To clarify my question a bit... I was both looking at preventing a big mud
pit and looking for a solution that works at a state campground. I carry
biodegradable soaps :)

I'd also love to know if folks have preferred "camping al fresco" spots in
Northern California that are reachable w/o syncro capabilities.

On Mon, Feb 6, 2023, 6:20 AM ddbjorkman@verizon.net <ddbjorkman@verizon.net>
wrote:

> Grey water, with an environmentally friendly soap does no harm.  I just
> pick a somewhat sloped ground, put down a ground cloth so we are not
> standing in a mudpuddle and let it run off.  Many of the places we use it
> could use a bit more water in the ground.
>
> Dave B,
> the Boston one
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pete Sicilia <pete@COFFEEPOT.ORG>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Sent: Sun, Feb 5, 2023 9:29 pm
> Subject: Re: [VANAGON] Vanagon Hot Shower on Demand
>
> What do you all do with the grey water? Do you catch it and do something
> with it... or just let it drain into the ground/mud?
>
> On Sun, Feb 5, 2023 at 5:47 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
>
> >  For me, it was an evolution.  It all started with me and my cousin doing
> > Mountain Bike riding in the western Sierras in the early 90's.  Sure, we
> > got all sweaty.  No fun getting into sleeping bag after all that.  I
> > figured....there has got to be a better way.  I thought...all you need
> is a
> > metal vessel....fill it with water...heat up on Coleman stove; and, add
> > some kind of propulsion unit to aggressively force hot water through some
> > plastic tubing and into a shower nozzle.  And I exactly did that!  It
> > worked perfectly.  Except, I chose a steel 5 gallon gas tank, which of
> > course rusted like crazy.  Also, I chose a 12VDC submersible pump from
> > Grainger; problem with that....it was intended for intermittent use; it
> > rusted and froze.  I rethunk.  So next attempt was an aluminum 20 quart
> > stock pot from Costco, and a 12VDC Marine Bilge pump, I started with 800
> > GPH unit, but have moved up to 1100 GPH pump.  Oh my!  All systems are go
> > now!  Then I got the crazy idea of using Vanagon to source hot water.  I
> > deleted Rear Heater long ago; I used the plumbing and fittings,
> including a
> > 20 foot piece of 1/4" copper tubing, wrapped around a paint spray can to
> > form a heat exchanger device inside of Aluminum stock pot.  I used a
> simple
> > Ball Valve to turn on/off flow to copper tubing; this involved a
> companion
> > to run back and turn it off and on.  I used a standard BBQ grill
> > thermometer from Walmart to monitor temperature; I used old wiring from
> > rear heater to make this happen.  Readout on dash.  Next, I lost my
> > companion to run back and turn Ball Valve off and on.  So, via Amazon, I
> > got one of those motorized valves, and I found a switch (old Rear Window
> > defogger switch) which fit the 3rd unused position on dashboard; yes,
> with
> > a tip of switch, hot engine coolant goes into copper tubing, heating up
> > water in Stock Pot, all monitored by BBQ Thermometer.  Oh...you want to
> get
> > even more crazy?!!  Using 3D Solidworks, I came up with a delightful
> design
> > of a Shower Curtain, like a giant funnel into a RubberMaid plastic bin.
> I
> > know at this point, all you guys are  collapsing in fatigue!  I hear ya.
> > If I were reading this thing, I would have given up by Sentence #2.  Yes,
> > it was a 30 year process.  It was filled with errors.  But now....I
> > wouldn't leave home without it.  Absolutely...there are easier solutions
> to
> > the Hot Water Shower issue.  But mine is the finest.
> > And of course, I can do it the old school way...pot of water on Coleman
> > stove...in the middle of nowhere....it's so fun to see your breath in the
> > cold morning air....and you are as clean as a whistle!
> >
> >
> >
> >
>