Van as shelter..???

MichaelMN · Post by **MichaelMN** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:16 pm

Okay, I'm a virgin, 47 yrs old, and prefer the KISS (Keep It Simple, Supid) philosophy. Is it reasonable to assume that I will be able to sleep in the back of my white '93 Astrovan during BM? What if I cover it with that highly reflective space age material stuff (and where can I get it) - will that reflect enough to keep the thing cool enuff to rest in..?

Where's the Lazy Man's Guide to camping on the playa....?

Michael

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:53 pm

Yeah, that's one of the better ways to go. The only downside is you'll track a lot more dust in and you won't be able to use the van for storage, meaning all your stuff will get dusty and potentially blown away.

I slept in the back of my truck with a cab on top for a couple of years and it was great. I rigged a parachute shade about 8" above the top of the thing and taped mylar emergency blankets to the top and windows. It stayed cool well into the hot morning. Not sure how much the shade contributed to the coolness, but it's still probably a good idea. Doesn't have to be anything fancy.

You can get the blankets cheat at your locat *mart in the camping section. If you'd rather buy something less disposable than those blankets REI has some heavier reflective blankets. Use at least 7 day removable masking tape. I used the 14 day stuff for the fun of it. The glue is similar to what's on post-it notes and won't leave a residue or damage your paint.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 4:43 pm

You could also use your van as one "wall" of a shade structure and rig something up.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:51 pm

I'd suggest going to a hardware store and picking up some the of the bubble wrap- reflective type insulation used for hot water heaters. It's a lot more durable than those mylar space blankets. Just cut the insulation to size and then attach with tape to the interior of the windows. If you wanna get really custom you can use velcro (just attach the furry side to the interior of the car and the loopy side to the insulation).

If the top of your van has a roof rack or tie-down loops, you can get a silver tarp and tie one end to the top and stake the other end to the ground, thus keeping the sun off the sides of the vehicle as well as providing a dust/wind break and providing a storage area. If you'd like more room, you can set up two poles and just rig the tarp up to the poles, and then attach guy lines to the poles (be sure to mark all your rebar and guy lines with tape to make them more visible, oh and cap your rebar with empty water bottles or old tennis balls)

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:29 pm

One year was really windy, and it broke a tent pole, so Louise and I cleared out the floor of our rented commercial van and put our air mattress down there. It stayed windy, so we just stayed with sleeping in the van. No problems, but it was not air tight - we never fogged the windows, for example.

I don't know about your windows. We taped foil inside all the windows, and it never got hot during the day (but it wasn't hot weather). I don't think we've ever felt our van was too hot during the day with our windows foiled over.

My suggestion is to try it, but to have a back up plan in case it's too hot or too humid inside your van. For sleeping, I wouldn't expect any problems. For shade, I would expect problems, and you'll miss the parade of burners going by if you're in your van.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:14 am

http://static.flickr.com/49/131228025_4 ... 58.jpg?v=0

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:41 am

..down by the river.

definately do'able, and you can occasionally run it for ac. second phils aluminum foil inside the windows thing, except the elec tape usually peels off from the heat. anyone got a fix for that?

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:14 am

electrical tape is plastic, which expands in the heat, and it's got crappy adhesive which melts in the heat. Both problems make it fall off.

We switched to gaffer tape, available online if not in your big box store. See Kelly's Cool Tools site at
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000163.php
and then browse his whole cool tools site.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:08 am

14 day (or at least 7 day) removable masking tape will hold foil on just fine and leave no residue.

Gaffer tape IS wonderful stuff, though. Its only downside is the snobbish attitude you may acquire towards duck tape after using it.

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:30 pm

thanks - masking tape next, gaffers if not that.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:16 am

I;m holding out for Key Grip Tape, myself...

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:21 am

Isn't that waht they use as crust for Key Grip Pie?? >giggles<

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:09 pm

I remember havin' a GREAT slice a' Key Grip Pie at a Best Boy restaurant in Tampa.....

To avoid adhesive issues, you can adhere foil or mylar (temporarily) to your windows with.....Water. Spray on, and squeegee down to remove bubbles. Surface tension will do the rest.

I don't know about YOU, but I like to bring LOTS o' art supplies and other stuff that takes up a lotta room, but that I don't lose sleep over if it isn't secured overnight or during prolonged absences from camp....Making a low, shady area that can serve as a "supply dump" can take the pressure off'n your Primary Living Space. For me, for the last three years that "supply dump" was a gigantic geodesic contraption with Room For Everything. THIS YEAR, I Go Thoreau. My Honda Element, and a small shade structure. Okay, not EXACTLY Walden....but, an improvement.

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:30 am

And if anyone yearns for shade, our modest shelter always has a few chairs and a cooler. Even a cot.