I am an older women - retired - and should have left years ago. But living in my van is on my bucket list so I can leave a bad relationship and head from the east coast to the west coast. I want to boon dock in my current state (upstate NY) first, but unsure where I can park (free) on state land that would be legal. DEC website isn't crystal clear about this, I don't want primitive camping I just want to park at night & stay in my van. I live 25 miles north of Binghamton NY in Chenango county - plenty of state land but the parking "privileges" I need don't seem to exist according to the DEC website or they just don't provide the information for "vehicle camping". Is there anybody familiar with my territory? Thanks

[Blacktank]

welcome to the forum,i'm on the other end of the country but did find this https://freecampsites.net/#!Chenango, hope it can help,with the state of the world the rules are ever changing

[GotSmart]

I am not familiar with area, but have some basic over night guidelines. 

Keep your vehicle clean. A dirty van showing up in a parking lot is more like to draw attention. 

Blackout curtains   A phone puts out a glare. 

If possible, get permission. You would be surprised at how many places will be accommodating to a polite older person. 

I have asked the police in several different cities about a safe place to rest overnight, and most of the time was directed to a great place. 

My standard line is that I am passing through, and need a place to get some rest. 

Best of luck with your new adventure.

[rvpopeye]

Welcome aboard !
I'm uptah camp in Maine.
The free campsites website is a keeper ..
Many towns out west actually have a small park that they let people stay in for a day or two for free just to get you to shop locally ...
Other places are mostly just for overnight as you travel but I've stayed at many places like nature preserve trails , roadside rest areas , day use parks , public beaches , etc.. I just sleep during the day !
Most restaurants will let you stay overnight if you ask while eating there .

If you join the Escapees , they have a listing called Day's End . plus a bunch of parks with discounts . Worth the "dues"

[Abnorm]

Farther North.......the Erie Canal is a treasure and often the small towns along the canal offer a parking lot spot for an overnite van stay.......they also have official tent "camps" for the boaters......the police usually have the key for the rest room/showers......

[Texjbird]

       HELLO JANIE AND WELCOME TO THE FORUM.
ON ON YOUTUBE I WATCH A CHANNEL CALLED "GOING NOWHERE FAST".  HE IS FROM THE NORTHEAST TRAVELS WITH TWO GERMAN SHEPHERDS AND DRAGS A EYE LINER TRAILER BEHIND HIM.  HE LIKES TO STAY IN PLACES WHERE THERE'S NO COST SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE MIGHT BE SOME LISTINGS IN HIS PLAYLIST OF VIDEOS THAT SHOWS THINGS LIKE THAT.   I'VE ALSO HEARD THAT CRACKER BARREL WILL LET THEIR CUSTOMERS OR TRAVELERS STAY IN THEIR PARKING LOT OVER NIGHT WHEN THERE'S ENOUGH ROOM FOR THEM TO PARK.

THE FARTHEST NORTH I'VE EVER BEEN WAS A LITTLE TOWN CALLED NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

WE HAVE A WOMENS ONLY FORUM HERE.   JUST ASK AND YOU CAN BECOME ADDED TO IT.   IT DOESN'T SHOW ON THE LIST OF FORUMS I DON'T BELIEVE ANYHOW UNLIKE SOME OTHER FORUMS ARE WOMEN'S ONLY FORUMS ARE ONLY ABLE TO BE SEEN BY THE WOMEN MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED THAT INCLUDES ALL OF OUR MAIL MEMBERS AND EVEN THE OWNER OF THE FORUM DOESN'T ACCESS IT.

I THINK THE MOST OF THE GUYS ON OUR FORUM HERE ARE OLD ENOUGH TO PROBABLY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING THAT ANY WOMAN WOULD PROBABLY EVER WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYWAY.  THAT IS IF THEY'VE EVER LISTENED TO WHAT A WOMAN HAD TO SAY IN THE FIRST PLACE INCLUDING THEIR MAMA.

JEWELLANN AKA TJB.   MY GROUP ALSO INCLUDES CLEANING MY UNTRAINED ATTACHED CHIHUAHUA SERVICE DOG AND WE LIVE IN AN EYELINER.    HER NAME IS ACTUALLY QUEENIE AND MY TRAVEL TRAILER IS A A-LINER.    MY TALK TO TEXT ASSISTANT WHICH I USUALLY CALL REALLY DIRTY WORDS HAS TROUBLE WITH MY SOUTHERN ACCENT.   SHE'S ACTUALLY KIND OF FUNNY AT TIMES AND I'VE GROWN TIRED OF MAKING CORRECTIONS.   I MADE AN EXCEPTION SINCE YOU'RE A NEWBIE SO I DID MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS AND SOME OF THEM I JUST LET THEM SLIDE.

[Scott7022]

Welcome to the forum. Not much to add to the sage advice already posted. Welcome pull up a chair.


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[Janie]

       HELLO JANIE AND WELCOME TO THE FORUM.
ON ON YOUTUBE I WATCH A CHANNEL CALLED "GOING NOWHERE FAST".  HE IS FROM THE NORTHEAST TRAVELS WITH TWO GERMAN SHEPHERDS AND DRAGS A EYE LINER TRAILER BEHIND HIM.  HE LIKES TO STAY IN PLACES WHERE THERE'S NO COST SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE MIGHT BE SOME LISTINGS IN HIS PLAYLIST OF VIDEOS THAT SHOWS THINGS LIKE THAT.   I'VE ALSO HEARD THAT CRACKER BARREL WILL LET THEIR CUSTOMERS OR TRAVELERS STAY IN THEIR PARKING LOT OVER NIGHT WHEN THERE'S ENOUGH ROOM FOR THEM TO PARK.

THE FARTHEST NORTH I'VE EVER BEEN WAS A LITTLE TOWN CALLED NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

WE HAVE A WOMENS ONLY FORUM HERE.   JUST ASK AND YOU CAN BECOME ADDED TO IT.   IT DOESN'T SHOW ON THE LIST OF FORUMS I DON'T BELIEVE ANYHOW UNLIKE SOME OTHER FORUMS ARE WOMEN'S ONLY FORUMS ARE ONLY ABLE TO BE SEEN BY THE WOMEN MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED THAT INCLUDES ALL OF OUR MAIL MEMBERS AND EVEN THE OWNER OF THE FORUM DOESN'T ACCESS IT.

I THINK THE MOST OF THE GUYS ON OUR FORUM HERE ARE OLD ENOUGH TO PROBABLY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING THAT ANY WOMAN WOULD PROBABLY EVER WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYWAY.  THAT IS IF THEY'VE EVER LISTENED TO WHAT A WOMAN HAD TO SAY IN THE FIRST PLACE INCLUDING THEIR MAMA.

JEWELLANN AKA TJB.   MY GROUP ALSO INCLUDES CLEANING MY UNTRAINED ATTACHED CHIHUAHUA SERVICE DOG AND WE LIVE IN AN EYELINER.    HER NAME IS ACTUALLY QUEENIE AND MY TRAVEL TRAILER IS A A-LINER.    MY TALK TO TEXT ASSISTANT WHICH I USUALLY CALL REALLY DIRTY WORDS HAS TROUBLE WITH MY SOUTHERN ACCENT.   SHE'S ACTUALLY KIND OF FUNNY AT TIMES AND I'VE GROWN TIRED OF MAKING CORRECTIONS.   I MADE AN EXCEPTION SINCE YOU'RE A NEWBIE SO I DID MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS AND SOME OF THEM I JUST LET THEM SLIDE.

Thanks for your advice. I couldn't find Eyeliner trailers/campers - guess it sounds like "eyeliner". Found A-Liner just fine. Would like to know who to ask to join the women's only forum though.

[Blacktank]

can you see the female campers section now?

[RoamerRV428]

good advice on the board.

a 'real phone call' sometimes trumps all the internet navigation you can muster.

CALL and ASK. Say I know your national park, state park, ---I checked your DEC site for our area and I am confused and I want to know if......believe me a phone call to a real person can tell you so much!!!!

not familiar on your area but I know one thing, call and ask....what you find out thru a small phone call and being super curious and interested and asking IS THERE any place I can??? and then you get more info you might be surprised about.

make some calls if needed and be super kind and find out all 'the hidden' gems that tons of navigating websites won't ever say or bury deep or you just can't seem to follow that right 'click path'

hope some of that helps!