Again, thanks for all the feedback. Looks like I struck a nerve. Good. So… I will go through and reply to each post that caught my interest…
Are you going to do odd jobs? Are you just the type who has wanderlust and can only settle in an area for a short time?
I am still waiting on a group in the NW who might have me stay in their guest cabin and work for board… but I am still making a couple other plans just in case something doesn’t pull through. I do not have wanderlust… I have on the other hand had a crappy life (well, some things were good) and I seem to be thrown from one situation to another. Truthfully, I am tired of trying to make a living in this rat race.
Sometimes I think I am crazy too considering what I plan on doing, but to be honest, I look at the world, and see all the sad things that are going on today, and all the cars (with all the monkey like drivers scratching holes in their heads who are content to not demand true liberty), suburban sprawl, corruption in high places, militarization of police who always seem to act like dicks for no reason... constant stress at work because they are always worried about cutting hours for stream lining overhead costs while trying to simultaneously make you work harder... alas, the list goes on. I am greatly disgusted and saddened with where the world is headed. Indeed, where it has been mainly headed for quite a long time. I am going on a journey, which is why I have been buying gear for over a year now.
I imagine most of the great prophets had this feeling of great disappointment too of mankind, which is why they probably went into the wilderness for "40 days and 40 nights." They had to clear their heads lol. I plan to do something similar. I am not going out looking for myself or expect to have some magical revelation (although that would be SWEET) I am more so going out to be alone, and have a talk with the forest spirits LOL Nahh, lol I want to be alone, and experiment with how well I can get along without the comforts of civilization. I also do plan on sincerely praying a lot, to perhaps experience some form of inner guidance perhaps.
I don't think I will go out too far though, in case I break my head open or something, I will be able to crawl back to a road (I will get a map of the area of course, and I do know how to use a compass) and get help.
The things I will miss most I am sure about civilization, is of course having other people to talk to, but also being able to wash my butt-crack every night and eat decent food (that we probably all take for granted anyways). I know I will stink to high heaven, and probably totally be in a constant trance-like state trying to conjure up a steaming hot plate of grub instead of the nasty stuff I will more than likely have to force myself to attempt eating.
Life is more magical than we choose to accept which is why I have refused to accept the definitions given to me by most others about the flat world I now reside in. Something is calling me towards this. I think it would be wise to honor it and throw out my creature comfort fears (and believe me, they are screaming lol).
When you really think about it... it should seem crazy that someone would lawfully have difficulty living like a hobo, or living in some makeshift shelter in the woods far away from civilization and not pay taxes (like Henry David Thoreau, although he wasn’t really that far out lol). I can understand why that is because governments are sadly corrupt, we ARE overpopulated and there does need to be some regulation with hunting and what have you and sadly people end up stealing (killing?), starting forest fires accidentally or on purpose and a host of other negative things that are usually done by people who are considered “wanderers.” I guess it is just a bitter sweet thing - not to mention that vagrancy has only recently been considered not really a crime? Alas, I walk the path less traveled. Yeah… I just hope I don’t end up like McCandless.
I have been interested greatly in learning bush-craft skills and Native American Lore. I might die (who knows) but if I experience total peace and understanding for just one moment about my life on this planet (which when you think about it, our lives on earth are truly a miracle!), that will be heaven for me, and I will not worry about anything else. I will keep my wits about me though, I don’t plan to be all dreamy and chase butterflies now… I am a realist, but still, I will be chasing them in my head lol.
Will we hear from you again?
Who knows? I would like to say yes because you guys are cool as HELL. I have learned so much from this forum, and have bought items because of suggestions I found by just reading around here, I seriously think we should all perhaps upgrade our “forum experience” by donating more. Perhaps one bit of advice that makes someone change their mind about something concerning gear, meeting people who become serious online friends, etc, it should make all unregistered or basic members to at least give ten dollars and suffer not eating out for a day.
If I get the chance, I will most certainly chime back in and tell you of my adventures and perhaps look around to give advice if I can.
I think your idea is great, but I think your location should be reconsidered. You’re going to encounter a lot less opposition in a place like Montana or Idaho squatting in millions of acres of national forest/blm land. As attractive as Vermont might seem it’s still in the east and about the size of a western county. My .02.
I am seriously still considering alternate options. Good points. I am sure the AT is viable, although… I do have a handgun (357 Magnum), and Vermont is an A+ state in that regard, although… I am not sure about the laws still concerning CC in a national park, even one in Vermont. I know recently there has been a lot of talk about making it legal, and Ron Paul is trying to pass legislation with this, but I don’t know current events around it.
If I do head NW, I will most certainly have to check out the Ozarks as I go on my way through Colorado, the Rockies (!!!!) and on up and out.
I gave you some of this advice before, but it bears repeating. From the sounds of it, by wanting to go to a certain place, you're not so much a hobo as a tramp.
DEFINITIONS:
HOBO: one who moves from place to place, does work to pay his own way.
TRAMP: one who does not move around, but works to pay his own way
BUM: one who neither moves around nor works.
Between going to church and working part time, I satisfied my need for human contact. Don't underestimate this need. As much as I get bitey-scratchy if I'm around people too long, I still need some contact.
Have valid ID. An unexpired driver's license, social security card and a VISA check-card or something really smoothes things along should you need to produce ID (and you will, like it or not). It also makes things a little easier than when I was a wanderer. You can go into just about any library and get internet access. If you have your check-card, you can order gear over the 'net. Go into a UPS store and rent a box (that gives you a "street address")
There's some downsides. Loneliness for one. Also expect to be considered dangerous if people find out you're homeless. Unfortunately many who do what you're doing are on drugs and/or mentally unstable, and ARE dangerous. You will be seen as dangerous by the sheeple and the police. It was remarkable when I did it people usually couldn’t tell I was homeless because I kept clean, had cash, etc. But when they found out, even those that were "friends" all of a sudden distanced themselves.
I am so glad you responded to this. You give some really good advice and even though most of what people say here I am aware of, I decided to ask anyways to see if I found anything else. A lot of people on this forum are quite experienced and I am humbled to learn things from them that I don’t know.
To my understanding though on the definitions, a hobo is actually someone that works but travels from place to place. A tramp is someone who may work like a hobo and travel, but is generally considered not to work but would rather tramp around and beg or bum off people while traveling. Sometimes, they are seen as the same, but that is because sometimes people are perhaps a bit of both at times, whereas I plan to be a “hobo,” where I will travel and work. I don’t think I will always be on the move though because I would rather stay in one place for a bit like a barnacle lol.
I do plan to seek possible odd jobs from church goers or temp agencies if circumstances play out that way. I am always a clean person too but I can see how that can be a bit harder being homeless. I also can understand about the loneliness part, and I don’t plan to be indefinitely away from civilization, although I do need a break for a spell.
I have an Amscot MasterCard, and I don’t use a bank anymore (thank God!). This will come in handy I know for sure, but it sucks having to always pay a percentage for them to cash checks or put cash on the card. Oh well. Again, thanks for the wisdom!
The Long trail runs from Canada, all the way to the southern border. It takes about a month to hike. The southern half of the long trail is part of the Appalachian Trail system. It is common to see people in Backpacks all along the trail, so you may not seem that out of place. In the summer, picking up jobs is not too hard, and you might luck out and land a job at a ski resort in the winter. Ski Bum jobs don't pay much, but they put a warm roof over your head and you can network for summer jobs. If you are smart and just a little thrifty, you can do quite well and make enough to get you through the summer especially if you primarily want to live off the land. One thing to look out for on the trail though, is Illegals. Hikers are being hassled by Rangers and the like because the Long Trail is being used to traffic refugees. You might be stopped and searched.
Sounds interesting… I heard of people going to work yet they lived in a tent. How would people do this and be able to keep down a decent job? I know some people get lucky and end up becoming a roommate with one of their coworkers, but how would they do it if they never got that chance? I could imagine hiding your gear in the bushes after you pack up for the day, and head off to work (like a ritual). I imagine it would need to be hidden very well, or someone would come along (maybe after watching you for a bit) and steal your expensive gear. That would suck something that has warts on it!
Being thrifty is a good thing, but how does one do that when they don’t have hardly anything sheeple would consider “valuable?” If a Ranger or state park trooper stopped me and searched me, what would they be searching for, my “papers”? They better have a warrant!
I was with you up until the point you started talking about being on someone else’s land with clear disregard for it being private property.
I can understand that sentiment. Truth is, as another individual shared the wisdom to visit the town hall, and locate the property lines and such to know where I can and can’t set up camp… that is all fine and dandy and makes a hell of a lot of sense (especially the part about getting written permission – now that’s a keeper and is good advice), but… that seems like a lot of work IMHO. For me, I would say that is not practical, but what do I know. Maybe I could develop a system for doing this, but that is a maybe at best.
It is not necessarily disregarding their right to have private property. The Native Americans however thought that when the white people were claiming land for their own stake… they thought they were NUTZ. They never heard of such a thing! I guess our perspectives will be polar opposites, but everyone knows they are both in the gray fuzzy area of understanding the right to be self sovereign. We just look at it differently.
I think you could learn a lot from the Rainbow Family.
Thank you for the links. I will check them out! Never heard of them. Is it true, as another individual said about them, that they trash the area? I don’t like the idea of hanging with a national movement of homeless people, but it does sound interesting…
After a while I worked it out though , for me it was at first realizing that there is a whole subset of people that are living like this, and it was a case of watch, ask and learn . It gets easy after a while.
The things I found most useful were skills basically ... the skill of being able to have a good nights sleep on concrete ( helps in the more primitive lockups too).
being able to go from looking / acting like a gentle giant / nice guy / harmless person to looking and acting full on psycho real fast is a serious help at times
Being able to distinguish between needs and wants... essentials and non essentials, and being able to grasp having a huge area as "home" like the whole country, instead of having a house as home and feeling lost when there is no house to call home.
It’s been said before about being treated as scum / third class citizen, this is pretty much a given. This can be used to your advantage
Sounds like pure wisdom. Very intriguing my friend. Thanks for the advice. Sounds like you know what you’re talking about. Have anything else you want to add? I would like to hear more.
Your post inspired a funny thought. If society does collapse into the sort of utopia that these rainbow folks seek, they'll be the hardest hit.
LOL touché. The irony, eh? What a concept!
