Click images for caption and to enlarg

Click to close Image by: B.Z. Kondracki

 A lot of people come through Flagstaff, where I live. In spring and fall, especially, we host a colorful procession of dirtbag adventurers - climbers in dusty pickups, rainbow warriors in converted schoolbuses, itinerant old guys in ancient Winnebagos. Then there are the people who are just plain poor, and have nowhere to live but in their vehicles.

But lately, the numbers seem to be down. Two years ago, Flagstaff's city council passed Ordinance 2005-11, making it illegal to sleep in a vehicle parked on city streets. The law was justified as a public-safety measure. Then-City Manager David Wilcox called it an attempt to maintain the quality of life "we all enjoy."

Hmmm. Having camped in my truck here perhaps 200 times since moving to Flagstaff 15 years ago, this matter concerns me. I should be clear, though: Springsteen wasn't singing about me. I have a roof over my head, pay taxes, do volunteer work and so forth. I just like to camp in my rig when I come to town.

Nor am I a threat to public safety, though I might be perceived as such. Sadly, a middle-aged man parked next to the library, with the back door of his pick-up camper open, raises a big yellow flag for the average alert parent of young children.

So in this post-9/11 decade, which might be called the Age of Maximum Security, laws like this are probably inevitable. That's too bad. The car-camping ban raises a yellow flag for people who can't find a shelter bed on a cold night - they might think they're being discriminated against.

Fortunately, as Flagstaff Councilman Joe Haughey said in support of the ordinance, "It's not singling out any group. If someone parks a $200,000 motor home on a city street and leaves it there for three months, someone will call."

Whew. Justice will be served.

For my part, though, I plan never to camp in town again. The law is the law. But for readers who must car-camp, I offer the following tips for maintaining a quality of life we can all enjoy. First, a few pointers for keeping your own QOL consistently high:

? Be sure to find a level parking spot. Nothing short of a billy-club on the windshield will ruin a night's sleep quicker than camping on a side-slope.

? Equally important, in winter: maximize solar gain. Plan to catch the morning sun.

? For safety, carry a crime deterrent. Sleeping in your rig sets you up for trouble. Early in my city-camping career, I was awakened in the wee hours by two would-be thieves prying their way in. I let out a terrifying (and terrified) yell, which chased them away. These days I carry pepper spray.

Now, some guidelines for keeping the community's QOL tip-top:

? Don't park next to a library or school. In fact, don't camp anywhere that you might be observed by the public. If you are out of sight, your troubling presence will not be noted. It's like you don't even exist.

? Don't leave your camper door open. This was once seen as a sign of, well, openness. But this is no longer the case. Batten the hatches and lay low.

? If you must be seen, be seen doing something good. Pick up trash. Smile and say hello. This quaint behavior is called neighborliness. It will frighten some people, but that is not your problem.

? If the police do come, be polite. Do not discuss local politics, class issues or affordable housing. Do not mention that 20 percent of Flagstaff's houses are essentially uninhabited, or that the median home price here is more than $300,000. Do not ask the officer if he likes Bruce Springsteen, Woody Guthrie or John Steinbeck. Just do as you're told.

? Finally, if you see a $200,000 motor home parked overnight in front of the Sunshine Rescue Mission, make friends with the people camped in it. Maybe they will invite you to dinner. If they like you, maybe you can spend the night.

Michael Wolcott is a Flagstaff writer who pulls up bedsheets in an old Toyota truck. His e-mail address is angelpass12455@hotmail.com.