[VAC] Safe Camping and Feeling Safe

["Harvey Barlow" <harveybarlow@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Me too!

I also refuse to live my life allowing fear to deprive me of the enjoyment
of freedom and travel in this beautiful big land we are all so lucky to have
been born in and/or live in.

I'm a Wal-Mart camper on occasion also and have used a few of (but certainly
not all of) the available sites that Terry Tyler has written about.  I
formerly planned trips hopping from one RV park to the next.  It finally
occurred to me after reading an old book authored by Wally Byam, that our
A/Ss are quite comfortable without hookups with the exception of very hot
weather.  Since that revelation(duh) I use truck stops, interstate or other
highway rest stops, city parks, etc.  I don't leave a mess and no one has
ever told me I couldn't park in a particular location.  On the way to the
recent Cherry Blossom Rally I passed through the small town of Barlow (no
relation) in Western KY.  I asked for a place to park and was directed to
see "Betty", the local restaurant owner and town mayor.  Betty left her
kitchen and showed me where I could park on city property between the shed
that held mowing equipment and the volunteer fire station ("don't block the
fire truck driveway", she directed).  The mayor told me that if the police
patrol car came around to tell the officer that she gave me permission to
park there.  Later, an older Ford police car pulled up and an officer got
out and started toward my trailer.  I stepped outside, introduced myself,
and explained that Betty the mayor had given me permission to park there.
Looking at his collar I realized he was the Chief of Police!  The chief
grinned, got back in his patrol car, and drove away.  Nice folks!

There are unfortunately, as others have said, a number of hoodlums and thugs
across our country who would not mind robbing us but thankfully, they are
few in number and not frequently encountered.  I consider my surroundings
and notice who is around but so far have not been bothered.

 Since my elderly female German Shepherd always travels with me, we both
enjoy the relative freedom afforded by non-RV parks.

Isn't it great to be an Airstreamer and have the freedom to travel?

Harvey Barlow