Modern Day Walden

[Urge2Wander]

Hello all, discovered this wonderful forum after reading the book Nomadland by Jessica Bruder. 

I have been a long time motorcycle traveler and am preparing to set out on the road spring of 2021 with no end date in sight, traveling for as long as I can or until I have a change of heart. 
Was browsing this forum with no intention of making an account, just reading posts here and there until I stumbled on this AMAZING thread. I thank each and every one of you for your suggestions. I ended up finding many of these titles on archive.org and the few that really sparked my interest I ended up buying. "Desert Solitaire" and "Blue Highways" being those two I purchased. Seriously, thank you all for the suggestions :thumbsup:
I am on a "what life means to me" and defining how to live a full life on my terms quest in my mind and soul. Feel like I was meant to discover this beautiful collection of books from you all.

 

[travelaround]

Just read the entire thread and kept all the suggestions in a list. Some I've read and others are now on my TBR list.

Here's one I didn't see mentioned yet:

Walden on Wheels: On The Open Road from Debt to Freedom, by Ken Ilgunas

Half of it is about getting out of student loan debt and the other half about living in a van in order to avoid more debt. Very inspiring. This is a good book to give to young people burdened with debt.

 

[LERCA]

I think I’ve read most of the books on here (can’t read Travels with Charley” no dog books I’m a freak I know but the lifespan... I grew up and still live where I can see the island(s) from Island of the Blue Dolphin. Kids still love those classics.
Anyway no one mentioned Kerouac: On the Road, The Dharma Bums. They really inspired me in high school. I have this problem that I hate where I’m from and I’ve been traveling since the age of 17 but I always have to come back. Must be my moon in Cancer.
So many good travel books shared here.

 

[Urge2Wander]

I must ask if my post at the top of this page was modified in some way by a moderator or admin. In my previous post, I had suggested a book and gave a link for people to read a pdf ebook by the author. Now that entire paragraph and link is gone?

 

[user 423]

There's a minimum # of posts required before you can post links.

 

[abnorm]

"Anyway no one mentioned Kerouac: On the Road"

............Post # 6

 

[Urge2Wander]

There's a minimum # of posts required before you can post links.

Ok understandable, I wasn't aware of that.
Still curious why an entire paragraph of my post is gone when I clear as day read it after it was originally posted.  :huh:

 

[rvwandering]

The minimum post requirement has been retired so unless you, as a new member, make a post that is self-serving such as a link to your company, you may post links. I don't know why your post would have been edited but feel free to post the link that disappeared.

 

[travelaround]

Good bicycle around the world memoir: *Miles From Nowhere* by Barbara Savage.

Also earlier this year I read a biography of the woman who "saved the Appalachian Trail" - Grandma Gatewood's Walk. Despite her advanced age she did a whole lot of walking. She thru-walked the trail twice, walked the Oregon Trail.... much more.

 

[LERCA]

Oops, yes, correct on Kerouac yet no mention of the Dharma bums. It was my favorite at the time.

 

[user 423]

Good bicycle around the world memoir: *Miles From Nowhere* by Barbara Savage.

Also earlier this year I read a biography of the woman who "saved the Appalachian Trail" - Grandma Gatewood's Walk. Despite her advanced age she did a whole lot of walking. She thru-walked the trail twice, walked the Oregon Trail.... much more.

Walden was published way before the automobile but I'm sure Thoreau would have wanted to get away from that modern convenience durng his back-to-nature quest. He would probably be OK with bikes though :thumbsup:

Edward Abbey in 'Desert Solitaire' says pretty strongly how he resented the intrusion of car traffic into the national parks and that everyone needed to get out and walk to really appreciate nature.

 

[nature lover]

I’ve heard various reports that Thoreau was not exactly what he represented himself to be. I still enjoyed his writing but have wondered about those reports. That’s a great list of books we’re putting together. Maybe slight off topic for this list would be John Muir‘s writings. His traveling is done by foot in the mountains but to read his complete writings is an inspiration that I can’t explain. I’ve often fantasized about going through his work and every time he gives a name of a plant or animal or something like that to add an illustration that would really make his work fantastic but I don’t have the time or the smarts to do such things. My reading is done on audio through the national vision impaired library. After I tell that to folks they might wonder about why am driving. I’m not blind but reading is difficult.

 

[abnorm]

^ Since you're in Florida.....You might find Cedar Key interesting....John Muir spent time there before he headed West

 

[nature lover]

Thank you abnorm. I have listened to his entire writings several times and remember a little bit about that walk to the gulf. I forgot it included Florida I can’t remember a lot of things. But I’m gonna check that out as soon as I get back on this stupid leg of mine I’ve got a list of things to check out and you just added one. I want to see a manatee.. I cannot remember if I told this joke on here before but a bull Manatee fell in love with a submarine. Now every time they launch a torpedo he hands out cigars.

 

[GypsyJan]

nature lover:

A good place to view manatees is at Homossasa State Park near Tampa. In Central FL, Blue Springs State Park near DeLand, closes its swimming hole in the winter so the manatees have a safe haven. They are easily viewed there from the board walk and dock.