For a broken down Boondocking Gypsy Biker Cowboy...
Three months, or nearly so, being for the most part... in quiet camps, on beaches and wide open country, has spoiled me... for sure and for certain.
Yeah we were using National Forest Campgrounds... but in the Off Season, which meant we were mostly alone. Many times, the only other RV around was the Camp hosts' outfit. Pretty darn private and peaceful.
Now... Getting back to "Civilization" in Phoenix and now Denver...for an extended period... is... uh... uncomfortable! I mean, when you've gotten pretty used to getting up in the morning, looking out the window and seeing nothing but woods, or lake, or ocean... or even the Utah Desert... and few if any... people!...
... it's a mite different to see houses, hear the dogs barking, horns honking and the trash truck bangin' the cans! ;o) ... then... make a run up the road to get some supplies to finish up a couple christmas leather projects... and the people pushin' and shovin'... whooooooowheee...
... I think I know what a chicken in a egg farm feels like!
I'm gonna need an Open Country fix... once we get past the Christmas Season.
It has been kind of a trade-off. Though we're back amongst a lot more population for a bit... we've gotten budget things... back in a lil' better balance... maybe.
The first couple months, once we got the rig on the road, I pretty much dented the budget with scratching that pent up, restless urge to move... and I can accept that... heck, I kind of expected it...
Now, with that itch relieved a bit, our budget is starting to catch up... having gotten back to a Long Camp routine for the most part... our fuel costs fairly plummeted...
Well... until we left for Colorado anyhoo. :o) but that, running bobtail... still comes close to squeezing into our balancing act...
Until we left to come to Denver I hadn't bought any diesel since the second of December... and still had 3/4 of a tank when we fueled to head north for our Colorado Christmas. yup... and the Raider don't use too much either!
juuuust a bit of an improvement over the previous 6 or 8 weeks of two or three tanks full each week! Ouch!!
Combine that fuel use reduction with zero camp cost since the last part of November when we were RV boondocked up on the Kaibab... and now, with the rig parked on the Back forty at my sisters for a couple weeks... we're actually runnin' under budget...
... even if I include reworking the motorcycle carrier into an RV Fifth Wheel Cargo Rack...
Polish that cheap living with .15 cent Ramen soup and plenty of PBJ! and it makes for frugal living. :o) ... good thing I ain't any sort of a gormet... well... I do require the best jelly! and none of that generic peanut butter! ... only the Good Stuff!
The rambling point here is... we're broke... pretty much hand to mouth livin'. Have been for quite some lil' while... look to be that way runnin' on into the future... unless of course Amazon suddenly starts whistlin' my book out the doors! :o)
I'm tee total sure that for likely the greatest majority of people, our situation would be a; "I could never do that" deal. They require a bit more certainty and knowin' of the future... even if that "knowing" is just imaginary.
But for me, what choice was there? Wait some more? Until... things got better? Nah... waitin' is not something I have any patience for any more... nope... just step off... and make something happen... good, bad or otherwise... just make things move... and let the chips fall where they may...
yup... we're broke... just like a lot of other folks... but, with a lil' careful cipherin' and cinchin' the belt up to the next hole... we're fittin' what we want... into what we got... we go where we have fuel to go... do without what we just can't afford... and keep on movin' on...
Where I end up... there's no way of knowin'... the Onliest thing I know, for sure and for certain... I may crash and burn... but it ain't gonna happen with me sittin' and waitin! :o)
... If You want Your "It" strong enough... you can squeeze "It" into whatever the reality of your camp is too.
Just... focus on what you really need. Shelter. Food. Water. Clothing, fuel... and Motorcycles!!! ALWAYS Motortcycles!!! :o)
... Most of the rest is only clutter...
Just remember... Nothing is exactly what's gonna happen... if Nothing... is what you do.
... The days wander by here in Denver... doing all the things you normally do, when you visit family... trying to see everybody you want to see... with ever'body runnin' around crazy...
I'm thinking... getting back to the Desert... and my Raider... will be a welcome thing! :o)
Wandering Away from the rig... in Colorado
Brian
Return to the main site of goin' RV Boondocking or Visit my Sister website Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road
A broken down Ol' Cowboy goin' RV Boondocking ...
...and Yondering, to the beat of a different Biker Cowboy Drummer
3 comments:
Hi Brian,
I read your blog because I am an Rv’er and like your good travel descriptions and pictures. Also because even at 72 yrs young, the idea of being on a bike (other than the one I peddle) brings back memories; I ride with you vicariously.
Now about finances: I think your many readers, especially any of them younger than 35, can benefit from your $$$ situation.
I took a job with a big corporation in about 1967. The managers made it a point to inform everyone that they were to sign up for the Federal “Buy Savings Bonds” program – or whatever it was called – and to be sure to donate to the United Fund, and most importantly, besides buying stock in the company via their payroll deduction program — that we should all save at least 10% of our net take-home pay.
Now when I explained all this to my better half I was met with some dismay. I had just spent about 8 - 9 years in college, and we had gotten used to donating blood for $$. This was my first real corporate job and the money was good, but we had — let’s call it – “pent up demand” to buy a few things for ourselves and our 2 little kids.
Now we were being indoctrinated by managers and HR people on how to live our lives and what to do with our take-home pay.
Well, we did it their way — wanted to keep my job.
Now, almost 50 years later we enjoy a “comfortable” lifestyle.
There is a life lesson here.... hope at least one of your readers approves. :) ernie
Yeah, I've given in to a bit of pent up demand since I've been back making enough money to pay the bills. Got another little netbook (my first one is in the repair shop) to make 4 laptops I now own, and bought a nice flat screen monitor to use to play games on. That was about $500 of electronics I didn't really 'need', but ya does what ya needs to and keep the main money going towards the goal. The idea is to stop once the pent up has been eased off.
Well Ernie, that's pretty nuch how I see things too! But, I'm 85! And beside Soc. Sec. I don't aim for anybody or anything to take care of me, I earned it and I want to leave a little for my kids, 4 of 'em!===Fred===
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