My Path to (No)Madness!

[NoMadYesHappy]

Today's build update video ...
#0048: "Joints Are Legal Here" - 2018 March 30, Friday

A smidgen less than 4 minutes.
I'll try to get some stills up before I shut my eyes ...

...another shot of me cutting out a recess for the 1 X 6 vertical support.

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

Today's progress ...
#0049: "Of Holes and Tires" - 2018 March 31, Saturday

~ 4 1/2 minutes.

Stills will be posted later ...too pooped tonight! 

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

This is about 11 minutes, 20 seconds and the most recent post to date.
The others are there [YouTube] if you like ... lot's changed.
Latest vLog of my cargo trailer build
We will be launching to our first camp since Quartzsite last February/March
It's nearly been two and half months, and the "rig" is not done, but comfortably habitable for now.
Our first destination is the Long Valley Caldera between Lake Crowley and Mono Lake.
We're leaving Friday morning, making a few supply stops, then heading up Hwy 395.
See you on the road! 

 

[Tiny Metal Tube]

Long Valley Caldera

Looks like a beautiful place. Take lots of pictures!

 

[Tiny Metal Tube]

and now that is in the process of being automated and mechanized as well. And there's nothing on the horizon to replace it.

Information has become an industry. Someone has to program all that automation, and that means we need designers, developers, testers, deployment managers; all kinds of jobs.
But probably a lot fewer of them, so yes, the problem still exists.

 

[John61CT]

And no matter how clever and experienced, good luck finding work in that arena past 35-40.

 

[Tiny Metal Tube]

And no matter how clever and experienced, good luck finding work in that arena past 35-40.

Fair enough, but COBOL isn't going away, and people who know it are retiring or dying of old age. COBOL will be in great demand for decades to come. Over a billion lines of it are believed to be still running out there in the wild. Some larger, older companies refuse to move away from their beloved AS400s.

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

We've been out for three days now.  Living in the Long Valley Caldera along the eastern side of the Sierra's near Mammoth Lakes, California.
It's been in the 30s at night, and low 60s during the day, with intermittent rain.  It is a BEAUTIFUL area, with Juniper trees, deer, hot springs and a crystal clear view of the still snow patched Sierra range.  The smell of sage and pine mixed with juniper and rain is astonishingly refreshing to the senses.  We have MUCH to learn, a few minor leaks to fix, and jetsam to let go of.  But, we are warm, happy and well fed, living on the rim of the caldera overlooking the valley below us.  Life is beautiful,  fresh, and new!

Most recent video:

About 7 minutes ...

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

Latest vid ...
#0091: "The New Life Begins 6" - 2018 May 20, Sunday

7 minutes and 50 seconds
Our next camp, departure date, pic of the trailer with pods deployed.

 

[DonnyHacker]

And no matter how clever and experienced, good luck finding work in that arena past 35-40.

And that's if you can find work in the first place.  I'm nearing 45, have 20 years of professional experience, and have recently graduated from college (finally).  Just about every job I see posted is only paying $10 - $15 an hour (if that) and I've applied for over 100 jobs since November and heard absolutely nothing until this past week.  I have a few interviews this week, but none of them pay more than $25K or so a year - I was making more money than that over 20 years ago when I dropped out of college the first time.  I pity the kids I was in college with as most of them are not going to stand a chance at making it in today's day and age and it's why you still see people in their 30's living with their folks.  This is one of the reasons why I am looking at embracing this lifestyle and I'm looking into what I can do freelance or teach myself to do so that I can do freelance type work.  As for the OP, good luck and I hope your adventure treats you well!

 

[John61CT]

But the US is close to Full Employment levels, economy is doing great

but for whom?

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

And that's if you can find work in the first place.  I'm nearing 45, have 20 years of professional experience, and have recently graduated from college (finally).  Just about every job I see posted is only paying $10 - $15 an hour (if that) and I've applied for over 100 jobs since November and heard absolutely nothing until this past week.  I have a few interviews this week, but none of them pay more than $25K or so a year - I was making more money than that over 20 years ago when I dropped out of college the first time.  I pity the kids I was in college with as most of them are not going to stand a chance at making it in today's day and age and it's why you still see people in their 30's living with their folks.  This is one of the reasons why I am looking at embracing this lifestyle and I'm looking into what I can do freelance or teach myself to do so that I can do freelance type work.  As for the OP, good luck and I hope your adventure treats you well!

It's been a hoot so far, Donny!  Thanks! 

Just to add my two cents ... in my last gig [I retired in February[?] of this year], I was making $25+/hr at the age of 63 as a maintenance mechanic in a bread factory, working 50+ hrs per week.  I was the new guy, having been hired in November of the previous year.  I made good $$$.  The company I worked for was desperate to find qualified people, and not having much luck.  Most of the department were at or near my age group with a few exceptions.  Most were looking at retirement and soon to disappear from that workforce.  I applied at three companies and got offers from two within one week.  Jobs are out there ... good ones if you have skills.  I have no degree.

Now [retired] I make less than a third of what I did while I was working, but have a much lower cost of living, and I can sleep in 'til noon if I want, or go sit in a hot spring for sunrise, and have no one but me to answer to.  I'll take that over work-a-day slavery in a heartbeat!  ... at ANY wage!  LOL! 

Just sayin', Bruh!

 

[DonnyHacker]

It's been a hoot so far, Donny!  Thanks! 

Just to add my two cents ... in my last gig [I retired in February[?] of this year], I was making $25+/hr at the age of 63 as a maintenance mechanic in a bread factory, working 50+ hrs per week.  I was the new guy, having been hired in November of the previous year.  I made good $$$.  The company I worked for was desperate to find qualified people, and not having much luck.  Most of the department were at or near my age group with a few exceptions.  Most were looking at retirement and soon to disappear from that workforce.  I applied at three companies and got offers from two within one week.  Jobs are out there ... good ones if you have skills.  I have no degree.

Now [retired] I make less than a third of what I did while I was working, but have a much lower cost of living, and I can sleep in 'til noon if I want, or go sit in a hot spring for sunrise, and have no one but me to answer to.  I'll take that over work-a-day slavery in a heartbeat!  ... at ANY wage!  LOL! 

Just sayin', Bruh!

And that's why I'm interested in pursuing this type of lifestyle.  If I can make it comfortably on that kind of money, that's what I am more concerned with rather than the actual dollar amount  The family is interested in the idea, so now I have to work out the overall logistics of it (least of all is trying to get money to buy something since we're beyond broke).  Our biggest issue is our 11 and 13 year old who are absolutely not used to this sort of thing.  My 11 year old is a bit more gung ho about it than the 13 year old, but they are both open.  I plan on taking them out to look at some RVs so that they can climb around them, go inside, etc.

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

... I plan on taking them out to look at some RVs so that they can climb around them, go inside, etc.

Nothing like a little tactile exposure to whet the apatite! 
Good luck, Donny ... I'll be rootin' fur ya!

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

#0092 - "Long Valley Review and Launch to Idaho" - 2018 May 22, Tuesday
11 minutes, 11 seconds ...
Link ---->  Long Valley Review & Departure
My review of free camping in the Long Valley Caldera near Mammoth and Mono Lakes along the Eastern Sierra's in California.  We had four bars of Verizon 4G at out hilltop camp, groceries, water, Forest Service office and trash bins about 30 minutes away in Mammoth Lakes.
Beautiful!  Loved it!  5 STARS!

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

Here's a pic of "Sage Comber 1" on our last day at Long Valley Caldera along the eastern Sierra's in California.

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

Here's a photo of the eastern Sierra's from our hilltop camp in the Long Valley Caldera, California:

 

[LathrenJames]

Oh, my heart! Gorgeous!

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

Oh, my heart! Gorgeous!

Aye!  It's a pretty spectacular place!  I'muh goin' back and takin' my hunny!

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

0095 - "Coeur D'Alene Update" - 2018 May 31, Thursday

8 minutes and 4 seconds
A summary of our transition from traditional living to nomadism beginning from the decision on December 7th, 2017, and a brief projection of our future plans.