THINK YOU'VE GOT IT TOUGH

[buckwilk]

What an amazing life this guy led   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_Jacal         http://cmoasis.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-final-nuttings-search.html

"The Luna Jacal or Luna's Jacal was the residence of Gilberto Luna, a Mexican pioneer farmer in the area of Texasthat would become Big Bend National Park. The jacal, an indigenous Tejano dwelling suited to the desert environment, was built about 1890[2] with a low sandstone and limestone wall about 4 feet (1.2 m), with forked poles set upright into the walls, supporting roof poles. The house backs up to a large boulder. A heavier line of poles extends the length of the jacal. The roof was made of ocotillo branches weighted down with earth and stones, presently replaced with an inappropriate soil-cement roof. Luna raised a large family at the jacal, peacefully coexisting with otherwise hostile Comanche who used the Alamo Creek area as a war trail. Luna died there in 1947 at age 108 or 109.[3]

Luna's jacal was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 8, 1974.[1] It was restored in 1971 and again stabilized in 1983.[2]"

 

[akrvbob]

You know what, I'd build something like that in a heartbeat for my old-age home!!
Bob

 

[Almost There]

Commune anyone!!

Me too.

One of my favorite homes to visit was one that was built in to the side of a hill so that only the hill and a stovepipe was visible from the road and the stovepipe only if you were looking really well. The hill surrounded the house on 3 sides and the roof leaving a full wall of windows facing south to absorb the heat of the sun while the grass covered sides and roof protected it from the weather and kept it cool in the summer/warm in the winter.

 

[buckwilk]

You know what, I'd build something like that in a heartbeat for my old-age home!!
Bob

My thinking also.

 

[eDJ_]

Years ago I had an Art History course taught by a former Priest who had retired and since began teaching.  I remember him relating stories of his life when he was in New Mexico and Arizona and living in these Adobe
Mission Churches. 

The course regarded Art Works, Paintings, Sculpture, and Architecture.  It was in the Architecture portions
of each class that he came to relate stories of living where it was so hot in the day time (as much as 110 F)
and so cold at night. (nearly freezing temps)

He explained how livable it was in the Mission Church where the temperature was like air conditioning in the day
and such nice even heat in the evenings.  He attributed that to the 6 ft thick mud walls such that in the night time the cold would cool the outer extreme of the wall and that move inward like a wave through the day time when it was so hot outside.  In the daytime the opposite was happening and by night the warmth would radiate into the living area through the night. 

He explained how the Men who maintained the building would come in spring and white wash the building to reflect the extra heat of the summer and assure the same moderate climate within.  When the rains came in fall it would wash off the paint and erode the mud walls so that when it dried up again the Men would return with buckets of mud an repair the walls smoothing everything out and making it look good again.

The old Professor died back during the summer.  I saw his obituary in the paper, but I will always remember him by this story he told us.   His hobby was photography and he had traveled world wide taking photos
thinking about the time he would retire and try to find a job teaching Art History.  He had his own images of things that were in the text book but his were in color and much better.  It made the course so much alive.

 

[MrNoodly]

You know what, I'd build something like that in a heartbeat for my old-age home!!
Bob

And having lived in a van, the building wouldn't need to be very large in order to feel comfortable.

 

[highdesertranger]

those type of dwellings are all over Nevada, I even described one that had been refurbished on one of my threads. I was quite livable. I would stay in it no problem. highdesertranger

 

[highdesertranger]

here's the thread, a picture is in post #3 pic #2. https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-On-The-Road--14452 . highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

Hmmmmmm I wonder if I could make one on wheels................

 

[highdesertranger]

kinda heavy. highdesertranger