dellaterra
Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2018
- Messages
- 20
- Reaction score
- 0
Hello everyone!
A bit of an introduction about me…I have a 2010 Ford passenger van (tow vehicle) and a 2016 Forest River hard-side A-frame 18 ft trailer. (Similar to A-liner.) I left my job in land management in late Sept 2018. I took a 2 month ‘woofing’ job (working on an organic farm) in New Mexico. I am now doing a 2-and-a-half-month house-sit in New Mexico. I guess I could say I’m semi-retired. I have some savings but am too young to use my IRA without penalties. I plan to do seasonal work with the big land management fed agencies-Forest Service, BLM or Park Service. (Putting in summer job applications already.)
I put time and energy into woofing, and eventually housesitting, because I wanted a place to “land” after I quit my job and I wasn’t too keen on boondocking / camping in the winter (even with a trailer.). I was also desiring some structure and company of fellow farmers and I have always wanted to do farming.
I have been lurking on CRVL for 4 years or so when I began researching a way out of the ‘rat race’. A big breakthrough for me was this website: Early Retirement Extreme. It subsequently led me down a psychological path of dealing with feelings of shame and embarrassment about money-not having enough at “my age”. I saw on the forums people really honestly documenting and describing their financial status. I was living in the SF Bay area where housing costs are famously ridiculously high. I began planning my escape from the bay area when I realized I could get a tiny pension from my county job after 5 years. That 5 years was Sept 2018 and here I am! Feeling free and emancipated.
I began this lifestyle seeking peace. Peace of mind, peace with my things, peace away from cities and consumerism and peace in my own body. As I write this I am 6 days sober-no wine!- any other sober folks out there on this path?
The practicality and down-to-earthness of Bob’s writings is truly inspiring. Finding his website truly changed my life.
On a practical level I would really like to connect with folks, maybe join a caravan ( I’m a super introvert!) but I am limited right now with this (awesome!) house-sit I am doing until late Feb and hopefully a seasonal job this summer. One of the reasons I got the trailer was so I could live in it while doing summer work. I won’t be going to the RTR this year but will try to make it in 2020. Eventually I want to boondock but am hesitant with the trailer and don’t know where yet. My ideal would be to pare things down to just living out of the van, but I have too much stuff and am too attached to comforts to give it up just yet.
I would like to offer help to anyone who wants help doing a modest van-build. I have some carpentry skills and some tools. I did my own really simple van build, so I could sleep in the van if needed or go on short road trips with it. Its not that hard!! I got a passenger van (wanted windows!) and removed all the seats, put a floor, bed platform and bench seat and little table. Not sure when/how/where this could happen, but just putting it out there.
Any Italians out there? I lived in Italy for a few months when I was younger and want to keep practicing speaking Italian.
Well this is getting long, just wanted to reach out and say hello. I hope to start a blog soon to document my travels and write essays about the nomadic path. Best wishes to all!
L-
A bit of an introduction about me…I have a 2010 Ford passenger van (tow vehicle) and a 2016 Forest River hard-side A-frame 18 ft trailer. (Similar to A-liner.) I left my job in land management in late Sept 2018. I took a 2 month ‘woofing’ job (working on an organic farm) in New Mexico. I am now doing a 2-and-a-half-month house-sit in New Mexico. I guess I could say I’m semi-retired. I have some savings but am too young to use my IRA without penalties. I plan to do seasonal work with the big land management fed agencies-Forest Service, BLM or Park Service. (Putting in summer job applications already.)
I put time and energy into woofing, and eventually housesitting, because I wanted a place to “land” after I quit my job and I wasn’t too keen on boondocking / camping in the winter (even with a trailer.). I was also desiring some structure and company of fellow farmers and I have always wanted to do farming.
I have been lurking on CRVL for 4 years or so when I began researching a way out of the ‘rat race’. A big breakthrough for me was this website: Early Retirement Extreme. It subsequently led me down a psychological path of dealing with feelings of shame and embarrassment about money-not having enough at “my age”. I saw on the forums people really honestly documenting and describing their financial status. I was living in the SF Bay area where housing costs are famously ridiculously high. I began planning my escape from the bay area when I realized I could get a tiny pension from my county job after 5 years. That 5 years was Sept 2018 and here I am! Feeling free and emancipated.
I began this lifestyle seeking peace. Peace of mind, peace with my things, peace away from cities and consumerism and peace in my own body. As I write this I am 6 days sober-no wine!- any other sober folks out there on this path?
The practicality and down-to-earthness of Bob’s writings is truly inspiring. Finding his website truly changed my life.
On a practical level I would really like to connect with folks, maybe join a caravan ( I’m a super introvert!) but I am limited right now with this (awesome!) house-sit I am doing until late Feb and hopefully a seasonal job this summer. One of the reasons I got the trailer was so I could live in it while doing summer work. I won’t be going to the RTR this year but will try to make it in 2020. Eventually I want to boondock but am hesitant with the trailer and don’t know where yet. My ideal would be to pare things down to just living out of the van, but I have too much stuff and am too attached to comforts to give it up just yet.
I would like to offer help to anyone who wants help doing a modest van-build. I have some carpentry skills and some tools. I did my own really simple van build, so I could sleep in the van if needed or go on short road trips with it. Its not that hard!! I got a passenger van (wanted windows!) and removed all the seats, put a floor, bed platform and bench seat and little table. Not sure when/how/where this could happen, but just putting it out there.
Any Italians out there? I lived in Italy for a few months when I was younger and want to keep practicing speaking Italian.
Well this is getting long, just wanted to reach out and say hello. I hope to start a blog soon to document my travels and write essays about the nomadic path. Best wishes to all!
L-
