CANOY POSTS: Preview "Techno-Gypsies"

CANOY POSTS: Preview "Techno-Gypsies"

First Post - Virgin Site

https://canoymichaelblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/06/for-what-its-worth/

This is an entry from my Journal from last Fall. I'll post the "why" later, as I try to get caught up.   Ciao Ya'll.

JOURNAL 41

Wet Night

It's a drizzly night. Throughfall from the rain sounds like irregular bullets on the camper roof. There is a Barred Owl calling, back in the wet forest. I'm laying on my stomach, staring out into the forest. There's just enough light to make out the silver fallen trees and dark boulders. I keep half an eye on the boulders, just in case one moves, and turns to a bear. The air is chill and smells of cold, wet, dead leaves.

It all drags me back 60 years to east Texas and bedding down in a lean-to on a December night. It's been a long circuitous route through many countries and years. Strange to consider I've gone so far to have come to the same place. Strange I'm so much older and still 19.

Right now I'm glorying in the restful night woods and trying to turn different options over and over to reach some reasonable decisions. I love sleeping out like this; in my little cave. Unfortunately, this is still just regular camping. It's not full time living. The pieces just won't fit right, so I need to get a few possible options and try to fit them in.

I need more space for storage, or a small cheap home base, or a full size van or small camper. Now the Element won't pull (effectively) over 1500 pounds. If I get a camper of any size, I've got to get higher power, 4WD vehicle. So, I'd have to finance both the camper and vehicle. Even 10 years old, that's at least $10, 000. So, annually, with insurance and taxes, that about $3,600., and there goes 2/3 my monthly budget.

A cheap home base, even just a Studio apartment, costs about $500. in NY, or $300. down in WV, and I'd still have to come back after each trip, losing time and gas. It would provide a place where I could get mail and packages and people could visit. And a lot more comfortable. Just for storage, a small unit would do – but I couldn't shower or cook there. I might as well get a small cargo trailer and pull it around with me. New this would cost about $2,500. to $3,000., but used a lot less. Unfortunately most exceed the 1.500 lb. tow limit. Craig's List has a few for $800. - $1.000. but no telling the weight or real condition. I'd have to check out each possibility.

When the weather lets up I'll have a go at Lake Onteora again, or up at Sundown. That's a lot more remote, but right by the main road.

Later in the month I'll go down to Sleepy Hollow and visit the Headless Horseman, Raven Rock, and Spook Rock (Witch Hulda) sites. Since it's on the same site (Kykuit, Rockefeller Estate) stop and check out the stained glass windows by Matisse and Chagall Then cover Laurel Grove Cemetery, and Miss Fanny's Victorian Party House. On the way back try to stop at Bannerman Island Castle, if I am holding up OK.

This camping in the cold and rain is seen by different people in different ways. I like it,but someone ask me if it wasn't miserable. In good shelter and a warm sleeping bag? Miserable is sleeping under a piece of plastic at 12,000 feet in the Andes in a cloud forest. Two weeks of dripping rain and 50 degrees. Hike wet, then eat wet, then sleep wet, then … and so on. That's miserable!

Some years ago I got into a discussion with the kids about what was “luxury”. I said it was all relative, and recounted that years ago, when I was 18 I was hitchhiking through East Texas in November. A “Norther” blew through and it began to blow and rain. By the end of the first day I was soaked and there were no rides. I huddled under a bridge all night and tried to keep a little fire going. Lord! I thought I'd die!

In the morning I stayed down and hoped for relief. About noon the creek was rising and I heard at muted thud. Somebody had thrown, or lost, an empty refrigerator box and it rolled down by the bridge abutment. I dragged it under the bridge and wedged it in front of the abutment. By getting in the box and putting my fire in front of the wall, it was both shelter and protected the fire. This night I slept in the box.

Luxury!

Now, as much as I love looking out, the rain is getting harder. Time to shut the hatch and the moon roof. Hate to do it because then the interior sweats. I've got to rig a protected vent. But one that can be closed when it's colder. It can get pretty cold but with a Memory-foam pad and wool blanket under me, in a good sleeping bag, and under a Mylar “survival” sheet, I'm warm as toast.” I just have to figure out how to manage the trip to the pissoir.

My battery is running down and the owl is moving closer, time to switch to the Kindle, read a bit, and get to sleep.

PREVIEW

I'm a professional wanderer; as a scientist and personally. Now at last I'm a writer, philosopher, photographer - and a Techno-Gypsy (my own term for us). I'm not homeless, but I have no house. This makes me one of a Tribe of growing wanderers who have rejected most of modern society.
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/ 

Here is my introduction about how I encountered the Tribe:

Techno-Gypsies

TURNING POINT

About 10 o'clock three cars came in at Lake Onteora, quietly. Fishermen? No. People got in and out and rearranged things. Then it got quiet again.

OK. Lovers then. But they didn't leave! A lot of stamina? And didn't leave! Sleep claimed me, but I got up about 3AM cold and needing to pee. They were still there. Curiouser and curiouser!

About 6 o'clock it was light enough to go down to check out the lake. It was dead calm – like a mirror, with the far shore reflected perfectly. A few rain clouds coming over the eastern hill. I started a handful of charcoal brickets in the (clay flower pot) to fix a little breakfast. About then the young couple from one one car and rearranged the interior of their sedan, then started a pot of coffee over a Primus stove. They were very friendly and invited me over for a cup of coffee. They were originally from Texas and had been on the road, living out of their car for nearly 2 years. Their story was that they lost their jobs and had nowhere to live but the car.

It was live in the car, on the streets, and be victimized by the police and thugs; or go on the road and live out of the car in forests and parks. They chose the road. At first they were going from town to town, looking for a steady job. No joy there!

So, they decided, “To hell with it! We're doing OK. Not 'getting ahead', but not getting behind either. Before, we thought we were getting 'ahead', and actually we were digging a hole of debt. We're young, and our lives are good. Let's keep doing what we are doing, and see what happens.”

So that's what they are doing. They go where the mood takes them and when they like an area, or run short on money, they stop and look for whatever work they can get, part time or rough, whatever. It doesn't have to pay a lot, they only have car; operation expenses, food, and personal expenses. Well, they pay a little in tax and Social Security. For medical, if they ever need it, they use ACA and pay the “tax”. So far they haven't needed it.

Their names are Ralph and Delia (I think), late 20's. They are reticent about giving last names and much history. They say most road people have a couple of “don'ts”. Don't get on the grid, and don't get on the governments computers. They deal in cash and barter.

While we talked the other 2 couples got up and started their breakfasts. One couple was middle aged and he had lost his business and they lost their home. They just went into shock, took their personal stuff, and ran. When they came back to reality they were about out of money, parked in a National Forest in the Northwest, and wondering, “What happened!?”

They met several people in the site who took them in and explained it all. “The System let you down.” (Or Betrayed you.) An older (yet) couple paid Oscar (the man) for helping repair their car. A couple of young men showed them how to re-rig their sedan for living and explained the minimum for camping. Then the group explain the basics about living on the road.

First – Cut your baggage (emotional and possessions) to a bare minimum. “Stuff” is a millstone and will drag you down.

Second – Don't worry about “history”. Other peoples' and your own. History is the past and can't be changed. Live today the best you can. Don't ask, and don't tell.

Third – Money is useful – but not an end in it's self. Keep a certain amount always in reserve, maybe $500. for emergencies, otherwise let it come and go like the tide. Work any job you can as long as it's honorable. Barter if you can. Do yard work for garden vegetables. Don't let you money leak away either. Small amounts drain you – and your resources.

Fourth – Don't get into any entanglements, monitory or emotional. They never turn out well, and may destroy you.

Fifth – Remember. You are guests on the Earth and in Society. You're not owed anything. Be responsible. Clean up your own messes. Keep the rules. Be friendly and courteous. Don't over stay your welcome.

Six – We are all a Clan and need to be mindful of each other, as much as we can. Don't cause trouble. Take care of each other, you may need someone someday. Share resources and information.

Seven – Keep your head down! Keep below the radar and your name off the grid. If you get noticed, somebody will try to corral you and tax you.

The other couple got out of their SUV and wandered over. They were in their 30's, male, and more close mouthed. One had worked in the computer business in California and his partner seems to have been a house wife. He lost his job and they had heard about people living on the road – so they just took off.

All these people have some expertise, their cars, computers, GPS, and cell phones. They're sort of “Techno-gypsies”. (My term) A growing movement. One which may be well worth documenting.

:To the body and mind which have been cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal and restores their tone. The tradesman, the attorney comes out of the din and craft of the street and sees the sky and the woods, and is a man again. In their eternal calm, he finds himself .” Emerson

Actually that was 3 months ago. I'm working on the book, “Haunted Historic Hudson”, my Journal, and have combined the projects Hunting for America and Techno-Gypsies: A Modern Diaspora in the planned road trip – now scheduled for the spring.

The 2 y/o we're raising needs to go to bed now.

Ciao for now.    M.