Trapped in San Jose, not enough money or fuel to leave the state!

[GotSmart]

I did not ask "WHO" you are for a reason.  The WHO is a personal thing.  You must feel comfortable with your own self.  

I asked about your skills, because that is how you will be able to survive in this world.  That is how you create the "PERSON" that is in demand for the unique set of skills they contribute to the tribe.  To survive, you must be able to contribute to society.  Making it with your music is a rare thing,  Find a way to cover the necessities for now, then work on your dreams.  

I had set my dream of traveling on hold for about 30 years, until I had a way of making it a reality.  

If you enjoy electrical, look into a way to gain that set of skills from a source that will back you up with documents.  An Electrician is a highly paid individual. They work daytime hours, which gives you the prime music hours free. 

I know you have a low opinion of FRN's, but without them you will starve.

 

[SoulRaven]

Wired the 12v electrical systems in the van to the point I am comfortable with routing, crimping and direct wiring. Wired two outlet boxes to build a form of power strip, using store-bought extension cords, and will install them into the van.

I am a 22 year old gay maverick boi whos long term ambitions are exploring the US & CANADA, along with being an electronic musician.

Can you define electronic musician for us?

 

[akrvbob]

Let's stay on topic.
Bob

 

[GotSmart]

GotSmart, my middle aged understanding is that electronic music is the current dance club music also known as "house music". Youtube or search "electric daisy" for a good reference.

I have studied communications for many years.  When discussing a subject, it is best to make sure of what the definitions are.  Especially music.  I heard one of my daughters friends talking about 80's music as "Oldies"  :s  When I was a kid oldies was Big Band.   :huh:  My father referred to all amplified rock music as Electronic. 

 

[cyndi]

We're waaaaaaaaay of topic, here.

If you have something original, positive and constructive to add, with regards to the OP's dilemma, by all means do so.

Otherwise, feel free to start a new thread.

 

[ZoNiE]

Dude, SJ is too expensive, even for me, and I have a very comfortable income in the microelectronics industry. I have avoided moving there for 25 years. Ya gotta get out of Cali. NV, AZ, NM are where you want to go in the short term to get on your feet. You can live for free in Quartzite, and maybe even find someone who's working on WG.

 

[darude]

Wood gasification not for me. I'll stick with my old MB 300D you can burn anything in that and it will still run kerosene home heating oil veg oil. I run off veg oil all of the time so my car is off the grid since I don't have to pull up to the fuel islands I even installed a 26 gallon tank in the trunk for the veg oil and I've been averaging darn near a 1000 miles per tank of veg oil. The only problem you might have is that you and your passengers might get the munchies  I haven't bought diesel in 15 years think of all of the money I saved

 

[GotSmart]

Wood gasification not for me. I'll stick with my old MB 300D you can burn anything in that and it will still run kerosene home heating oil veg oil. I run off veg oil all of the time so my car is off the grid since I don't have to pull up to the fuel islands I even installed a 26 gallon tank in the trunk for the veg oil and I've been averaging darn near a 1000 miles per tank of veg oil. The only problem you might have is that you and your passengers might get the munchies  I haven't bought diesel in 15 years think of all of the money I saved

Are you getting the veg oil from Nor Cal?  High dollar fuel, and what about being followed by all those dudes!  

Used veg oil is at a primium now.  I was not aware that it is given away any more. I guess you need to have contacts.

 

[buckwilk]

I did some research on diesel and vegetable oil a couple of years ago and came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the trouble. LowTech has considerably more experience with it in the real world, I hope he would chime in here.

 

[LowTech]

Damn Buck, was hoping to stay out of this.

Not sure what to add, I did what most say not to. Dropped out of a bad high school and moved from my parents home into the back seat of a car (well I pulled the seat and put in a plywood platform). Had almost no skills. Went and found some.
Had kids, . . . found more skills.
Started building my own "Live-in" rigs (because campers are only good for camping), learned more skills.
Got into the no/low waste mentality. Started using "waste" as "usables". That got me into "waste fuels" and rigs that burn them.
Now I'm 35 years in rigs (all of my adult life) and several into running big trucks on waste fuels and "wild harvesting" as we go.
Still no papers that say I have skills.

Do I like veg oil? Not so much, there's easier things to burn.
Do I like the "gassafier" method? Don't know enough about it. But there are some guys at the "shipyard" in Berkeley that are really pushing that and seem to be cutting edge.

Advice - walk your path, ask for help when needed, pick from what's offered (there may be something of value), and learn, everyday.
Nothing is impossible if we want it bad enough.

Think that covers everything,
now I'll go back to listening while I put another engine in the big truck.

 

[debit.servus]

...

I had set my dream of traveling on hold for about 30 years, until I had a way of making it a reality. 30 YEARS? Was that because you lived the deffered life plan?

...

I know you have a low opinion of FRN's, but without them you will starve. FRN$ are for Spending, Physical Silver is for Saving.

Can you define electronic musician for us? Someone who creates music in the genres of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) or in the Electronica spectrum. 

Dude, SJ is too expensive, even for me, and I have a very comfortable income in the microelectronics industry. I have avoided moving there for 25 years. Ya gotta get out of Cali. NV, AZ, NM are where you want to go in the short term to get on your feet. You can live for free in Quartzite, and maybe even find someone who's working on WG.

... installed a 26 gallon tank in the trunk for the veg oil and I've been averaging darn near a 1000 miles per tank of veg oil. 1000 miles for 26 gallons? ... This sounds too good to be true.

...
Got into the no/low waste mentality. Started using "waste" as "usables". That got me into "waste fuels" and rigs that burn them.
Now I'm 35 years in rigs (all of my adult life) and several into running big trucks on waste fuels and "wild harvesting" as we go. What is this called?
...
Do I like the "gassafier" method?  Don't know enough about it. But there are some guys at the "shipyard" in Berkeley that are really pushing that and seem to be cutting edge. Woodgas research in Berkeley, CA? 

 

[GotSmart]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] [/font][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]30 YEARS? Was that because you lived the deffered life plan? [/font]

I had life responsibilities.  Things like elderly parents, children, education.  I had to build up my life skills to a point where I can go onto any town, and make myself instantly useful.  I do not have a strong back, but I have crazy talents. 

Can you do that? 

Precious metal speculation is not where reality is.  Having a skill set that is always in demand is.  If I had to chose between a pile of silver, and a pile of tools when civilization breaks down.  The tools will get me into shelter when the silver will be useless.  The rich will be helpless. 

If you had a fortress, would you want a miser or a wizard?   :idea:

 

[LowTech]

"Wild harvesting" is what I call gathering waste fuel as you travel. Much harder than having a couple hundred gal separator and maybe a few hundred gal of storage sitting behind the garage.

Same thing you'd have to do traveling w/ a gassifier.

Ditto on skills vers some commodities. Skills will get you far in most situations.

This is a link to those guys in Berkeley;
http://www.allpowerlabs.com/products/gasifier-kits

 

[nobodyG17]

You seem to be stuck in a rut of your own making to be honest with you.

If you got a job at McDonalds when you started this thread and worked until now you could have roughly 1-2K in cash and have made it to almost any point in the US or Canada with that much fuel.

Honestly the wood gasifier is probably a bad idea unless you just love wood gasification.   If you want travel start working hard toward it and you can be there quickly when expenses are low.

There has been a lot of good advice in this thread that you refuse to listen to.  Anyone a bit older in this thread remembers a time when they were just like that.  I know I never listened and learned everything the hard way. 

Best of luck to you.  I want you to travel and see/experience the things you want but fear the way you want to do it makes it impossible.   I would love you to prove me wrong.  If you have any questions or concerns feel free to ask here.  I will try to help if possible.

 

[Patrick46]

Good Post!! ^^^