The Gypsy Rain

Looking for alternatives...

2010-08-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

ArToday, we took our RV to get the back window repaired and to the mechanic to get it looked over. The carburetor needed to be cleaned out because it had been sitting for so long. It's a 1976 Doge Chinook, but for it's age its been very well taken care of. The interior is really nice, it just needs a new paint job. Once it is out of the shop, I'll put up some pictures. We found it on Craigslist for an excellent price of only $730 dollars!!!! The guy really didn't care about the money, he just wanted it gone and out of his yard. So, his loss was truly my gain! Now that the summer is almost over it's a great time to go RVing here in Arizona! I plan to stay down in the Southwest until the spring, when I plan to go back up north to Oregon and Washington. Since, this is my first time ever RVing...I would like some suggestions from fellow RVers. I am trying to live as off of the grid as possible. I would like to eventually install solar panels on the RV. But what are some other ways to live green in your RV? While searching online I could only find information like using biodegradable toilet paper and limiting your water usage. If you would like to share ways you minimized costs as well, that would really help. I am thinking about taking the stove and refrigerator out of the RV. I'm not comfortable dealing with propane, and I don't want the extra costs. I'm thinking of putting an ice cooler in the fridge, but mainly not eating a lot of perishable items or buy small quantities of it. The stove takes up a lot of space and I could use that for extra storage space, so I want to take it out and turn it into cabinets. In replace of the stove I would like to use Portable Gas Stove for boiling water, Hibachi for grilling and a Camp Grill for when I'm at campsites or out in the wilderness, so I don't have to pay for charcoal.

I've also been looking into workamping, or camp hosting. Where you work at a campground site for staying at the park for free and pay. You usually work at National Forests, where I would want to be at anyways. You help clean up the park for a few hours a day, and you can stay for free instead of paying to stay there. I think it's a great deal and will make the money stretch farther. I actually would like to go up to Canada and do that. If there are any Americans that have workamped in Canada and would like to give me some more information on how to do it, that would be great! Peace. ~Rain

The List to Freedom

2010-08-24T02:17:00.000-07:00

I remember I use to daydream about the day I got my RV and how I would just pack up and go. Well...its not that simple. It requires a lot of planning, patience and money. You can't just leave and go to the wilderness or out on the road without the necessities, because it could cost you your life. Nature is unforgiving, kind of like the economy. Trying to stretch out our adventure on a tight budget is not easy, but it can be done. You don't need a brand new 2010 RV full stocked, with all the gear and space you could need with an extra $100,000 in your bank...but it definitely wouldn't hurt. Unfortunately, I'm one of the many Americans who got hit hard by the recession. The idea for RVing and living off of the grid has always been a dream of mind, but now its becoming a reality for many people not by choice. After watching many people lose their homes and jobs...me being one of them. With the recession, global economies failing, the war and all of this hyped of scare of 2012...I noticed the whole world was getting ready, not just me. It's better to be safe than sorry. I figure now this way I can prepare while having fun doing what I've always wanted to do anyways! Its a win/win situation. At least if some War of the Worlds, Book of Eli, Resident Evil, Mad Max situation arrives...then my house has wheels! My obsession with zombie invasion, post-apocalyptic movies also sparked the curiosity in survivalism, because I always talked about how I would "survive"!

Here are my lists that I am currently checking off and adding to, so I can be prepared for when I take off on the road:

Things to do
1.) Take the RV to the repair shop to clean out carborator
2.) Fix the busted window on the back of the RV

3.) Finishing making survival kits and survival bags
4.) Get rid of unnecessary junk in the house
5.) Donate unwanted goods and clothes
6.) Hold a garage sell and try to make some extra $$$!
7.) Find more ways to minimize monthly bills

Things to buy
1.) Small charcoal grill
2.) Generator for RV
3.) Hand crank emergency radio
4.) Maglites and mini flashlights
5.) Rechargeable batteries
6.) Compass
7.) Walkie Talkies
8.) Canned Food
9.) MRE's
10.) First Aid Kit
11.) Hiking Boots

This is just a small list of the things I need. My brain can't rack up anything else at this time. I'm also looking into different wilderness schools to attend, before I venture hardcore out into the wild. The Pacific Northwest is great for that and they have many schools. I truly miss Oregon and Washington, and I can't wait to go back! One that has caught my attention is in Monroe, Washington, not too far from Seattle, called Alderleaf College. They actually have an 10 month college level training for survival. You get a Certificate in Wilderness Education and Ecology, and they actually take FAFSA! I have researched tons of schools and this one definitely seems impressive.

I also would like to mention that this is my first time RVing, and I'm not trying to use it for just weekend trips. I eventually want to make this my permanent lifestyle and get away from modern society and more into nature. I've gone camping, hunting, hiking and fishing before, but nothing like this. If anyone has any books, movies, documentaries, websites, stories, blogs or any suggestions. Please comment and share them.

Now I Walk Into The Wild

2010-08-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

My mother always called me a "free-soul", and that I was born in the wrong decade and I should of been with the hippies in the 60's. I couldn't agree more. I've never understood the society we live in. The great conquer to own more materialistic possessions than you'll ever need. I've lived in every state along the west coast, and have travelled to many places. But somehow it was never enough to just go on a vacation for two weeks. The hardest part for me was always coming back home. Back to the same society I hated. The continuously flowing monthly bills just to have a place to live. Every day you work a job you hate. To pay your rent and bills. The open road has always been my desire. To break away from the grid and truly be free. The moment I knew I had to get away from it all, was when I saw the movie Into The Wild with my wife. If you have not read the book or watched the movie, then you need to! It changed my life. His story of self discovery and adventure. I wanted to feel the freedom he felt. It was our favorite movie, and getting an RV and escaping was the only thing we would talk about. Everyday for the past two years, we have been searching for a perfect RV for us and today we bought it.

We are going to take a cross country journey tracing Christopher McCandless footsteps and adding some of our own as well. Life is too precious to hold it in a snow globe, it has to break free. I need to journey out into the world and find myself. Who I really am. I will keep records of journey on here as well as photographs for all who is interested. I will also specifically note when we are in an place that McCandless visited as well. On Monday, we go to take the RV to the repair shop to go get it a good bill of "health". So, it will be ready for the road. We decided to be rubber tramps, or travellers with a vehicle, rather than a leather tramp (walker). Although I like the great outdoors, I don't like sleeping out in it. lol. The bugs always bite me. If anyone has any suggestions of great places to visit or if you've also taken Christopher McCandless journey and would like to share your story, then please leave a comment! This is also, our first time RVing! So any suggestions would be appreciated as well. ~Rain