Comment on why a tent is useful for living. In the USA, more and more people are pitching tents in the forest and living there in camp conditions. Is it comfortable to sleep in a sleeping bag?

Let’s say you like the idea of a homeless bike trek across Europe. As a result, you cannot afford to pitch a tent on the campsite and enjoy all the delights of civilization.

To begin with, I will debunk the myth that says that in almost all European countries There is no way to pitch a tent “under a pine tree”. Yes, there are laws regulating picnics and camping, and rightly so. Nature must be protected - how fewer people has the opportunity to come with vodka and balalaikas, so much the better.

But this does not apply to us cyclists. We are part of the ecosystem; for us, these are all these fields, rivers and mountains. I can’t imagine a person who would call the police just because he doesn’t like a cyclist who stopped for the night in the neighboring forest.

True, respectable Europeans may, out of the best of feelings, inform the authorities on you if, in their opinion, you are putting your life in danger (for example, by placing yourself in a field where a combine harvester is working in the morning).

I believe that it is quite possible to sleep in tents without camping in the most restrictive European countries, even in densely populated areas. However, in order to qualify as a cyclist, we must fulfill a number of conditions. In this case, we will merge with nature, and no one will disturb us. Let's begin.

1. Don't stand out. I recommend buying a tent in dark colors, this will help you hide between the trees. The less people see you, the more you fit into the ecosystem. Think about which side the shadow will be on in the morning - this will help you remain invisible longer.

2. Communicate with people. If you speak the language of the country you are visiting, you are a king. Just go to any farmer and ask directly where you can put up a tent. Emphasize that this is only for one night. Provincial people are not visited by people like you very often, and most likely they will give you a good place close to home. As we were told, sometimes in this way you can even get an invitation to spend the night in a house.

3. Make sure you have a tent site during daylight hours. The best driving schedule is to leave early and park early. Then there is always time to find a quiet and secluded place. Don’t rush to the first option you come across, look again. However, you should not settle down for the night too early. People can still walk, play sports, and there is absolutely no need for them to see you.

4. Set up camp early. It's generally a good thing to wake up early on a cycling trip. I got up earlier - I drove more in the cooler weather. Well, regarding overnight stays, it’s better that people haven’t started walking around yet, so leaving at about seven o’clock is the best time.

5. Think outside the box. You should not put up a tent in a convenient and beautiful place. If there great view and it’s easy to approach/drive up, then it may well be that at night you will be disturbed by lovers thirsting for privacy. Find a place that satisfies you, but such that a stranger has no reason to go there.

6. Don't light a fire because this is exactly what is strictly prohibited by law. You can easily get a fine for a fire - and quite rightly so. Every year in Europe, many forests burn out, including due to bonfires. Cook on the burner. If money is really bad, be very careful: dig a hole, surround it with stones and make a small fireplace. Then bury it and level it.

7. Come up with an alarm system for your bike. The easiest way to do this is with a bike lock, which you fasten to the arc of the tent and a saucepan, which you tie to the bicycle. It makes sense to use this rule when you are near big cities, near tourist places. The deeper into the province, the less opportunity there is to part with transport, but the chance always remains.

8. Do not pitch a tent on private property, in Europe this is always clearly marked. The exception is if you can personally agree with the owner. It cannot be said that any sanctions will be applied to you for violating private boundaries, but this already goes against the rule “Be part of the ecosystem.” You should not be intrusive, especially since there is probably a quiet corner a few kilometers away.

9. Play dumb. If you are caught with a tent, put on an innocent expression, smile, and ask what’s the matter. Often, due to a lack of understanding of the language, it seems that they want to drive you away from your place, while people are wondering if something is wrong. If a person starts to get angry, then immediately pretend that you are packing up camp, and don’t stop apologizing. If you manage to make contact, then speak in the Aboriginal language “One night, please.” As a rule, the owner of the land should take pity.

10. There are situations when you need to spend the night in a bad place, for example, near crowded paths, airports, in short, where you can’t sleep. Don't pitch a tent if the weather permits. Spend the night in a sleeping bag your stealth increases significantly.

11. If you have a group, then try to break it up so as not to make a whole camp. This is especially not liked by land owners or people living in the area. While they are likely to be tolerant of a lone traveler, they are unlikely to tolerate a whole team. Just find a place for yourself, at least not in direct line of sight from each other. Don't make noisy conversations, long dinners, etc. Better go to bed early so you can leave tomorrow at six in the morning.

12. If you have to stop overnight due to a small settlement, see if you are putting up a tent in those places where to walk dogs or children.

13. Try not to let people see you wandering from the tent and back. Set up camp when you really need to going to bed.

14. Don't look for places near bodies of water. They are not always easy to find, but in the meantime you will pass many suitable points for a tent. In addition, if there is water nearby, it may be damp at night. Will do heavy rain at night - the shore where you sleep will flood. For washing, it is better to carry a liter of ordinary water with you and wipe with a sponge. This will easily wash away sweat and dirt, and you will wash more thoroughly another time.

15. Try to stay away from civilization. In Europe it is quite easy to lay out a route going through the provinces, because unlike our homeland, there is a highly developed network of insignificant asphalt roads leading from one village to another. This way, you will not only be able to find quiet places to spend the night without any problems, but also enjoy driving in quiet place with clean air.

As you can see, the conditions are very simple, they are not difficult to adhere to. Be part of nature, because your bike does not emit toxic gases or consume fuel. Follow his example so that no one can guess about your presence. Never litter, respect the world and people.

Then spending the night in nature without paying a penny is more than possible. Just imagine how much this relieves your budget!

If you were staying at a campsite it would cost at least 10 euros each night. And so, all you need is five euros for food. Even with a small salary you can save up for a trip that lasts all summer.

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Sunday is my legal day off.
If you remember that I didn’t have to just sit stupidly at home for almost a month, then it’s clear how much I was waiting for it.
Yes, there were some work moments that took me out of the house, there were travels, all this is wonderful and necessary. But how tired I am, it turns out! I didn’t even expect it myself.
And it’s so good not to rush anywhere, not to rush.

And so, sitting in a warm apartment, I thought. How great it would be now to laze around on your rightful day off on a balcony overlooking the sea or the mountains... Such as, for example, in my cozy little hotel in Northern Cyprus.

There is a magnificent landscape before your eyes, it’s warm. A slightly cool breeze blows from the sea. And this breeze smells of the sea, flowers and happiness...

Probably, those English pensioners who leave their cold and foggy country to live here are right. They live happily here on their pension.

And I thought sadly about my prospects... Where can I live on my pension? I figured that more than half would go just to pay for the apartment and utilities. In spite of the sanctions, products are becoming more expensive day by day. Yes, and you need to put something on yourself. Especially in winter. So I will probably have to work for life to survive.

Or maybe put up a tent on the shore Mediterranean Sea and live for your own pleasure?

By the way, I went shopping in Northern Cyprus. The prices are incredible. It is quite possible to meet the minimum that our state allocates to its citizens for “life.” And the products there are really very tasty.

Thick, “a spoon costs” natural yogurt - 5.30 liras for 800 grams, that’s about 88 rubles. Milk, very tasty, 2.5-3 liras, that’s 43-51 rubles. and it really is MILK. When I add our milk from a bag to coffee, the coffee hardly turns white, remaining dirty brown, and just add a little milk and - voila, the color is “cafe with milk”.

Here, for example, is butter in Northern Cyprus and in our supermarket.

Three dozen eggs.

Meat, of course, is a little expensive, but our pensioners eat meat only on holidays. But chicken by-products are quite affordable. A kilogram of chicken liver will cost 3.95 liras or 68 rubles, hearts 7.65 or 130 rubles, chicken breast 13.7 or 233 rubles/kg.

Meat and minced meat. True, the meat is different. In the Cypriot store there is a photo of lamb, we have beef. Lamb is rare in our stores and costs more than beef.

Chicken liver.

Bread, cereals, pasta are not more expensive than ours. There are a lot of canned goods and prices are at the same level as ours.

And it’s not even worth talking about vegetables and fruits. For vegetarians and pensioners - heaven on earth.

All that remains is to find out how the authorities of Northern Cyprus will treat pensioners in a tent.))

During the day of the first post, I was already asked 3 times to write about life in a tent, I realized that this would be relevant right now, veeeesnaaaa)))
From the age of 8, I managed to live in a tent wherever possible, in the mountains, in a field, in a forest, at sea, near a river, in a city park, and just in the courtyard of a private house) You can learn how to install it and other technical issues in instructions for your tent, I want to describe life from the point of view of a girl, a girl and a woman who loves comfort like any normal woman.

If the only insects you are afraid of are spiders, like me, then you can live in a tent, they are rarely there, and if they were, they helped me kill them) after I saw their corpse, I could go into it and sleep) But If you are afraid of any insects, from ants to beetles, then alas, the tent is not your friend. If the entrance to the tent is closed all the time, then it will be difficult for living creatures to get inside, you can ventilate it at night, quickly before going to bed, so do not listen to those who say that during the day you need to keep the entrance open, no matter how hot it is, it will be hot in anyway! And at least you won’t be afraid to sleep)
Choosing a place: place the tent, if possible, in the shade of trees or bushes, so it will not heat up during the day, otherwise you will not even be able to enter it on a hot day. Place it so that the wind does not blow into the entrance, preferably to the side or back. Look for a place with elevation, so you won't be flooded when it rains. Remove stones, branches, etc. so that they don’t press on your sides at night) You also need to check the place on top so that dry branches don’t fall on your head from the wind. Do not place your tent so that the sunrise can be seen from the exit, this will make you hot and uncomfortable even faster. Although this will be important in cool weather  Look for the most level place possible; it is not comfortable to sleep on slopes.
Don't put anything under your tent that can collect moisture, you will wake up wet from the accumulated moisture from the morning dew.

What to sleep on? - I’ll say right away, sleeping on the sand is hard, if you think it will be soft and cozy,... NO! The sand will float in mounds under your body, and you will only suffer. You won’t be able to level it, believe me) You can sleep on an air mattress, but only if it doesn’t let air out. Polyurethane foam mat - hard. A bedding of grass, branches and reeds is good, but just like sand, it presses on the sides.
Ideally, these are gymnastic mats, or a warm blanket and sleeping bag. If you have the opportunity to take several blankets with you, great, take them, and also take a light blanket and a blanket) will not be superfluous, it can be cold at night.
It’s best to sleep with your side to the exit; sleeping with your feet forward is dangerous, you can be grabbed by them) If the size of the tent allows you to sleep across the tent, then do so, plus your feet won’t be cold, and even if something happens you can defend yourself... I’m not kidding here)
In general, comfort in a tent depends on the size of the tent itself; there are those where you can put a cot and stand at full height. It's up to you to choose)
For those who have never slept in a tent, I advise you to try it, you will never know whether you like it or not.
If I didn’t tell you something, ask questions, I’ll answer with pleasure!)

If you live in a tent, what are the costs?

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Answers

buy in bulk here)))) roltoooon

I lived in London. A room in a house (not a dorm) can be found for 300-350 pounds. When choosing between life in Latvia and England based only on social and economic aspects - I’ll choose England - you always know where taxes go, and, what’s important, you see it.

Yeah, zero. It will begin to produce more fuel. While the fuel detonates, there is consumption

There are 12 in the city. I had all 15, but I drove. True, they’ll start talking about 7-8 right now

Fuel consumption (combined): 19.5 l

Well, look at this M60 engine, they installed it on the E39, and also on the E53 (x5)
I will write an objective opinion. Since I drove the IKS 5 for 3 years. The engine is pre-styled, it has fuel consumption if you drive with a torque
9 - 9.5 (of course it’s an automatic), if you throw a kick down, every traffic light, it’s not realistic to drown, the board will show 14 liters
Krch, I think. The E39 has less weight, less aerodynamic drag + mechanics
Mixed style. wakes up from 6 to 9 liters
P.S. forget it, those who write that
10-15 liters
Or they don't even know what kind of engine it is. If you really want a constructive opinion, don’t ask such questions in Iran, well, here people don’t even know what an external engine is. combustion, but they'll put in their 2 cents.
The engine is very successful. Very dynamic and quite economical, if someone tells you that 12 - 15 liters, just laugh.
Make a diagnosis!

what diagnostics are needed?
In my opinion, everything is simpler than that: you start the engine, warm it up and during warm-up you look at what the exhaust is like.
If it is grayish-black, then there is a problem somewhere in:
Lambda probe
Candles
Engine condition...
Or he's just very cold.
if after warming up the smoke (or rather steam) is normal (the cardboard is required, it protects the engine from hypothermia), and the instruments show crap, then perhaps they are simply stuck with sulfur. This could be if the engine was fed with low-quality Russian diesel fuel with a high sulfur content.
I don’t care how much the engine revs, I don’t care that the diesel engine pulls well from the bottom, because of such driving the consumption will be higher, soot will build up more in the silencer, and this is not very good for the engine. Shift closer to 2.5k rpm, and keep it at about 1800.

what’s true is true, so a diesel engine, especially a turbocharged one, needs to be allowed to run its course, that is, drive it a little before the cutoff, but not much.
If you don't start it will be less.
1. Drive at speed (not neutral). When the engine brakes, the fuel supply stops almost completely.
2. Brake less often with the pedal, more often with speed
3. Do not press the gas pedal to the floor at traffic lights
4. Do not turn the engine at high speeds, select the highest possible gear. (for manual transmission)
5. There is no need to warm up the car for a long time. At -20 I get into the car, start it, my consumption is 2.1 l/h, after two minutes it becomes about 1.2 l/h, I start driving and by the time I leave the yard the consumption decreases from 30 l/h to 15, on the highway it becomes about 7-8 , later - 5.5. So I don’t see the point in warming it up for half an hour. IMHO
Well, that seems to be it.
About gasoline: 92 is cheaper, but you need more of it, I fill up with 95 or 98. More expensive, but the consumption is less, there are not many benefits, but it’s still better to fill with normal gasoline

We were often asked the question of how we travel with 4 children with tents. I’ll tell you in more detail about our life. :-)

The main assistant and rescuer is our dry closet.
We certainly wouldn't have lasted long without him. In any tent camp it is installed first.

Prefabricated tent, so even on the road in any steppe, field, etc. We have the right conditions for an emergency stop. :-) The bottom of the tent is covered with oilcloth, so that the tent itself, if necessary, can be used for its intended purpose. :-)

Even on bases where there is no bathroom in the house, we do not have to travel every half hour to a public toilet with each child, especially at night. (Well, outdoor toilets are not always a pleasant thing).

By the way, if the room allows (and we try to make sure it does :-)), the tent with toilet is moved into the house at night. There is a special liquid for the toilet, plus it closes hermetically, so there is no smell.

Now we are still dreaming of a shower tent.

Accommodation options

The main thing we focus on is .
For many reasons, the financial side is not the only one. This option also adds mobility; we are less tied to the location and dates.
Assembling and disassembling does not take so much time, since children also have their own tasks.

We try to place the car, tent and “fast” tent in uncovered areas in order to isolate ourselves from neighbors.

In the next photo there is a forest behind me, a fence to the left. All! Chick-truck - we're in the house. :-)

There are double rooms on the left and right of the tent. And in a huge vestibule we put an inner tent from another tent, so that we get three-room apartments.

The “adult” room offers a gorgeous view through the mosquito net. :-)

During the daytime the vestibule remains free. Here you can stand at full height, so it can be used for different purposes: a sun umbrella in the heat, a regular umbrella in the rain, a kitchen-dining room when it’s windy. (Sometimes even as a shower).

Emergency option

(We got to the place late, we were very tired, we had to leave early). 2-3 people spend the night in a “fast” tent, the rest on fully unfolded seats in the car.
This is us on Crystal Mountain. Does it look like someone is sleeping there?

A very, very emergency option.
(If there is heavy rain, under which it is impossible to set up a tent or it is very cold).
We all spend the night simply on half-unfolded seats.

True, I can’t sleep for a long time in this position, so photos appear in our collection at dawn.

From time to time we plan stops at bases to use the electricity. And just in case, we have addresses and telephone numbers of bases where you can stay if the weather is really, really bad.

Nutrition

We have a gas stove, so, in principle, you can cook the same way as at home. The only condition is from what is available.

Is our hiking menu: porridge, boiled potatoes, pasta with stewed meat, soup with canned food, vegetable salad, boiled eggs - nothing special.

Our version of rice with side dishes (green peas, corn, beans in tomato) went well. True, it’s impossible to cook fluffy rice, but everything gets swept away anyway (especially if lunch is a little late). Here it is our unsweetened rice porridge with freshly cut “stirrer”.

Another find on the hike was vegetable stew. Fast, tasty, inexpensive. For those who are particularly picky, it was called a fried salad and went with a bang.

For snacks on the go - fruits, vegetables, gingerbread, buns, crackers with processed cheese.

Our traditional dinner (although sometimes breakfast or afternoon tea).

Bread with fresh honey and real milk.
Simple, satisfying and healthy.

Festive dessert. In principle, this is nougat, only in the heat it melted and went instead of warm ice cream. ;-)

What do we take with us?: pot, frying pan, stove, disposable tableware, garbage bags, refrigerator.
We don’t even connect the refrigerator to the cigarette lighter, we just put 3 frozen bottles of water - and a cold place for food is provided for three days.

The main problem is what to do with the children!

On the road, we all started listening to audiobooks very well.
During this summer we listened to 5 parts of Harry Potter on the road.
There is still time for compulsory reading: Yaroslav read the program works, Genka finished “White Fang”, Malina had Sladkov’s stories, Svyatoslav took “The Chronicles of Narnia” for himself (of course, he didn’t master much, but he read it regularly).

Outdoor options. :