In my last post, I complained about a new set of difficulties involved with living sans a stable location and full-time utilities. I ended up finding that it is not nearly as bad as I originally thought it might be. Not only that, but I'm saving money and have found new ways to live simply.
There are a couple of oddities associated with living in front of friends houses and boondocking on public land. The first is that water is scarce -- the water in the tank goes toward cleaning dishes, brushing teeth, and flushing the toilet. The second is that my only regular utility is electricity, but only a 12 Amp connection. The third is that, well... I'm not showering in the RV.
To reduce the amount of time I spend dumping tanks, I have learned to do dishes as minimally as possible. Not only have I reduced the amount of water I use to do dishes, I have actually reduced the number of dishes that I use. Instead of pulling every plate and utensil out of my cabinets then clean them all in a big tub of water, I use a dish then I clean it. What this means is that I am only utilizing one set of dishes. The rinsing of dishes can be easily and effectively done with little water. This technique alone has doubled my time between tank drops -- I have been able to make it two to four weeks between tank dumps.
The change in electricity actually isn't an inconvenience at all. Instead of the 30 Amp connection I had at the dastardly trailer park, I have only a 12 Amp connection at my friends' house. The connection is now limited by the size and length of my extension cord, which is about 12 Amps. Luckily, during the summer not much electricity is needed at the higher elevation that I am at since I am not running things like furnace or air conditioner. The only thing that really runs on electricity right now is the fridge and water pump. I also regularly charge my low-amperage laptop. Less electricity hasn't been a problem at all.
The biggest oddity is showers. Even though the RV has a comfortable shower stall, it's not really reasonable to use it without a stable location because of the amount of water involved. I can usually shower in under 10 gallons, but with a 40 gallon gray water tank, that would be 4 days of showering before a tank dump. That's not really practical without a more stable location with a sewer line hooked up. So, what do I do? I shower at the gym. This sounds pretty awful, or at least it would have to me a few years ago. The beautiful thing is, college campuses empty out in the Summer and the earlier you get to the gym, the fewer people are there. I tend to have the shower all to myself.
The main trick to overcoming these issues has just been to learn and come up with new ways to make it work. Is it working? I would say yes, but certainly not in a way that would suit everyone. It takes a pretty dedicated spirit to keep reinventing daily routines in order to save water and electricity. Right now, I find it easy, fun, and it never leaves me bored.
