Hampton Farms gets top billing today because they were first to piss me off. This is their peanut package. Even when carefully opened with scissors, the plastic seam splits down the side the moment you reach into the bag, spilling the contents. Shown here, fortunately I was indoors and above a clean surface. Up yours, Hampton, we’re on to you. It takes a certain brand of black heart to pull stunts like that. Some poor kid at the game park spends his last dollar and you set him up with this dirty trick. You suck.
Late last evening, I decided against a trip to the open mic. It started at 9:30 PM and by then I didn’t want to drive in the dark. The camper side walls are up and appear more than strong enough, but some of the wiring isn’t quite right. I spent the time reading about other people who boondock (park their campers for free) and I see the vast majority ever have a problem They recommend closed gas stations and construction sites, which I’ve used before. Also, most rest stops on secondary roads that say no camping will not bother a parked RV, since that isn’t technically camping.
But camper or not, I can tell you that the biggest impediment to enjoyment is unreasonable fear. If I reacted to fear, I would not have done a fraction of the things I consider part of every adventure. I’ve traveled alone for 30 years without an incident and I didn’t need to stay in the most expensive hotels to feel safe. I know even a full motel often has extra parking. Denny’s has never said I could not park overnight. And experienced RV people point out most wild stories of attacks are third hand accounts.
Campers, due to unreliable schedules, are no more vulnerable than a parked car and an alarm system works best if it is unfamiliar—as would be the case on a motorcycle camper. The big picture is that I have no reason to think the camper is dangerous. Like a house, it can be buttoned up from the inside and the knowledge that it is occupied will scare away all but the most desperate thieves. I’ve slept countless places in my parked car. My point is, I know people who are so afraid of anything that they don’t even put money in the bank because they might die overnight. In all, irrational fear is not a major concern around here.
As for life on the road, I never had much choice. I’ve moved around thirty times since I left home at 17 and won’t have much difficulty getting rid of junk. I left with the clothes on my back and anything of value accumulated is already the bare minimum I can’t live without. It’s not like I’ll be permanently out there. Danger? Certainly nothing like people who are constantly moving around in the military and I have a feeling I’ll find a compatible club of others in my position. A group who travel but don’t identify with super old people in their Winnebagos nor vagabonds and hobos either. And my kingdom for a woman who feels the same. They are out there.
ADDENDUM
The solar panel kit includes a PVC frame that requires both assembly and positioning before the cells are mounted. That’s a fancy way of saying don’t move the panels once they are affixed. I can’t predict every eventuality but before I even start, I see the flat top of the camper will, when done, be at that convenient height where somebody lugging a heavy pack would like to set it down. I must prevent that. Here’s my logic.
Where to buy these things? If I must improvise the frame, it makes sense to keep it as simple and economic as possible. It is my computer background talking if I refer to these springs as “standoffs”. When I find them, we can afford the best that’s available. The panels are fragile and weigh 9.6 pounds each (by three panels out of a total weight in the shipping box of 58.75 pounds, the remainder being the accessories).
I’ve long since measured how the slightest shadow degrades the panels, still, I have decided to protect them with one of the sheets of wire mesh. If that isn’t strong enough, I’ll get something tougher. This and the standoffs will allow superior air circulation over and under the panels which should more than compensate for the minor loss of sunlight. Dear Readers, this is all uncharted territory for me, so if I’m making any boo-boos, do what enough of you do already and leave a comment. This blog does not publish comments.
Here is an angle on the panel frame in test position. This is just a mockup but you can judge for yourself how easily it might be mistaken for a roof or luggage rack. The solar panels (not shown) fit inside the grey frame which takes up 2/3 of the roof area. I’ll make it removable even though this is an essential part of the camper, that is, the camper cannot work without it. And depending on the power output of the final configuration, this may wind up running power back to the motorcycle to take the brunt off the Honda. The wire mesh I’ve got isn’t that durable, all the way from here you can see it is too flexible.
Visible is the front cut-out for my feet, this will be disguised as a small tool box resting on the trailer tongue. The blocks under the plastic pipe are temp spacers to gauge how much strength is needed to keep this thing in place at higher speeds. There will be a certain Bernoulli effect (spoiler) but I don’t want to rely on that. By now, everyone is purely in love with that blue undercoating.
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