-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Being a HOBO?
- Thread starter mystical woodsman
- Start date
I wish you luck and think you will need it.
My parents both grew up on small farms that where frequented by hobos. Real hobos are not bums. They didn't look for handouts they looked for opportunities to earn their keep. Unfortunately I don't think many people will give such an opportunity today.
My father hitchhiked accost the country twice in the late fifties and even then he was picked up by a few weirdos and hassled by the police several times. My cousin tried it once with a friend and with in a couple of days he was hassled by the police several times and got in the middle of a domestic dispute with a drugged up couple out in the sticks.
Do not get associated with the Rainbow people! I lived near one of the national forests that they frequent and trash. They are loathed by the locals.
My parents both grew up on small farms that where frequented by hobos. Real hobos are not bums. They didn't look for handouts they looked for opportunities to earn their keep. Unfortunately I don't think many people will give such an opportunity today.
My father hitchhiked accost the country twice in the late fifties and even then he was picked up by a few weirdos and hassled by the police several times. My cousin tried it once with a friend and with in a couple of days he was hassled by the police several times and got in the middle of a domestic dispute with a drugged up couple out in the sticks.
Do not get associated with the Rainbow people! I lived near one of the national forests that they frequent and trash. They are loathed by the locals.
Big Ox is 100 % correct. They're low life leeches and common trash!
They were here in Idaho about four years ago, in the Boise Nat'l. Forest, Bear Valley area, and they left it looking like a city garbage dump!
Many of them also were going into the small town market and stealing/shoplifting all the food, etc., they could. Women with their little kids were panhandling, etc. Hit a small mercantile store, too. They'd buy gas at the only gas station and then run before paying.
They're as worthless as a used piece of dental floss.
Stay away from those despicable, worthless bums if you want to retain any dignity or self worth.
L.W.
I say go for it. If you decide it isn't for you, there's nothing stopping you from doing something else. If you get to Vermont, there's an area known as the "Northeast Kingdom" that has a reputation as being a haven for counter culture folks of all stripes, maybe you'll find what you're seeking there. Good luck.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2006
- Messages
- 2,776
Moose - sometimes you can strike a pretty good balance between society and being in the woods... My work forces me to deal with a lot of people, but I live in the sticks and don't see a soul when I walk out my front door... You might find the same in time:thumbup:.
I lived in Barre, Vt for 6 months after I got out of the Army in 1980. Actually a little berg just outside of Barre called Graniteville. I really liked VT. I have since bought property in NH in a town called Bartlett in the middle of the White Mountain National forest and camp there frequently and know that forest very well. Also have done some camping in the Adirondacks. The WMNF is the size of the state of Rhode Island so there is lots of land with few trails and even fewer roads. I have a carry permit not only from the state I'm from, CT but also from NH. That allows me to carry legally in the national forest if I so wish.
I understand the attraction of doing what you are planning on doing. I will tell you that you may underestimate the loneliness. When I was younger I didn't consider it a problem. As I have gotten older (50y/o now) I do like having someone on my trips. It makes the nights pass easier. Reading is a big part of the night also, as well as star gazing.
Anyway, best of luck. Also be aware that winters can be brutal. I have camped out in -25F without wind chill in the forest and it can get even colder than that and the nights are very long.
Regards,
KR
I understand the attraction of doing what you are planning on doing. I will tell you that you may underestimate the loneliness. When I was younger I didn't consider it a problem. As I have gotten older (50y/o now) I do like having someone on my trips. It makes the nights pass easier. Reading is a big part of the night also, as well as star gazing.
Anyway, best of luck. Also be aware that winters can be brutal. I have camped out in -25F without wind chill in the forest and it can get even colder than that and the nights are very long.
Regards,
KR
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2005
- Messages
- 3,516
I had similar ideas after I read into the wild about 8 years ago. I know Macandless is despised by more then a few on here, I guess they would have rather had him begging for change on a street corner or rotting in a mental asylum, or even blowing his brains out, but I think he did what many of us are too afraid to do.
I have since changed my plan to building a cabin with no electricity or running water this summer on some lakefront my grandfather used to own, and just enjoying nature.
I plan to move to the Yukon in the fall and do plenty of hiking and camping, but I could never leave society behind. I want some of the luxuries, like a good quad, maybe a boat someday, a nice truck, hobos don't have these things.
But, should the world end someday it will be nice to know I can manage and survive better then 99 percent of the population.
I have since changed my plan to building a cabin with no electricity or running water this summer on some lakefront my grandfather used to own, and just enjoying nature.
I plan to move to the Yukon in the fall and do plenty of hiking and camping, but I could never leave society behind. I want some of the luxuries, like a good quad, maybe a boat someday, a nice truck, hobos don't have these things.
But, should the world end someday it will be nice to know I can manage and survive better then 99 percent of the population.
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2003
- Messages
- 1,850
the biggest issues I faced was loneliness , feeling of lack of self worth , and dealing with being 3rd class subhuman in the eyes of society .
That was the head problems
then there was the predatory gay men , they were creepy and a problem at times . It takes all sorts I spose , but I was 17 and alone and not interested in their propositions . They did no give up easily if you just try and talk them out of it or convince them that Iyoure just not into that scene . But I found out early that these guys are easily enough scared off , if you do a full on violent psycho act for them . Be descriptive , a whack in the head while you are descriding how you are guna rip their guts out and strangle them with them is usually enough to convince them that you have allready considered and for now rejected joining their lifestyle , to be honest tho I was so sick of them , I wasnt joking when I said it tho .
food wasnt a drama , really nor was shelter , I simply traveled to where the weather suited my clothes . it just happened that I went to Darwin and settled a good while on Mindle beach there ... I didnt know for a few days that it is a Nudist beach for a good few weeks it was almost heaven , wake up in the morning and watch the euros joggling by ( naked girls dont just jog ya know
OTOH , Im still trying to forget some of the middle aged fuglies that went past too ) head to the St Vinnies kitchen for breakfast , head to the Salvos soup line for second breakfast , scare up some cash and buy a cask of wine and go back to the beach to watch the tourists , or do some fishing , poke around the bush and get some bush tucker , its not hard in the tropics .. help out one or two of the families at the night time markets in the city in exchange for big feed of ethnic cuisine at night and go back to the beach for some sleep till next day
I got bored with it tho , and moved on ... still it was one of the best places I lived at .
I ended up staying for a while in the Kimberlies just moving from one Aboriginal Community to the next , getting to know my people and my country in a seriously deep way .
it was the in between bits that was scary tho , hitching a ride and not knowing if the guy you got the ride with was a nutter or not , being new in town and not knowing where it was OK to sleep and not to ... thinking of making camp a spot that is allready taken and finding out the guy who "owns" it is a genuine psycho nutter
I got stuck at a road house in the midle of nowhere for four days with no cash no food no nuthin before I got a ride out of there ... the manager kept calling the cops on me too .
it was rough at times , but awesome great at others , every ones journey is going to be different tho . one of the guys I met and kinda kept in touch with ended up dead by nutter , he took a ride ahead of me and next I seen him was on the news as a dumped body .
Now Im older and hpefully more wise , Id actually advise against it , but I know its not going to be listened to
follow your head , trust your guts instinct , and keep out of trouble .
That was the head problems
then there was the predatory gay men , they were creepy and a problem at times . It takes all sorts I spose , but I was 17 and alone and not interested in their propositions . They did no give up easily if you just try and talk them out of it or convince them that Iyoure just not into that scene . But I found out early that these guys are easily enough scared off , if you do a full on violent psycho act for them . Be descriptive , a whack in the head while you are descriding how you are guna rip their guts out and strangle them with them is usually enough to convince them that you have allready considered and for now rejected joining their lifestyle , to be honest tho I was so sick of them , I wasnt joking when I said it tho .
food wasnt a drama , really nor was shelter , I simply traveled to where the weather suited my clothes . it just happened that I went to Darwin and settled a good while on Mindle beach there ... I didnt know for a few days that it is a Nudist beach for a good few weeks it was almost heaven , wake up in the morning and watch the euros joggling by ( naked girls dont just jog ya know
OTOH , Im still trying to forget some of the middle aged fuglies that went past too ) head to the St Vinnies kitchen for breakfast , head to the Salvos soup line for second breakfast , scare up some cash and buy a cask of wine and go back to the beach to watch the tourists , or do some fishing , poke around the bush and get some bush tucker , its not hard in the tropics .. help out one or two of the families at the night time markets in the city in exchange for big feed of ethnic cuisine at night and go back to the beach for some sleep till next day I got bored with it tho , and moved on ... still it was one of the best places I lived at .
I ended up staying for a while in the Kimberlies just moving from one Aboriginal Community to the next , getting to know my people and my country in a seriously deep way .
it was the in between bits that was scary tho , hitching a ride and not knowing if the guy you got the ride with was a nutter or not , being new in town and not knowing where it was OK to sleep and not to ... thinking of making camp a spot that is allready taken and finding out the guy who "owns" it is a genuine psycho nutter
I got stuck at a road house in the midle of nowhere for four days with no cash no food no nuthin before I got a ride out of there ... the manager kept calling the cops on me too .
it was rough at times , but awesome great at others , every ones journey is going to be different tho . one of the guys I met and kinda kept in touch with ended up dead by nutter , he took a ride ahead of me and next I seen him was on the news as a dumped body .
Now Im older and hpefully more wise , Id actually advise against it , but I know its not going to be listened to
follow your head , trust your guts instinct , and keep out of trouble .
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 950
Good luck.
Everybody has to deal with life somehow. Some folks do okay with an occasional trip or escape. Others just need more.
Everybody has to deal with life somehow. Some folks do okay with an occasional trip or escape. Others just need more.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
- Messages
- 2,304
X39 is right and I forgot all about the community. They have a farm in Bellows Falls (Fellows Balls?!?) VT and way up by the CA border. Rumors go flying around about them, but all in all they are a good group, I have known a few. Everything earn by the members goes into the community pot, and everyone gets to share in it equally. Intersting idea, and it seems to work well for them. They may have other farms around the state, I just dont happen to know of them. But you could do a lot worse then to day labor with them. But be warned, when they stay day work, your gonna work, and hard.
Cheers! And safe trip!
From your posts I don't think you will like the Rainbows, they are part of the problem.
The handgun is a bad idea. It will get you into more trouble than it will get you out of. You WILL encounter LEOs, without a doubt. As previously mentioned, if you must carry a gun, a stashable .22 rifle or even an air rifle is your best bet. Unless you spend all your time in the woods a gun is just a bad idea for trampin'. Carry some basic tools like a hammer (doubles as a defensive weapon and "rabbit stick"), hacksaw (or just a couple new blades), pliers, screwdrivers and even a small tape measure. They are kind of heavy, but look innocuous, are extremely usefull and will help if you want to pick up a few odd jobs.
From my experience, show some entusiasm and energy when you hitchhike. Face traffic, hold your thumb high and smile. It also helps if you are actually walking and turn to face the cars as they pass. Don't have a big pile of stuff, especially more than you can walk comfortably with.
There are lots of communes and "farms" throughout the country. Some will be to your liking, some will not.
akabu's link is very informative :thumbup:
good luck and stay safe. There is no doubt your adventure will be a life changing experience.
The handgun is a bad idea. It will get you into more trouble than it will get you out of. You WILL encounter LEOs, without a doubt. As previously mentioned, if you must carry a gun, a stashable .22 rifle or even an air rifle is your best bet. Unless you spend all your time in the woods a gun is just a bad idea for trampin'. Carry some basic tools like a hammer (doubles as a defensive weapon and "rabbit stick"), hacksaw (or just a couple new blades), pliers, screwdrivers and even a small tape measure. They are kind of heavy, but look innocuous, are extremely usefull and will help if you want to pick up a few odd jobs.
From my experience, show some entusiasm and energy when you hitchhike. Face traffic, hold your thumb high and smile. It also helps if you are actually walking and turn to face the cars as they pass. Don't have a big pile of stuff, especially more than you can walk comfortably with.
There are lots of communes and "farms" throughout the country. Some will be to your liking, some will not.
akabu's link is very informative :thumbup:
good luck and stay safe. There is no doubt your adventure will be a life changing experience.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 60
I honor your passion to live a fully satisfying life. I would suggest that you practice the necessary skills before heading out though. Saying that you "need a seamstress" in the above post indicates to me that you have something less than a fully independent attitude. While on the road you probably won't be able to have someone else fix your gear for you. Consider this a learning opportunity and modify the straps yourself.
And if you "couldn't believe" how heavy your pack was while wearing it in your living room you're going to be blown away by how heavy it will be after just a few miles on the road, with nothing but endless miles ahead of you.
I'm honestly not offering any ridicule. I think you have a great idea and wish you all the best. I would suggest, however, that you forget the romantic notions of life "on the road" ala Jack Kerouac and get some experience with the emotional fortitude necessary to carry on when faced with what can sometimes seem to be a bleak existence.
I also get the impression from your forum name that you might be interested in the Jed McKenna books about spiritual matters. Check them out sometime . . .
Just my two cents. If you're ever in SE Wisconsin you're more than welcome to a hot meal and a place to crash.