Hobbies on the Road

[Tao Seeker]

I also am familiar with weaving chainmail, though when I used to do it, I made chainmail barding for traditional scale (1:9) model horses for the fantasy classes at shows.&nbsp; Nowadays much of my free time is spent delving into role playing games online.&nbsp; Of particular interest is the World of Darkness (old, not new).&nbsp; I also enjoy D&amp;D, and plan to start showing my cat.&nbsp; I have plans to purchase a second Sphynx cat, a female kitten this time, and to show her and eventually breed her after she earns her title.&nbsp; I am exceptionally protective of my cat, and he is probably my most cherished hobby.&nbsp; Taking him shopping in his stroller, buying him new clothes, he's my constant companion.&nbsp; There are days when I think to myself he is the perfect "man".&nbsp; Unconditional love, no complaints, snuggles all the time, he chatters at me (ok, so it's a one sided conversation, I'll with hold the sarcastic comment for now), and he's very handsome in all his bald glory (no shedding is awesome!).&nbsp; What's not to adore?<br>

<br><br>That's interesting. I wouldn't think that anyone to play role playing games would be the same person to embark on this kind of lifestyle. Then again, I may just have the wrong friends. I play D&amp;D with my friends on the occasion, and I have played some RPGs online in the past, although they have recently been replaced with strategy games. In a way, the idea of adventuring is the same for both games and life on the road/trail, so I guess it makes more sense than RPG gamers who sit around and do nothing with themselves.<br>

 

[southpennrailroad]

This forum is what I have recently started to get people interested in it.<br><br>http://southpennraiload.freeforums.org/test-forum-1-f2.html<br><br>When I camp, it usually is on the abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike and I explore the South Pennsylvania Railroad which was bought up by the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The railroad pretty much is still standing just as it has for over 120 years and never completed. It shows lots of its work in different stages of construction. The perfect example of how railroads were constructed. <br><br>southpennrailroad.com<br><br>

 

[bobbert]

I designed a 1:220 Z scale model railroad layout for my upcoming rig. It will be attached to the wall from a hinge against the wall, &amp; swinging support brace.<div>Overall the layout is 30"x24". The model locomotives only run on 2 volts, thus, I will be able to operate two locos on two main line loops with barely any power draw. The motors are Faulbenhaur brushless motors, &amp; run smooth as a kitten's purr.</div>

 

[vonu]

Tao: Desktop computers arn't usually energy efficent, and you need to think about where your energy is going to come from.&nbsp; Mini-box.com has some dc-dc power supplies that can be used on low-power desktops, and some low-power motherboards.<br>

<div><br></div><div>Desktops are also not designed to survive the vibration of a mobile environment. &nbsp;All things considered, it is difficult to beat a laptop or tablet in a mobile environment, not that they are all good at it themselves.</div>

 

[Wild_E]

My hobbies so far are; work.. not a hobby but takes so much time.. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><div>Carving Spirit faces and Celtic Crosses and such. Not much into carving in the round, which means animals etc, I like the one sided / flat carvings.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Also getting back into shape so 10 min trainer/ P90 system work outs, Tie&nbsp;Chi.&nbsp;</div><div>Working out is addictive, dropped 35pounds in the last 4 months.. and feel much better.</div>

 

[Seraphim]

It's fun reading everyone's hobbies. I've far too many.

Used to be a computer nerd, building my own. Now I'm completely mobile. A laptop we rarely use, individual iPads we use constantly, and a mobile Hotspot.

Photography. Used to make money with it. Might again. The iPad and Internet are ideal for this purpose, and since I don't need all the developing and printing equipment from the days of film...

Recumbent bikes. Traditional diamond frame bikes became too painful to ride. We always carry our recumbent bikes behind the van and look for places to ride. The bikes are not cheap, though reasonably priced used ones can be found, but we ride a lot more than we used to. We get our money's worth out of them.

Martial arts. Competent in several. Mostly now I just work a series of forms to
keep limber and the chi flowing properly lol.

Reading of course. Again, the iPad is spectacular for that. Many free downloads and one of us can read at night without a light on while the other sleeps. It's good to download vTV shows and movies as well, but we're not big TV/movie watchers.

Writing. Again, the iPad's ideal.

No I'm not an Apple salesman. The iPad, however, is ideal for small space living. So many uses. Keeps us in contact with the family as well. A nicely distanced connection. Many free wireless connectionsnin the world, as well.

Traveling, enjoying the quiet and solitude of nature - the RVs perfect for that lol.

 

[Guest]

&nbsp;One of my&nbsp; favorite things is to go&nbsp; fly&nbsp; kites . I have&nbsp; 4 .&nbsp;2 &nbsp;Delta stunts ,&nbsp; a 4 meter power&nbsp;ram air kite ...and a real&nbsp;paraglider.&nbsp; They&nbsp; all&nbsp; require being&nbsp; active&nbsp; and outside . They&nbsp; fold up&nbsp; to nothing&nbsp; for space savings .<br>&nbsp;My&nbsp; second&nbsp; hobby&nbsp; is electric&nbsp; RC controlled&nbsp; aircraft ( the small ones&nbsp; and cars . And I also like to&nbsp; build&nbsp; things .&nbsp;<br>

 

[simply lesa]

Seraphim I had to look up Recumbent Bikes --- wow I hadn't considered that type of bike before. &nbsp;I had been wanting to bicycle again tho the issues I have had w/lower back pain (opted to NOT have surgery on L4 &amp; 5 herniated disks....excersize/diet and keeping my weight down helps).... you got me thinking (see how sharing helps us all out!)<div><br></div><div>I still knit and recyle fabric stuff. &nbsp;I love carving gourds - learned in Central America. &nbsp;I used to paint and I write sometimes ---- I'm wondering how my private time will look when I'm more mobile as well.</div><div><br></div><div>I have my personal belongings to a very minimal stage -- I can carry whats important to me now - and I have. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Electronics - I was an administrative techy too once upon a time so gadgets are way kewl tho I just don't care so much to use em any more. &nbsp;I sold the netbook when I left Costa Rica for hiking the Appalacian Trail - too heavy and why bother. &nbsp;Well then I realized the US doesn't have pay phones anymore - what a bummer! So I just bought a used 'new to me' Kindle (love love - easy on eyes and books are great) I can access basic email on that - a 3G would be useful if traveling in Central America again b/c not too many wifi spots.... &nbsp;I like the social part of walking to a library and using the computer for bigger jobs anyway. &nbsp;I'm on SSDisability and am getting the Assurance lifeline program phone which I will add a few minutes on each month. &nbsp;iPads and things of that sort are wonderful tools, I love them, I just can not justify spending that amount of money and sometimes the places I have traveled in, they would just be an enticement for crime....so I won't for now. &nbsp;If I feel more 'at home' (meaning less moving around) somewhere in the future I would consider something&nbsp;like that. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks for starting the thread and encouraging my thought process!</div>

 

[spacer]

When I'm on the road, I usually enjoy photography, reading, writing (usually never post or publish any of it though), and while I've felt an interest in using a metal detector, haven't really made the leap yet. <br>I've seen some old abandoned places that would probably yield all sorts of interesting artifacts, though.<br><br>There's also my stable of bicycles, but that's never been so much a hobby as it was just a part of my life. My van didn't get much use for a few years, anyway.<br><br>My daughter and I have a couple inexpensive kites we fly together on occasion. She loves it.<br><br>I used to fly a bit, but since I was really going nowhere with it... my dream was to own an airplane and I just don't see that happening any time soon, I stopped the flow of cash to the rental planes. I miss it intensely sometimes, but such is life.<br>...maybe an ultralight... can keep it in a trailer...<br><br><br><br>

 

[Guest]

<P>Spacer , Check out&nbsp; Trike Powered paragliding. If you want&nbsp; the&nbsp; most fun&nbsp; for the least&nbsp; amount of space and money.&nbsp; I'm buying this one.&nbsp;<A href="http://www.falcon4strokeppg.com/" target=_blank>http://www.falcon4strokeppg.com/</A>&nbsp;4 stroke dependability.<IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"> Just&nbsp; fyi 2 strokes&nbsp; are too&nbsp; expensive all the way around&nbsp;. </P>

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Okay as far as hobbies. I am in Missouri turkey hunting and called in a flock of wild turkeys today. Shot two so my turkey hunting is over until next spring season. Two is all that Missouri allows you to shoot.<br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<p style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#0000ff"><b>Drifter=Okay as far as hobbies. I am in Missouri turkey hunting and called in a flock of wild turkeys today</b></font></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><b><font color="#333333"><font color="#0000ff">&nbsp;</font>One</font> of my hobbies, I paint pictures on turkey feathers&nbsp; <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif">&nbsp;They sell well on ebay around Christmas.</b></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><b><font color="#00ff00" size="4">Dragonfly</font></b></p>

 

[gipsyweaver]

Hobbies, let's see, spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, reading, music, history, geography, computers, and making jewelry are the ones that come to mind. Probably missing something though, I seem to be getting forgetful <img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0"><br>

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Dragonflyinthesky, That is amazing. I never knew that paint would not ruin feathers. Most unusual. You must have a certain skill to this. <br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<B>@<FONT color=#00ffff>high plains drifter</FONT>, yes I have remarkable skills as an artist and I am very high paid, just&nbsp;as most artists are.<IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif">&nbsp;</B><BR><B>Here are a few I did this summer.&nbsp; They are finished out on the back with scrap leather from an old thrift store coat. Buttons, turkey feathers, chicken feathers and horsehair.&nbsp; Ebay, one of the key words 'log cabin'. Note all 3 of these are from the left wing.&nbsp; Do not use protected species such as hawk feathers you may pick up on your hikes.</B><BR><B>If anyone wants my "secret" of making these just email me.</B><BR><B><FONT color=#00ff00 size=5 face="times new roman, times, serif">Dragonfly</FONT></B><BR>

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Dragonflyinthesky, They are so finely detailed. Thank you for sharing them. First time I've ever seen them.<br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<b>Ohhh! Done on a sea bird of some sort?</b><br><FONT color=#00ff00 size=4><b>dragonfly</b></FONT><br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Dragonflyinthesky, They are so finely detailed. Thank you for sharing them. First time I've ever seen them.<BR>

Did you manage to bag any?&nbsp; There are lots of turkeys across the street at the park near me.&nbsp;Its turkey season here too.

 

[Seraphim]

<P>Those do look nice.</P>

 

[VanFan]

Watercolors. Hadn't played with them since I was about eight, but they're fun! Also inexpensive (no need for high-end supplies) and very van friendly. I just upgraded to actual watercolor paper: $5 at FiveBelow. Check it out if you need to scratch a creative itch in a low-pressure way.