Our plan was to head back to Vedauwoo today, and we told many people that we’d be there for an overnight trip. But even though we’re very excited to spend more time at Vedauwoo, there is another idea stewing in our heads, and this morning our conversation turned to it. Ann and I have been talking about pursuing the cyberhobo lifestyle by buying an RV and moving into it. The idea has been stirring us up, and we wanted to either validate it or lay it to rest permanently by looking at a few of these things. So we changed our plans at the last minute and went south instead of north, to the Windish RV dealer in Denver.
After seeing a whole bunch of trailers and fifth wheels, we still feel it’s a possibility. It’s not the All-American path to wealth and prosperity through home ownership, but that path just looks depressing to a cyberhobo. Travel, freedom, flexibility, (no need to mention the risk of abject poverty) sound much more like the trails we love to tread. So, stay tuned.
After lunch we headed up to Golden Cliffs for a little recovery climbing. Continuing to get back into some lead climbing, I lead Offline 5.8, Between the Lines 5.9-, and Deck Chairs on the Titanic 5.9+. They all felt like real, challenging climbing, especially Deck Chairs, a classic at this crag.
It felt like a long, full day, and we headed home tired. Our apologies to friends and family in Denver for sneaking through like that!
9 responses to “Contemplations, Switched Plans, and Golden Cliffs”
Did you find an RV that you like? It seems some are nicer than houses! If you decide this is the right thing, will you come back to Ridgecrest and park it out at Wagon Wheel?
We really liked the Airstreams, but they’re too small for me! I have to crouch in the shower, and feet stick out off the bed. There was a fifth wheel from Excel that wasn’t as cool looking, but really did seem as good as a house practically.
If we get one, we’ll probably wait a year or two before getting the truck to pull it. After that, anything goes! Wagon wheel, Death Valley, and J-Tree are definitely on the list.
With the price of fuel going out of sight, I expect you’ll be seeing some good deals on RVs. We were thinking of persuing the dream of mobility, but really like having a base camp. The price of fuel has made us reconsider our priorities.
We borrowed my brother’s RV for a month. We drove 3000 miles, only staying in one place for about a week. (We’d probably stay in one place longer if we were both retired.) Even so, we discovered that you can’t just park somewhere outback for a month — those tanks have to filled and emptied periodically — which usually involves moving your “home”.
True! It’s similar to the realization that a backpack full of outdoor gear doesn’t mean you can live outdoors, only visit! If we go this route we’re resigned to spending most of our time ‘hooked up’, treating the thing like a house. When it comes time to hook up somewhere else, or go backpacking for a month, or leave the country for a while, we’re hoping we’d see some of the benefits. One thing we like is that it’s cheap to store your RV and trapse off without it for a while. And now and then I’m sure we’d enjoy some exploring while filling and emptying the tanks.
how friggin’ funny.
i was thinkin’ over the last week “Wow, if i got rich, i’d get an RV, trick it out and travel to every single mtn biking and climbing destination in the U.S. .. cananananada and mexico as well.”
as fer the “dumping of tanks”… you just gotta be frugal about it. i mean, if yer in the sticks, you don’t need to shit and piss in there. just go use a tree. and don’t leave the faucet running. and if … well, i think you know yer way around the outdoors.
i wouldn’t want a home AND motorhome, at least not right now. but the thought of traveling in and thrashing (mtn bike / climb) is VERY appealing.
We’re going shopping again soon – we very well may do this! We’re definitely in the “one or the other but not both” category, and strongly leaning toward the RV…
with ya on the “one or the other”.
i think it’s funny how i never had this “ideal fantasy” regarding a motorhome before about 1-2 weeks ago.
then it popped in my head and it’s sticking. just seems to have a really good appeal. like, i’d rather be MY age than a RETIRED age driving that thing around. shit, when i am retired, i’d rather be in a hotel.
i just think it’d be rad to do a major trip in one. no tents, no camping stoves, no back of truck.
oh, and you can drink booze in them while someone else is driving. now that’s bonus.
WORD! Today we’re going to look at a used fifth wheel that really never got a chance to be used – the retired couple bought it to retire in and now are prevented by health problems. It screams, do it NOW, while you CAN!
no shit on the 5th wheel. i mean, it’s more of bitch to drive, but then you can unhitch and drive the truck. seems reasonable. *cough* but you can’t *cough* let the passenger drink in the cab of yer truck.
sounds like you found a “classic” deal. i see this one quite a bit. people who buy NEW motorhomese or 5th wheels are looking to toss money needlessly. these things change hands more than… than dollars. seriously. NO reason to buy a new one. just thoroughly check it out.
do some online research as to what to look for. the refrigderator is the #1 problem in any of these units. some run on A/C, D/C, propane (all 3 or any combo therein.. thereof… whatever). know what it does. after that, it’s basic plumbing.
you’ll want a CO detector as well. check for rat’s nests, stuff like that. thoroughly check it out. check that the connector for the driving lights (etc) actually works. ~fairly easily fixed by a pro, but you should know that yer blinkers, etc, work.
lastly.. i mean, if you could live in that bug box in Fuckrest, you could live in a 5th wheel no problem.
so FUKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!! NO DOWNSIZING OR BRAC-ING here… they’re adding 2,500 people to the base. housing prices? shit, i won’t even be able to afford a … a 5th wheel.