Touring - Non-Pay Camping on Tour

I have been reading up on non-pay camping while touring and have seen churches,schools,fire stations,graveyards,local parks(in small towns) recommended.What is usually not mentioned is whether permission is asked of someone or if it is generally safe to go on and camp in such locations if discreet.Does anyone have any suggestions as to procedure in such cases?I do know that some tourers mention checking in with local police departments to get permission to camp in local parks in smaller towns.Is this widely done and do such police departments usually respond favorably ? Any other suggestions?I have read Ken Kifer's recommendations about camping in wooded areas where there have been no improvements to the land and plan to look for such sites but in South Florida where I will be doing most of my near-term touring there are few woodlands that are not swamps.

As far as the town parks in the small towns USA most invite touring cyclists to stay and camp. SOme even have showers and at least rest rooms some just out houses. Many have a sign posted with some simple requests most are just common sense like picking up aftr your self and such. One reason to check in with police or the town clerk is that they might need to come over and open the rest rooms up or maybe ther is trouble makers arrounbd you need t be aware of, they can tell you if they have a automatic sprinkler system that will come on in the middle of the night...

we were camped one night at a nice city park it had a pool so we got showers and a nice refreshig swim pitched our tents made dinenr and as usuall were sound asleep by 9 pm

arround 3:30 am i heard all sorts of comoiton and it sounded like it was raining when i looked out the tent i could see a clear sky and lots of stars, i thought what the he**? then i looked and this other guy and his wife were taking down thier tent and getting wet they had unknowenly pitched their tent right on top of a pop up sprinkler head
I could tell it was a zone system and hadent gotten to the zone i was at yet so i got out and took down the tent fast , we were all in the street at 4 am they were mad and wet then we all started laughing so hard we fell down we were quite a sight .. that is one reason to check in first allways ask about sprinklers comming on autoimatic.

as far as just pulling off the road and camp I do this a lot in remote areas get off the road just befor dark set up camp out of sight no fires and leave in the morning. Churches have let me camp both in the yard and inside the fellowship hall for free But you really need to ask first and most times will
not be turned down one place in particular in oregon has a shower and fresh towells for cyclists they ask you to leave a donation and put it on a plate in the kitchen but not required.
i never sleped in a grave yard just too weird for me. farms are good places especially if you are familiar with farm work Ive asked for permission to camp at farms then assisted with chores and milking got dinner and was told to come in the house and sleep because it was going to rain.
out west along the rivers of idaho and montana there were plenty of places to just pull off the road and camp no problem ask the cyclists you meet going the other way for advice on areas they have been through and you give them advice back its the best way to find out things on the road talk to fellow wanderers.

many natiopnal and state parks have areas for hikers and bikers no reservation isneded you share the site with who ever bikes in usually these are cheep like 4 bucks
catfish

catfish Thanks for the info.Are you saying then it is legal to camp in small to midsize town parks(I know many larger cities have vagrancy problems and tend to frown on this)?I guess I am just not used to small town hospitality.Would it be the town park at center of town or any park?Sorry to ask so many questions but this is my biggest concern keeping me from doing a solo tour (ie not finding economical camping and searching all night and getting fleaced for last minute accomodations).I will definately check into the state/natl park tip as I had basically written them off due to advance reservation concerns and there are alot in this area.Also I have been told that in So Fl most of the best remote camping is along rivers and waterways and more suited for canoe camping and not access from roads.Oh well I guess the best way is just get out and find some sites.Then eventually maybe I'll have time to do a longer multi-state tour.Thanks again Carl

if you are concerened about expenses you can travel cheep on a bike I usuallybudget 100 dollars a week, that incudes a weeks worth of food , and some camping fees sometimes i have money left over after 7 days sometimes i run out i go to the ATM once a week and get 100 dollars. some friends did it much cheeper but i like a little luxury once in a while. you can still foind 25 dollar a night motels if you know what to look for but these are becomming rare these days

yes I am saying camping in city parks is leagle but not all of them. and most timees free sometimes it is a couple of bucks. the larger towns are not so good to camp in there is more truble and like you said the bic cities have vagrancy laws.

Hostiles are cheep places too look into them 10-15 dollars a night gets you inside and hot shower and a bed. That is a real treat sometimes.

a good resource it the Adventure cycling organazation their maps have every thing listed in the towns like bike shops grocerys weather the city park allows camping or not where to get a shower some stretches of 60-70 miles of no services and it is nice to know ahead of time so you arry more provisions,
where are you thinking of going on your bicycle tiip? myself Im almost ready to head out again for 2-3 months of wandering and exploring.

My policy on this is as follows:

1. If there is not a sign saying "no camping" then camping is legal there as far as I'm concerned.

2. If it's in a town as such, I'll use the pay campsites because they are generally safer.

3. DO NOT LEAVE PERSONAL BELONGINGS UNATTENDED (or at least secure them).

Right now 4 to 7 days trips would fit my schedule however in another year or two I may be in a position to take longer tours.Specifically I want to do a Keys trip and an interior Fl trip heading north near term.Don't tell Mike or beowoulfe but I might try a Keys trip this holiday week if I don't chicken out.

Chris Your advice on safety is noted.One thing I have going for me in this regard is my bike is so old and worn looking a thief would think twice as to whether it was worth stealing .In fact on a recent tour with three riders on new mtn. bikes I always came out of the stores etc. with full confidence if a thief had struck which bike would still be there.

Originally posted by RWTD
Chris Your advice on safety is noted.One thing I have going for me in this regard is my bike is so old and worn looking a thief would think twice as to whether it was worth stealing .In fact on a recent tour with three riders on new mtn. bikes I always came out of the stores etc. with full confidence if a thief had struck which bike would still be there.

Don't be too sure. If a thief can make a quick getaway with your bike (i.e. it isn't secured too well), I think I know which one's going to go. Sometimes it pays to look at it from a thieves' perspective. Not that I have any experience in that area of course :D

Are you thinking small town Florida? Once you get west of 441 and north of Vero (excluding Orlando and the Disney theme park area), you're talking farms, ranches and trailers. It's downright country and you're in small deep south USA. Good chance the small town ways apply.

I agree central and northern Fl are rural and small town .In fact really the Keys were too.Thus if you can find some remote land camping is feasable (in Fl it is often along rivers to my understanding).However the types of places I mentioned above I have concluded you really need permission(I would hate to be accused of being a graverobber LOL) .Catfish had the best idea in getting the Adventure materialthat tells where free and low cost public facilities are.