Staying Put vs. Not

It gets pretty comfortable just staying in one place for a while.

It really gets you into a nice routine and makes you feel like you aren't such a wanderer. I mean, you still have to be stealthy and move your vehicle around a bit. But the more you are in a single area, the more you are able to learn about it.

The roads become more familiar, you can discover more businesses & activities that are available, you can get a steady P.O. Box, and even get yourself a gym membership. The longer you are in a place, it really can be nice. You can actually make a few friends, which may bring you additional places to shower, hang out, and even park. You can even get a pretty solid job for a while if you want. That is definitely easier when you are not headed out of town right away...

I've really enjoyed being in Northern Michigan. I've been using a great gym for several months now (excellent showers!) and had an address to get mail at. I've had the luxury of bouncing my van around to different driveways, spending quality time with different people, and even using their showers (thank you!). But as you know, soon I will be off again. Then I will have to improvise a little bit more and be on my toes yet again. 

The area I've been staying in has been really terrific for parking. There just aren't that many people up here, so you hardly have to worry about getting caught living in your vehicle. Not only do I have friends here, but there are several Casino, Walmart, Sam's Club, and Meijers parking lots nearby. Anywhere that is open 24 hrs. is a friend of mine :) There are tons of hotel lots for a change, and parking is also allowed overnight on city streets in many nearby towns. I have even found free camping at a few Natural Areas around here that are part of the North Country Trail. They are truly beautiful and peaceful spots. 

After a while, though, it is true - Any single place can get a little tiring and it's good to have change. Having a van then makes life easy because you don't even have to pack your things. Just say goodbye to your new found-friends, get their addresses so you can become a "pen-pal,"  head on out, and get cozy somewhere else. It really doesn't even take that long for a new place to feel like home. Just find a handful of good parking spots, find a library, use the internet, spend some time scoping out the area, get yourself a gym membership, read the posting board at a local supermarket, and ask questions to people (smile, be nice, they will help you, they live there). Ride your bike around or pick a cheap one up at the local salvation army. Pick up a free phone book at a local grocery store or head to the Chamber of Commerce for some info. Don't know where it is? Ask at a gas station.. Buy a newspaper, read it out in public, go get a cappuccino, and talk to some people at the beach or a nice park somewhere. Find out about where you are and you'll feel like you belong there. 

And don't think it has to cost much money, going out and about, either. There are lots of free things to do, just ask around. I personally enjoy free disc golf courses, swimming at the beach, going to libraries, cruisin' on bike paths, metal detecting for coins, and finding hidden geocaches. Those things are always fun, but they are definitely more exciting when they happen somewhere new. 

Free 411 (& cell phone tips)

On an icky, rainy, snowy, sleety, disgusting-weather day like today, sometimes I prefer to stay "home," just like everybody else. If I don't feel like shopping, wandering in a building, visiting a friend, going to the library, or going to a coffee shop on a nasty day, then I just stay "indoors," relaxing in my van.

Today I went thru some old emails and was reminded of some great phone tips that are worth sharing.

One number I use religiously on my cell phone is 1-800-FREE-411. (1-800-373-3411). I use it especially when I'm scoping out a new area and want to learn what banks, health food stores, restaurants, fitness centers, and other businesses are in that city. It is a free directory assistance for cell phones, and it allows you to search by city & state, then by business or residential, and then by name or by type. Since sometimes I don't know where I'll end up, it is extremely handy. It can even send you a text message with mapquest directions on how to get to your destination.

Being a young lady in a van, I am definitely concerned with safety.
Lets see, here are a couple emergency cell phone tips:
311 and 911 can be used interchangeably. I've tried it. If you try it, don't just hang up - Tell them there is no emergency and you are just testing 311.

The Emergency Number world-wide for mobile phones is: 112
If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112, and the phone will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you. Interestingly, this number can be dialed even if your keypad is locked. I swear. Try it out, but again, don't just hang up. Tell them what you are doing. You can read more about dialing 112 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_telephone_number

Also, in many areas, dialing *77 or #77 will call the highway patrol/state trooper in your area. For a list of the highway emergency numbers in every state, visit:
http://www.911dispatch.com/911/mobilenumbers.html

If you lock yourself out of your car, you can get yourself back in using your cell phone and your spare remote keyless entry clicker (if it's at someone's house). If someone is at home with your remote keyless entry, call their cell phone with your cell phone. You can hold your phone about a foot away from your car door and have the person at home press the unlock button on your clicker. Yes, I crossed this out on purpose, because it was wrong information. I guess that tip is actually an urban legend.. Sounds nice, though, doesn't it? Thanks for the info (via the comment)! :)

Another neat tip is how to find out the serial # to your phone, and that you can use it to disable your cell phone if it is stolen. To learn your mobile phone's unique serial number, key in the following 5 digits: * # 0 6 #
I thought that was pretty neat. Anyway, write down your serial number and give it to your service provider if your phone is ever stolen. Then they'll be able to block your handset, so the phone will be totally useless, even if the SIM card is replaced.

Hopefully you have just learned something new ~ Phone tips are always good, especially if they make you feel a little bit safer.

As a final note for the evening, I find Free 411 to be so extremely helpful that I don't even mind its brief advertisements anymore - I was recently driving with a friend in an unfamiliar city, and we really wanted to eat some Thai or Indian food. I called Free 411 and searched for "East Indian Cuisine" in the city we were entering. It gave me a list of places to choose from, their phone numbers, and their addresses. I picked the one I wanted, and Free 411 then texted me exact mapquest directions on how to get there from where I was. It was just incredible - Free 411 AND the Indian Cuisine.