Hello from a returning member

[winterwanderer]

Howdy! Back about nine months ago, I told myself that my nomad phase was over, and my future was gonna be renting a place and holding down a full-time job. Like a normal person. (Unlike most of y'all, I went straight from college to sleeping in my SUV and wandering the country. Summers were spent living in employee dorms while working seasonal jobs. So "normalcy" was new to me.)

Well, big surprise, I ended up getting nowhere. Had to deal with a filthy shared rental, an unpleasant boss, low pay, insufficient hours, bad neighbors. All the detritus of life at the bottom in a small city in western Arizona. Two months later, I knew this life was a dead end.

Chasing a spring snowstorm across the Southwest, I drove up to a small town in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to start a new phase of van life. Since then, I have been working a manual labor job while sleeping in my truck on nearby public land--a common practice here. It has been an amazingly empowering experience, physically, mentally, and financially. However, it is only a stepping stone to an even more wonderful future. One in which I will likely move beyond the van life "halfway house" into a lifestyle of more complete freedom.

Heretic in the house! Please don't burn me...I mean ban me! :s

 

[regis101]

Schweet !

 

[bullfrog]

Nothing wrong with manual labor but as you get older it gets tougher. I had a fishing buddy that was able to log and cut firewood in southern Colorado till he was well into his eighties. He usually fished with another fellow that he brought along that did construction that arthritis got the best of in his sixties. They were hard working best friends and loved what they did but I bet either one of them would tell you to use whatever college degree you got to make more money and save your body so you could go fishing more in your old age. Living in a van when your young should be about paying off debts and saving money while improving your earning abilities, not just getting by.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Wanderer to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

highdesertranger

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome Back  :thumbsup:

 

[travelaround]

Welcome back to the madhouse!

No, seriously, welcome back to the sanity of not living in sticks and bricks.

 

[maki2]

Sounds like you now recognize your true comfort zone lifestyle that works for you. Keep on keeping on with it until it is no longer comfortable (if you ever reach that point again).

 

[winterwanderer]

Nothing wrong with manual labor but as you get older it gets tougher.  I had a fishing buddy that was able to log and cut firewood in southern Colorado till he was well into his eighties.  He usually fished with another fellow that he brought along that did construction that arthritis got the best of in his sixties.  They were hard working best friends and loved what they did but I bet either one of them would tell you to use whatever college degree you got to make more money and save your body so you could go fishing more in your old age.  Living in a van when your young should be about paying off debts and saving money while improving your earning abilities, not just getting by.

You've got some good points there, but I beg to differ on a few. College jobs may look better on paper, but that is an illusion. 1) Student debt payments take out $7000 a year right off the top. 2) The higher cost of living in places with higher-paying jobs takes another $7000 a year, minimum. 3) A sedentary job is more harmful for the body than a manual labor job that involves a wide range of activities. 4) Once you are in one of these jobs, you are not free to leave the corporate world without losing all of the progress you have made.

One person's "getting by" may be another person's living protest against materialism. I currently work five hours a week to pay all of my living expenses; the other 93% goes into the bank. Additionally: 1) I work directly for (and with) the owner. No hierarchy. 2) No schedule. I can work as many hours as I like, on whatever days I like. 3) I am outdoors all day long, not cooped up in a stuffy office. 4) I don't need to shave, wear a uniform, or put on a fake smile for anyone. 5) The owner is completely understanding of my lifestyle, and provides a place to shower and dump trash. 6) There is a good variety of labor, no excess repetition. 7) When the season ends, I depart with solid references and a standing invitation to return in future years.

Thanks for the welcomes!

 

[owl]

" Living in a van when your young should be about paying off debts and saving money while improving your earning abilities, not just getting by. "

  bullfrog, what do you mean? 

 

[SheketEchad]

... However, it is only a stepping stone to an even more wonderful future. One in which I will likely move beyond the van life "halfway house" into a lifestyle of more complete freedom.

Okay, I'll bite.  What does this couple of sentences actually mean?  Will you be out dancing with the wolves? Joining a native american community? Curious minds want to know.  Oh, and welcome back, ye heretic!