four-wheel-drive Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Did anyone see this program on BBC 4 Richard Grant travels the deserts and mountains of the American West in search of the modern American nomads who live on the road. I recorded it and just got around to looking at it and it is one of the best programs that I have seen in a long time. I toyed with the idea of getting a large camper and travelling around this country but then there is practically no wiled places left and if you have got to pay for camp sites its not practical. It must be so nice to live in a place where all of the land is not owned by well off people and ordinary people have a chance to explore without needing lots of money. I do like this guy Richard Grant he really seems to no what he is talking about makes a nice change. Its still on BBC I player if you want to have a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Sounds worth watching,but you're right;this country is too small and crowded to go nomad.North America,Canada or Australia would be fabulous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 It must be so nice to live in a place where all of the land is not owned by well off people and ordinary people have a chance to explore without needing lots of money. Its still on BBC I player if you want to have a look. On the continent free camping is the norm as long as you show respect (thats probably why it isn't tolerated in this country). I used to head out for a couple of weeks round Normandy and never pay for anything except petrol, booze and a bit of chow. The places I stopped were stunning. The only time I upset anybody was when I rocked up in a Nature reserve and started fishing. The ranger was cool about the camping and the fishing (?) he just said no fires. Got to love the french. I'll have a look at that later on I-player, sounds interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Sounds worth watching,but you're right;this country is too small and crowded to go nomad.North America,Canada or Australia would be fabulous. There's a lot of people doing it out there as well though. Its a major part of the tourist industry in Aus, and you can't just stop where you like. I'm afraid in this country you'd be cursed as gippos or 'travellers' who just make the place look a mess. I'd love to find a hospitable country where you could set out on foot without going near a road. Born in the wrong century I reckon. Good programme though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 I still think that you can stay around the UK without paying for camping. You can normaly find a layby down a lane where you can grab a night without to much trouble, the only problem is if you decide to stay for a few days in the same spot. Fuel costs would make it expensive if you wanted to see alot of this country. But do not try it in Cornwall and defo not around Perranporth where you can stay at a fantastic site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 I still think that you can stay around the UK without paying for camping. You can normaly find a layby down a lane where you can grab a night without to much trouble, the only problem is if you decide to stay for a few days in the same spot. Fuel costs would make it expensive if you wanted to see alot of this country. But do not try it in Cornwall and defo not around Perranporth where you can stay at a fantastic site Unfortunately most of the lay-bys and pull-ins down back roads round here have been blocked with giant boulders or steel barriers to keep out 'travellers' who have abused them in the past though older folk in tidy camper vans usually manage to pass the night somewhere without grief. I spent a year travelling round Australia with a tent and a car in 2000 and they are much more geared up for this sort of thing. They have some wondeful sites for itinerant campers where this kind of holiday is popular with Aussies and foreigners alike. They were generally well equiped, relaxed and cheap. You can camp in the bush but don't expect to have it to yourself, rules vary state to state and on Aboriginal owned land it can be oulawed altogether. There are very stiff penelties for infringing fire bans, dropping litter and causing pollution. Or there were then. Trouble is if everyone did what they liked in the wilderness it wouldn't be wilderness anymore. Talking of fuel, our car is Aus was a 6 cylinder 4 litre 3 speed automatic and petrol was about a third of the price it was in the UK. We couldn't have afforded to drive that to the end of the road over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schern Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 I caught the second half of it. The young lad who was travelling round on trains was brave. Seemed like a decent lad but I'd have been scared to death doing what he was doing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted June 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 A thought people say that bad things about travellers in this country but are they not just nomads moving around trying to get work now and then to buy food and fuel I'm afraid I fail to see why you should have to pay to stop and stay somewhere. If you want things like showers and electric ok but not just for parking ok why not in this country to small there is no unused land but other country's with lots of space is a different matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unapalomablanca Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 On the continent free camping is the norm as long as you show respect (thats probably why it isn't tolerated in this country). I used to head out for a couple of weeks round Normandy and never pay for anything except petrol, booze and a bit of chow. The places I stopped were stunning. The only time I upset anybody was when I rocked up in a Nature reserve and started fishing. The ranger was cool about the camping and the fishing (?) he just said no fires. Got to love the french. I'll have a look at that later on I-player, sounds interesting. What is 'chow'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 What is 'chow'? Food mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unapalomablanca Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Food mate I see, as in chow mein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulABF Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Great programme. It stirred my lifelong dream of cruising the American highways, stopping wherever takes my fancy and cultivating a grey beard with flecks of ginger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 cultivating a grey beard with flecks of ginger. Where did that one come from??? Thats a very specific beard dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Where did that one come from??? Thats a very specific beard dude Its that stuff they smoke up there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 (edited) Well, just watched the programme. What a cracking bit of camera work, the accompanying music set it off perfectly. I don't think that I can fully comprehend the vastness or the beauty of the US wilderness. The folk he met were all bang on but that 'cool dude' with the jeep was just a tourist and an utter shiner to boot. Richard whatsit reminded me of a cultured Tim Westwood but in the nicest possible way. Good heads up 4WD EDIT - SEE WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT THE BEARD NOW PAUL. Edited June 3, 2012 by ack-ack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 (edited) What is 'chow'? Chow is the chinese word for food. Its also the chinese word for dog interestingly !! My friend's mum and dad used to go on the road for six months at a time all over europe in their camper van after he retired. I got the impression there were quite a lot of other people doing the same and they picked up a lot of information from other people as they went along about good, often remote, places to go were you could camp for free etc. Edited June 4, 2012 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted June 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Well, just watched the programme. What a cracking bit of camera work, the accompanying music set it off perfectly. I don't think that I can fully comprehend the vastness or the beauty of the US wilderness. The folk he met were all bang on but that 'cool dude' with the jeep was just a tourist and an utter shiner to boot. Richard whatsit reminded me of a cultured Tim Westwood but in the nicest possible way. Good heads up 4WD EDIT - SEE WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT THE BEARD NOW PAUL. Coming from a tiny place like the UK I find it quite mind boggling to think that people in some other country's have so much open space that they can freely go in to. As for us for the most part the best that we can hope for is to go for a walk on some farmers fields that puts it all in to perspective just borne in the wrong place and never had the guts to do anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbirdX Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Really fascinating stuff. I've heard of 'wild camping' in the uk before but it's boy scout stuff compared to the USA. You have to admire those folks, well, the ones that aren't completely tonto anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 Just watched this in iplayer. Fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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