Wander the earth or live in the wild?

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pezar
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 3:41 pm

Wander the earth or live in the wild?

Postby pezar » Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:36 pm

I was recently faced with a choice: do I become a wanderer, or do I go live in the wild, not necessarily off the land (I would have livestock and a garden) but in nature? Chris did both, but for most of us the choice comes down to one or the other.

I started thinking: about the costs of keeping up an old RV, and most of all about the cost of fuel. If diesel fuel went to $6 a gallon again, could I manage it? I read articles from the oil spike about full time RVers who could no longer afford the cost of fuel for their rigs. I thought about my skill set, and how it would work if I was a wanderer. I ultimately decided that this route required a big bank account, and if I ran out of money I would be unable to manage it.

Then I looked at staying in one place, and living in the wild. This would allow me to practice my trade and gain the trust of townsfolk. I would be less dependent on money and less vulnerable to the possibility that the economy might collapse and not recover. I would be able to provide much of my own food. I would have a community to live in, and be less vulnerable to being an "outsider". I thought about The Grapes of Wrath and how during the Depression California posted guards along the roads to turn back itinerant laborers. I finally decided to start looking into land in southern Oregon, where I would have plenty of water and a relatively mild climate. I am still doing this.

This was part of my thought process as I determined which fork in the road to take. I am by no means as extraordinary as Chris, so I had to make a decision. It seems that most people here dream of wandering, but I determined that the time and circumstances of the era we live in-one vastly different from the one Chris lived in-weighed against it. We all have a choice. None of us want to live in the cities and rely on a boring, dead end office job. We can either wander, or live in the wild. I made my choice.

marley
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:36 pm

Re: Wander the earth or live in the wild?

Postby marley » Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:42 pm

I have always had the "wonder-lust" in me. But, each time I would set out to explore the western US I would end up turning back after only a few days and returning to my life of conformity. Some day I would love to have the courage to do what Chris did and follow his dream. Reading his story has really had a profound effect on me. I think about it nearly every day.

stilltrekker
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2010 1:24 pm

Re: Wander the earth or live in the wild?

Postby stilltrekker » Sat Sep 18, 2010 1:49 pm

Marley, I think there are many ways to wander. Not everyone is as brave (or foolhardy, as some would say) as Chris, but we can all "pick our own adventures." Just examine your own heart, figure out what wandering means to you. It can be as simple as driving to some place out of town and getting out of the car for an afternoon stroll in a place you've never seen before. For some, an adventure means planning a vacation itinerary and booking hotels in advance. Even taking a city bus to an area you've never been to and walking down some side streets can be a journey. It's not about going somewhere there are no people or cars for miles around (although that's awesome too) but about getting out of our comfort zone and seeing the world with new eyes. Good luck with your travels!


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