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- Feb 10, 2006
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Great post!
I couldn't find an affordable place to rent for 6 weeks. Also, I wasn't too keen on spending the money. I had my bike and gear and two jobs, so I just "bummed it". I graduated summa cum laude/Phi Beta Kappa from a decent school, etc, and now I was just homeless. Those 6 weeks were an extraordinary experience. By 2000, I had done the "mobile outdoors lifestyle" for three different 6-month stints already: the Appalachian Trail and PCT x2.
Sorry for the long intro, but it sets up part of what we're looking for (and what mistwalker's excellent essay and this thread covers): a middle-class guy's look at the unfamiliar perspective of in-town homelessness.
I'd wake up, pack up fast, and bike to my day job. At 5pm, I'd ride towards my night job, go for an invogorating dip in Lake Tahoe (scrub pits and crotch), and discreetly shave in the men's room sink. I found that if you and your gear don't look or smell bummy, you will not get treated like a bum.
My night job was at a burrito place and was my main source of calories. The owner generously allowed us a shift meal and allowed us to make a foil-wrapped burrito at the end of the shift.
After the burrito place, I'd ride off into the cool night. The cover of darkness is actually useful for discreetly finding a place to camp. For OPSEC
, I never slept in the same place two nights in a row. We've all seen individual or group bum encampments in the near-town woods. It's not attractive or discreet. I slept in hidden spots along the river, on the flat roofs of buildings (not as hidden once the sun comes up!), in maintenance sheds (scout them the morning before so you know what time the morning crew arrives). One morning I was comfortably waking up when a dozen or so well-attired runners literally ran over my bag -- I didn't realize I was sleeping on a popular running trail!
On my day off, I'd do laundry at the laundromat, cleaning my other gear in the mop sink or in the men's room. As mist describes, I'd also read and use the pay phone. As an AT/PCT/CDT thru-hiker, you really come to appreciate the clean warmth, electrical sockets, benches, lighting, bulletin boards, vending machines, raison d'etre, and running water of laundromats to a degree that is hard to adequately describe.
I'd visit friends occasionally, but usually declined their charitable offers (ok sometimes I'd hit the shower). I wasn't really in a bind, and summer in Tahoe is actually a wonderful time to live outside - a gentle introduction to town homelessness, if you will.
My thru-hikes were valuable, but the lessons of this in-town experience were slightly different. There is a stigma of urban homelessness that even being a nominally "homeless" thru-hiker doesn't have. Doing the "undercover homeless" and "passing" was cool but would have gotten old. But in general, I was surprised at how much of my previous wilderness experience applied: as mist discusses, you need water, food, and dry. Things get really simple.
Carrying water and food with me was critical. mist's water photos (and the recent tragedy in Haiti) underscore that thinking about clean water is absolutely vital in an urban situation.
Keeping my bike, bags, and self clean were important. Keeping busy with work or trip planning kept listlisness or hopelessness at bay and helped me "pass". Health and fitness made it not only possible and comfortable, but enjoyable. Situational awareness is key -- mistwalker's careful observation/recon comes through in his photos and words -- IME it is even more critical in "urbancrafting" (I love it).
I love guns, but this kind of sober, realistic discussion is refreshing. :thumbup:
Sorry for the long post. This thread is typical of the excellent, thoughtful gems insterspersed in the (admittedly enjoyable) armchair tactibabble.
I agree. Regarding the "homeless education" thing, in 2000 I was "homeless" for about 6 weeks. Our landlord booted us with no notice after we notified him of the fungus mites in his rotten foundation. I already had a plane ticket to begin my London-to-Istanbul bike ride, but it was 6 weeks away.
I couldn't find an affordable place to rent for 6 weeks. Also, I wasn't too keen on spending the money. I had my bike and gear and two jobs, so I just "bummed it". I graduated summa cum laude/Phi Beta Kappa from a decent school, etc, and now I was just homeless. Those 6 weeks were an extraordinary experience. By 2000, I had done the "mobile outdoors lifestyle" for three different 6-month stints already: the Appalachian Trail and PCT x2.
Sorry for the long intro, but it sets up part of what we're looking for (and what mistwalker's excellent essay and this thread covers): a middle-class guy's look at the unfamiliar perspective of in-town homelessness.
I'd wake up, pack up fast, and bike to my day job. At 5pm, I'd ride towards my night job, go for an invogorating dip in Lake Tahoe (scrub pits and crotch), and discreetly shave in the men's room sink. I found that if you and your gear don't look or smell bummy, you will not get treated like a bum.
My night job was at a burrito place and was my main source of calories. The owner generously allowed us a shift meal and allowed us to make a foil-wrapped burrito at the end of the shift.
After the burrito place, I'd ride off into the cool night. The cover of darkness is actually useful for discreetly finding a place to camp. For OPSEC
, I never slept in the same place two nights in a row. We've all seen individual or group bum encampments in the near-town woods. It's not attractive or discreet. I slept in hidden spots along the river, on the flat roofs of buildings (not as hidden once the sun comes up!), in maintenance sheds (scout them the morning before so you know what time the morning crew arrives). One morning I was comfortably waking up when a dozen or so well-attired runners literally ran over my bag -- I didn't realize I was sleeping on a popular running trail!On my day off, I'd do laundry at the laundromat, cleaning my other gear in the mop sink or in the men's room. As mist describes, I'd also read and use the pay phone. As an AT/PCT/CDT thru-hiker, you really come to appreciate the clean warmth, electrical sockets, benches, lighting, bulletin boards, vending machines, raison d'etre, and running water of laundromats to a degree that is hard to adequately describe.
I'd visit friends occasionally, but usually declined their charitable offers (ok sometimes I'd hit the shower). I wasn't really in a bind, and summer in Tahoe is actually a wonderful time to live outside - a gentle introduction to town homelessness, if you will.
My thru-hikes were valuable, but the lessons of this in-town experience were slightly different. There is a stigma of urban homelessness that even being a nominally "homeless" thru-hiker doesn't have. Doing the "undercover homeless" and "passing" was cool but would have gotten old. But in general, I was surprised at how much of my previous wilderness experience applied: as mist discusses, you need water, food, and dry. Things get really simple.
Carrying water and food with me was critical. mist's water photos (and the recent tragedy in Haiti) underscore that thinking about clean water is absolutely vital in an urban situation.
Keeping my bike, bags, and self clean were important. Keeping busy with work or trip planning kept listlisness or hopelessness at bay and helped me "pass". Health and fitness made it not only possible and comfortable, but enjoyable. Situational awareness is key -- mistwalker's careful observation/recon comes through in his photos and words -- IME it is even more critical in "urbancrafting" (I love it).
+1 ...as opposed to the threads focusing on "how many mags to carry for urban survival?" or "AK or AR?"Cool stuff, Mistwalker! It's not often that you see a post on urban survival that isn't a bunch of theoretical speculation. Actually going out and snapping some photos really makes for a different kind of discussion. We actually have some specific points of real substance to look at.:thumbup:
I love guns, but this kind of sober, realistic discussion is refreshing. :thumbup:Sorry for the long post. This thread is typical of the excellent, thoughtful gems insterspersed in the (admittedly enjoyable) armchair tactibabble.
