Festivas & Camping

[DriverOne]

Two of my favorite things. It got me thinking about Madness and the squirrels that stole my keys, and how camping out is such a big part of getting to and staying at some meets. What sorts of things have you experienced (brought, towed, can't go without) while camping with your Festiva?

[ELUSIVE]

Ive always had the idea of building a "restiva". Rear and front passenger seats removed, replace with full length cot. Cooking, toiletries and other sundry item stored/installed behind driver.. but an idea it shall remain.. For now..

[TheresGabe]

Picture it... 2003... My cousin was dating this nerdy little white guy named Derek. Derek was a hippy, 5'2" skinny, with blonde dreadlocks... He needed a car, and so my uncle and I influenced him into buying a 1996 Aspire. He ended up pulling the rear seat, so he could stay in it. I guess that was too much for my cousin, and they soon broke up. Last time I saw him, was the night before he was leaving to follow PHISH on tour for 3 months...

[Charlie1717]

I took a trip about 10 hours from home to go to a wedding. I was able to fold up my passenger seat and make a bed long enough for me to lay in the hatch (I have a carpeted false floor in the back). Combined with tinted windows and a sun shade on the front glass it was nice and private. I had my computer and a fan hooked up to my inverter and I was good to go.
Some truck drivers gave me some looks at the rest stop.

Nice and comfy!

[drddan]

the squirrels that stole my keys

Now that sounds like an interesting story! :p Do tell!

I've camped in my Festy a lot. Went hunting with my 2 sons one year in the Festy. Imagine 3 people and all the gear we needed to camp: tent, coolers, guns, clothing, sleeping bags, food, etc, all packed into the Festy! :eeeeeek:
It was tight, but it worked.
It was funny, my youngest was about 10 yrs at the time, and he was in the back seat, with most of the sleeping gear and pillows. While driving to the destination, I looked back, and couldnt even see him, he was literally buried in the pillows and sleeping bags!
Sound asleep, he looked pretty comfy back there

I know one thing I could do without! And that is the ranger at one of my hunting/camping areas that likes to wake me in the middle of the night, and ask me: What are you doing? Well, i'm freakin' sleeping!!!!
Have you been drinking? NO!!! I'm freakin hunting, and trying to get some sleep so I can get up bright and early!

At least he's checking the area, and he is nice. Prolly thnks i'm nuts, sleeping in a Festy!

[Bert]

By my thinking a tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad is often handy!
Sleeping in a Festy doesn't strike me as comfortable unless you've young or have worked your way through a few 6 packs or half a quart of 5 star in advance.
Storage is tough in these cars. I spent 4 weeks in Newfoundland camping out of a Festy with my two teenage daughters and a beagle. I had built a waterproof wooden storage box that fitted on the roof racks so that the tent, sleeping bags, clothing and other bulky stuff could be stowed away while on the road. As it was the car was full right to the roof with bodies, gear, naptha stove, cooler and other provisions.
Drove almost 10,000 kilometers during that journey and used 700 litres of fuel. I dare anyone with a self-contained 'house on wheels' to get even half that fuel economy. The lousy 12 inch Cooper-brand tires were new initially but mostly worn out by the end. Constant travel with 6-700 pounds on board is hard on brakes, suspension and tires.

[georgeb]

Someday want to make a wood platform that sits in pass seatwell creating level spot all the way to the hatch. A lounge cushion placed there would make a bed. Also, cutting a Festiva-shaped hole in a screen-canopy (set up over hatch area) would provide a place to chill. Some magnets would keep the screen attached to the Fest.

[bobstad]

Did that with another car, long ago...

Ive always had the idea of building a "restiva". Rear and front passenger seats removed, replace with full length cot. Cooking, toiletries and other sundry item stored/installed behind driver.. but an idea it shall remain.. For now..

I vaguely remember taking out the front passenger seat and the rear seat, to be able to sleep in a car stretched out; but, can't recall what vehicle I did that to now? Maybe a '67 Mustang fastback or the car just after that which was great too; a fantastic black '59 Volvo 544 sedan...perhaps the world's best car if arguably a little short of Festivas now, unchallenged for decades. A hatchback 544 would be interesting.

The results weren't all that satisfactory, I seem to remember; the narrow effect and platform built to be flat enough above all the undulations of the car's interior sheet metal created a too complex entity, while dealing with relocation of everything when time to hit the sack was also a hassle. Not to mention getting at whatever got stored beneath the contraption. Before I discovered 1" x 2" "furring strips" and was using 2" x 4" studs and heavier plywood than I do now.

I've found from considerable experiences that sleeping in a vehicle is mostly a matter of remaining hidden from passing view, if one as do I sleeps publicly so to speak.

My most relied upon situation was not of that type, which was always a great trial; using a small plywood platform built on the bottom part of the rear seat frame in a '66 VW "square-back" sedan.

I was limited to either places where people normally slept in their cars like rest areas; or lucking into situations where I wasn't bothered, or even encouraged.

Often on rural/wilderness property owned by friends who themselves often lived in their rigs while building places for themselves; or one time four weeks in Berkeley early in '93, near the corner of University Avenue and California next to Tiki Massage where their bouncer "Sasquatch" took a liking to me.* The city finally changed parking in that neighborhood from unlimited to three day only after I'd been there a month; or I think I'd of started mail service.

Somehow a Thermarest air-mattress I still have, fit my little platform perfectly I could curl up on in fetal position; so I got used to sleeping like that for about a dozen years total from '82-'94, while also cooking in the rig much of the time too. A four-quart stainless steel pressure cooker and single burner white gas stove of the larger stable type, proved excellent. I lived at the peace vigil site across from the Concord Naval Weapons Station in the east bay the winters of '92-'93 & '93-'94 in the VW, I chanced upon riding the BART with an old ten-speed getting lost looking for a nearby VW wrecking yard Bud's Buggys which is an historic type establishment if still doing business.**

*He was interesting, so perfectly proportioned his 6' 3" looked about 5' 10" he said is great being a bouncer; since saving him from the typical challenges of "the big guy" while he also had all the powerful persuasiveness if pressed into action. His day gig was as a salesman at the Richmond, CA Ford dealership.

**I learned a lot about the experimental A-bomb exploded there in '44 a year prior to the one at Los Alamos; supposedly "secret" though so widely known about insiders consider the thing public knowledge now. A quarter size the one in New Mexico; and the reason for the mass mutiny the next day of about 250 African American bomb handlers not on duty when the Victory ship with the A-bomb aboard was exploded killing everyone. Black Scholar Quarterly, an '82 issue, is devoted to the Port Chicago Mutiny; two articles with one I think by Peter Vogel devoted to the A-bomb test there.

[bobstad]

I like unbolting the back seat on the Festiva, to place that diagonally to sleep on top of.

Doing so, I've found I still have enough room to sleep that way; even carrying a Fender Rhodes Stage 73 model electric piano in the rear also.

There is more than enough space to lay down all stretched out, so very comfy and relaxing!

The Thermarest air-mattress just about compensates for rear seat-belt bolts and attachments on the rear floor; if I sleep there instead of on the rear seat, when too much hassle to unbolt things.

[Bert]

I like unbolting the back seat on the Festiva, to place that diagonally to sleep on top of.

Doing so, I've found I still have enough room to sleep that way; even carrying a Fender Rhodes Stage 73 model electric piano in the rear also.

There is more than enough space to lay down all stretched out, so very comfy and relaxing!

The Thermarest air-mattress just about compensates for rear seat-belt bolts and attachments on the rear floor; if I sleep there instead of on the rear seat, when too much hassle to unbolt things.

If you can comfortably reside in a Festy then culverts, overpasses, easements and bridge overhangs must surely feel like a night at the Hilton.

That's OK I was just joking of sorts; I do appreciate that "necessity is the mother of invention" and/but you're using a Festy to prove it.

[bobstad]

Brrrr!/NOT.

If you can comfortably reside in a Festy then culverts, overpasses, easements and bridge overhangs must surely feel like a night at the Hilton.

That's OK I was just joking of sorts; I do appreciate that "necessity is the mother of invention" and/but you're using a Festy to prove it.

While in college, an influential & wise enough peer advocated strongly that a sleeping bag is almost as much of a standard necessity in a car or truck as a spare tire; which has never done me wrong since, for sure!

Those freeway overpasses with the shelves on either end as bridge abutments are places I've used on occasion, infrequently to date thankfully. They seem as if many are great for staying out of the weather, if one is hard pressed; though the place I ended up at, often was very wet from a flow which chanced to use that path during heavy rain. I noticed one person who lives on a bicycle and regularly sleeps next to that on the sidewalk here, through the winter. Under a freeway bridge where I see younger transients drinking at times, up above. I'm not encouraged to seek such company.

[crazyrog17]

On the way home from ohiostiva a couple years ago we stopped at a campground, I hadnt brought a tent. I elected to try the seats-fold-flat trick. Passenger head rest came out, slid the seat all the way forward and leaned it all the way back. Opened the hatch and folded the backseat flat. 6 foot plus of mostly flat surface. I ended up using my pillow to even out the front seat and my sweatshirt as a pillow. Comfy, I even left the back window open for some fresh air but closed it when I heard what sounded like raccoons. I'd never consider living out of my car but could see how someone could.

[Aaronbrook37]

On the way home from ohiostiva a couple years ago we stopped at a campground, I hadnt brought a tent. I elected to try the seats-fold-flat trick. Passenger head rest came out, slid the seat all the way forward and leaned it all the way back. Opened the hatch and folded the backseat flat. 6 foot plus of mostly flat surface. I ended up using my pillow to even out the front seat and my sweatshirt as a pillow. Comfy, I even left the back window open for some fresh air but closed it when I heard what sounded like raccoons. I'd never consider living out of my car but could see how someone could.

7 feet actually. As a 6'11" guy who can sleep comfortably using this style, you can be sure almost any normal/big-sized person can do this successfully. Both of my feet were touching the hatch and my head/pillow was pretty darn close to the glovebox, but it certainly did the trick. This sleeping style has saved me numerous times while on road trips or when I'm just too darn tired to drive home safely! The only thing that would be better would be removable headrests to flatten it out perfectly, but no complaints from me here.

[DriverOne]

Now that sounds like an interesting story! :p Do tell!

Those who have attended the Madness 4 understand that camping in state-run parks such as the one Bebandit, my wife, and I stayed in, will find that it greatly hinders the afterhours activities, unless you leave your car behind and walk. Not a good idea, that. Either way, my Festiva was 5-hours away, at home. Reason being, the Aspire swap that I was keen to display was unfinished, and my wife hadn't received her L Plus. Therefore, we loaded the Saturn SL1 (See my signature), and attempted to have multiple experiences aside from the Madness scene. Those were not pleasant. Shortest of stories, the park closes at 8PM. On to the squirrels. There were two things rampant in the area; jet airliners (I picked a campground near the airport ), and squirrels. After returning to camp the Saturday evening of the meet, we grabbed a quick shower, and went back to our site. It was at that point that I realized, I was missing something. Something crucial. Something that a day later eight people looking for WITH A METAL DETECTOR could not find - the sole key to the Saturn. It became a bittersweet joke that the abundance of squirrels had been the thieves, and through some sort of diabolical plot had taken our means of escape from their realm.

Monday evening, we had keys made, and made it home. However, that in itself is a loaded statement. Again, I'd like to thank everyone who helped us get back home, Festiva or not. This year, I'll cross my fingers, stay in a hotel again, and hopefully have a Festiva with me. I'm still in the process of building myself a camping/tailgating trailer that I will pull with me to meets and races, and it's good to know what is absolutely necessary to bring.

I've camped in my Festy a lot. Went hunting with my 2 sons one year in the Festy. Imagine 3 people and all the gear we needed to camp: tent, coolers, guns, clothing, sleeping bags, food, etc, all packed into the Festy! :eeeeeek:
It was tight, but it worked.
It was funny, my youngest was about 10 yrs at the time, and he was in the back seat, with most of the sleeping gear and pillows. While driving to the destination, I looked back, and couldnt even see him, he was literally buried in the pillows and sleeping bags!
Sound asleep, he looked pretty comfy back there.

My wife's car made it to Madness 5. Our situation was pretty similar, albeit with two people instead of three, and we never once slept in the car. We stayed in Avon, NC (OBX) before the meet, and had a good long week to ourselves in the quiet (unfortunate for those who lost property during the previous month, but nevertheless quiet for us) islands.

By my thinking a tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad is often handy!
Sleeping in a Festy doesn't strike me as comfortable unless you've young or have worked your way through a few 6 packs or half a quart of 5 star in advance.
Storage is tough in these cars. I spent 4 weeks in Newfoundland camping out of a Festy with my two teenage daughters and a beagle. I had built a waterproof wooden storage box that fitted on the roof racks so that the tent, sleeping bags, clothing and other bulky stuff could be stowed away while on the road. As it was the car was full right to the roof with bodies, gear, naptha stove, cooler and other provisions.
Drove almost 10,000 kilometers during that journey and used 700 litres of fuel. I dare anyone with a self-contained 'house on wheels' to get even half that fuel economy. The lousy 12 inch Cooper-brand tires were new initially but mostly worn out by the end. Constant travel with 6-700 pounds on board is hard on brakes, suspension and tires.

This is awesome. ^

Someday want to make a wood platform that sits in pass seatwell creating level spot all the way to the hatch. A lounge cushion placed there would make a bed. Also, cutting a Festiva-shaped hole in a screen-canopy (set up over hatch area) would provide a place to chill. Some magnets would keep the screen attached to the Fest.

I'd love to see this in action!

While in college, an influential & wise enough peer advocated strongly that a sleeping bag is almost as much of a standard necessity in a car or truck as a spare tire; which has never done me wrong since, for sure!

Those freeway overpasses with the shelves on either end as bridge abutments are places I've used on occasion, infrequently to date thankfully. They seem as if many are great for staying out of the weather, if one is hard pressed; though the place I ended up at, often was very wet from a flow which chanced to use that path during heavy rain. I noticed one person who lives on a bicycle and regularly sleeps next to that on the sidewalk here, through the winter. Under a freeway bridge where I see younger transients drinking at times, up above. I'm not encouraged to seek such company.

I met a man who lived on his bicycle. If you've ever watched 'Seinfeld' and had seen the episode of the Close Talker, you'll understand exactly how this individual acted. If not, imagine having someone who would stand at a whisperer's distance to hold an outdoor conversation. I gave him directions to (of all places) the Starbuck's as quickly as possible, so that he might have his coffee and leave me alone.

I understand wanting a sleeping bag in the car. Blankets are nice, but not often insulated beyond 40F.

If I had the funds, I'd love to tow such as this motorcycle pop-up tent trailer with my ABS plastic cargo carrier mounted above it.

[bobstad]

ULTIMATE Festy trick; I wish I knew?!!!

I was just reminded of the thing I've most often wished for, sleeping in the Festiva; to have a way to open the hatchback from the inside?

I get tired of having to climb over the front seats when sleeping in the back; after closing the hatchback from inside, for any variety of reasons including security, weather, privacy, etc.

To have a neatly contrived interior latch or even latch/lock mechanism, integrated with the standard one; would really be excellent, is what I've often contemplated and tried imagining.

I think the most recent times I've actually been inside, looking the problem in the face; some good ideas were coming to mind: If also needing some imaginative fabrication, of enough complexity I've yet to get more serious about the project. Maybe a chore only awaiting the proper circumstances, the way many things happen for me.