I may be done with the internet, news and big tech!

[Crockett]

I have fond memories from the 80s, when it was a highlight to rent a horror movie on VHS tape, on a Friday night, order pizza, lay on the ground of the living room and watch it without any interruptions from a cell phone.

I miss spending a lot of time in the outdoors, making every day a true adventure.

I miss spending some quality time on a C64 computer, playing the latest cracked game that a neighbor kid brought over.

I miss listening to music on a tape that I recorded from a radio channel.

I miss 80s commercials that used to be so positive and fun.

I miss seeing kids playing in the streets and parents not being scared 24/7.

I miss having good friends that are not consumed or controlled by smart phones and social media.

I miss easy jobs where you would find some form of success on a daily basis.

I miss TVs that start working the second you turned them on, without having to update some apps.

I miss visiting friends without having to make an appointment on the phone first.

I miss the first years of the internet when there was no political bias and censorship.

I miss working on cars that didn't need 127 computers in order to run.

I miss being able to be myself without being judged. I even miss the f-bomb at times.

I miss watching Hollywood movies like Beverly Hills Cop and Die Hard, without any political correctness, or political agenda.

I miss playing simple computer games that don't require a graphics card worth 2 grand.

I miss going to the beach with friends and forgetting the time.

I miss the time when men could be gone for days without the wives calling and texting every hour.

I miss my time going to school, that didn't look like a prison with fences and metal detectors.

I miss those times when not every other person was on medication for some mental issues.

I miss ToysRUs, SEARs and those smaller HiFi stores.

I miss those times when a gas powered RC car was the greatest thing known to boys.

I miss going through the SEARs catalog and coming up with the next Christmas wishlist.

I miss being excited about a new toy for an entire year.


I'm really inclined to throw out all modern computers, TVs, smart phones, you name it, and replace it with just one CRT in the living room, a VHS recorder, an old style landline phone, and a HiFi tower from the 80s. That's it.

No more toxic social media, no more pharma commercials on the TV, no more political bias, no more cancerous news, no more being a slave to Google advertisements, no more time wasted in-front of a "smart" screen.

Am I the only one feeling this way?

[T.Q.]

This post should be in the "King Kamehameha Club".

No, you are not alone.

I feel the same way.

I actually have a love/hate relationship with the Internet.

25% I like. 75% I kind of loathe.

And I miss simpler times too.

What is "progress" anyways?

Apparently, it's 8 Billion people having cat videos and porn at their fingertips at any given moment.

We use the same appliances we did in the 50s, our roads and cities are crumbling, they have never cured cancer or any real diseases, society hasn't come together but are actually splitting apart, etc.

But, but, but... we all have little computers in our hands and can leave reality and binge Netflix shows about zombies.

[eagle]

My washer & dryer are 27 years old -- bought in 1996 when I moved back to this area. I repaired the washing machine just last week, with a $50 part. I refuse to get a new one because I don't want a computerized one that will fail after a year or 3.

I miss simpler times too. I do my best to keep my life simpler, and some ways I do that are: minimize notifications. I'm not on social media (no FB/Twitter/whateer). I'm on very few forums (this one, a NeXT-computer one, and ... that might be all).

I significantly limit my news intake -- I get my news from 1 primary source. That source is Not The Bee, which is an aggregator, not a news organization, so I miss some things, but I don't care: We aren't meant to know everything that happens everywhere. We have finite minds and finite souls that can only take so many hits before we crack. And boy are se seeing people crack these days. It saddens me.

I miss all of those things on your list.

All of this is one of the reasons I regularly watch Magnum, p.i.. As I posted elsewhere this show transports me to better days (look for the thread "Magnum transports me"). Being transported to those simpler days helps me keep my sanity.

I love that Magnum doesn't have a cellphone. I love that he solves mysteries either by wit or luck or (sometimes, haha) actual detective work. I love that his friends have to leave messages for him -- he isn't always reachable. I love that the 4 main characters love each other so much and know each other so well that they just know when something is wrong.

As for movies, exactly what you said about Die Hard and BHC is why I love those movies, and why I loved Top Gun: Maverick so much. I have now seen Maverick at least a dozen times (twice in the theater, and many more times at home). It is simply the best thing to come out of Hollywood in a decade. We need more movies like that. One doesn't have to love Maverick to see that we need more movies and TV shows without an agenda.

[Crockett]

This post should be in the "King Kamehameha Club".

No, you are not alone.

I feel the same way.

I actually have a love/hate relationship with the Internet.

25% I like. 75% I kind of loathe.

And I miss simpler times too.

What is "progress" anyways?

Apparently, it's 8 Billion people having cat videos and porn at their fingertips at any given moment.

We use the same appliances we did in the 50s, our roads and cities are crumbling, they have never cured cancer or any real diseases, society hasn't come together but are actually splitting apart, etc.

But, but, but... we all have little computers in our hands and can leave reality and binge Netflix shows about zombies.

Somehow people starting assuming that we need progress and that progress must be positive. In reality, I think we are in a phase of devolution.

My generation of men knows how to do many things, without help. Repairing a car or that washing machine, thinking out of the box, how to start a business, drive stick shift, just to name a few, heck we even know how to cook.

New generations tend to live a life online, in video games, "socializing" on platforms like TikTok, with an attention span worth a minute. Anything outside the "safety" of the internet rather causes depression or anxiety. Some kids show no interest in getting a driver license, let alone learning how to change the oil in their first car.

Sometimes I think we are voluntarily moving towards a matrix, by connecting us with technology to the point that we don't need to have a proper life anymore. We just consume and get divided and manipulated for political gain and control.

I truly think that the timeframe between the 50s, and into the 90s was the best time we will ever have. It was the right amount of innovations coupled with possibilities.

Today we are at a stage of over-population, over-regulation, victimization, lack of accountability, living in a throw away society with little value. Everything seems to be about quantity, not quality. We exported most of our working middle class to China and turned into a country that consumes only, and then it gets sick from it.

Big pharma and the entire system has no interest in curing. People think it is normal to throw in 23 pills every day, at age 50. We became products ourselves.

[Crockett]

My washer & dryer are 27 years old -- bought in 1996 when I moved back to this area. I repaired the washing machine just last week, with a $50 part. I refuse to get a new one because I don't want a computerized one that will fail after a year or 3.

I miss simpler times too. I do my best to keep my life simpler, and some ways I do that are: minimize notifications. I'm not on social media (no FB/Twitter/whateer). I'm on very few forums (this one, a NeXT-computer one, and ... that might be all).

I significantly limit my news intake -- I get my news from 1 primary source. That source is Not The Bee, which is an aggregator, not a news organization, so I miss some things, but I don't care: We aren't meant to know everything that happens everywhere. We have finite minds and finite souls that can only take so many hits before we crack. And boy are se seeing people crack these days. It saddens me.

I miss all of those things on your list.

All of this is one of the reasons I regularly watch Magnum, p.i.. As I posted elsewhere this show transports me to better days (look for the thread "Magnum transports me"). Being transported to those simpler days helps me keep my sanity.

I love that Magnum doesn't have a cellphone. I love that he solves mysteries either by wit or luck or (sometimes, haha) actual detective work. I love that his friends have to leave messages for him -- he isn't always reachable. I love that the 4 main characters love each other so much and know each other so well that they just know when something is wrong.

As for movies, exactly what you said about Die Hard and BHC is why I love those movies, and why I loved Top Gun: Maverick so much. I have now seen Maverick at least a dozen times (twice in the theater, and many more times at home). It is simply the best thing to come out of Hollywood in a decade. We need more movies like that. One doesn't have to love Maverick to see that we need more movies and TV shows without an agenda.

I installed a server rack in my laundry room several years ago, and put about 400 feet of CAT 7 ethernet cable into my walls and attic. One of the servers is running a media streaming software. My collection entails countless 80s and 90s TV shows, movies and commercials. I ripped my entire DVD and Blu Ray collection. I can stream them in every room, even in most of my cars when I'm out and about.

I long cut cable TV in 2008. I stopped streaming from Amazon prime and any other source years ago. The only content I watch comes from my own source.

Watching my own content has saved me from being filled with today's hate and political divide.

[eagle]

Yep, I am VERY selective about the video and shows I watch. I'll tolerate a little bit, but we have literally walked out of movies and cut off TV shows in the middle, and stopped watching series, because of that garbage. I will not be preached at by those with a destructive political agenda.

There are companies with which I will not do business, and that list grew in the last few days.

Honestly, I don't need much. And, like you, most of my entertainment is from my own DVD and Blu-Ray collection, and most of it is at least 30 years old (there are a few notable entries from the last 3 decades, but most of it is older).

It's sad that this is where we are.

To bring in current events, pretty related to your post, I think we are witnessing a spiritual battle, and that spiritual battle is spilling over into a physical one. I do not look forward to this battle/war, but I expect we are going to see a civil war in America within the next two decades. I am honestly not sure we can resolve this as a country otherwise. I have solutions that I would propose, but that's not the point of your post, and I've already strayed far enough.

[Crockett]

Yep, I am VERY selective about the video and shows I watch. I'll tolerate a little bit, but we have literally walked out of movies and cut off TV shows in the middle, and stopped watching series, because of that garbage. I will not be preached at by those with a destructive political agenda.

There are companies with which I will not do business, and that list grew in the last few days.

Honestly, I don't need much. And, like you, most of my entertainment is from my own DVD and Blu-Ray collection, and most of it is at least 30 years old (there are a few notable entries from the last 3 decades, but most of it is older).

It's sad that this is where we are.

To bring in current events, pretty related to your post, I think we are witnessing a spiritual battle, and that spiritual battle is spilling over into a physical one. I do not look forward to this battle/war, but I expect we are going to see a civil war in America within the next two decades. I am honestly not sure we can resolve this as a country otherwise. I have solutions that I would propose, but that's not the point of your post, and I've already strayed far enough.

I know exactly what you are predicting. The manipulative grip on many voters is already way too tight. This has been in the making for almost 2 decades, education, media, place of work, everywhere, at least in my book. "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we lose our freedoms it will be because we have destroyed ourselves from within." comes to my mind.

I long came to the conclusion that I won't have any say in this. Nobody wants to see reality, we are all wrapped up in ideologies, imprinted from an early age. So my personal resolution is, to make the best out of it, for myself, by not participating in the current "culture", and living my life in the past, and with activities known rather from the past.

Besides watching content from the 80s and 90s, I go to the beach almost every day the weather is nice. I love to swim in the ocean for hours, right next to manatees and dolphins. On my way back home I spend time in a park with a bunch of grey squirrels. One of them is my outdoor "pet". At times he comes home with me in my car, stays for days or even weeks, and when he feels like it he will be back in nature chasing some females around the trees for a few days.

I love driving my red C7 Vette with the targa roof removed, pretending to be Magnum in some way.

At home, I always turn on some 80s content, to be playing in the background. I have about 300 hours of 80s TV commercials on my server. Listening to that really makes you feel like being back in the good ol times.

My Weber grill sees some use several times a week, something we did a lot back in the day.

I love working on my old C64 computers or repairing old VHS recorders.


Best pet ever. Well, in reality he owns me, I'm his walking nut wending machine, and he does what he wants. If I don't play along, the teeth and razor sharp claws come into play. That being said, he naps a lot...

Being connected with nature used to be the norm back in the day. Today, people consider it to be abnormal when you have a friendship with a wild animal, let alone a squirrel. How many times was I told by Karens that they spread rabies. Most don't know that this is a false stereotype. There is not one known case of a squirrel transmitting rabies.








We even share the same hair color.

[Pahonu]

My washer & dryer are 27 years old -- bought in 1996 when I moved back to this area. I repaired the washing machine just last week, with a $50 part. I refuse to get a new one because I don't want a computerized one that will fail after a year or 3.

I miss simpler times too. I do my best to keep my life simpler, and some ways I do that are: minimize notifications. I'm not on social media (no FB/Twitter/whateer). I'm on very few forums (this one, a NeXT-computer one, and ... that might be all).

I significantly limit my news intake -- I get my news from 1 primary source. That source is Not The Bee, which is an aggregator, not a news organization, so I miss some things, but I don't care: We aren't meant to know everything that happens everywhere. We have finite minds and finite souls that can only take so many hits before we crack. And boy are se seeing people crack these days. It saddens me.

I miss all of those things on your list.

All of this is one of the reasons I regularly watch Magnum, p.i.. As I posted elsewhere this show transports me to better days (look for the thread "Magnum transports me"). Being transported to those simpler days helps me keep my sanity.

I love that Magnum doesn't have a cellphone. I love that he solves mysteries either by wit or luck or (sometimes, haha) actual detective work. I love that his friends have to leave messages for him -- he isn't always reachable. I love that the 4 main characters love each other so much and know each other so well that they just know when something is wrong.

As for movies, exactly what you said about Die Hard and BHC is why I love those movies, and why I loved Top Gun: Maverick so much. I have now seen Maverick at least a dozen times (twice in the theater, and many more times at home). It is simply the best thing to come out of Hollywood in a decade. We need more movies like that. One doesn't have to love Maverick to see that we need more movies and TV shows without an agenda.

I installed a server rack in my laundry room several years ago, and put about 400 feet of CAT 7 ethernet cable into my walls and attic. One of the servers is running a media streaming software. My collection entails countless 80s and 90s TV shows, movies and commercials. I ripped my entire DVD and Blu Ray collection. I can stream them in every room, even in most of my cars when I'm out and about.

I long cut cable TV in 2008. I stopped streaming from Amazon prime and any other source years ago. The only content I watch comes from my own source.

Watching my own content has saved me from being filled with today's hate and political divide.

I think we might be similar in age. I was a child in the 70’s and adolescent in the 80’s, starting college in the late 80’s. I fondly remember many of the things you describe and having a nostalgia for such things is completely normal, I think. You seem to have found things that make you happy, the outdoors, the ocean, an older vehicle, wildlife. These are important things to me too. My wife and I live at a marina in Southern California, we have a 35 year old VW camper van that I restored many years ago and we go all over in it. She has a nice convertible we use locally, and we are both “water people”. She open water swims and surfs. I do as well, and have a 55 year old sailboat I also restored and sail with my son and friends. I also dove for many years as well. Neither of us are into social media and not tech people by any stretch.

My point is, that you seem to have made a nice life for yourself but are struggling with the inevitable change in society that happens. It can’t be stopped but you (or I) can decide to participate and to what level. My wife and I often joke about these societal changes through the decades but we try not to let it bother us. Focus on what makes you happy in life and ignore the things you can’t control or don’t directly affect you. Otherwise, it seems to me like beating one’s head against a wall, no benefit and lots of pain. I don’t mean to be preachy, but rather point out that mainstream society is just that, most of society, not everyone. There are many that don’t fit into that mold, and they come from all generations. I have had many students over the years who didn’t follow the societal norms or most popular fads or styles. I also don’t think it’s coincidental that many of my friends over the years are outside “the box” societally speaking.

PS My wife would love the squirrel pics. She’s an animal lover and we actually have many squirrels in the trees around our complex. When we go to the pool or hot tub we often bring them food and they have learned to come out of the trees to be fed. She also feeds muesli to Egyptian Geese that often land in the green space behind our complex. Our neighbor feeds the water turtles in the ponds and we have occasionally had to put them back when they go exploring! LOL

[Crockett]

I think we might be similar in age. I was a child in the 70’s and adolescent in the 80’s, starting college in the late 80’s. I fondly remember many of the things you describe and having a nostalgia for such things is completely normal, I think. You seem to have found things that make you happy, the outdoors, the ocean, an older vehicle, wildlife. These are important things to me too. My wife and I live at a marina in Southern California, we have a 35 year old VW camper van that I restored many years ago and we go all over in it. She has a nice convertible we use locally, and we are both “water people”. She open water swims and surfs. I do as well, and have a 55 year old sailboat I also restored and sail with my son and friends. I also dove for many years as well. Neither of us are into social media and not tech people by any stretch.

My point is, that you seem to have made a nice life for yourself but are struggling with the inevitable change in society that happens. It can’t be stopped but you (or I) can decide to participate and to what level. My wife and I often joke about these societal changes through the decades but we try not to let it bother us. Focus on what makes you happy in life and ignore the things you can’t control or don’t directly affect you. Otherwise, it seems to me like beating one’s head against a wall, no benefit and lots of pain. I don’t mean to be preachy, but rather point out that mainstream society is just that, most of society, not everyone. There are many that don’t fit into that mold, and they come from all generations. I have had many students over the years who didn’t follow the societal norms or most popular fads or styles. I also don’t think it’s coincidental that many of my friends over the years are outside “the box” societally speaking.

PS My wife would love the squirrel pics. She’s an animal lover and we actually have many squirrels in the trees around our complex. When we go to the pool or hot tub we often bring them food and they have learned to come out of the trees to be fed. She also feeds muesli to Egyptian Geese that often land in the green space behind our complex. Our neighbor feeds the water turtles in the ponds and we have occasionally had to put them back when they go exploring! LOL

I did a vacation in a VW Westfalia camper bus with my parents back in Europe, in 1986. We spent almost 4 weeks camping alongside the Loire river, visiting all those monumental castles and wineries. It was the perfect summer. This experience led me to build a camper out of a minivan 2 years ago. I wish we would still have access to new VW camper busses here in the US.

I built and installed a LifePo4 battery bank, 3 chargers, etc into the floor of the minivan. 465 Watt solar panel on roof, full size sink, 13 gal fresh water tank, outside shower, full size divider toilet with ventilation to the outside, black water tank, Victron 120 V inverter, 1600 watt induction cooktop built into a drawer above the drawer fridge, butcher counter top, compressor fridge, drawers under bed for clothes / tools / food, TV, computer, gaming console, sound bar, LED lighting, passive AC system, bed can be pulled out to 84" by 42", you get the idea.

Maybe I need to maker a longer trip to CA at some point!



Building / balancing / compressing the battery bank. 280 Amp/h, 90% usable, the equivalent to 5 average size lead acid car starter batteries.




I installed the battery bank, chargers, etc into the floor of the minivan.




Just enough room for my pet and myself.




This setup is very stealthy and allows me to park basically everywhere over night. No RV parks for me.






We love going on long weekend trips.

[Pahonu]

I think we might be similar in age. I was a child in the 70’s and adolescent in the 80’s, starting college in the late 80’s. I fondly remember many of the things you describe and having a nostalgia for such things is completely normal, I think. You seem to have found things that make you happy, the outdoors, the ocean, an older vehicle, wildlife. These are important things to me too. My wife and I live at a marina in Southern California, we have a 35 year old VW camper van that I restored many years ago and we go all over in it. She has a nice convertible we use locally, and we are both “water people”. She open water swims and surfs. I do as well, and have a 55 year old sailboat I also restored and sail with my son and friends. I also dove for many years as well. Neither of us are into social media and not tech people by any stretch.

My point is, that you seem to have made a nice life for yourself but are struggling with the inevitable change in society that happens. It can’t be stopped but you (or I) can decide to participate and to what level. My wife and I often joke about these societal changes through the decades but we try not to let it bother us. Focus on what makes you happy in life and ignore the things you can’t control or don’t directly affect you. Otherwise, it seems to me like beating one’s head against a wall, no benefit and lots of pain. I don’t mean to be preachy, but rather point out that mainstream society is just that, most of society, not everyone. There are many that don’t fit into that mold, and they come from all generations. I have had many students over the years who didn’t follow the societal norms or most popular fads or styles. I also don’t think it’s coincidental that many of my friends over the years are outside “the box” societally speaking.

PS My wife would love the squirrel pics. She’s an animal lover and we actually have many squirrels in the trees around our complex. When we go to the pool or hot tub we often bring them food and they have learned to come out of the trees to be fed. She also feeds muesli to Egyptian Geese that often land in the green space behind our complex. Our neighbor feeds the water turtles in the ponds and we have occasionally had to put them back when they go exploring! LOL

I did a vacation in a VW Westfalia camper bus with my parents back in Europe, in 1986. We spent almost 4 weeks camping alongside the Loire river, visiting all those monumental castles and wineries. It was the perfect summer. This experience led me to build a camper out of a minivan 2 years ago. I wish we would still have access to new VW camper busses here in the US.

I built and installed a LifePo4 battery bank, 3 chargers, etc into the floor of the minivan. 465 Watt solar panel on roof, full size sink, 13 gal fresh water tank, outside shower, full size divider toilet with ventilation to the outside, black water tank, Victron 120 V inverter, 1600 watt induction cooktop built into a drawer above the drawer fridge, butcher counter top, compressor fridge, drawers under bed for clothes / tools / food, TV, computer, gaming console, sound bar, LED lighting, passive AC system, bed can be pulled out to 84" by 42", you get the idea.

Maybe I need to maker a longer trip to CA at some point!



Building / balancing / compressing the battery bank. 280 Amp/h, 90% usable, the equivalent to 5 average size lead acid car starter batteries.




I installed the battery bank, chargers, etc into the floor of the minivan.




Just enough room for my pet and myself.




This setup is very stealthy and allows me to park basically everywhere over night. No RV parks for me.






We love going on long weekend trips.

Very impressive!

I made a lot of upgrades to mine when I got it in 2007. It’s an 88 Westfalia and there are pics somewhere here on the forum in the show your ride thread. I think it was in the snow in the San Gabriel mountains nearby.

Beyond the engine and transmission rebuilds, I also upgraded to a far better AC system with a parallel flow condenser and a Propex heater. I added a house battery bank under a seat with a charger and inverter, and more recently switched to LiFePO4 and all LED lights, inside and out, except the headlights. I have a solar panel that unfolds and can be placed in the shallow storage area above the cab area unseen. I also added an outdoor solar shower on the driver’s side and an awning on the passenger side with the slider. I swapped the old fridge for a compressor model that is really efficient and added a grey water tank for the sink. It has a ports-potti in a box behind the passenger seat that doubles as a seat. I’m sure I’m forgetting things.

My wife and two kids all camped in it for years with the pop up having their bed and my wife and I below. It’s been all up and down the West Coast and to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon among other places in the West. We are both high school teachers and would spend summers traveling all over, particularly in coastal campgrounds to enjoy the Pacific. One of the best parts is that we can just take off on very short notice, packing only clothes and food, because everything else is in the van already, sleeping bags, towels, dishes, cookware, tools, games. Everything is stored in one of the many cabinets. Many times we left right after work on Friday for the weekend, having only made plans a day or two ahead when a cool camping opportunity opened up.

The kids are grown and just the two of us camp now, but it allows us to “stealth camp” right in town. I even added a curtain separating the cab from the rest of the area so it looks like any other car parked on the street. It has different curtains that can be put in the windshield and front windows but that would be a tip-off we were sleeping in it. Most recently we were in Laguna Beach, south of us. We found a level spot to park, enjoyed the day in town exploring, went to dinner and drinks, crashed over night in the van, and spent the next day enjoying the beach before heading out.

I won’t get started on everything I’ve done to my old Columbia 28 sloop! LOL

[Pahonu]

I think we might be similar in age. I was a child in the 70’s and adolescent in the 80’s, starting college in the late 80’s. I fondly remember many of the things you describe and having a nostalgia for such things is completely normal, I think. You seem to have found things that make you happy, the outdoors, the ocean, an older vehicle, wildlife. These are important things to me too. My wife and I live at a marina in Southern California, we have a 35 year old VW camper van that I restored many years ago and we go all over in it. She has a nice convertible we use locally, and we are both “water people”. She open water swims and surfs. I do as well, and have a 55 year old sailboat I also restored and sail with my son and friends. I also dove for many years as well. Neither of us are into social media and not tech people by any stretch.

My point is, that you seem to have made a nice life for yourself but are struggling with the inevitable change in society that happens. It can’t be stopped but you (or I) can decide to participate and to what level. My wife and I often joke about these societal changes through the decades but we try not to let it bother us. Focus on what makes you happy in life and ignore the things you can’t control or don’t directly affect you. Otherwise, it seems to me like beating one’s head against a wall, no benefit and lots of pain. I don’t mean to be preachy, but rather point out that mainstream society is just that, most of society, not everyone. There are many that don’t fit into that mold, and they come from all generations. I have had many students over the years who didn’t follow the societal norms or most popular fads or styles. I also don’t think it’s coincidental that many of my friends over the years are outside “the box” societally speaking.

PS My wife would love the squirrel pics. She’s an animal lover and we actually have many squirrels in the trees around our complex. When we go to the pool or hot tub we often bring them food and they have learned to come out of the trees to be fed. She also feeds muesli to Egyptian Geese that often land in the green space behind our complex. Our neighbor feeds the water turtles in the ponds and we have occasionally had to put them back when they go exploring! LOL

I did a vacation in a VW Westfalia camper bus with my parents back in Europe, in 1986. We spent almost 4 weeks camping alongside the Loire river, visiting all those monumental castles and wineries. It was the perfect summer. This experience led me to build a camper out of a minivan 2 years ago. I wish we would still have access to new VW camper busses here in the US.

I built and installed a LifePo4 battery bank, 3 chargers, etc into the floor of the minivan. 465 Watt solar panel on roof, full size sink, 13 gal fresh water tank, outside shower, full size divider toilet with ventilation to the outside, black water tank, Victron 120 V inverter, 1600 watt induction cooktop built into a drawer above the drawer fridge, butcher counter top, compressor fridge, drawers under bed for clothes / tools / food, TV, computer, gaming console, sound bar, LED lighting, passive AC system, bed can be pulled out to 84" by 42", you get the idea.

Maybe I need to maker a longer trip to CA at some point!



Building / balancing / compressing the battery bank. 280 Amp/h, 90% usable, the equivalent to 5 average size lead acid car starter batteries.




I installed the battery bank, chargers, etc into the floor of the minivan.




Just enough room for my pet and myself.




This setup is very stealthy and allows me to park basically everywhere over night. No RV parks for me.






We love going on long weekend trips.

Very impressive!

I made a lot of upgrades to mine when I got it in 2007. It’s an 88 Westfalia and there are pics somewhere here on the forum in the show your ride thread. I think it was in the snow in the San Gabriel mountains nearby.

Beyond the engine and transmission rebuilds, I also upgraded to a far better AC system with a parallel flow condenser and a Propex heater. I added a house battery bank under a seat with a charger and inverter, and more recently switched to LiFePO4 and all LED lights, inside and out, except the headlights. I have a solar panel that unfolds and can be placed in the shallow storage area above the cab area unseen. I also added an outdoor solar shower on the driver’s side and an awning on the passenger side with the slider. I swapped the old fridge for a compressor model that is really efficient and added a grey water tank for the sink. It has a ports-potti in a box behind the passenger seat that doubles as a seat. I’m sure I’m forgetting things.

My wife and two kids all camped in it for years with the pop up having their bed and my wife and I below. It’s been all up and down the West Coast and to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon among other places in the West. We are both high school teachers and would spend summers traveling all over, particularly in coastal campgrounds to enjoy the Pacific. One of the best parts is that we can just take off on very short notice, packing only clothes into our bags and food into the fridge and pantry cabinets. Everything else is in the van already, sleeping bags, towels, chairs, dishes, cookware, tools, games. Everything is stored in one of the many cabinets. Many times we left right after work on Friday for the weekend, having only made plans a day or two ahead when a cool camping opportunity opened up.

The kids are grown and just the two of us camp now, but it allows us to “stealth camp” right in town. I even added a curtain separating the cab from the rest of the area so it looks like any other car parked on the street. It has different curtains that can be put in the windshield and front windows but that would be a tip-off we were sleeping in it. Most recently we were in Laguna Beach, south of us. We found a level spot to park, enjoyed the day in town exploring, went to dinner and drinks, crashed over night in the van, and spent the next day enjoying the beach before heading out.

I won’t get started on everything I’ve done to my old Columbia 28 sloop! LOL

Edit:
It is a shame that VW doesn’t import their camper vans to the US anymore. Most people in the US seem to want giant RV’s, I suppose. A handful of times over the years we camped with friends with big RV’s. When we all headed out, they headed home. We usually went into town nearby to explore. It’s much easier to park a 15 foot Westy than a 40 foot motor home or a trailer. You certainly can’t stealth camp! The ironic part about the new VW campers not being available here is they call them Californias!!!

[T.Q.]

Love the pet squirrel Crockett.

[Crockett]

Very impressive!

I made a lot of upgrades to mine when I got it in 2007. It’s an 88 Westfalia and there are pics somewhere here on the forum in the show your ride thread. I think it was in the snow in the San Gabriel mountains nearby.

Beyond the engine and transmission rebuilds, I also upgraded to a far better AC system with a parallel flow condenser and a Propex heater. I added a house battery bank under a seat with a charger and inverter, and more recently switched to LiFePO4 and all LED lights, inside and out, except the headlights. I have a solar panel that unfolds and can be placed in the shallow storage area above the cab area unseen. I also added an outdoor solar shower on the driver’s side and an awning on the passenger side with the slider. I swapped the old fridge for a compressor model that is really efficient and added a grey water tank for the sink. It has a ports-potti in a box behind the passenger seat that doubles as a seat. I’m sure I’m forgetting things.

My wife and two kids all camped in it for years with the pop up having their bed and my wife and I below. It’s been all up and down the West Coast and to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon among other places in the West. We are both high school teachers and would spend summers traveling all over, particularly in coastal campgrounds to enjoy the Pacific. One of the best parts is that we can just take off on very short notice, packing only clothes and food, because everything else is in the van already, sleeping bags, towels, dishes, cookware, tools, games. Everything is stored in one of the many cabinets. Many times we left right after work on Friday for the weekend, having only made plans a day or two ahead when a cool camping opportunity opened up.

The kids are grown and just the two of us camp now, but it allows us to “stealth camp” right in town. I even added a curtain separating the cab from the rest of the area so it looks like any other car parked on the street. It has different curtains that can be put in the windshield and front windows but that would be a tip-off we were sleeping in it. Most recently we were in Laguna Beach, south of us. We found a level spot to park, enjoyed the day in town exploring, went to dinner and drinks, crashed over night in the van, and spent the next day enjoying the beach before heading out.

I won’t get started on everything I’ve done to my old Columbia 28 sloop! LOL

What are your camping plans for this year? Anything outside CA?

At times I'm inclined to sell my house, travel the US in my minivan camper for a year or so, and buy some 5 to 20 acres where I like it best, far away from any neighbors and city stress.

A backyard range, organic garden, a huge shop are all on my mind as well.

Kinda like Tom Selleck and his ranch.

[Crockett]

Love the pet squirrel Crockett.

He is something else. Some people raise baby squirrels when they fall out of a nest and mom isn't around. In some rare cases they can become pretty tame, but most become wild after a year and want to get out. But a wild moving into my house and staying for long periods of times like an outdoor cat, that is unheard-of.

That being said, they do make bad pets. Handling him is like playing with a handful of razor blades. The claws are super sharp. Just walking over bare skin leaves scratches. When they hook in, in order to jump off, they cut through all skin layers. My hands, arms and legs are full with scratches and cuts. Every shower and handwashing is a painful sensation.

Biting is part of their communication, they are wild after all. That can range from playful nibbling to biting through a finger bone. They have a biting force of 7,000 PSI.

Their incisors constantly grow, so they are forced to grind them down on wood etc, or the teeth will literally grow into their skull. It takes them just a few seconds and a perfectly fine looking edge on your furniture is rounded off.

He also likes to steal my food, especially when I make or buy fries. Trying to get any stolen food back, or anything in his multiple stashes, will be answered with growling, teeth chattering... and you guessed it... biting.

They only bond with one human. Any visitors will be attacked when they come to close to me. They are very territorial and possessive.

That being said, the experience is well worth it. A connection to a wild animal is that much deeper. You can't cage them, they go nuts, so he roams the entire house at any time. He can be extremely cuddly or sensitive too. When it rains outside, he sneaks into my bed.

Eating a French fry while sitting on his back, with the help of a hind and his man pillow.

[Pahonu]

Very impressive!

I made a lot of upgrades to mine when I got it in 2007. It’s an 88 Westfalia and there are pics somewhere here on the forum in the show your ride thread. I think it was in the snow in the San Gabriel mountains nearby.

Beyond the engine and transmission rebuilds, I also upgraded to a far better AC system with a parallel flow condenser and a Propex heater. I added a house battery bank under a seat with a charger and inverter, and more recently switched to LiFePO4 and all LED lights, inside and out, except the headlights. I have a solar panel that unfolds and can be placed in the shallow storage area above the cab area unseen. I also added an outdoor solar shower on the driver’s side and an awning on the passenger side with the slider. I swapped the old fridge for a compressor model that is really efficient and added a grey water tank for the sink. It has a ports-potti in a box behind the passenger seat that doubles as a seat. I’m sure I’m forgetting things.

My wife and two kids all camped in it for years with the pop up having their bed and my wife and I below. It’s been all up and down the West Coast and to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon among other places in the West. We are both high school teachers and would spend summers traveling all over, particularly in coastal campgrounds to enjoy the Pacific. One of the best parts is that we can just take off on very short notice, packing only clothes and food, because everything else is in the van already, sleeping bags, towels, dishes, cookware, tools, games. Everything is stored in one of the many cabinets. Many times we left right after work on Friday for the weekend, having only made plans a day or two ahead when a cool camping opportunity opened up.

The kids are grown and just the two of us camp now, but it allows us to “stealth camp” right in town. I even added a curtain separating the cab from the rest of the area so it looks like any other car parked on the street. It has different curtains that can be put in the windshield and front windows but that would be a tip-off we were sleeping in it. Most recently we were in Laguna Beach, south of us. We found a level spot to park, enjoyed the day in town exploring, went to dinner and drinks, crashed over night in the van, and spent the next day enjoying the beach before heading out.

I won’t get started on everything I’ve done to my old Columbia 28 sloop! LOL

What are your camping plans for this year? Anything outside CA?

At times I'm inclined to sell my house, travel the US in my minivan camper for a year or so, and buy some 5 to 20 acres where I like it best, far away from any neighbors and city stress.

A backyard range, organic garden, a huge shop are all on my mind as well.

Kinda like Tom Selleck and his ranch.

We’ve met quite a few people over the years who were doing just what you describe, spending a year or even more, traveling around the country in their van. Most were retired, but a handful were younger. They had figured out how to work remotely to pay for it, which was pretty unusual pre-pandemic. We even met, and had a great breakfast, with a man from the UK crossing the country on a recumbent bike with a trailer! He started in Florida, went up the East Coast, crossed the country in the north, and went south down the West Coast. We met him at a campground in Big Sur and he was just a couple of weeks from the end of his trip in San Diego. What a trip!

We are planning another trip up the West Coast this summer. We went last about 7 years ago. I have college friend in Anacortes and my wife has a friend who just retired to Port Townsend. We’ll visit them both and camp at a several place on the Olympic Peninsula. I also have family in Portland. We plan on rotating between camping, friends and family, and a few AirB&Bs and hostels for about 3 weeks.

We live in LA County, the most populous county in the country, but have carved out a nice little life in Alamitos Bay here in Long Beach. Long Beach, itself, is a city of half a million, but it has dozens of neighborhoods, all different and unique. We like walk all over the place in the neighborhood as it’s pretty compact, including a great farmers market on Sunday mornings in the marina parking lot. I don’t feel particularly stressed by all the activity around, but understand that many do. My wife is somewhat that way.

Being here does offer lots of opportunities to do all kinds of things nearby. We just walked over the bridge yesterday to a wonderful Indian buffet lunch. Both my parents came from small towns in Quebec. I visited several times and know I don’t want that life. That said, we are planning to retire to the Central Coast, in the Morro Bay area, but splitting our time between there and our current location. That’s only about 8 years away as I’m almost 52 and we’re both teachers. We have invested for retirement by 60 and plan to keep traveling then as well.