After finishing 1 year 9 months and 28 days of Military Service in 1970, I was free to pursue anything a 21 year old could imagine. I had no possessions other than what fit into a foot locker, shipped to a military base of my choice, three weeks later.
My pockets did not contain a pair of dimes to rub in my pocket. The bus ticket "home" was all I had left to spare and my brother's bus ticket home, as his car broke down while coming to pick me up and left as junk in a town long forgotten.
But... I had a dream. To camp "Off the Grid" and and earn a living while doing it. Nearly two years in the Army was a great education in that area... living with minimal possessions, income and able to live under any conditions. Any...
What an opportunity that was presented to me at the time and lasting memories that cannot be repeated today. Sometimes the worst of times open opportunities for the best of times. I was their poster child.
I worked to buy a 1957 Ford pickup truck, rebuilt the engine myself and could live longer on $1 than most could with $100. Bought some geological maps and headed out to the High Plains of the USA. Living for three months in my parents basement gave me a transition from military to civilian existence. Only those of you put in two to four years at this time will understand.
I found myself collecting fossils on Ranches, working for gasoline and meals rowing hay and checking fence. The fossil hunting was wide open and nobody considered wasting any time in these remote areas leaving all of the weathering from decades of rain and snow at my disposal. I collected fossil tortoise (turtles), saber toothed cats, horse, camel, rhinoceros, squirrel, rabbit, mouse and other fossil mammals, lizards and snakes from 38,000,000 years ago in Western Nebraska.
GI Bill gave me $366 a month to attend college and this was an opportunity to finish my Geology Degree and had decent living conditions 8 months of the year. My true love was being in the Field, camping and following the contours and geology on field maps to explore what was relatively unknown to the majority of people. Other than myself and the ranches that were so generous to me in those early days.
They are vague memories today and the ranches have changed hands three or four times and are corporate operated or extensions of western cattle operations. These "badlands" are now leased out to companies and groups who "pay to play" operations. What I did can not be repeated today. It is much like when barbed wire began to keep livestock off the private ranches and farms in the 1870's. It changed the western plains and access to private property.
You ask... what brought this on? I read with some interest of people selling their worldly goods and possessions to FULL TIME in their Airstream or RV. The dream is there, but the circumstances have changed. I could not even consider making this change as I made opportunity from what most would considerable an unbearable life, living among roaming livestock, hiking into barely accessible terrain to discover fossil treasures that were rapidly decomposing due to the weather and soft bedrock their remains were held... gently for my rock pick.
I was living 19th Century in a 20th Century world.
To Full Time On or Off the Grid is an expensive option, today. Selling the home is cutting the relief line to return to... a place. There is no turning back. Unless you invested wisely and have a comfortable return on these investments... things can sour quickly. I had a purpose and the effort was difficult but unknowingly, rewarding in many ways for an ambitious young man.
The thought of traveling full time today does not interest me at all. It eventually gets boring... very routine and eventually you have had your fill of living free from the encumbering one's self with home and possessions. Before you begin living "your dream"... live it for a year. Have a trusted friend rent your home from you, or relative. Try it. Not everyone who tries will continue. I have met many who have tried and failed miserably.
My experiences are unique from most. But it worked for me... until I had done it all and wanted change. Change to returning to the 20th century, getting a full time job, buying a home and never wanting to Full Time again!
Had I a reliable Airstream/Trailer at the time... I might have lasted this dream for a couple more years, but I still needed an address, a place to store my treasures. There were severe limitations with a rolling address and scenery. You will discover those quickly. I lived my dream as a reward from serving time in the US Army. This cleared my head of past regrets and living without wants other than what I could carry.
So, please. Have a purpose FIRST. Some dreams are just that... dreams. But, give it a try. After one year... you will know. As a youth, you will never get old, until you are. Make those plans on paper, test it out and if it works... You are living the dream I had for most of my life. I cannot say it was 100% pleasant... but I managed and survived.
Today my wife, myself and two Blue Heelers are living our shared dreams of going to places we never knew existed had we stayed at home, Off and On the Grid. I have met folk that live by a handshake and trust. Had I a way to do this all over again and could have one wish to make it so... could I have had just a few more years?
Thank you and I hope this inspires someone else to take that step to living the dream... but be prepared before you commit 100%.
My pockets did not contain a pair of dimes to rub in my pocket. The bus ticket "home" was all I had left to spare and my brother's bus ticket home, as his car broke down while coming to pick me up and left as junk in a town long forgotten.
But... I had a dream. To camp "Off the Grid" and and earn a living while doing it. Nearly two years in the Army was a great education in that area... living with minimal possessions, income and able to live under any conditions. Any...
What an opportunity that was presented to me at the time and lasting memories that cannot be repeated today. Sometimes the worst of times open opportunities for the best of times. I was their poster child.
I worked to buy a 1957 Ford pickup truck, rebuilt the engine myself and could live longer on $1 than most could with $100. Bought some geological maps and headed out to the High Plains of the USA. Living for three months in my parents basement gave me a transition from military to civilian existence. Only those of you put in two to four years at this time will understand.
I found myself collecting fossils on Ranches, working for gasoline and meals rowing hay and checking fence. The fossil hunting was wide open and nobody considered wasting any time in these remote areas leaving all of the weathering from decades of rain and snow at my disposal. I collected fossil tortoise (turtles), saber toothed cats, horse, camel, rhinoceros, squirrel, rabbit, mouse and other fossil mammals, lizards and snakes from 38,000,000 years ago in Western Nebraska.
GI Bill gave me $366 a month to attend college and this was an opportunity to finish my Geology Degree and had decent living conditions 8 months of the year. My true love was being in the Field, camping and following the contours and geology on field maps to explore what was relatively unknown to the majority of people. Other than myself and the ranches that were so generous to me in those early days.
They are vague memories today and the ranches have changed hands three or four times and are corporate operated or extensions of western cattle operations. These "badlands" are now leased out to companies and groups who "pay to play" operations. What I did can not be repeated today. It is much like when barbed wire began to keep livestock off the private ranches and farms in the 1870's. It changed the western plains and access to private property.
You ask... what brought this on? I read with some interest of people selling their worldly goods and possessions to FULL TIME in their Airstream or RV. The dream is there, but the circumstances have changed. I could not even consider making this change as I made opportunity from what most would considerable an unbearable life, living among roaming livestock, hiking into barely accessible terrain to discover fossil treasures that were rapidly decomposing due to the weather and soft bedrock their remains were held... gently for my rock pick.
I was living 19th Century in a 20th Century world.
To Full Time On or Off the Grid is an expensive option, today. Selling the home is cutting the relief line to return to... a place. There is no turning back. Unless you invested wisely and have a comfortable return on these investments... things can sour quickly. I had a purpose and the effort was difficult but unknowingly, rewarding in many ways for an ambitious young man.
The thought of traveling full time today does not interest me at all. It eventually gets boring... very routine and eventually you have had your fill of living free from the encumbering one's self with home and possessions. Before you begin living "your dream"... live it for a year. Have a trusted friend rent your home from you, or relative. Try it. Not everyone who tries will continue. I have met many who have tried and failed miserably.
My experiences are unique from most. But it worked for me... until I had done it all and wanted change. Change to returning to the 20th century, getting a full time job, buying a home and never wanting to Full Time again!
Had I a reliable Airstream/Trailer at the time... I might have lasted this dream for a couple more years, but I still needed an address, a place to store my treasures. There were severe limitations with a rolling address and scenery. You will discover those quickly. I lived my dream as a reward from serving time in the US Army. This cleared my head of past regrets and living without wants other than what I could carry.
So, please. Have a purpose FIRST. Some dreams are just that... dreams. But, give it a try. After one year... you will know. As a youth, you will never get old, until you are. Make those plans on paper, test it out and if it works... You are living the dream I had for most of my life. I cannot say it was 100% pleasant... but I managed and survived.
Today my wife, myself and two Blue Heelers are living our shared dreams of going to places we never knew existed had we stayed at home, Off and On the Grid. I have met folk that live by a handshake and trust. Had I a way to do this all over again and could have one wish to make it so... could I have had just a few more years?
Thank you and I hope this inspires someone else to take that step to living the dream... but be prepared before you commit 100%.
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