Giving up the various "phases" of life is the hard part. Age catches up to fast motorcycles, drinking, whitewater, climbing 14ers. Just have to transition to new activities. Now I think of myself as "RV Man" with a van (part timer). Books, learning, easier hiking, and travel persist.
Revelations of minimizing withdrawal
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travelaround
Well-known member
RoamerRV428 said:
Do you feel lighter, freer, happier without all those things? I did, when I downsized massively in 2013. There have been a few books I regretted giving away, but they are easily re-purchased if I really want to own them again. There's always more stuff down the road.
travelaround
Well-known member
Gardenias said:
I didn't purge my books gradually. I was in a hurry to give them to the once-yearly library book sale, so it happened all at once. In my situation that was probably the right thing to do.
travelaround
Well-known member
QinReno said:
I need that Multi Step Program! I must be ruthless in my discarding of objects.
Well Bull, too late. I tried fly fishing but couldn't catch a worm. I had Jeep Cherokees for 20 years in Colorado, and did plenty of 4-wheeling. Moab rocks, although I didn't go on the really tough stuff. Walked it instead. Too old now to want to get myself into those sorts of predicaments anymore, 
. I am however considering getting an e-bike next summer, so I can go in past where I'm comfortable taking the van.
. I am however considering getting an e-bike next summer, so I can go in past where I'm comfortable taking the van.Gardenias said:
Gardenias (what a lovely profile name), That's what I call 'synchronicity'. Most would call it coincidence.
Ya know, we're inundated with the message to 'get things' all our life and corporations are getting better and better at having us do just that. So, when we start to reverse that there's internal resistance, dragging of the feet, grieving, etc. Certainly a process and not an event.
I, too, sometimes tell myself 'it's taking too long'...but I believe the Universe's/Creator's timing is perfect. I made a truce with myself, no more beating myself up about it.
QinReno said:Well Bull, too late. I tried fly fishing but couldn't catch a worm. I had Jeep Cherokees for 20 years in Colorado, and did plenty of 4-wheeling. Moab rocks, although I didn't go on the really tough stuff. Walked it instead. Too old now to want to get myself into those sorts of predicaments anymore,
Gonna wait till I get 'out there' more but an e-bike, metal detector, little bit of macro photography, ham radio, and some kind of handicraft are calling me right now. I use to do woodwork and leather work, maybe some form of one of those.
Out of that list I think I'll find a couple of things for healthy entertainment.
I've been checking out e-bikes a lot the last couple of weeks.
Yeah, maybe when all those piles of crap start falling on your head, the Universe is trying to tell you something. LOL. I would hate for one of my tall bookcases to come over (earthquake or something) when I'm sitting on the floor! I am envisioning my little apartment when I have only 1 bookcase left.MaTaLa said:
I visited my sister and niece and the niece's 2 boys in Santa Fe last winter. The house had piles of crap everywheres. The 2-car garage was so full of crap you could hardly walk in there. Since then the niece got married to the new husband, and he's moved all of his crap in too. I can only imagine.... What a great life.
Looks like you could tow a cargo trailer behind and then you could take "everything" along,MaTaLa said:
.My favorite current e-bike is the folding Rad Mini, since it could go easily into the van. I did also look at the Pedegos, but they don't fold and they're much more expensive. I ran into a guy down in the Sierra who had a RadMini, and he liked it very much.
- https://www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/product/trail-tracker/
- https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/radmini-electric-folding-fat-bike
QinReno said:Looks like you could tow a cargo trailer behind and then you could take "everything" along,
My favorite current e-bike is the folding Rad Mini, since it could go easily into the van. I did also look at the Pedegos, but they don't fold and they're much more expensive. I ran into a guy down in the Sierra who had a RadMini, and he liked it very much.
- https://www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/product/trail-tracker/
- https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/radmini-electric-folding-fat-bike
Haha, I've learned just because you 'can' do something doesn't mean you should. It'll tow pretty much anything you'd want but no cargo trailer for me at this point.
Yep on the ebikes, quality hardly ever cheap but it can sure get expensive.
I've been looking at these types: Special 73, very utilitarian and don't look like a normal bike.
https://www.lithiumcycles.com/collections/super-73-north-america/products/super73-s1-black
New manufacturers popping up all the time.
B and C
Well-known member
QinReno said:
I second the Rad Mini. I just got to ride one that a friend has. Nice big wide and tall tires work well in loose stuff and extra power when you need it. They carry theirs on a bike rack on the back folded up, chained and covered. Hard to tell what it is...
Got one on my wish list.
Ok, been on task this AM. Most mindful morning I've had in awhile. Got two goals accomplished on the camper, tested out a new piece of equipment, toted a dorm frig upstairs to the apt that I had to stop and rest twice on the way from parking lot (not a spring chicken and out of shape), redid the tie downs on camper.
I, somehow, dropped my keys into a small tool bag without noticing and looked for them for about an hour. How I know I've been mindful is that my BP did't raise a bit, I didn't curse but did look bewildered, I'm sure. Some days life is good!
I, somehow, dropped my keys into a small tool bag without noticing and looked for them for about an hour. How I know I've been mindful is that my BP did't raise a bit, I didn't curse but did look bewildered, I'm sure. Some days life is good!
travelaround
Well-known member
I have mindfully checked one thing off my to-do list today. Five more things to go. I gave myself a gold star.
I've been planning on taking my 200-dollar cruiser bicycle with me, maybe attached to the back of the van. The Rad-Mini looks good though and as I get older, may be a better option. Right now I think I can still handle the cruiser and it would be a good exercise opportunity.
I've given up on the idea of a cargo trailer. What's the use of being a minimalist if you take everything with you?
Seriously, I could stop right now and take EVERYTHING with me (except the furniture) in a cargo trailer and there the mess would be.
That sounds so terrible.
There's another aspect to minimalism and downsizing . . . not wanting to leave a mess for your descendants or heirs to clean up. My grandmother left a large household of things and it just about drove my mother to distraction trying to deal with it. I finally told her to bring the rest to me, so she could get it over with. Big mistake, really; it was a huge mess for me to sort through. I don't want to do that to my kids.
When my mother passed away last year she had already just downsized from a mobile home to a one room assisted living apartment... so there wasn't too much for my sister and brother to do. (This took place about 2500 miles from where I live and I couldn't afford to go back there at the time because I'd just been there to see Mom three weeks before she had that stroke.)
I've been planning on taking my 200-dollar cruiser bicycle with me, maybe attached to the back of the van. The Rad-Mini looks good though and as I get older, may be a better option. Right now I think I can still handle the cruiser and it would be a good exercise opportunity.
I've given up on the idea of a cargo trailer. What's the use of being a minimalist if you take everything with you?
Seriously, I could stop right now and take EVERYTHING with me (except the furniture) in a cargo trailer and there the mess would be.
That sounds so terrible.
There's another aspect to minimalism and downsizing . . . not wanting to leave a mess for your descendants or heirs to clean up. My grandmother left a large household of things and it just about drove my mother to distraction trying to deal with it. I finally told her to bring the rest to me, so she could get it over with. Big mistake, really; it was a huge mess for me to sort through. I don't want to do that to my kids.
When my mother passed away last year she had already just downsized from a mobile home to a one room assisted living apartment... so there wasn't too much for my sister and brother to do. (This took place about 2500 miles from where I live and I couldn't afford to go back there at the time because I'd just been there to see Mom three weeks before she had that stroke.)
The Rad Mini does weigh 64-pounds, so it would have to be lifted up and down. But if it's "unfolded", then you can just lift one end at a time, and that would be much easier. The nice thing is, you can use it as a regular bike to get exercise, or add some motor assist when on the hills.
You have the Mini? I figure it'll easily fit inside my GMC van when folded, and maybe even in front of the bulkhead between the front seats at night.bullfrog said:
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0799/9645/products/RadMini_Folded.JPG
