Life Off the Grid and Being a Hermit
95Life and Vegitation Thrive In Harsh Enviroments
Self Sustaining Life Style
A decade ago, I sold out of my California holdings and returned to my home land of Arizona. After a search I located a plot of desert land and purchased it. I then constructed a subterranean home. Even in the hot summers and relatively cool winters it remains tolerable with no heating or cooling required. I am still evolving the design here and there to improve my ability to remain off the grid, being reliant on power companies to live. Why?
I believe that we are at the crux of all things as we know them are about to fly apart.
Fools for leaders lade us. These fools have many followers that will be the ultimate demise of our very foundation. The foundation is now rotten, it has been chiseled piece at a time right from beneath us. For the most part, no one the wiser, most blindly stagger on day to day mindless of the precarious position that the very things they hold dear are on the verge of destruction. These very people consider me an extremist, or possibly a crazy old fool. Time will tell who is right.
My cure for this ominous destruction was to come out of the world. You cannot quit, unless you hold suicide as an option. I do not. There are other routes, but you must be willing to give up many things to arrive at that destination, as well as putting your faith in whom it belongs.
Examples are, no power lines, no postal service, Internet ordering is also a no go unless one maintains some type of address in the urban areas where they could receive mail and packages. I use a mailbox company in a near by town. At this time I still must manage finances some what by this method, but one can pretty well cover banking and some other needs by Internet access. My trips into town will now be quarterly for these purposes.
I have been blessed in my ability to do so. I must confess I have not come out entirely. Had I done so, you would not be reading this. A side note, if I were to loose this satellite link this hour, my life would continue.
I do not require the luxury of being laden with the bad news of what goes on in this sad country or it’s politics.
I feel quite certain if the unthinkable comes upon this country, they will not waste their efforts trying to destroy an area that remains largely unpopulated.
I have met the final goal, water. The well has ended 12 years of hauling it out in a truck that required fuel expenditures and having to go to town to get it. If I loose solar power and run out of ways to procure diesel fuel for the back up generator, I am quite capable of manually pumping water and making fire. I posses the knowledge of making tallow for candle lighting, along with many old school methods of living, taking from nature things that will further my existence. Amazing, as it may seem, evolution did not “evolve” these things by mere happenstance, they were created by wisdom so great that none of us can understand it, but in success, we must be willing to trust that wisdom.
It may seem to some a very limited existence, I assure you when you learn to sit in an old rocker in the shade of a Mesquite tree and watch and listen, the great provider has created much to admire. Through reflection and solitude, I find, for me this was and is the perfect solution to many things that I was displeased with. Those things and the newer things that have risen up, for the most part, just no longer matter.
Perhaps at a later date I will expound upon my daily life activities and the things I so enjoy about my current station in life, and what really exists in the deserts for one to experience.
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Thanks for stopping by. I am no writer by any means, perhaps with some practice I can relay the beauty of life here and entice you and others further.
Thanks for the kind comments.
Noah made an Ark, You built a cave. I guess he built his boat through divine guidance, and you, you may have formed your 200 acre enclosure for pretty much the same reasons, although life's experiences did the "Divine guidances" bit.
- 'Nam, a crap marriage, disillusionment with usury, just a need for space to breathe, a desire to show that if the worst happens we can survive, whatever. You've done it, and shown that reclusiveness is not necessary synonymous with isolationism. (Well, you're socialising easily here aren't you?)
I envy your life style, and admire your drive to actually getting it, as most of us only dream of doing, and make poor excuses to each other for not trying to.
Well done on you're first Hub, it's obvious you only say something when you think it worth saying. please write more.
Cheers mate,
TOF.
I realized there was a time and a way, I just went for it, so far absolutely no regrets.
Thanks for stopping by and your encouraging remarks.
Fair winds and following seas, Sir!
Thanks for the comments on my baccy' hub 50 Caliber, you should try growing the stuff, it's hardy as... and can't be mistaken for anything more sinister. - It looks like dock on steroids.
Cheers.
Good luck with the baccy. I look forward to hearing how you go. It won't take many plants to give you a supplementary supply.
Cheers.
I am very interested in this idea of "living off the grid." Are you alone out there? Thank you for this illuminating Hub. I enjoyed reading your story and must admit it sounds attractive.
James my friend,
I reckon it depends on ones definition of alone. I have 3 Rottweilers and a couple wild burros that stop by for some sweet feed now and again. I've had a Ham radio set up since the 2nd year and now the satellite.
Couple tunes to listen to are Rocky Mountain High and It's a Great Day to be Alive by John Denver and Travis Tritt, respectively and though I wasn't born until my 42nd year I intend on being found dead out here.
It is possible to be right wear you belong. I asked God and he delivered me.
Thanks for stopping in and your kind comments.
That is an impressive beard you've grown there.
Never be identified off the postal wall with it :-).
50 Caliber, you have it right.
I salute you brother.
When they come for you (eventually) all they will find are your clothes in a random pile and your bible on the table next to your rocker!
Stay Blessed.
Take a look at this guys hub, he's identified the problem, but has no idea of the answer!
http://hubpages.com/hub/SERVANTS-OF-DEATH#comment-
Stay Blessed
Going off grid strongly appeals, but I'd find the solitude hard to bear. Good luck to you though. It's an appealing and intriguing tale you've posted here.
aguasilver, You may very well be right, as I sit in my Dad's old rocker a good part of the day, with 4 translations of the Bible at my side.
As for the link you sent, I found it quite sad that one could find no relief from their condition in life when it is there but for the asking. Narrow is the gate....
Have a Blessed day.
YOU ARE BLESSED!!!!!! GREAT HUB!
Amanda Severn,
I find solitude often under rated. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
drpastorcarlotta,
Thank you for the kind comment, I look forward to reading your work. Thanks for stopping by.
It is sad, but I sent him a link to your hub also, you know sometimes the Lord works in mysterious ways!
Often in mysterious ways. Many are either impatient for answers or just not listening. There are somethings a man can do for himself, with the Lords blessing but somehow many have come to expect him to slide a pizza under their door every day for sustainment.
Sadly, many only want the pizza in the first place!
I would enjoy living this way, I really would, but I would miss my kids ..
50 Caliber, whether you realize it or not, you could share pieces of your life through hub articles here and each one of them be a valuable history lesson to all of us. The only difference between your articles and the history books would be that you write them from first hand experience and you have a way of writing that reflects it. For a moment there, I found myself sitting on your front steps watching the burros and hoping the rotties didn't eat me up! :)
Please keep writing.
The Rott's are all female and gentle as lambs. They do bark loud and deep, they have a bad rap, it's all in their raising.
The burros are skittish and I have to move slow, dump some feed and sit down. then they come in and eat and drink. They bray on arrival, they want that feed. It's a trip to the candy store for them.
Thanks for stopping by and the kind comments. Maybe more in the future, I have one in the wings but am not happy with it yet.
I assume your underground home is built into the side of a hill.I can't imagine it is just dug into a flat area ,but I suppose it's possible if the entry is small enough and rainwater is not a problem.
someonewhoknows,
that would be yes and no. The concrete work was done by a bridge crew that specialized in the concrete box
bridges you see under highways. It's a concrete box with an igloo type entrance sticking from the side of a hill. it's 10 ft long and has doors at both ends and is covered in soil also.
As for rain water it has been built with drainage media around it and is not a problem even in the heavy rain seasons.
There is great power in stillness, looking and listening to the world about you. I look forward to seeing what you see from that rocker in the desert. Here in the north, it's turning cold, turning wet and daily I stil find something that amazes or intrigues me ... when I slow down to look and listen.
Dear Yard of nature,
I don't believe these old bones could take the wet,cold. You, Sir are a wise man, to slow down and listen is a great action that many never master.
Thank you for your kind comments.
Now this is the way to live, I just don't think I could do it by myself. My family and some real close friends have discussed this so many times and we get all enthused about it, but then our reality sets in. We are though in the process of looking for at least 50 acres to buy that will serve our needs. Hopefully, we can do this before we get to old. I admire you sir and hope that you enjoy it. Your blood pressure must be like a baby's. Look forward to reading some tidbits here and there to keep me motivated.. :0)
ehern33
I'm sorry this is 3 days old, I didn't get a note you were here or I just didn't see it.
I hope that you and your family and close friends take the step if you really want to. You get but 1 chance. If you choose the location that is right, I doubt you'd ever regret it. I remember days in the beginning as things went wrong and had to be redone or altered I would have to sleep on the discouragement and the next day I'd be back at it.
In the start it was a little too quiet sometimes, but I learned to listen and there is much to be heard and appreciated, God is the best craftsman that ever was.
It's only been around a year and a half that I got this computer and it's like having people setting around the kitchen table talking.
Thanks for stopping by.
Great way to live, independent and telling the gov to go Jump.
We sort of lived a bit like that years ago which you have just given me an idea for another hub. thanks for sharing that.
I'll look for your hub.
Thanks for visiting and letting me know you were here.
50 Caliber, Wow! It takes so much courage to do what you're doing. Thank you for sharing your way of living and your ideas with us. It's so cool that you can still use the Internet. Keep writing!
Thank you for the kind vote of support, and letting me know you were here.
I plan on living a lifestyle like this, I am not religious and am quite young but I already see that society is not the place I want to live. I see people everyday who think that hurting others is fun. I see people who expect everything from their friends and family. I see people who have never even seen a forest, or the sun rising over an open field. And even those who have generally don't appreciate it for the great "gift" that it is.
I want to prepare for a lifestyle like yours, however, I live in Australia where it gets very hot (40 degrees celcius and it's spring). I am not sure how easy it would be to do this.
I may move to New Zealand in order to do this, I think New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places on this earth and would love to live there.
The main question I have is how do you do this, setting up food supplies, water supplies, shelter etc. And the most difficult question. How do you get your family to accept this choice?
I would like to know the answers if you have the time to answer, which if quite likely, living as you do.
You, sir, have great sense. I have been studying up on getting off the grid and learning skills to be able to do what you are doing. Lest others think they need scads of money and 200 acres, and will be lonely, you don't have to have much land or money to get off the grid and learn to live a self-sustaining life. Our ancestors did it. And we need to learn how to do it, too. If we don't, we will not survive what is surely coming soon.
The trouble is our way of thinking. We don't NEED American Idol and McDonalds, credit cards and SUV's. We need to get back to the land and learn some good survival and pioneering skills. Stop relying on the government and utility companies. If they fail, you are done. Better have a way to survive on your own.
We need to get to work, because it's coming. Need cheap land? We have plenty of it down South here. Look at Kentucky land here: http://landandfarm.com (Western Ky is cheapest...) We have land here as cheap as $800-1200 an acre. Learn to drive a well, learn about wind turbines, decide which kind of energy-efficient home you would like, and learn how to grow & preserve your own food. You don't need 200 acres, you can do in with ONE acre, if you are really serious about getting out of the system.
Dear MagicStarER,
you are correct on many levels. One doesn't need an extravagant amount of land to pull this off. I didn't purchase this for this purpose, I purchased it for monetary gain during a growth spurt in this area at a time it was rated one of the highest of the nation. I was content living in Southern California, making good money and was sole owner of 2 businesses and co-owner of one. I also had multiple properties such as town homes and duplexes. I had gone overboard on toys like boats and motor homes,Harley's and the list goes on. I just had too much witch translated in a very stressful and expensive life style. I was suffering from an ulcerated stomach and taking medicines to control those problems as well as high blood pressure. The heart attack and a final near brush with death, made me stop, take pause and realize that the man with the most toys still dies.
Much thought and soul searching combined with prayer and the book of Ecclesiastes brought to my attention that major percentage of the things we do in life is well described as, "grasping at the wind" and in the end, you will not take material belongings with you. I realize that this land and all I have in my inventory is as I am, temporary. It is a gift from God.
Another good point you made was learning how to create things with your hands, a survivalist type of existence.
I have found great reward in these things, as well as enjoyment.
I have considered selling portions to other individuals that would enjoy this life style, and creating a "Village" of like minded individuals who could live in harmony and trade skills and goods for a living. By doing this I would have to sacrifice my solitude, by how much I'm not sure what the outcome would be. As I roam the acreage I really enjoy the solitude. This would be my soul reason on why not to do it.
In as far as your statement of 1 acre being plenty I agree, but part of my reason for more is the solitude that it provides. I'm sure many would rather have the close vicinity of neighbors, to enjoy the company of others as well as being able to assist each other in work to be done.
It would be great, like a Mennonite self sufficient community. I get mail in regard to this.
I spend some of my time reading and learning the historically plentiful arts of survival from making fire to catching and preparing wild game for consumption as well as learning medical skills for accidents that would require immediate attention.
For the basic getting started, you are correct, the mind set is what one needs over cubic dollars. As for location it really depends on the individuals making the move to self sufficiency. My choice was Arizona, I was raised there and after an adventuresome child hood of learning the land and what it offers in the way of sustenance, water and firewood and the likes.
Thanks for your insightful comment and stopping in. It has given to me thought for another hub that would encompass the reality that this is a move that is involved on many levels and is not always simple, and sometimes very hard in the beginning.
Avarise,
thanks for stopping in and letting me know you were here. Give me time to think over your question as it probably will make a hub to answer, and due to the amount of private questions this has generated it has been on my mind to do.
It will not be all glamor and family gets upset and thinks you've gone off your rocker. It can be delt with. Listening to God will carry you through hard times. Religion is a man based thing in my opinion, but following Jesus Christ through the Biblical teachings for me was essential.
Thanks for answering my comment, 50 C. Yes, I agree that deciding to live a simpler life comes from spiritual conviction, and comes from Jesus. Society nowadays, with all its problems, is evil and makes people sick to be around it.
Instead of having a trade, or a talent or craft that we can be proud of, corporations have turned us all into robot/slaves who punch time clocks and have no other life except for to work, sleep, and consume. We have been robbed of our dignity and our pride. I reject it. Who TOLD them they could do this? And who assumed we have to accept it as our due?
We must learn to trust our own inner voice (which is nothing more than God speaking!) and find the strength to trust and live our convictions. Who says we must be like everyone else? We don't NEED all the trappings and toys that this greed-oriented society has brainwashed us into thinking we need. Our ancestors lived very simply, off the land. They made or grew what they needed, and bartered for what they needed extra. Their food was clean and organic, they drank clean water, their crops were uncontaminated with pesticides and GMO's, they took pride in their work, and taught their children the value of hard work. They enjoyed the product of the work of their own hands. What greater satisfaction can there be? What satisfaction can there be in punching a time clock, and receiving a pittance that is not even sufficient to pay your bills, and ruining your health into the bargain?
Yes, it can be done. It surely can. Get you a little bit of land out in the boonies somewhere, drive you a well, build you an energy-efficient dwelling, and learn to use solar/wind energy. Learn the skills you need if you don't know them. It is not as hard as people want you to think it is.
When I was a kid, we had relatives who did not have indoor toilets or running water. They did not have all the fancy things people have nowadays. But they were healthy and happy. My great grandparents plowed their fields with mules, built their own barn and house, dug their own well. They did not have electricity. Everything they owned, they made it or grew it themselves.
People are scared to do it, because they simply don't know how! Yeah, it's hard work, all right, but the benefits are well worth it.
I'm getting ready to put up my "Getting off the Grid" articles soon. You'll see it's not as impossible as people think it is - just a question of making up your mind...
I'm proud to know you, 50 Caliber - you are a man after my own heart. I would be leery of allowing other humans into my peaceful territory, too - humans tend to cause chaos wherever they go. It would be nice if you could get people to work together and co-exist peacefully, but there would always be somebody that would start some ruckus or other.
My sister has been talking about letting the government use some of her land for a wind farm, I guess they put wind turbines on your land and pay you for it. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not, but maybe it is... Could use the proceeds to develop the land for agriculture and an area set apart where like-minded people could work growing food or something? They say the economy will get much worse and there will be food shortages soon. Something to think about, maybe you can help feed some hungry people. Who knows? I'm just happy you are doing what you are doing.
And I'm right behind you. This is my goal, too. I want about 5-10 acres out in the boonies here in Ky somewhere - there's plenty of that type of land here. Wouldn't take too awful much to get going. I would have my own well, (you can get water at about 55 ft here), solar and wind power backed up with a generator, and maybe a dome home or even a cheap mobile home. Then get to work on the food growing. I wouldn't be completely isolated from society, but off the grid - and have the peace and quiet to live the way I want to live. I have to keep it sort of simple so I can be able to manage it myself, my health is not too good.
You are right, solitude is under-rated. I LIKE being by myself! I like my own company, and I can think of PLENTY of interesting things to do to keep myself busy! :)
Blessings and love to you! Maybe one day I betcha you'll get those donkeys to let you pet on 'em a little bit! :) I think animals are better company than people, anyway, don't you?
(My family thinks I'm crazy, too, but I couldn't care less...)
Dear MagicStarER ,
making the decision then praying about it is the first steps to find that it is the right thing to do.
You will know as you progress, things will just fall into your possession as you need them. People will tell you they love you like a brother, and you will never hear from them again. Many things will change.
Yes, that is so right. If something is meant to be, things will all just seem to work together and it will just happen. But first, like you say, you must have the ability to slow down & listen and observe. It's all in the mind-set. If you gradually adopt behaviors & practice the needed skills, it will be even easier. And of course, lots of prayer and contemplation!
Personally, I have been hoping to find an old hand pump...
Blessings to you, hope you have a very beautiful day today!
Thank you for the kindness. Look at Noah! Imagine the jokes and nay sayers that must have harassed him while he built the Ark. Sadly most of who will do the same to one coming out of the world will be family. I do believe that my late father would have fully supported it. No matter what your animals will love you and if there is need of conversation, one can talk to God. Being able to have this computer, and a ham radio will fill needs of conversation. I'm still debating this computer, it's a time thief!
I will look for your hubs.
Stay Blessed
magicStarER---Have you heard that there was a bill in congress that would give the unitedstates government total control over all water sources.This is legislaton former President Clinton tried to pass.It takes control away from the states over their own water supplies.I haven't heard anything recently concerning the bill,but,then those pushing the bill claim the only reason they want this bill passed is to cleanup our waterways.The problem is this bill could be misused or abused to take over control of the countries water.
50caliber---It,seems time is atill something you try to keep track of out there.
I am unaware of such a bill. What congress? The 111th? I would be interested in seeing the bill and how it might effect me.
Thanks for bringing it up.
Well 50 Caliber you are living my dream, off the grid and all. I've been wanting to do something like this here in Ontario for years. God bless. Mike
Make Money,
it definitely has it's ups and downs, but I have no regrets. Being off grid is a plus most days but since I got this internet I see the world changing and realized I was in a time warp. I new about the internet but stayed out of touch. My little brother is the reason I have it, he needed a leash to contact me daily. I dropped off and didn't turn it on for the 4 day Thanks Giving and the dogs and I went on a 4 wheeling trip in the jeep and never saw another person, we enjoyed it. I guess a feller has to like isolation a bit and independence a lot.
All I can tell you is, just do it, there is no time better than now.
God Bless you in your endeavors.
Hello. I live in Alaska and am determined to do what you are doing as soon as I can. My grown children are already a little worried because I don't require a social life, so they try to understand me as much as they can. I don't know how to explain to them that I am not depressed, nor am I crazy, but that I do enjoy my own company and I do remember what it is like to live simply and that is what I am aiming for again. Thank you for your hub page. Best of luck and best wishes.
I have to agree,social lives are highly over rated. With an internet connection one can have a pretty rounded social life. Since I've had this connection I stay in contact with quite a few people and for the most part I get to choose who, how and when. I like "simple" at one time I thought it was gone, but life is what you make it and good luck I hope you find what you're seeking.
You will definitely be a survivor should the worst happen
Ms Ethel,
thanks for reading and letting me know. I am in a god place to survive and can as many pets as I please, but in the end old age will get me!
I really enjoyed reading this. It makes me want to see more pictures! Any chance of posting more? By the way, do you ever get any visitors there? (other than scorpions, mountain lions, rattlesnakes & coyotes).
donotfear,
to answer your question on visitors yes and no. As a rule no, but as all rules made many including this one is broken from time to time. I have had less than 10 people into the compound by invitation and around 20 uninvited inside the wire. The visitors were my little bro' and his wife and they refer to me as the "crazy old coot" is what I've been told since their 1 day visit,(I think his wife was freaked out by how and where I live) the solar guru comes out once in a while and brings his son and we shoot a bit and the kid is amazed it seems by most everything, he is the heir to this estate (he doesn't know it) and the rest have been some I met in Apache Junction and they were one timers.
As for pictures I am planning on a digital camera in the future and would like to do photos and maybe a video. I have a few pictures and a scanner is in my next trip to town so I'll probably do some scans and another hub.
Everyone has their own minds eye view and I get this feeling that a lot have envisioned a cozy little bachelors pad, and it is, just not their idea of cozy. It is a solid concrete bunker with an igloo type entrance with double doors a set at each end, for hot days as well as cold it limits the heat/cold exchange. The wall are all covered in a layer of insulation with scavenged ribbed metal like you might find on a roof, with fasteners shot into the walls to hold it. It's actually quite crude and the furnishings are early '80s Salvation Army or cobbled together stuff I have built in the shop area, from lumber or metal, there are 3 main areas and I've divided them off with sliding barn style doors of 2X4 covered in tin. I have my living area and then a shop area and a dog kennel area for strays. I keep them separated until I know they are house broken and disease free. As for scorpions, mountain lions, rattlesnakes & coyotes, the cats are scarce these days, I suspect fast learners from buck shot I pasted them with around the chicken house, but the coyotes are an ever present form of entertainment as they are persistent buggers and are bent on chicken for dinner, the only ones who succeed are the ones that come in the day time and the chickens are not secured as for the night time coyotes I have ears around the coop and I sneak out and we have our fun, they play escape and evade and I play shoot to kill. Scorpions and rattlers are not much a problem, the scorpions have given way to pesticide and the rattlers for the most part want no more of a human than a human wants of them. I personally just move them to the fence and throw them back into the surroundings. Particularly large ones I throw in a sack and freeze them, they fetch a good price from the makers of tourist novelties and the meat is quite tasty. Thanks for stopping in, and letting me know you were hear. I'm slow to write hubs and the next about this place will be after one I promised to ethelsmith on my animal rescue of dumped dogs.
hi 50 caliber, liked your hub...got a lot of old mates outback who think like you...some have passed on...but they're still around --- in the rocks and the trees...myself i live alone out in the bush, have two baby kangaroos, eight dogs, 2 goats, three old nags and a lot of stray cats...seems every time I go to town I come back with heaps of animal food and the odd abandoned animal. My kangaroos well the shooters bring them in as little joeys and once grown i let them go on my property. would love to drop off the grid,but need to mixwiththe masses to feed us all. enjoy your life...its what you make it and i'd say you did. cheers
bonny2010,
never a shortage of animals that are thrown out like every day trash good to hear your helping the cause.
I would settle for the out back in a second to leave the states...cheers
Very inspiring. Your article with description indeed shines with light and knowledge obtained in solitude and being strong enough to give up daily usual desires. You have adopted a life style of what we in India call "Van prastha ashram"(sanskrit term, I do not know exact equivalent English term ), a life which average house-holder (sanskrit term Grahstha - a married family oreinted guy, though you are any way practically bachelor from childhood) should follow in the age 50-74 leading sanyasa ashram -75 onwards.
Wish you all the good luck. I wish to be in regular touch with you. May be some day when I am in USA, I will like to visit you and learn from you.
soumyasrajan,
glad you enjoyed it. I don't feel I gave up any thing, I gained much, peace and quiet and freedoms to do or not do. I left a position in life that was giving me much in terms of money, but was taking all my time, often 12 to 16 hours a day for 6 days a week. Now I'm free to work here on projects 30 minutes or 8 hours it's my choice. God has been kind to me. Read the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible and you can get a look at what I came to realize and why I chose this life style. Thanks for reading.
Thanks 50 Caliber. Surely I will read it. I think you were already a hermit even in normal style of life- a bit detached, perhaps quite a bit. So you do not feel you gave up much. That is indeed a great achievement. Perhaps you do not need solitude any way. You can leave in solitude even in loudest noise. Talking about books two books on similar theme I like very much are by Herman Hasse, Demian and Siddhartha.
soumyasrajan,
thanks again and I will check those books you mention on my next trip to town and see if they have them at the library to borrow them. You are right I was and am seclusive by nature, I know why but it would take a lot of typing to tell you here, so feel free to email me through the hub pages and we can do it there.
Go Well
Great job. I think I've told you that I want to be just like you when I grow up. Well, you know- except for that beard and all. Mine isn't as long as yours. I might need fertilizer.
Mickey,
this beard is 16 years old and want it's drivers license. Shaving and getting hair cuts is highly over rated.
I had a saying back when on the fertilizer thing but I swore off it. Be Well Bro' Semper Fi!
Wow, you may be a crazy old fool but crazy in the best way possible. Living in nature, off the grid is a dream that most of us don't have the guts to attempt.I'd love to see a hub about your home and how you built it.
Dolores Monet, being a crazy old fool is a lot of fun! The drudgery of every day life is gone, in the sense of work,eat, sleep and repeat, day after day, year after year. There are things one must give up to live like this, unless your filthy rich in dollars and cents I suppose. None the less I'm happy right here, I've picked a Mesquite tree and dug my own grave in it's shade and if my wishes are met from the papers I've written, right here is where I'll stay. If not I'll never know.
My house was built by a bridge crew that builds the concrete box bridges you see under highways. We dug a big hole and they poured it using their bridge forms and created a 24 foot by 65 foot concrete box and covered it up. It has a 15 foot igloo type entrance. It was one big empty room in the beginning, after that I took over with here a wall there a wall and it's pretty well done, but it can be changed easily by knocking down a wall or all of them because none are support walls, they are just barriers to create rooms. One day I'll get a digital camera.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting.
I do not require the luxury of being laden with the bad news of what goes on in this sad country or it’s politics.
In envy yu on this one Dusty. They sure can blow things out of proportion but when patience and time get an opportunity to stand back and see from afar - things are always much clearer. All my best in your endeavor - what a more polished world it would be if everyone just cut back half as much they use and consume right now. Peace.
Allen, it was a big change in life for me but one that was much needed. I had a high paying talent as a A&P licensed mechanic as well as pilot for helicopters. My first run I amassed a small fortune and lost it all to the devil and his drugs. The second run I bought and paid for this property and was also able to set myself a trust fund to pay me monthly a pittance but it is enough since my outlays are really just property tax and auto insurance and food for me and my dogs and a few dumped dogs until I get them healthy and take them to a weekend flea market in town and give them away. I am able to while the hours away tending to jobs about this place like I'm a chicken herder and volunteer search and rescue for folks who get their selves lost in the desert. I've grown to really like it here and I suppose I would be torn up if I ever had to go back to town. My plan is to die here in peace, but I fear as I get older the government will interfere. They have a bad habit of that. Someone will report I'm to old to live this far out and alone then they get in my business. I pray not!
I'll keep praying you be allowed to keep the dignity you desire for your own life Dusty, and the government stays out of your yard. There are always people out there who seem to think they know what is best for everyone else - and they want to enforce that belief. It's fine if that is what they want to believe, I just wish they'd stop making everything a legal affair - but I guess they wouldn't have a job if they didn't. Peace.
Allen, that is the sad part of big brother. So I keep a low profile locally.
Hi! 50 Caliber
I thought I should tell you that I wrote a short hub about you. http://hubpages.com/hub/Newsviews-Feb-2010-3
soumyasrajan, thank you for reading and writing I have done a read and left comment and will be following your links to a reference to this style.
gutsy move, to go and sell all, and move to a remote area and live off the grid..I hope to be able to do that in the near future...it takes lots of money for solar panels, but I am working to that goal...you are my hero, and I will be out to visit your hub often, not only for inspiration but for information...thank you, we are kindred spirits...hugs to you
I would hate to think I had to pay what panels like mine cost on todays market. I have solar farm grade from the early '90s and 30 K was steep for 3 but now the same would be 150k they are large and I keep 2 off line most days and covered as the power out put deteriorates over time and I haven't the budget for one to power a light bulb at todays prices, so they are insured and I take good care of them.
Thanks for reading and letting me know.
50 Caliber I have read your hub, and most every one of your responders comments as well as yours. My husband and I totally agree with your assesment of the governmental situation, and it doesn't even have to be in the USA to find this volitile state of affairs. We are in danger of self-imploding. Therefore we have deliberately set about living a simpler more responsible lifestyle, and feel we have not suffered for it. It does not take a hero to use integrity with our water, power and food supplies, just an honorable person. I commend you.
I have also been sitting at the feet of our Father and learning to live quiet in my heart and mind. To find the solitude I need in Him. A place like yours is always our dream and possibly one day it will happen. We wait upon the Lord. But til then, I seek to be content and find my solace and solitude in His gracious being. It is always amazing to me that when we actually attempt to be quiet how noisy we find ourselves to be on the inside. So I seek the quiet of my Lord, and seek to turn off as much "noise" as possible on the outside of me. I am as careful what I now what I put into my ears as I am into mouth and before my eyes.
Bless you sir, may God continue to consecrate you to Himself.
Ulrike Grace
Ulrike Grace, finding quietness in ones own head is a chore. It doesn't matter where you are. If you come to the wilderness without peace you'll find that your all alone with much noise in your head. It is Gods gift for us to reach acceptance for yesterday then let it go with the wind. Otherwise it will take all your quiet time and bang a drum in your head. A lesson for all. Thanks for reading.
Just visited you again. Enjoyed going through comments by others and you. Ulrike Grace's comment and your reply is very interesting. You say it quiet correctly. I think quietness one can not find it easily if one tries just for a few moments in a day. One has to follow it for 24 hours, all the time. One has to become more like just an observer, just an alibi (Sanskrit/Hindi word for this expression is "Sakshi"). One has to accept what ever happens with enjoyment. If one gets that capacity then of course it does not matter, what you are doing and where you are. Spiritually or mentally you will be always calm.
I am neither a very strong follower of any religious rituals, nor I am as bold as you are. But I try myself a little to get into this state, doing my daily routines.
I am a Hindu so visiting temples does give me a pleasant feeling. You can feel that type of calmness, enjoyment as well as light of knowledge. But I have felt quite similar pleasures when I visit a near by ancient christian church or some majar. Some times one feels it in your own home or with some person.
But I admire a lot your bold attempt. You seem to be trying to do it both spiritually and physically.
soumyasrajan, I really appreciate your comment as it rings true. I've never been close to a Hindu Temple, so I can only imagine it to be a place so quiet a pin could be heard hitting the floor. I really like quiet places where the temperature is perfect and one can lie down and just stare at the ceiling and let your mind go, forcing no thought just let them come and go, one can reach true inner peace. There are some old abandoned mine tunnels out in the desert. I have found a couple that are properly shored up with timbers and still have the old railways and ore carts in them. One particular one you can go down a shaft on the steps built to the right of where the shaft crane lifted ore buckets up to the surface. The old steam engine is still in place it just has no cable on it and the large bucket is at the bottom of a 300 foot shaft. I used a laser range finder to estimate the depth. In the bottom tunnel there is a flat car on the tracks and I like to go down there and just lay down on the flat car. When you roll the car down the tunnel away from the shaft and turn your head lamp off you really get to see true darkness and experience pure silence. I go down and do this every now and again and I have learned to just "BE" and it is pure pleasure that I can think of no better place to go and search for it. It is a true blessing in my life to have this option.
.50 calibre
Great hub!
Great way to live!
Was watching a BBC programme with Stephen Fry which showed him visiting a guy who had bought an old de-commissioned missile silo out in the desert. He had converted it into a self-sufficient, fully equipped, secluded but very spacious troglidyte living compound.I was very impressed.
I like your way of living .50 calibre, if I had the money I would do the same with my family & our dog. We live in a concrete box in the most surveiled city in Europe. We are surrounded by people who place their trust in the latest electronic gadgets, chemicals, cars or ersatz entertainment to make them feel more comfortable with themselves.
We dont even know who is living literally a few inches away on the other side of the brickwork from us! Theres something badly wrong in what passes for modern living.
Good luck in your living, .50 calibre - I admire your project!
Adh mor a chara!
iskra1916, I wish I had bought one of the missile silos here, they dotted the land all along the highways during the cold war. I have seen one converted and they are spacious and one could do much with one. I like this one fine it is far from any maintained road unlike the silos for the most part they were close to highways. I have seclusion and I think that is the part I like most. Thanks for stopping.
Dusty I wish I had the nerve and the courage to simply walk away from it all at times, to live as you live, free from humanity, except to buy what you need and go online on the computer, if you so desire to do so, or just say to hell with them all. I don't have that kind of courage,I'm afraid, because I need to feel needed. For the life of me I don't know why?
Enjoy it my friend, and more power to you for choosing this life.
Bro Dave.
'Bro Dave this place is rudimentary but all one needs. I love seeing the stars sans light pollution and the sound of the wild when you just stop sit and listen. I act like a 16 year old and go jeeping in the sand and playing with the Rotty's it's a gas. Playing and shooting and breaking stuff and laughing. It's all paid for except yearly property tax and normal maintenance of home and vehicles, food and ammo.
After your first year it all blends into a child like state with no worries. I found to become childlike I had to give everything up and say this is enough and be willing to do the work to keep food killed and prepped to eat. I haven't had pizzas from heaven raining down but there are plenty of critters to munch on. I have a well now and can water a tater patch and hot peppers, corn and beans and peas. So between Elk, Deer, Rabbits, snakes and fish I don't spend a dollar on meat. It is all I ever wanted, peace and happiness. I grew up poor and simple and I wanted simple back and God let me work it out.
Dude- it's a long way to the bottom here. I had to come back and read a bit. I forget. This should have been the last year of payments on the Bicycle Inn I used to have. The Ex has it now. I admire your self-sufficiency. Of course I have my own in a way. When is the target shoot you're supposed to compete in? Your hands don't need to be as still as tattooing. Good luck.
Mick 'Bro, I have to read what I wrote some times I forget. Yeah this took a lot of hits and people commented! Surprised and grateful I never wrote more than letters from deployment so I figured it would be a belly flop. A rifle from the prone hide is rock steady. If I could get a tat lined before wiping out the stencil the rest would be gravy. If I can make it the shoot is in August, I think, have to look at the schedule, dust
Hi! 50 Caliber
I saw yr comments on other hubs but some how did not visit your hub for some time.
You are indeed bold to go all by your self in the mine. Perhaps that is American style adventurism.
For me your home and surrounding is as much of a Hindu temple or ashram ( a place where you go to learn to practice being calm and spiritual) as any temple.
I once went in a deep mine where copper and gold used to be mined, in a tourist place in Utah. Your description reminded me of that. These mines are no longer used and have been made into tourist spots. They still run those small trains there inside the mine for tourists.
The guide was telling us that before trains, they used horses taken down in elevator in the mine for transporting goods. They found out later that those horses being kept in dark for long used to become blind when they were moved back up.
I was just wondering how much your energy generation equipments, solar panels, what ever else you needed costs.
I just thought will it be cheap enough for villages in India. Millions in many of these villages do not have electricity. Perhaps with some banking/financing they may be able to afford. The homes of poor people are very small in India, so they may need much less electricity than you may be using. Specially because one does not need heating or air conditioning in most of India. Ceiling fans or air coolers are enough if temperature remains between 55- 85F. Time being any way all they need is basic light at night etc. Actually I think many parts of India even in towns electricity goes off for hours as it is distributed by govt. and as usual govt. Machinery does not work. While sun shines in most parts of India for almost 9 months. So even in towns such possibilities of using them to give relief to people are there quite a bit.
soumyasrajan, there is much history from the 1800's in many of these holes, men carving names and dates as well as old equipment left behind, from lanterns to tracks and ore cars, Steam engines above for lifting the ore bins to the surface.
Many with signs at a blocked entrance stating it is unsafe and illegal to enter, from the mining inspectors. I just pass them by and use common sense while inside. I find many I happily back out of and others well braced. Way down in the bottom the tracks and steel wheels shine like they were in constant use yesterday due to the dry air. Full of history. My cost on these panels was 35,000 for 2 in inoperable condition. After repairs and battery banks and inverters probably 55,000. 15 years ago. Today probably 250,000 is my guess. I use a lot of 12 volt lights from wrecked ambulances as well as the inverters from them. A long list of details.
Thanks for the interest, there's much to tell, perhaps I'll get to it one day soon, the weathers to nice to be in here now. It will turn to be a hundred degrees soon enough and I'll be back in here for longer times.
50cal. You are my idol. You have done it! Living off the grid. my husband and I are planning to retire to AZ(we have been there and love it)and when we do we will go off grid. YEAH! My sister was born there and I was born in Nevada. I guess you could say I am a desert rat at heart. Rated up and will be back for more
Granny's House, it has it draw backs, but I'm still looking for them. A person just needs power and a well. It took over 10 years of hauling water from town to fund my well but now I've got it and the dogs and I enjoy playing in the sprinklers! I don't know why I still wear shorts, 'cuz no one can see, I guess it's an ingrained thing.
Thanks for stopping in and hope you make your move and it's a success. Look for land no one wants and get as far from any laid out by plot land as possible or in 10 years they'll be all around you!
This is so admirable and so fascinating. I always learn something very interesting from you and you are forever opening my eyes to new ideas! Thanks for such a brilliant hub and lifestyle!
HerbHippi, I love your hubs as well and you are quite a good sport about my comments I leave when I've got nothing, so I crack jokes about getting high, well ok they are not jokes cuz I like my smoke, and I'm totally against the closing of the border cuz I'll have to call and have them throw it over the fence and tape my cash to a rock and throw it back hehe,
Peace 50
I think that is a smart way to live, when I build my new home I plan on powering it partly with Solar Panels.
I've been shopping them and they are just so expensive right now, I hope they come down in price some, I'm sure if they did more people would be using them.
manthy, solar panels are a bad joke as far as price right now. I was lucky to buy mine via government waste in an over funded project. I catch deals at government surplus dot com, and bid for replacement parts, I have seen complete systems sans battery banks sell pretty low. Think wrecking yard for ambulances, inverters and lots of 12 v lighting available to run out side the inverters
Great hub and comments. I enjoyed reading all of it
Granny's House, thanks for traveling by, and reading and letting me know. 50
Well, so glad you stumbled upon me 50 Cal. I admire what you are doing, health. Leroy's Place and fast women keep me here. Not that I can do anything with the women now, but I can still see them and flirt with them and my wife would never live like that. Good luck and good health to you and god's love shine on you every day. Charlie
ralwus, I'm glad of that too. Never had any luck with the ladies, now dogs I understand and they're always glad to see me. Gods been good to a sorry feller like me and from what I read he was good to you too. He has a sense of humor to leave the likes of us roaming the earth. Peace, 50
I seriously. . . wow! You are living what is currently only a dream for me. I applaud you for finding the your way to the finest way of life! I've lived in the Mojave for 20 years now and currently it has struck me that, worst come to worse, I could survive it. I need to hone a few skills, like that hunting thing. . . haha!
Anyway, it was a pleasure reading your hub! Thank you!
Calling Crow, it's the time of year that I work early or late but stay in the shade as much as I can. I like solitude and many want to live this way but I doubt few could stand the quiet around here. thanks for stopping and letting me know! 50
Hey 50! That was a damn fine read! Sad to say but you are one of the ones they will want to kill first for you my friend are a survivor. Your writing took me right there with ya...I envy you and your ability to make the choice to be where you. There's something really good about living like that...you don't put up with assholes! Your pretty damn good writer too, Mr Tibbs!
Wayne thanks for the kind words and stopping by I enjoy it here and if it's killing me they want they'll have it to do. My dogs and me ain't been known to play dead, maybe I post drunk now and then but you'll have that, 50
I admire you, and part of me is envious. I couldn't be a hermit, however. I love people - especially my family and closest pals! Stay safe, Dusty! Kiss the Rotts and the burros for me.
Holle, a feller has to be shy a few fish from his stringer to live like this, I wouldn't have it any other way, haven't seen the Burros since spring, I figure their holed up near water with no dogs in this heat, they don't care much for the dogs so if I see 'em coming the dogs go inside. thanks, 50
Hey 50 cal. do you ever just want a almond joy once in a while? Stay well man, and be careful out there.
Nope, but I dig Mounds bars, 50
Sir, Thank you for sharing your way of living and your ideas with us. very beautiful hub.
triosol, thanks for reading and letting me know you dropped in, 50
50 Cal, peace and happiness is what it is all about. It seems as if you have found this. I admire you for actually doing what you are doing. A day may come, after I raise my kids where I may have to take a more serious look at your chosen lifestyle.
Please continue to share your experiences, I honestly enjoy your writings.
stay safe
CMerritt, thanks for the laudatory comments. If a feller likes the sounds of silence or the wild life it grows wild out here. I couldn't ask any more from life, my dogs and the ones I rescue that fill part of my days, it sure beats any amusement park tearing across the desert in a jeep with the top down, 50
50 Caliber, you are the man! I've been reading for over an hour in total facination. I can smell the desert air and hear John Denver wafting with the breeze. I can imagine your recycled metal walls that hold down the insulation and your lazer depth finder that you probably use in search and rescue adventures. You are the man! Keep writing, dear heart. Consider doing more writing describing how you put some of this together. For instance, your suggestion of looking at governmentsurplus.com. Super! And surely, I must not be the only one curious about how you can manually get water from a well over 200 feet deep. I'd really like details on that one. Up and awesome!
JeanieR, great to have you back again with your beaming smile and kind words. Getting water up is partly in gods hand, I you hit a water that is of 6 to 8 inches of pressure It started pushing it's way out of the rig seems like at 155 or maybe it was 175 feet of depth. It was what the man driving the casing kept calling "sour" water, and if I'd let him go a little longer he knew he could hit "sweet" water. The water was pretty smelly at first, it was a smell heavy with sulfur, but after a nihght it seemed to "degas" and smell OK, I took him at his word and he kept going, the water got better at 200 and was "sweet" at just over 250. It lost the sulfur smell but still held pressure that pushed it a fair way up the casing about equal to 160 feet, so pulling up the casing with a piture pump was work keeping suction but doable the Electric pump is at a depth of 175 and he told me it would have to be lowered after a few weeks, the water level and pressure would go down. I've yet to have to lower the pump and I've got cable and wire coiled up to drop to 225 feet. So after a couple months he came back and was wondering how far the well settled. He was surprised when I told him it hadn't dropped at all and was still pulling sweet water from below the stinky water and I had yet to experience any of the fowl smell since. He then told me that it must be near an open pocket and if I'd let him go a little further he would probably break into it and the pressure would eliminate the pump all together. I'm not one to argue with success or spend a dollar when I don't have to, so I told him to let me think on it for a week or so and come back. I haven't seen hide nor hair of him since. I figure he was short of work and came to play me for a dummy and get some or figured I was'nt gonna buy anything I didn't need the good Lord gave me water right where I'm at, and it is drinkable, so why mess with success? A lot of fast steady pumping will get water up and out with a cast iron piture pump and at 10 gallon I'm worn out, and a crank pump with a gear up stator vain will draw 50 gallon in half the time and pull through the electric pump that holds the prime up the well. With a thousand gallon reserve I've yet to be with out water coming up long enough that Granger couldn't supply me with parts to be up and running in a few days. In that event I'll fire the old truck up and go to town and hit a fire hydrant for a fill up. I'll dial in on govsurplus.com and see what they have on hand. When they shut down Haliburton there was a load of electronics, I'll see what they have now. Thanks for stopping to read and comment, 50
Hey 50! Been meaning to stop by and shoot the horse shit, and your visit over my hut in the jungle gave reason to tip my hat.
You're writing about my kind of freedom friend. Some form of independence from this chaos out here is what i yearn for. The dog and I are seriously considering breakin' out and headin' somewhere less vulnerable to dependency on those things we can do without.
It would be a bitch 50 if you were to lose that friggin internet. I guess no matter how we try to stay clear of the chaos, parts of it is still useful and good.
Truth be known, these island Keys got me a little shaky 50 - thinkin maybe a damn 10-20 foot tidal surge or Tsnunami would takes us all with it. Hell we're only 3ft above sea level here at the hut.
No waves in the South West huh! Peace man, great article ... voted 'UP' Adios Amigo
Just ruminating here my friend
gg.zaino, thanks for the visit and glad you stopped and left me a message! We have all the beach we can use, but fall short on the waves around here, but we do get some serious flash floods after a hard rain, just not enough to surf on and the dogs really like it as they get to run free, peace 50
Awesome 50! The only underground house i saw was in belgium.
Way to go dude.
nobodyimportant, Thanks for dropping in and letting me know you were here, I've seen some of your answers on other hubs, I'll have to stop by and check you out as well, Peace 50
Hey 50,Stopping in to see how things are going and hadn't had a chance to read this wonderful hub. I had written a hub on self reliant living backwoods home magazine. I have been getting this magazine for many years. They have a great website if you get a spare moment www.backwoodshome dot com where most the the bi-monthly mag can be read for free. The dude Dave Duffy lives North of you.
I started learning more back when Y2K was in the air and learned much from my mothers husband. If fact his beard looks about like yours in the profile pic and he and mom live a very simple life. Its nice having friends with like minds. Thanks for being a follower (friends)I do check back regularly for any latest. It is venison season approaching in this neck of the woods. Jeez i could ramble for hours. Take care I'll be around. Laters
WoodsmensPost, thanks for dropping in and feel free to mail me. I'll be down for first season Elk this year as that was my tag draw this year, I prefer later seasons with snow on the ground but for first I have the option of bull or cow. I have a muly buck and doe tag as well. I've sighted in 3 rifles for 400 yard shots. Like always I'll be staying with the White River Apache Tribe on the reservation. It's always a good time and it fills my freezer for the year. I'm hoping for New Mexico tags for Antelope as well. I'll skip over to California for a wild hog or three on the 3rd fork of the Salmon river, probably in spring. Peace, Dusty
That is what I am working toward. I dream of getting off the grid and out in nature but up to this moment it does not seem to be in the plan. However, I know that there are always reasons we are to wait, even if we dont understand them, or it would be so. I would love to see more pics of your little part of the world.
In Peace and Love Always :)
christiansister, I wish you well on your journey to be able to experience solitude if that is your aim. I found my way here through a list of miracles that were put before me and I hated my life and what I had become, so much prayer and things just began to fall into place, I wondered the first few years what I had asked for but it became clear to me as time passed that this was the better life for me and it is rough in the way I built it and unacceptable to many who have been inside the wire, but it was not for them, it was for me from God and has all I need. It is something a person has to want more than life to obtain I suppose as I can go months with out speaking a word to anything that can answer. It is a humble piece of the pie called life. God Bless you as you consider and work toward the move, I must say with out God it never would have happened, 50
This sure sounds like a life we – the running rats in life’s daily races – desire. But not permanently. For we are spoiled rotten, enjoying the luxuries so-called civilization provides, and all of it in exchange of our health and happiness. Keep on enjoying you live in the desert, Sir, for that sound so must like heaven to me.
Martie, I have a sign in the space above It has arrows labeled east/west an arrow toward town says 54 miles and one pointed down says 4 feet from Hell, and on a sultry August day of 126 degrees you'd believe it! No civilization for 54 miles, if a feller needs an ambulance you can bet he's going to die. No phone, antenna TV if you watch it, I don't if it weren't for this box I'd rarely know what day it is. These are the best points of it to me. Most couldn't handle a month out here. I reckon that's why I have no neighbors. Thanks for stopping by. 50
Hey Dusty - I think I could be your neighbour (not too close though, that would spoil the seclusion thing, wouldn't it!).
The is a region in our country called the Karoo which your desert sounds a lot like. It is one of my favourite parts of the country - miles and miles of open country with nothing much going on, at least to those who don't look deeper.
Thanks for sharing
Love and peace
Tony
Tony, I don't know a lot of folks who would last long out here. One need ponder their addiction to being able to get what they want when they want it. The Karoo sounds cool, I'll have to read up on it, peace, 50
I love this sentence of yours: “The great provider has created much to admire.” What I would like to know – what do you eat out there? Do you grow any vegetables? How do you generate income? Sheep flourish in our semi-dessert, the Karoo, and I really don’t know how, covered with all that wool while it is so hot even the chickens yawn. I, too, prefer to be alone, but not so far away from other people. Please post some more photos of your region. The photo you’ve posted above is indescribable beautiful. And here I’m back at my original thought - that sentence of yours....
Martie, I just finished putting an Elk,and two Mule deer up for the year, close to 600 pounds of good red meat. I spent 2 weeks up north hunting, 30 Kiabab squirrels too. I put all my chickens in the freezer before I left so I got to go get some more, eggs are runnin short. What would you do with money out here? I got a bunch of odd things I do that end up in tourist shops in town, from caving into caves and old mines collecting doo dads they buy to killing skinning rattle snakes and eating them, then selling the head and hide, rattle too, to the same this time of year all the Snow Birds move down to their second home in the warm and buy that crap like it's leavin existence. I like being able to step out side and crank a machine gun off in a 360 degree circle with no worries of fillin a casket.
Breakin wind with out lookin behind you is pretty good too, haha, thanks for reading, maybe I'll scribble some more info and develop a roll of film, 50
Beyond question you live like a hermit in some kind of a paradise, doing whatever you want whenever you want. What about publishing a daily or weekly journal for jailbirds in concrete jungles – like us – to drool over?
Mule deer? In my country a mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. So I was obliged to check my dictionary to learn that a mule deer is a long-eared ruminant mammal of western North America with two-pronged antlers.
I appreciate your reply, 50. I know curiosity can kill a cat, but I can’t help being curious. I was born like this. Ha-ha! Enjoy whatever you do whenever. You know God bless you daily out there :))
Martie, my mule is same as yours. The Mule Deer are 200 to 275 pounds around here the have two antlers, mor than forked, I've killed 6 tines to the side. This year I took two nice bucks one was a 3 x 3 the other 5 x 4 on the point count. If you want feel free to mail and I'll tell you more, thanks for the Blessings, and may many return to you, Peace 50
In Greece there is a place called ''Mount Athos'' and they live over there people how share ideas like you have to live in this desert. Maybe some day i will go to live in a plase like yours...
Excellent hub - great ideas, Thanks alot my friend
Alexander the Macedon
Alexander,
it's pretty cool to live outside the worlds hustle and bustle, just doing the chores at your own pace and doing walk abouts to see whats there. I could never go back to the old ways in the crowded world. I love the quiet isolation of watching the sun rise and sets. I have no light pollution out here so the stars are bright at night and the telescope and star gazing is awesome.
Thanks for stopping by,
Dusty the Gun slinger
Hi 50. I should have read this earlier. I find myself often wondering about how you live but I can only do it through my lens. My lens of stress, of people, of responsibiities you don't have to deal with and of frivolity and vapid people... I don't know if I could do it... Not sure I would want to. But I admire your fortitude. Your ability to be true to yourself and your convictions...I wonder is it Darwinian?
Jamie, as for the gift of not having to deal with the,"frivolity and vapid people" I find it a gift with in myself to live a solemn life of a kid, that runs and plays at my own whimsical desire. For the most those who have been allowed into the inner chamber and stayed a few days, oft times shake their heads in disbelief of the experience and the cool stuff that they find as I point it out, they never would have guessed it was here.
"a lack of solemnity is not necessarily a lack of seriousness"- Robert Rice
Is it Darwinian? I guess that is about my ability to a cohesion of the English naturalist who formulated the theory of evolution by natural selection, or his theory?
I would have to say a resounding "NO".
I think in the realm of creation, as well as a higher power, Yahweh and the Christ Yahshua. In all that we are and what we do is a success or failure depending on my inclusion of Yah, in the process, before acting much prayer and time, I had the money to sink the well, but had I done it the water I got could have been lime water that was filled with methane that smelled like a big egg fart as it was drawn it would have to be left to sit for a few days as the gas evaporated taking the smell away but leaving the lime to mess up my plumbing. I continued dragging the old water truck to town as I fooled with trinkets to sell in gift shops and stashing the money as I looked for a sign to drill. I had a spot picked with an X dug in the dirt, when I had saved the cash to pay the drill rig and operator, he wanted to know how I knew that was the spot and that I would reach water there. He was and Old man and believed in the divining rods and got his out and walked about and found water according to his rods water was 200 feet away or so and we should go down there, I stuck to my guns and drilled on he X it took more had I planned for in depth but it is clear clean fresh water from a spring that we drilled into with 6 psi to help lift it after the pump was primed. I believe that patience and prayer to the Almighty God and the results we are given are often more and better tan what you get if one chooses to bull head a situation and try and force a result. I find much truth in that thought as I look back at the situation of Vietnam, we had nothing to gain
in our presence there, it echos in my mind thinking back to the good days but the bad caves into the thoughts all over again.
Other than those issues I set back and watch the world around me currently going bat shit crazy, and laugh out loud at the stupidity as win loose or draw, I'm safe from 98% of the stuff that goes sideways and crushes the greedy one and all. Peace and Much Love, may it fill your days!, 50
I'm following you! Great stuff. And, by all means, you are a writer! A good one. Linda
lindatymensky, thanks for reading and letting me know, peace 50
Hello There Dusty,
Catching up on hubs that I have been meaning to read..such a wonderful life you lead..one could learn so much from you for sure..just curious if you have any chickens? I get four little newbies in two weeks. So I have been doing lots of reading up on them..maybe will post some pictures once I get them. Since I am retiring, I think I am going to become a chicken farmer..lol..just kidding but it will be awesome to see them running around. Hope you are having a great day!
Sunnie
Sunnie,
I gotz da cheekins, day run awl roun der pen.I have to keep a chicken wire top on the pen to keep hawks and other predatory birds out and in the coop every night and close and pin the door cuz coyotes come at night, they hit the pen and coop in vain and I sneak out in my under wear and shoot them full of holes, but they keep coming back at least 4 times a month they haven't got a chicken yet but they have donated to my hide pile and ground meat for homemade dog food. The chicken poop is good for the compost and garden, thanks for reading, have a great one yourself! dusty
Good Mornin Dusty,
Glad to know you have some peeps..now I know I can ask you about chickens too..Mine are still cooking under their momma but should be ready in about two weeks. I have their brooder ready. I really would like to get a couple black Australorp's I just think they are pretty. They say they are gentle. Don't think I want a rooster, i heard they can get mean. But then I also read that a Hen may think she is a rooster and not lay if you do not have a rooster..weird..I have a friend who got really scratched by her rooster. Doesn't want her getting into the run..I am looking forward to using the poo for the garden too. I got a little chuckle picturing you running out in your skevves shooting at preditors..haha
Have a great day!
Sunnie
I keep a rooster cuz I can sell chicks at the farmers or flea market.I get my eating chicken from raising them too. Get a super soaker water gun and spray the rooster in the head to keep him away when your in the pen.
dusty
Thats a pretty good deal you got there..Okay I got it ....I will get the gun...still a little scared though...I guess i have to wait to see if one of those peeps turn out to be a rooster..:)
Sunnie, don't name your food, cuz when you jerk it's head off, you'll not be able to eat your cute chicken named sara who always meets you at the feed bucket, another will take that ones place.
Oh Great...well that list goes out the window..lol
I know you are right..this may be alittle hard for me..
I am mush inside and out..darn it!
Sunnie
I figured I'd throw that in, to see if you thought that far into food chickens, you might be better with laying hens, LOL
50
Morning Dusty..I think you are right...lol
I know me I will have them all named...
Have a great day!
Sunnie
At one point in my life I considered moving off the grid to New Mexico. Ultimately I don't think I have the temperament for it, but I very much enjoyed reading about your experience making the decision to move out into the wild. Thanks for sharing this.
golulugo, it takes a taste for solitude, and that's my favorite flavor. Thanks for reading and commenting, I'll be by your place soon, 50
Your words echo in my mind as friend of mine has been speaking the same for the past 17 years! Our goal: to be completely off grid and self sustaining within the next few years. Why so long? Still doing research on geothermic heating. :) My problem: I'm too social to live without any one around me. lol Well, maybe it's time I learn that it's ok to be alone.
Hats off to you Dusty!! :)
Beth, you can't buy peace and quiet in town you have to come out here and get some. I go to town every now and then for noise and socializing,I get all I need in a day, LOL. I doubt many could afford the panels I have now days, I know I couldn't. they are my soft spot, thanks for coming by 50
50 Cal - sweet. I could live that way. I'd love it as long as I had music and books!
Do you watch much TV or own one? Just curious! Excellent hub btw.
RealHousewife, I do own 2 televisions but I have not had an antenna hooked up in probably 15 years, and now that it has gone digital I need a converter to watch but I can see plenty off the internet. I bought a card for my computer that allows it to hook up to a television for a monitor, so with wireless keyboard and mouse I can set 20 feet from a 52 inch screen and not use the table top monitor at all, pretty cool, but I use it for news videos and other stuff like cartoons that are available on line. It gives me all I want and television is something I don't miss at all. I like to read and music is a mainstay here. Youtube provides a way for me to make playlists that run for hours, of just about any music I want then there is the guitars and they get use often. It is an entertain yourself world, that basically changed for me [aprox. 3 years back] with my little brother passing on first a laptop then this desk top and he pays for the satellite connection that I wouldn't, he did it after finally figuring out I was staying put and if he wanted to be able to talk to me at all email was the one way he could get it done. I had a satellite phone for a while but I never used it, he was paying for it and finally we decided the cost was too high for it, and he was set on me having it for 911 calls and there is no 911 here, it would require a helicopter or 4x4 ambulance. It was/is a service that the world lived with out a long time. Most think that dying alone is absurd, but we all will cross that bridge alone and for me I will cross it with Jesus Christ and have faith I'm never alone.
Thanks for reading and stopping to let me know you visited, peace 50
The only thing you lack is a lady friend...lol! I'd love to see pictures of your subterranean home. The life you live is quite admirable and interesting. I really know no one else who lives this way. Thanks for the interesting info.
Wow, you look a lot like my big brother and have his same ideas, lol. This classic hippie from the seventies, born again after wasted years, commends you on your faith life in Him and love for your privacy. I can see the handwriting on the wall and trust that the God who opened the Red Sea will also save us again. :) God bless.
SusieQ42, I don't know how I missed this, thank you for reading and your interest. I may do a hub of the under ground it has two parts, one was a fake house, windows with back lighting on timers to have lights glowing like the sun was up. I bought a house that was going to be demolished and had 2 months to get it torn down and hauled off, it's exterior was white brick and now partially the brick makes inside walls, but I grew weary of all the work of chipping the mortar from them and found a good stopping place and did, I live mostly in one large room the baths are separate from it and most everything I use is in it sans my computer corner in my "stuff collected room". There are several older guys that live out here like this, they chose old mines and redid the upper tunnels and they are cool to visit.
I'm afraid lady friends are too wrapped in comforts to put up with the likes of me! thanks 50
jseven, this is s good as it gets as far as I'm concerned, God has seemed to bless my daily steps and brought me out of the world to live a solemn, celibate life for the past couple of decades short about 3 years. It is the path rarely taken but I have my reasons and Yahweh will deliver us up. I depend on my daily walking and talking with him. It is a rare style I suppose, many tell me they wish they could separate, but I find few could really give up worldly things like TV or going out to eat. I do like people and I got satellite internet in 2008 and have much fun reading here at the hub pages,
thank you for stopping in, 50
It was very soothing just to read that and let it well up in my head. I don't know enough (yet) to be able to survive the way you do, but even so, there are things that can be done to stop feeding into the game that don't involve a wholesale dispatch of modern lifestyle (one that is more of an ideal than a reality for many if not most, eh?).
To be sure, we have suffered a slow leeching of our faith in general, haven't we? It's funny, because the trick is that we are handed things that are broken by design, and by which we are then expected to learn that we ourselves are broken, and many do, falling into if not despair, then at least a somnambulant apathy--but it ain't necessarily so, that we should judge ourselves by our failures. Instead, we need to look at why it didn't work, and assume we can fix it if we try, one way or another.
RowanRiver, the dispatching of most the modern life has slowly turned a corner. I was 15 years with no telly and just a bit of radio now and then, I dispatched the world wishing it away from me for some inherent reasons. It was a few months after 9/11 that I found out it happened at all, I needed wheat and sugar and a few things from town.
I got a free computer and link from my brother who recognized a way to fill the gap between us, I think he figured out that we probably stood toe to toe on his last visit, for the last time. It's this damn computer, the second, second hand he sent, I've broken back into the world only to find some good folk still exist, many communicate with me from around the for now, free world, I still don't want to go back to, but for a short visit.
The old ways were good enough in their seasons, but even I must allow some change like it or not, thanks dusty
This was a great read. I think about doing this everyday... moving away from everyone and everything, but it's not really feasible, as I am only a teenager. I don't care much for anyone or anything, and I would love more than anything to live like you. Is it a bad thing to want to live like this when you're a teenager? How old were you when you wanted to live this way?
Jack, this was on my mind for years, I read a book called "My Side of the Mountain" in my teens that I really took thought to and in another hub of mine I mention a Spanish [Mexican} hermit miner on his claim that collections were taken up each week and groceries taken out to him as he was too old to mine and only had a burro that kept him from walking. I used to go and visit with him and his shack. I thought it was way cool.
Anything is possible after you find a remote location with mineral and water rights as well as 500 ft of airspace above the property. Get the land bought and a well if no water. After that a 30 ft 5th wheel travel trailer and a solar set up, your pretty well set. I spent $165,000.00 on this place and the acreage 3 decades back was at $295.00 so I was at around $70,000.00 for the land by the time I paid it off. So I figure I'm in at just over a quarter of a million bucks, roughly. So what are you willing to live with out, would you kill, gut skin and cook a coyote and eat him, or a rattle snake? There is more than meets the eye here. People are far and few between and I got this internet in 2008 from my little brother, he pays for it monthly or I'd be with out. I banked a fund that payed 750.00 a month and property taxes, and all licenses come out of that, I figured it to be 1500 a month but the cost of the underground construction was higher than expected, the best laid plans don't always work out. It cut my impound account to pay from day one to age 62.5 when my Social Security kicked in. I scrounged the desert for old wagon wheels and mines for ore cars and track sections taking that kind of relics to flea markets to earn extra cash. Selling coyote hides, rattle snake skins and rattles, and the head that gift shop companies paid for to mount and sell in resin like snow globes. So catching them alive and putting them in sacks then freezing them to death so they weren't damaged. You get the meat and cooked up is pretty darn good done right. I just used my head and found things to do that tourists buy in town. I got out here at about 42 years old and there was as much or more work than holding a job but it was exactly what I wanted and prayed to the Almighty for.
So in short it's up to you and your ability to use your hands to fabricate things. I worked for 26 years paying full quarters in to SSA and own a lot of tools for wood and full welding and mill, lathe with all the metal tools. I'm approaching a hub here so I'm quitting but there is a short answer to a big question, son, it's a serious commitment and I've had my share of troubles but wouldn't do it different if given back the time, 50
Dusty, This is the first time I have read this and it is so interesting. I told my husband about you and he is jealous. He wishes he could be out there in the boonies with only the wild animals and his family for visitors. And not too much of the family.
He loves his donkey, Clinton and the goats. They are so amusing. He also spoils the dog. He could get along, like you, with just the company of them.
He lived in Imperial Valley, CA for years and loved running around in the desert. Worked as a deputy until things started changing and he got sick. Had to give it up and we still lived out in the desert regions. We still didn't live remote but we could. We would just have to go to the store to buy our food because I can't eat wild meat. It is an acquired taste that I never developed.
We both hope to live somewhat remote and isolated but it will take time to save up for it. We haven't had his disability from the VA for too many years and all my income was used to support our family. We may make it one of these days. It will most likely just be me alone.
As always, I have really enjoyed your hub and learned much from it and the comments.
Becky, Imperial Valley is a cool place, I spent time there and own a trailer park lot there close to the Salton Sea where I go fishing for Corvina and Tilapia. The Corvina I get from 2 to 30 pounders in just a few hours, excellent white fish and one of just a few that survived the triple concentration of salt in the waters there. After that it is surrounded by some fantastic Dove hunting again easily filling coolers on good years. A 115 degree hot spot where I used to canal surf. The water in the irrigation canals looks smooth and slow and it has concrete bottoms that make it look slow when it is really moving fast, we tied off to a shut off gate and hook to a harness and jump in and body surf to cool off while hunting during the days, few places with any trees. I bought the spot for $350.00 back in 1981 just for a motor home parking space with power and water hook ups, that I pay for only when I use it. It is packed in on multiple rows, and probably isn't worth much more than I spent. 45 ft wide 100 ft. deep lot. It has a 74 Ford Torino setting on the lot with my sailboat trailer hooked to it. A friend borrowed my sail boat a little 20 footer and went there to sail the fierce winds, he and the boat went missing, I still wonder what happened.
As for an acquired taste for wild game, it's all in the chef and unless it has something in it that I'm unaware of [chemically] that might make on allergic to a particular animal, I guarantee that I can cook a table of variety and some simple sides, beans, taters etc. and if you have an open mind to try it, you'll be surprised. I can see one not liking liver, heart, tongue as all have distinct flavor texture and smell be it chicken beef deer elk and on BUT the red meat of elk or deer, caribou antelope, fallow are, if handled correctly from the time of kill through the preparation for storage, it cannot be beat, I only had several turn their nose up at prime cuts that I handled in a special way just for them to get around any hint of wild in it, turn their nose up at it and all were women and all had made their mind up they were going to "not like it". I do kill deer who feed on pinion nuts and have a strong flavor that I like, most don't. It comes down to what they feed on many times, to how they taste. Many myths abound about male scent glands fouling the meat and they are just old wives tales as well as meat that is so strong it runs one out of the kitchen, myths and lies. Poor handling of the meat is almost always to blame. I've killed deer off land that they are soy bean fed along with field corn and find them bland and flavorless. It shows in beef the same, fed out with corn and additives for 60 to 90 days is for flavor. I prefer a 600 pound steer taken right off the pasture and as a general rule you get half the standing weight out of the processing. They have a flavor you'll not normally get from beef as a rule and they are stouter in flavor. The difference of beef taken this way and wild fed animals is the fence. The same is accurate for feral hogs and pen fed hogs. A hub I could write on this topic for sure, but whipping dead ponies just won't make them get up and run.
Thank you for your comments and spurring my old brain, there is an art to handling meat after the kill that makes it or breaks it, and I'm guessing most of the meat you have tried was processed by a for hire processor and done in a few days and it laid there in a heap as they flood the butcher on opening morning then a master butcher whacked it apart and packaged it as well as throwing the extras in the grinder for burger taking an hour tops start to finish, where I leave the skin on and wash it all down putting saran wrap on exposed flesh and then leave it hang for about 14 days at about 40 degrees and it goes through rigor, when you can reach down and the front legs will move freely at the joint rigor is over and you have aged meat that is beginning the tenderizing as it starts to break down. At that time it is time to skin and butcher. "Nuff said I spose, thanks again Dusty
I have eaten deer that was hung and aged and butchered at home. My dad used to hunt back when he was young, I no longer have him or my mom. They were raised on farms and ranches and knew how to process the meat. I don't like the gamy flavor.
I have had Buffalo and thought it was stringy. That may have been an older one. It was at a bar-b-que up in OR and was from a private ranch. I had bear at the same time and it was really sweet. That was probably because it fed on berries.
I had a friend that could cook deer meat that I liked but when I tried to cook it the same way, it did not taste the same and I did not like it. She died about 10 years ago so I can't get further lessons from her. She cooked it with butter and onions and it killed the gamy flavor. I don't know if I didn't use enough or what.
Since I won't hunt and my husband would prefer to watch them, even if he could get out there and walk around to do the hunting, I guess we are ok with eating beef.
Would love to see some pictures!
One day I'll photo hub a mess of pictures working on the hows of a video now, dust.
With the way the world is now and getting more so, lots of people are likely to envy you being able to come in and out of it at will. Sounds like you have a great way of life. Wishing you the best . . .
Au fait, thanks for stopping in and reading. You've written a short yet very thoughtful comment that seems to shine in others. Many are drawn to the thought and find it attractive. In the end, they are unable to part with the Mall, restaurants and the new society of tweeting their every move, in short the soft cushy lifestyle they have become addicted to.
In the beginning I missed a few things like forgetting a couple parts to finish a project and got a little irritated at the drive to get a dollar or two pipe fitting or some such, but I finally adapted to over buying things to build a good supply on hand. I didn't miss TV or any of that and I didn't get a computer until 2008 and it opened an avenue to new music to top off the mountain of records, cassettes even an old 8 track that still works. I do enjoy the quiet filled with natural sounds and star gazing with no light pollution with or with out my telescope that I went a bit overboard on but when its set up and programmed it auto tracks the positions of certain stars and even has a list of events that pass by at certain times or times and date. I found when you fold it up and take it in that you have to put it exactly where it was or start from 1 and go through the steps again. Some plastic around the tripod legs and a mark for the number one leg to set it in the right place, after the concrete set the plastic worked as a release agent and gave some looseness to the holes so retracting them up to get free was easy. Now I just re- extend the legs into the angled holes and raise them to the line I drew on them, fine tuning the level bubble set it to location #1 and it will fire up it's electric motors and locate a constellation that is in it's memory and beep. Then you can plug in the remote with a 6 ft cable (keeps my big fingers from knocking the thin off balance) and look at the display and select preset places by number or look in the book for stuff you've yet to see, It will track a passing comet that appears yearly or once every hundred years. A web site on the computer gives co-ordinances for shuttle landings, to satellites falling out of orbit. It is one of the many cool things to do that just isn't in the city. Sitting out side in your underwear in a warm summer rain after dark watching the lightening storms is pretty fun as well.
There is no way I'm ever going back to the other life, as much fun as it was it pales out here in Gods country.
Peace and Blessings,
Dusty
50 Caliber....what would you change?
FirstStepsFitness I'm not sure of the question and I've got no answer for you unless you flesh out a topic to what you refer. Thanks
peace,
50
I wish you would give us a tour of your day. Funny, here in Florida, we have a new saying since the oil spill.
"Go BP - Beyond Petroleum and off the grid."
The Miccosukee make a nice dwelling called a chickee. I am thinking tree house in a big oak. It can be 20 degrees cooler up in an oak.
I am going to run this on Facebook. it will help soften folks up for the idea.
WD, I can see where being up in an oak near ocean breezes would cool you down, I lived on the edge of a cliff in Coasta Mesa, Ca, you could see the water some 6 miles away and on the dog days of summer a breeze would always sweep up in the 10 to 3pm time slot and open windows made a fine no A/C required place to be. Subterranean seems to be the answer here as the wind is hot and harsh but seems that I like the no humidity option over a muggy 89 degrees.
Now your making me wonder if the Pensacola rural 15 acres that I sold, should have been kept. It was nice with a stream border on the back side and feral or Russian bore on it, I saw the pointy ears vs the floppy ears of a feral so I'm not sure if they were wild hog mixed with farm pigs or what? Probably BBQ well either way but I'm not into just a wild pig diet. I know there is little deer down in the Keys but I prefer to hunt in a population that needs thinning in broad forest vs. your description of strip mining for houses creating a zero habitat. Out west we've got alot of forest land and good management for wildlife and I'm skipping this fall due in part to the fires and population damage and I did a good size out of state harvest last fall that will get me to 2013 fall with out want.
I got you down that way and a buddy on down into the keys, so email me and let's talk about the nuts rolling down hill. I been pondering a big beard trim and cleaning up a bit and looking at maybe it's time for me to become a bit more rural and spend my energy saving some for my girls and their soon to be sons, a bit of heritage for them saved,
Peace, thanks,
dusty
What does it take to be a Hermit(life off the grid)
email me(doom@inbox.com)
Chris, want to, and a list of what you can live with out,
I found unconfirmed email as well as never heard of can cause one problems.
Peace,
50
Alexander Mark Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago
You're my hero. I feel that I have other things to do so I will remain near civilization, but I think you're dead on about not being in the cross hairs of an attack from within or without. Self sufficiency like yours makes you pretty free, and you have obviously taken hold of the good things that such a natural life holds. I envy you. I am glad you wrote this hub, allows the rest of us to see what your kind of living is all about, it will help those of us who want to edge away from the masses.