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I've always been fascinated with that kind of lifestyle. I think about it all the time. I'd love to spend the rest of my life permanently traveling but I'm not sure how that would work out. Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with it.
I once saw a fascinating and well-made documentary about people who rode the rails during the Great Depression in the early 1930's. For one thing there were a lot more of them then, and the desperation of the unemployed was greater because unemployment was a lot worse than what we have experienced post-2008.
The world is a meaner place now than it was then, or at least the United States is. When I was a kid growing up in the 1950's and when I was in college in the 1960's it was still common to see hitch-hikers, and I myself was on both ends of hitch-hiking. I can't even remember the last time I saw one; I think people now would be afraid to pick you up.
I suppose if you have a lot of street smarts coupled with good self-defense skills you might survive such a mode of traveling without your own vehicle. Some people still do long-distance bicycle trips.
I've always been fascinated with that kind of lifestyle. I think about it all the time. I'd love to spend the rest of my life permanently traveling but I'm not sure how that would work out. Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with it.
That depends. If you have a nice bank account, no debt, medical insurance and nothing to worry about - this lifestyle can be a lot of fun. If you are struggling to survive and NEED any job to eat day to day or for the next leg of the trip, it can be rough....
That depends. If you have a nice bank account, no debt, medical insurance and nothing to worry about - this lifestyle can be a lot of fun. If you are struggling to survive and NEED any job to eat day to day or for the next leg of the trip, it can be rough....
My $.02
Have you had any hands-on experience with this type of lifestyle? I'm not being snarky, just asking.
Have you had any hands-on experience with this type of lifestyle? I'm not being snarky, just asking.
I have been working for 5+ years to be able to ride my horses around the country from coast to coast (still a year away from the goal but getting closer!). I started with the naive idea that we can just pack up and go . Then I realized that you would still have to eat, drink and in my case, feed the horses. If you got sick, you would have to be able to afford medical services. Being out on the road, in the elements etc. can make you prone to disease, injury etc. Heck, I am in my late 30s and three weeks ago I tore my meniscus just like that - running, no accident, just tore when I landed on the ground. Now I need surgery that will cost up to $2K and could make me unable to do physical work for up to six months!
My wife's horse all of a sudden developed neurological symptoms. Nobody knows what's wrong. To find out it will take an MRI and we have not even gotten to the treatment part . Fortunately we were smart and took out medical insurance for the horses that covers up to $5,000 a year. Et cetera, et cetera.
You are not going to be riding horses but you still have to take care of yourself, eat, drink, sleep somewhere. Unless you plan on raiding garbage cans and depending on the merci of others (begging?), you will need money to pay for everything.
Assuming you are going to pay your way and do NOT have a cushy bank account, you will be at the mercy of whatever, wherever. I don't know about you but that kind of a lifestyle would be very stressful for me, not knowing if I will eat tomorrow.
If you have debt (student loans etc.) - don't even bother. First pay it off, then save the dough, then go for it.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StabbyAbby
I've always been fascinated with that kind of lifestyle. I think about it all the time. I'd love to spend the rest of my life permanently traveling but I'm not sure how that would work out. Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with it.
Some people enjoy it. Most of them that I knew were alcoholics who got by doing odd jobs and dealing weed, or else they were on SSI. Sometimes they relied on temp day labor, but there's a lot of competition with Mexicans for that.
I once saw a fascinating and well-made documentary about people who rode the rails during the Great Depression in the early 1930's. For one thing there were a lot more of them then, and the desperation of the unemployed was greater because unemployment was a lot worse than what we have experienced post-2008.
The world is a meaner place now than it was then, or at least the United States is. When I was a kid growing up in the 1950's and when I was in college in the 1960's it was still common to see hitch-hikers, and I myself was on both ends of hitch-hiking. I can't even remember the last time I saw one; I think people now would be afraid to pick you up.
I suppose if you have a lot of street smarts coupled with good self-defense skills you might survive such a mode of traveling without your own vehicle. Some people still do long-distance bicycle trips.
I am seeing more hitch hikers suddenly..... 1 poor kid out in the cold wind was holding up paper money. I was in a small toyota pick up with my wife, and told him to keep his money and if he wanted he could lay down in the bed of the truck.... or wait... I had no place to seat him legally.
he took the ride, and i took him past my turn by miles to where he wanted to go. I had the sense that there was some family emergency maybe. Kid was pretty happy for the ride of around 35 miles.
I have been working for 5+ years to be able to ride my horses around the country from coast to coast (still a year away from the goal but getting closer!). I started with the naive idea that we can just pack up and go . Then I realized that you would still have to eat, drink and in my case, feed the horses. If you got sick, you would have to be able to afford medical services. Being out on the road, in the elements etc. can make you prone to disease, injury etc. Heck, I am in my late 30s and three weeks ago I tore my meniscus just like that - running, no accident, just tore when I landed on the ground. Now I need surgery that will cost up to $2K and could make me unable to do physical work for up to six months!
My wife's horse all of a sudden developed neurological symptoms. Nobody knows what's wrong. To find out it will take an MRI and we have not even gotten to the treatment part . Fortunately we were smart and took out medical insurance for the horses that covers up to $5,000 a year. Et cetera, et cetera.
You are not going to be riding horses but you still have to take care of yourself, eat, drink, sleep somewhere. Unless you plan on raiding garbage cans and depending on the merci of others (begging?), you will need money to pay for everything.
Assuming you are going to pay your way and do NOT have a cushy bank account, you will be at the mercy of whatever, wherever. I don't know about you but that kind of a lifestyle would be very stressful for me, not knowing if I will eat tomorrow.
If you have debt (student loans etc.) - don't even bother. First pay it off, then save the dough, then go for it.
Just my $.02
OD
That's a hellova dream....... My wife's cousin did that Death Valley 20 mule team to Montreal, 1967. Jean DeHaven.
My dream was ride the USA on a motorcycle when I was 16 It was a lot harder doing it in 2005/06 for 10 months.
If you do do it, and you end up in NH, I will shelter you and the horses if i am still here. I might still be able to if i change locations, but this place is set up for horses that can be ground tied. The fences are gone and the stalls contain assorted everything but horses.
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. Then I realized that you would still have to eat, drink and in my case, feed the horses. If you got sick, you would have to be able to afford medical services. Being out on the road, in the elements etc. can make you prone to disease, injury etc. Heck, I am in my late 30s and three weeks ago I tore my meniscus just like that - running, no accident, just tore when I landed on the ground. Now I need surgery that will cost up to $2K and could make me unable to do physical work for up to six months!
It was a lot harder doing it in 2005/06 for 10 months.
