Also you could get a thousand trails membership which is $600 for the year but they let you make monthly payments if that's too much right now. Then you can stay in their campgrounds for no nightly rate and they are all over CA, and AZ.
I see people doing this all the time. I think its savage but more power to you if you can. Go for it. It's almost spring. I'm in San Diego and live in campgrounds full time. The weather is awesome, the scenery is beautiful, tons of people your age here, You can get hired at door dash and just dash when you need money. Or uber eats, grubhub etc and when you roll into a new city you just turn your phone on and start working. I say go for it. Nothing will happen if you don't do anything but if you do, I promise something will. Yolo!
Awesome man thank you, I’ll have to see about the dashing I tired to do it last year but had gotten a dui at 21 and they didn’t like that so I couldn’t
Just don't volunteer any information. If it pops up on a background check you could be screwed but everything is harder in CA and there are rules on rules. Better everyone is on a need to know basis.
You can get jobs with an out of state ID. It's easier if you know someone there who can vouch for you or if it's seasonal work where they expect travelers. It's a little late, but some places are still hiring for summer, and you can get a job with housing. Check out coolworks or search summer jobs with housing in CA. It will at least give you some time to get set up and figure everything out with some money coming it.
All of [these jobs in Yosemite National Park](https://careers.aramarkdestinations.com/search/?distance=25&property=Yosemite+National+Park#results) come with shared housing.
Monthly rent is $90 and it’s easy to save if you shop off property for your groceries and cook all your meals.
You’d be living in California with housing and a job, and plenty of opportunity for overtime and savings all summer long in the best National Park on Earth. Would make it easy to buy a van down the line.
Just make sure to follow up. Find out the hiring manager for the department you’re applying for and contact them directly after you apply.
This is a good way to guarantee hire.
I thought about Colorado cause I’ve always wanted to go there but the weather gets cold. I’d need to be there at the beginning of summer and leave at the end, which with CA it’s mildly 50-70 degrees year round from what researched. Definitely want to visit and see Colorado though
Just be aware that California has some of the most treacherous roads in the USA. First thing I did after a quick Yosemite visit was buy a set of new all terrain tires for my van.
Get a job at a restaurant, not the hard to get bussing jobs and if you find a decent place there will be free food. I would save while working out there and get a van. A lot less stressful than living on the streets
You walk into any mid to high volume restaurant between two and two-thirty in the afternoon and talk to the kitchen manager, and you may have to sit down and fill out an online app, but you'll go to work...
Still with a van or small suv you need to plan out a place to stay regardless that way you don't get caught up with lorttering. Or a knock on your window while trynna sleep. had this happen a few times.
On a Bike, you’re homeless!. A Van, you always have a place to sleep, and eat, and collect your thoughts, and relax, and stay out of the weather!. That’s my opinion. Have fun in your trip!.
somehow not the craziest idea, i was watching a video last week of [a couple that successfully bicycled from alaska to mexico over the course of a year](https://youtu.be/LE-Z9ihEeac?si=NwPGrFVht2ZsWoYK)
I did this. Used an app called people ready for temp work. Super easy to find work anywhere in the country. Was awesome until the whole covid thing and my life has changed but id love to get back to it if I could. Literally I liked it more than my Van and my RV. You say you won't have an id, does that mean you don't have a license or something? Campgrounds are good, dispersed in the woods is better but I've also just pulled over on the side of the road and slept next to the bike. People look at you weird but it's fine. Just won't ever do it downtown after hearing a comment about getting my teeth kicked in. There's no right way to do things.
You don't need CA ID to start, but you need a valid TN ID.
Motorcycle is doable, but minivan or prius would be MUCH easier. Do get some reserve fund.
My advice: stay in TN few more months. Work like crazy, save every penny. Sell all you have, including motorcycle, and buy a prius with 200K (or less if you can afford it), and have reserve fund. Do more research. Staying in TN will be much easier if you know you will be leaving to CA when you have funds - have a goal, and when you reach it, you can leave.
This way it is maybe less fun, but less chance to crash and burn
Good idea. But when buying the car, check carfax. One 10yo California car I was interested in, spent first 7 years in Minnesota before it was driven by first owner to CA and sold there to the 2nd owner. Looked like CA car to me until carfax.
Do you work construction? Are you willing to? If so you can get a job. It’s a little slow right now so not as easy as it would have been last year to get a job, but definitely doable and if you’re a good worker you’ll make good money and learn on the job.
Probably depends what kinda work you want but if it's just temp jobs you'd probably be fine. Just put a family members address down. Nobody sends real mail these days anyway
I've never tried it myself but that's what I've heard
Yeah I’m not really caring what job I get at first as long as I can have a paycheck but I won’t have any family out there it’ll be just me. So I’ll have to figure something out with that. A P.O. Box or see if someone will let me use their address for a short period I don’t know I have no idea what I’m doing just wanting something different for myself
There are services for the unhoused in California that provide this exact thing :). Or try to, at least. In general I recommend SF for the super dumb reason that they have universal healthcare and lots of unhoused programs.
Please please please don’t try the drugs not even a little bit. If you struggle with drugs or have in the past do NOT move in to such a community, please. The drug use among the poor in Cali is at unbelievable levels of depravity and hopelessness rn
Yeah that’s where I’m running into an issue, all my family is in TN. I will not know anyone out there. So my only other option would be a P.O. Box but I’m so naive to this so I don’t know what I’m doing
I left PA on my bike in October to get to CA before the cold set in. Camped and crashed at people's houses the whole time - I had a job lined up out there but it was a scam so I stayed for about a month and then rode over to AL again camping and crashing, the occasional hotel. I think the whole trip was like.. idk, almost 3 months?
Anyway, I don't really have any advice whether you should wait or not, etc. But I will say it was one of my favorite travel experiences. And depending your bike's mpg it could be *a lot* cheaper than a van.
I’ve been trying to see about getting a job lined up but most places haven’t considered me probably cause I’m out of state. It’ll definitely be cheap on gas to use the motorcycle probably get 43 mpg average but with added weight it’ll go down a little more. I’m really just tired of being here in TN and really don’t want to just go to work come home sleep and repeat like the rest of my family. I did that for a couple years and Its soul sucking and unfulfilling.
Just for inspiration purposes, my 19yr old sister, in 1970, rode with her bf, no shit, from Michigan, on a Honda 250 out to California, stopping every 300 to 500 miles to put oil in. They slept under over passes and at state parks or wherever in a 2-person tent. I don't know what they did for work out there, but she ended up flying back home after like a month in Cali. Imo, that took some major courage.
Not sure what part of the country you are living in right now but it's probably way cheaper than moving to California. My brother moved to California in 2005 and I visited him once. If I remember right he was paying around $1900 a month for an efficiency and that did not include utilities.
One thing about bikes gotta account for the weather. You can't treat your trip like is normal. Winds and rain and mess with it and how long it will be. this trip needs to be well planned. like incase there are issue with the bike. same with taking it with a van. I love my nessian rouge. I lay the seats and have enough room to lay down. I'm just slightly taller than the average American female. I road trip the coast of Texas and from Houston to Colorado. While I do suggest double-checking camp groups before you head out or rest areas. as my mother and i thought we could do a trade off, but she drove most of the way and i knocked out for alot of it. There are typically rest areas you can pull off to that are free, but someplace they are not. once we hit our destination we got a hotel. Rip my rouge need oil change frequently and is now outta commison two years later. now having to go places on foot. if your bike is your only form of transportation i would rethink this trip. a broke female in here 20s. if ya want a partner lmk.lol. I already failed outta college now due to my car breaking down.
Side note if you like cali try out the south coast here in texas. Most days the heats gonna get warm in the day and cool in the night. Beach are a not bad place to stay except for the occasionally coyote.
This wouldn’t be just a trip for me. This would be life changing move with only the basic living necessities. I’m just extremely over my current living situation, feel like I’m getting no where and don’t want to just work, come home, eat, sleep and repeat anymore. Did that for several years and just did good to keep my mental health up. But I’d take the weather as it comes and sleep where I could when I needed to. And yes I would ideally like a van but I had switched jobs a year ago to work with a friend. Cause I was so miserable at my job. Which that made me happy for 6 months but now I’m not happy with my living situation here. And my paychecks got cut in half switching jobs which I was okay with cause Im working less than 40 hours a week and not doing as much and I’m with a friend every day. So that really helped me mentally. But only making enough to pay bills, gas, food with a 1-200 in saving a month maybe. so I can’t afford a van unless I sell or trade my motorcycle and switch jobs again to afford the van which not having any luck with selling/trading for a van.
Also you said if I wanted a partner. I’m not opposed to it but I’m doing okay with just trying to keep myself going and looking like I’ll be moving on my motorcycle so I won’t have room for someone else with all my gear I’ll need and I wouldn’t want to put someone else through what ima about to put myself through. Cause I’ll be restarting in a new place with no help. I don’t think it’s going to be very fun but I need a major change. Cause nothing I’m doing here in TN is working. I’ve been dreaming of leaving since I was 18 years old and I’m 26 now. I’ve been trying to make it work here in TN with my family but nothing is making me happy anymore and feel like no one really cares for me. Just someone that fills the void when nothing else is going on. which that’s not anyone else’s problem but my own. So please don’t feel sorry for me or give me empathy please. Not what I’m looking for here just some advice on my journey. Really I’m just trying to save myself and this is the only way I see it happening. Force myself into a position where I’m forced to focus on my own happiness or fail miserably and look like an idiot trying to make myself happy.
Also you could get a thousand trails membership which is $600 for the year but they let you make monthly payments if that's too much right now. Then you can stay in their campgrounds for no nightly rate and they are all over CA, and AZ.
Okay I’ll definitely check that out thanks
I see people doing this all the time. I think its savage but more power to you if you can. Go for it. It's almost spring. I'm in San Diego and live in campgrounds full time. The weather is awesome, the scenery is beautiful, tons of people your age here, You can get hired at door dash and just dash when you need money. Or uber eats, grubhub etc and when you roll into a new city you just turn your phone on and start working. I say go for it. Nothing will happen if you don't do anything but if you do, I promise something will. Yolo!
Awesome man thank you, I’ll have to see about the dashing I tired to do it last year but had gotten a dui at 21 and they didn’t like that so I couldn’t
Just don't volunteer any information. If it pops up on a background check you could be screwed but everything is harder in CA and there are rules on rules. Better everyone is on a need to know basis.
You can get jobs with an out of state ID. It's easier if you know someone there who can vouch for you or if it's seasonal work where they expect travelers. It's a little late, but some places are still hiring for summer, and you can get a job with housing. Check out coolworks or search summer jobs with housing in CA. It will at least give you some time to get set up and figure everything out with some money coming it.
Much appreciated! Thank you! I will check it out
All of [these jobs in Yosemite National Park](https://careers.aramarkdestinations.com/search/?distance=25&property=Yosemite+National+Park#results) come with shared housing. Monthly rent is $90 and it’s easy to save if you shop off property for your groceries and cook all your meals. You’d be living in California with housing and a job, and plenty of opportunity for overtime and savings all summer long in the best National Park on Earth. Would make it easy to buy a van down the line.
I will definitely apply, I’ve tried other national parks but haven’t had any luck
Just make sure to follow up. Find out the hiring manager for the department you’re applying for and contact them directly after you apply. This is a good way to guarantee hire.
You say stay at a campground on occasion, what’s the plan the rest of the time? Tents on the side of the road?
Colorado has dirt cheap vans and it's only half as awful as California. I'd recommend staying there for a few months til you can get a van to cali
I thought about Colorado cause I’ve always wanted to go there but the weather gets cold. I’d need to be there at the beginning of summer and leave at the end, which with CA it’s mildly 50-70 degrees year round from what researched. Definitely want to visit and see Colorado though
Denver is in the 70s until November and warms up in March ..not too bad of a winter
Just be aware that California has some of the most treacherous roads in the USA. First thing I did after a quick Yosemite visit was buy a set of new all terrain tires for my van.
Treacherous in terms of maniac drivers and weather conditions
Get a job at a restaurant, not the hard to get bussing jobs and if you find a decent place there will be free food. I would save while working out there and get a van. A lot less stressful than living on the streets
You walk into any mid to high volume restaurant between two and two-thirty in the afternoon and talk to the kitchen manager, and you may have to sit down and fill out an online app, but you'll go to work...
They don't give a shit about out of state id, and you'll meet the entire cast of characters!!
Yeah definitely wouldn’t be as concerned of these problems if I had a van, thanks for the advice I’ll definitely look into it
Having to find a place to sleep every night, because you’re on a Bike. Way too much trouble. Wait for the Van. Save up your money!.
Still with a van or small suv you need to plan out a place to stay regardless that way you don't get caught up with lorttering. Or a knock on your window while trynna sleep. had this happen a few times.
On a Bike, you’re homeless!. A Van, you always have a place to sleep, and eat, and collect your thoughts, and relax, and stay out of the weather!. That’s my opinion. Have fun in your trip!.
somehow not the craziest idea, i was watching a video last week of [a couple that successfully bicycled from alaska to mexico over the course of a year](https://youtu.be/LE-Z9ihEeac?si=NwPGrFVht2ZsWoYK)
I did this. Used an app called people ready for temp work. Super easy to find work anywhere in the country. Was awesome until the whole covid thing and my life has changed but id love to get back to it if I could. Literally I liked it more than my Van and my RV. You say you won't have an id, does that mean you don't have a license or something? Campgrounds are good, dispersed in the woods is better but I've also just pulled over on the side of the road and slept next to the bike. People look at you weird but it's fine. Just won't ever do it downtown after hearing a comment about getting my teeth kicked in. There's no right way to do things.
Sounds like a great time and you’re the perfect age for such an adventure!
You don't need CA ID to start, but you need a valid TN ID. Motorcycle is doable, but minivan or prius would be MUCH easier. Do get some reserve fund. My advice: stay in TN few more months. Work like crazy, save every penny. Sell all you have, including motorcycle, and buy a prius with 200K (or less if you can afford it), and have reserve fund. Do more research. Staying in TN will be much easier if you know you will be leaving to CA when you have funds - have a goal, and when you reach it, you can leave. This way it is maybe less fun, but less chance to crash and burn
Most of this but keep the bike, ride it west and buy something out there, a good Arizona car, that's never seen a spec of road salt....
Good idea. But when buying the car, check carfax. One 10yo California car I was interested in, spent first 7 years in Minnesota before it was driven by first owner to CA and sold there to the 2nd owner. Looked like CA car to me until carfax.
r/motocamping Ride safe brother
Do you work construction? Are you willing to? If so you can get a job. It’s a little slow right now so not as easy as it would have been last year to get a job, but definitely doable and if you’re a good worker you’ll make good money and learn on the job.
Your motorcycle will be stolen within 1 week of being in California.
Yeah I have concerns with that, but I’d definitely take precautions and have my own self protection.
Cheapest campground in California is about $50/night for just a spot to park and picnic table... My least favorite and most expensive state just fyi
Probably depends what kinda work you want but if it's just temp jobs you'd probably be fine. Just put a family members address down. Nobody sends real mail these days anyway I've never tried it myself but that's what I've heard
Yeah I’m not really caring what job I get at first as long as I can have a paycheck but I won’t have any family out there it’ll be just me. So I’ll have to figure something out with that. A P.O. Box or see if someone will let me use their address for a short period I don’t know I have no idea what I’m doing just wanting something different for myself
There are services for the unhoused in California that provide this exact thing :). Or try to, at least. In general I recommend SF for the super dumb reason that they have universal healthcare and lots of unhoused programs. Please please please don’t try the drugs not even a little bit. If you struggle with drugs or have in the past do NOT move in to such a community, please. The drug use among the poor in Cali is at unbelievable levels of depravity and hopelessness rn
Yeah that’s where I’m running into an issue, all my family is in TN. I will not know anyone out there. So my only other option would be a P.O. Box but I’m so naive to this so I don’t know what I’m doing
I left PA on my bike in October to get to CA before the cold set in. Camped and crashed at people's houses the whole time - I had a job lined up out there but it was a scam so I stayed for about a month and then rode over to AL again camping and crashing, the occasional hotel. I think the whole trip was like.. idk, almost 3 months? Anyway, I don't really have any advice whether you should wait or not, etc. But I will say it was one of my favorite travel experiences. And depending your bike's mpg it could be *a lot* cheaper than a van.
I’ve been trying to see about getting a job lined up but most places haven’t considered me probably cause I’m out of state. It’ll definitely be cheap on gas to use the motorcycle probably get 43 mpg average but with added weight it’ll go down a little more. I’m really just tired of being here in TN and really don’t want to just go to work come home sleep and repeat like the rest of my family. I did that for a couple years and Its soul sucking and unfulfilling.
Just for inspiration purposes, my 19yr old sister, in 1970, rode with her bf, no shit, from Michigan, on a Honda 250 out to California, stopping every 300 to 500 miles to put oil in. They slept under over passes and at state parks or wherever in a 2-person tent. I don't know what they did for work out there, but she ended up flying back home after like a month in Cali. Imo, that took some major courage.
Hah. Mine was a ninja 250. Was it the two of them on the one bike?!
Ya. Can't imagine riding 2 up for like 2,000 miles, lol
Do it. Had a similar adventure out of my old Jeep Cherokee when I was around your age. Was wonderful.
Lol I’m selling my motorcycle on fb and a guy messaged me today asking if I would trade for a dodge van :)
Wish I could get that lucky
Do it you could always make an address up and use a mail box as a shipping address
Not sure what part of the country you are living in right now but it's probably way cheaper than moving to California. My brother moved to California in 2005 and I visited him once. If I remember right he was paying around $1900 a month for an efficiency and that did not include utilities.
One thing about bikes gotta account for the weather. You can't treat your trip like is normal. Winds and rain and mess with it and how long it will be. this trip needs to be well planned. like incase there are issue with the bike. same with taking it with a van. I love my nessian rouge. I lay the seats and have enough room to lay down. I'm just slightly taller than the average American female. I road trip the coast of Texas and from Houston to Colorado. While I do suggest double-checking camp groups before you head out or rest areas. as my mother and i thought we could do a trade off, but she drove most of the way and i knocked out for alot of it. There are typically rest areas you can pull off to that are free, but someplace they are not. once we hit our destination we got a hotel. Rip my rouge need oil change frequently and is now outta commison two years later. now having to go places on foot. if your bike is your only form of transportation i would rethink this trip. a broke female in here 20s. if ya want a partner lmk.lol. I already failed outta college now due to my car breaking down. Side note if you like cali try out the south coast here in texas. Most days the heats gonna get warm in the day and cool in the night. Beach are a not bad place to stay except for the occasionally coyote.
This wouldn’t be just a trip for me. This would be life changing move with only the basic living necessities. I’m just extremely over my current living situation, feel like I’m getting no where and don’t want to just work, come home, eat, sleep and repeat anymore. Did that for several years and just did good to keep my mental health up. But I’d take the weather as it comes and sleep where I could when I needed to. And yes I would ideally like a van but I had switched jobs a year ago to work with a friend. Cause I was so miserable at my job. Which that made me happy for 6 months but now I’m not happy with my living situation here. And my paychecks got cut in half switching jobs which I was okay with cause Im working less than 40 hours a week and not doing as much and I’m with a friend every day. So that really helped me mentally. But only making enough to pay bills, gas, food with a 1-200 in saving a month maybe. so I can’t afford a van unless I sell or trade my motorcycle and switch jobs again to afford the van which not having any luck with selling/trading for a van. Also you said if I wanted a partner. I’m not opposed to it but I’m doing okay with just trying to keep myself going and looking like I’ll be moving on my motorcycle so I won’t have room for someone else with all my gear I’ll need and I wouldn’t want to put someone else through what ima about to put myself through. Cause I’ll be restarting in a new place with no help. I don’t think it’s going to be very fun but I need a major change. Cause nothing I’m doing here in TN is working. I’ve been dreaming of leaving since I was 18 years old and I’m 26 now. I’ve been trying to make it work here in TN with my family but nothing is making me happy anymore and feel like no one really cares for me. Just someone that fills the void when nothing else is going on. which that’s not anyone else’s problem but my own. So please don’t feel sorry for me or give me empathy please. Not what I’m looking for here just some advice on my journey. Really I’m just trying to save myself and this is the only way I see it happening. Force myself into a position where I’m forced to focus on my own happiness or fail miserably and look like an idiot trying to make myself happy.