Hi Matt and everyone. I too am new here and I wanted to say to you, Matt, that I'm nearing doing the same thing as you at 60 years old. I have wanted to do this since I was around your age when I started spending up to about 7 or 8 days at a time in the bush (working) living out of a van. I fixed up that van with a bed, insulation, propane heater, stove, 12 volt tv and video cassette player so I could watch recorded programs. A guy in the heavy duty shop issued me two 8D batteries for power (there was no solar back then)
I slept in a bag on the ground many times in the army and loved it. But in my view there is nothing better than sleeping out in the British Columbia forest on a cold rainy winter night, in a nice warm van!
At your age I had a wife and kids and needed to earn so it was out of the question to go full time. So I admire you, Matt. I wish I could have done it so young. Every chance I got I was out there in that van - even if I wasn't getting paid. Over the years I've had probably a dozen rigs. Right now I have a 24 foot travel trailer that I live in in my daughters back yard in Vancouver Canada. I have a room in the house but I prefer the trailer. I just bought a small slide in camper / camperette for my truck and I'm fixing it up with a dish, solar and all that so I can hit the road full-time.
My thing is this: I retired 5 years ago at 55. I get $1400 a month pension from that and I also get $850 a month to help my daughter with her home based business. I'm free to be away for up to a month maybe a couple of times a year, and I can always slide away for one or two weeks at a time, but I'm still tied down. At this point she doesn't really need me, but she's a good kid and wants me around. It costs me nothing to park my trailer in the yard and I have no debts, but no savings. (lost everything a few years ago in a bad investment idea)
So I'm free except for one thing; I feel nervous about giving up the $850 my daughter pays me each month. I've learned a lot here about the trade - off of freedom vrs increased income and I agree it's worth it. I've worked hard to cut back spending and I think I"ve got it down pretty good now, to just what I need. I have been sending money to Nicaragua every month (I sponsored a family to build house and start a business) but I think that can end now as they're doing very well with the new business.
Since about 2005 I've been going to California / Arizona in the winter for a month to a few months in my old full size camper (sold it a few years ago). I missed the last two winters because I was in Nicaragua, but I think I've had enough of that and I miss Slab City and Quartzsite and all the other spots I've camped. So I'm coming back this winter and I'm excited!
My goal is to cut the cord and be a full-timer. I think I can live on $1400 after learning from Bob and the others, and after seeing first hand how most people in Nicaragua live. But I struggle giving up that $850 even though I'm looking forward to finally, after all these years, answering the urge to live the way you people live. I can't make the RTR this month, but I WILL be at the one in Quartzsite in January.
Bob, I think the most important service you and the others offer to others is validation for being who we are. In the 70's people said I wanted to be a "bum" or a "hobo" and that was a disgraceful thing in those days. These days I'm a wanna be Nomad and I think I've found a bunch of other nomads. Feels good to find these characters, doesn't it Matt?
Roamer Rick
