Often when I give a tour of my van, one of the first things people ask is, “Where do you shower?” As much as I would like to have state of the art facilities on my rig, I’m actually a pretty simple lady. I have a solar shower that hangs from the frame of the rear doors to my van. In other words, I have an outdoor setup.
Prior to use, I leave the Solar Shower bag in the sun to warm the water while I’m out hiking, or doing whatever it is I’m doing at the time. When I’m ready to shower, I open up the rear doors, and set up two brackets that jet out from under my mattress. I clamp on a tarp for privacy, and underneath me and this contraption, I have a kiddie pool. I use this so I’m not standing in mud when I go to it. This is however a temporary solution. Great for when I’m at a trailhead or somewhere remote, but not so awesome when I’m in a Walmart parking lot, let’s say.
So, what do I do when I’m staying in a more populated location? I have a 24 hour gym membership. I also have a shower at my barber shop, and if I’m lounging at a friend’s place, I will sometimes use their facilities. Believe it or not, I have loads of options.
BUT what do I do if I’m on the road and in a populated area? State parks will have showers sometimes, and also you can ask at larger gyms if they will let you pay for a day pass. Then not only can you shower, but you can also work out and use their facility. Typically, a gym will charge something around $10 or so. There is also the YMCA or community centers.
And there it is… What I do to shower while living in a van. Not glamorous, but functional. Isn’t that the name of the game when it comes to living a minimalist type lifestyle?
