Lt Stonez

Anybody use this for a shower? Shower Schnozzel | Exped USA

indyfabz

Once--when I was horribly constipated.

jon c. 

Although I have climbed a couple at various times, I was just speaking here of camping underneath them. The land under and around them is most always firm and flat and usually has well tended grass.

Rob_E

Something similar. VersaTank 3Liter Shower/Hydration/H2o Carrier
Only used it a couple of times, and wasn't really stealth camping, just camping in a place that had no showers. It worked okay, but it's no substitute for the real thing. I also rinsed out my riding clothes with the same thing, but that would no have been practical if I didn't have access to water. It just doesn't hold enough.

The one time I was actually stealth camping, I believe I cleaned up with some wipes, and that was it. Shower came when I had access to running water the next day. If I were making a habit of stealth camping, I think I'd make an effort to hit a restroom where I could clean up towards the end of the day and/or in the morning. I don't think I'd want to mess with that stuff at camp where I'm trying to Leave No Trace.

KC8QVO

Another thought in regards to public land/forest preserves/national forests and hunting season - be wary of trail cams and where hunting grounds are.

On my trip today, for example, I explored a National Prairie. I made it out there right at sun up, did breakfast on the trail, and headed off in to the National Prairie. There was a guy biking out in full cammo and a bow.
I would venture a guess that he was out there before the sun came up to catch sun rise and what ever hunting opportunities there would have been at that time for the game he was going after. IE: If you camp on grounds that may be hunting grounds during hunting season (not just one, but different animals and species may have their own "season" - from a single day to a month or more) the hunters may show up well before you are waking up.

Rowan

You can get by for a week without a shower by using Wet Wipes or similar.

saddlesores

"stealth" does not mean or imply illegal.
it just means you're camping out of sight, not visible to casual passers-byers.

fortunately, english already has a word for camping on someone else's
property without permission. it's called "trespassing."

Rowan

A ziploc bag means you can take the used wipes with you without causing issues with other stuff in your panniers, or your nasal passages. You can dispose of when you find trash bins. Just don't flush them -- they cause havoc with sewage works because unlike toilet paper, they don't break down.

Rob_E

I meant I wouldn't want to mess with my camp shower. Agree about packing out your trash. That's the way to go.

reppans

I enjoy stealth camping - for me it combines the best of civilized tourism, cost effectiveness/efficiency of bicycle travel, and outdoor solitude of backpacking. It also sure beats riding 10 miles out of the way to a campground (and back), paying $30 to sleep a few hours on a 40sq ft patch of dirt, with loud/partying neighbors running a large bonfire upwind from you. My advice is:

- use a smartphone satellite map to find large blocks of dense woods away from homes/bldgs. for me this usually ends up being federal/state/municipal park/conservation land with free day use
- load up on water near the end of the day, ~ 1gal is enough for my navy shower, meals, evening cocktail, dental hygiene and the next morning's ride
- I'm fine going in early (free day use), drop a ground sheet and relax/cook/shower, but no setting up tent/bedding till after sunset (that's where you cross the line)
- bushwhack in deeply, until out of eyeshot from any trail. seeking higher ground and dense brush shortens the bushwhacking. going in early gives you a sense of hiker traffic but I'm usually in deep enough that I never see a single sole.
- invest in good ultra-light/compact gear. I'm ~25 lbs (incl ~10lbs of food/water) in a single pannier that I can backpack.
- learn how to comfortably carry your bike for reasonably long distances across both shoulders (eg, 2 water buckets on pole method) - a necessity bushwhacking in the gnarly woods around here
- minimalist ~55lbs total weight spread evenly across both shoulders is not too bad to carry, and with a single bag I look more like a day tripper, than an overnight camper
- use a sub-lumen flashlight, quiet alcohol stove, natural tent color, no fires, leave-no-trace, pepper-spray for dogs/bear/piece of mind, etc., etc.

I understand why folks are opposed to stealth camping, but I've come to terms with it both morally and legally. I usually camp in spots that I have rights to be on ~15 hrs a day, and so take the risk for another ~9 hours overnight - I am very respectful of nature and that land is no worse off for my extra idle time. I'm also a car and motorcycle enthusiast and regularly speed (yes I blatantly disobey the law, can anyone claim they don't in this regard?), and pass on double yellows (w/ motorcycle). These are far more potentially dangerous and harmful to myself/others/nature than my LNT camping. Interestingly, I wouldn't want to see the traffic/camping laws loosened up though - admittedly I'm speaking hypocritically, but loosening such laws will make the roads more dangerous, and nature more polluted/disgusting/dangerous. Anyways... to each his own.... YMMV.... yada, yada.

AdvXtrm

Reading comments like these and others here, and even the whole premise that you have to hide well to try and stay safe from the masters enforcers. who will bring down their iron fist upon your head for even daring to try and live free, is really quite disgusting and depressing. It's a master/slave relationship.

indyfabz

"What we got to say. Power to the people no delay. To make everybody see. In order to fight the powers that be."--Public Enemy

I own a house. I do not allow people to plop down for the night on my back deck. Does that make me a master?

Happy Feet

Master/slave? No one is forcing you into taking a vacation are they? I presume you own or rent a home - go sleep there in peace. Bicycle touring is a voluntary activity that should include enough responsibility on our part to figure out sleeping arrangements other than assuming we can just camp on someones private property without permission. That's not adventurous, it's just lazy, irresponsible and entitled.

Sometimes the homeless sleep where they shouldn't but I tend to cut them some slack as they are either mentally ill, drug addicted or impoverished. Unless you are one of those what's the excuse?

Time to grow up and stop thinking the world "owes" us something. If one wants to camp rough, head out of town a ways and camp in the woods.

lightspree

If your mind falls into that role, and someone else falls into the slave role or mentality, then those are the roles, and that becomes the relationship.

How do we look at cops and other "authorities"?

"Authority is the very essence of evil." (If it becomes emotional/psychological at least, fear based, and emotionally hierarchical.)

lightspree

There is some truth there. I wonder if it can be taken further.

Rats hide and scurry. Eagles don't.

Eagles don't move the way rats move.

Live like an eagle or live like a rodent.

AdvXtrm

I'm not speaking in terms of property you "think" you own, but in reality are leasing from the master in the form of and under the guise of "taxation". I'm speaking in terms of open unoccupied land, or at least what should be. The issue is that there is a perpetual and very violent occupier of all of it, and that's my point.

You could hardly be more mistaken and confused. My statement was one of natural law and moral; principal. No human being should be treated as a slave, where they have to fear the wrath of a master to spend the night on an unoccupied plot of nature.

Finally a correct response!

I will never be a happy, willful, mindless, soulless slave to these tyrants. Slavery is the evil here, not freedom; although you'd think just the opposite from reading some of the comments of these State worshiping, sycophant suck-ups here.

"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength"

indyfabz

Take a bike tour.

indyfabz

****a.

jamawani 

Mercy!

andrewclaus

This is getting fun again!

robow

Hey, Sir Rodent, please pass the popcorn

Happy Feet

I do like this most excellent turn of discussion!

There is no peaceful natural law. In nature there are predators and prey. Prey live in fear of predators that will kill them without remorse if they are hungry enough. Predators claim territory through violent aggression. Even the communal ant will wage genocidal warfare against an encroaching neighbor.

Ideals like some of those posted about free land and non possession have never existed wherever humans have lived and only really work by absentia in areas of low population density where the impact of "doing what you want" does not yield a notable result. Once population reaches a certain density, rules and norms are derived so that people can live in close proximity without violent argument; thus my comment, "If you want to live rough head out of town a piece and camp in the woods."

Here in Canada we have millions of acres of crown land (owned by the country) that we are legally allowed to camp on for free. That's one of the perks of living up north I guess but the trade off is it is often cold. There are also many many areas where ones presence will really make no difference if you practice a modicum of common sense. Fill yer boots if you want freedom I say!

But to want to avail oneself of all the benefits of a society without contributing to its maintenance by paying evil taxes is immature thinking. The pavement you ride on - paid by taxes. The store you buy food in - that guy pays taxes. That restaurant - someone buys a business license. Nice lawn in the park - cut by a guy paid by civic taxes...

Thoreau did not build his cabin in the heart of Concord and expect "the man" to pay for all the services he availed himself of. Dick Proenekke did not build his cabin in a churchyard in Anchorage. Edward Abbey did not set up his tent on the Las Vegas strip and use the casino washrooms. Those people chose freedom but they had a mature attitude that suggested their freedom should not be derived by the efforts of others.They claimed their freedom via their own effort.

The world is full of empty spaces where one can live as one wishes without the restrictions of "societal norms". I think everyone should try doing that at least once in their lives. But to sneak onto other peoples property does not a soaring eagle make. It's half measures, pseudo daring or perhaps just adventure lite.

Miele Man

That's what LOVE about touring in northern Ontario, Canada; there's so much Crown land to camp on and there are so many critters to see if one is patient and quiet. I've often seen black bears, mink, moose, otters, red foxes and other critters whilst touring the fire/logging/mining roads up there. And the solitude and quietness are astounding.

Cheers

Mike McLeish

Hey everyone, Mike here (the guy who started the thread)

Just a heads up to let you know that I've finished the article now.

Bicycle Stealth Camping: The Ultimate Resource To Keep You Hidden.

Have a nice weekend!

Ty0604

Those always made me feel sticky. What brand do you use?