Newbie-Mix Feelings

[Morris deCat]

Hi,
Long story short. I headed out 3 weeks ago (2006 Ford E350 high-top) from mid-Missouri hoping to catch up with and make some friends from this site.
However, about 2 days out the site went down and I made the rookie mistake of not making personal contact with anyone, so I was flying blind.
I wandered around Colorado and New Mexico waiting for this site to come back up.
Finally, in eastern Utah I had to make a decision, keep waiting or head for home. I chose home.
My experience as a newbie was mixed. I tried staying in Walmart lots but some said I could stay but I might get a ticket.
I hated paying $20 for a campsite but that's what I did mostly.
I didn't feel right trying the stealth thing, I felt I was cheating and encroaching and mostly felt like an animal looking for a place to bed down.
I was a nervous wreck. 
The BLM land that I came across was out in the middle of nowhere, no phone signal, no tv and fuzzy radio.
I like human contact, I'm not a hermit and I like phone contact in case of breakdown/emergency.
My worst thing was once I stopped for a while with no signals, I was bored to tears with nothing to do.
The scenery was beautiful and a couple of times I camped next to people but they would wave but that was it.
Not interested in talking.
Soooo....my plan B  is to stay home until Jan then head for RTR and maybe meet up with some not-so-hermit type folks
and travel together.
All-in-all, I would say it was a decent experience but I don't want to repeat it.
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it, as the Country song says.
Stay safe!

 

[A Savage Adventure]

Welcome, Morris! I was waiting for the forums too...I had just started gathering information when the site went down. I didn't book-mark anything. So, Instead I spent some money too, staying at an RV park for a few weeks. I even contacted Bob about the forums.

Thing is, having run several websites over the years I know that things can happen, so sometimes you just have to be ready for anything, including complete loss of contact. Heck, even in this RV Park the internet is sporadic, at best! I can't wait to see how disconnected I feel in the wild!

Maybe I will meet you at the next RTR, although these days I am more hermit, than not.

 

[waldenbound]

I launched about the same time, about three weeks ago. I was so scared I felt like my butt was going to fall off. The initial loneliness almost crushed me.
I’m sticking it out though. It’s a huge adjustment and your emotions are going to be all over the place.

If you decide to relaunch, know that it will take time.

 

[Morris deCat]

I launched about the same time, about three weeks ago. I was so scared I felt like my butt was going to fall off. The initial loneliness almost crushed me.
I’m sticking it out though. It’s a huge adjustment and your emotions are going to be all over the place.

If you decide to relaunch, know that it will take time.

Thanks for your reply,
The loneliness was the hardest part and then not knowing when it might end compounded things.
I'm a social person and I need human contact, both to give support and receive a little.
I would go stark raving nuts alone on BLM land, no people, no phone, no tv or anything to pass the time.
I will wait until I can meet up with some folks before I relaunch.
I admire your courage and wish you the best.
Morris deCat

 

[A Savage Adventure]

Both of you may benefit from perusing the following thread, which I found and commented in. It's got a LOT of information.

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=27045