Originally Posted by
BlarneyHammer
Arrive in town mid-afternoon. Find a church, put on a big smile, and ask for a floor and a ceiling. Or try the fire department.
In especially small towns, go to the only mini-mart in town and ask if there's a church/school/fire station where you can sleep on the floor, or pitch a tent out back. They'll know everyone in town, and someone can help out.
When all else fails, ask a policeman where's a safe place to set up a tent. Don't say "Camp," say "Set up a tent." Cops in small towns are usually bored, and will be glad to escort you to a city park, and even check on you later and make sure you're doing OK. They also might know a friendly church.
Bonus: You'll often get fed!
I like this! Really good advice here. Normally I'm kinda the person that would avoid the cops. I guess making sure you give the impression you're just rolling through town helps. Small towns don't really have the facilities for travelers so they would want to help you out as much as possible.
Thanks!