Transhumance or dirtbaggin' while still having an apartment (kinda).
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So I live in a sucky place. Let's call it Northern New York. But the bright side is that the dacks are 2 hours away and the gunks are 4. |
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Living in a car gets old. Have you lived in a car for an extended amount of time? |
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This is an absurdly terrible idea. Why on earth would you want to live in your car while still being stuck in some shitty rustbelt NY town? That isn't living the dirtbag dream; it is just called being homeless. Climbers who live in their cars don't do so because living in a car is some glamorous thing to do; they do so because it allows them to not work and to easily travel around to climbing areas. Sleeping in a car sucks (when compared to a warm house), but it is worth it if it lets you climb all the time. Sleeping in a car, but still having to work all the time, and being stuck in NY and not climbing much...that would really be the worst of all worlds. If you are going to work full time, enjoy the fruits of a steady paycheck, which include getting to sleep in a bed and having electricity and central heating. If you really want to live in a car, do it right. Save your money for a while, quit your job, and go on a big climbing trip. |
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JCM wrote:This is an absurdly terrible idea. Why on earth would you want to live in your car while still being stuck in some shitty rustbelt NY town? That isn't living the dirtbag dream; it is just called being homeless. Climbers who live in their cars don't do so because living in a car is some glamorous thing to do; they do so because it allows them to not work and to easily travel around to climbing areas. Sleeping in a car sucks (when compared to a warm house), but it is worth it if it lets you climb all the time. Sleeping in a car, but still having to work all the time, and being stuck in NY and not climbing much...that would really be the worst of all worlds. If you are going to work full time, enjoy the fruits of a steady paycheck, which include getting to sleep in a bed and having electricity and central heating. If you really want to live in a car, do it right. Save your money for a while, quit your job, and go on a big climbing trip.That pretty much sums it up. I dont sleep in my car on trips because it is fun. I would much rather sleep in a hotel. But sleeping in my car saves a ton of cash as camping is easily $25 a night in many areas. |
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I'm all for your idea. |
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Thanks for the ideas guys. I did laugh out loud at "that isn't living the dirtbag dream, it's just called being homeless." Thanks 20kn. |
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Great idea to get another roommate. Use your apartment as a "base" and the place to store gear and regroup. I lived in a car for one year solid. No problem as long as you have a gym Membership to take a shower and it's not too hot outside...cold is easier to deal with. |
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Fitz Cahall and the Dirtbags Diaries did an excellent story on climber/photog/vehicle dweller, Mikey Schaefer. |
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Get the seats out of the back of car and build up the bed. Use room under the bed for storage. Store the seats at the apartment. Get a space box for the top and a bike rack. Elementary. Stay slim and clean. |
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Just rock the subie....we need to find some time for an extended trip out west! |
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Why don't you ask your current roommate about your plan? And who in their right mind would want to rent a room in this situation? |
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saguaro sandy wrote:Get the seats out of the back of car and build up the bed. Use room under the bed for storage. Store the seats at the apartment.It is often more efficient to use a larger vehicle. Putting roof boxes on top of the car really messes with the aerodynamics of the vehicle, and unless you are running a diesel you can expect large drops in highway MPG. I know Prius owners that see a 10 - 15 MPG drop by adding bikes and a large cargo carrier. I have a Jetta TDI with a large cargo carrier and I can get the rated fuel economy with the carrier, but only if I drive 60 MPH. If I drive 75, I cant get anywhere close to the rated fuel economy with the box on. |
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Jon D wrote: my full time job is the ArmyI dont know how things work in the Army, but in the Navy if you are receiving BAH you are required to have a mortgage, 6- or 12-month lease, or some other type of document. Sailors cant just collect BAH without actually living in their home. You might want to check with your command on what their official requirements are for maintaining BAH eligibility because if you are caught out of compliance you might have to repay everything, plus you would probably go to NJP. |
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Jon D wrote: I do like the simplicity of living out of a car, and I guess I kinda want to get training so I won't be attached to a comfortable lifestyle if I decide to dirtbag in the future.A few thoughts: 1. Living in a car isn't something you really have to "train" for. You just kind of do it. When it comes time to actually "live the dirtbag dream", you'll figure it out just fine. 2. Living in a car gets old after a while. Have you done it for a multi-month period? Or in the winter? It sucks, and you get tired of it. Enjoy the comforts of home while they are easily available. 3. Carefully consider the impact that this mode of living would have on your friends and roommates. There is serious potential to become a pest and a leech when engaging in heavy-duty coachsurfing. This may strain friendships. 4. If you want to simplify your life, there are more meaningful ways to do so that do not involve freezing your nuts off in the winter. Living in a car does not necessarily simplify life, but in fact usually adds a host of extra complications. |
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We are getting ready to trade in our rig for a van...commercial preferably before heading north beginning of summer. It will be worth to take advantage of the housing money. I'm really looking forward to that! |
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This would not work. Your thinking of not sleeping there at nights and weekends, just would not work as soon as temps drop below freezing. And in Northern New York, I can see that happening a lot. You'll be on the couch often and your roommates would despise you. As someone who had been on the receiving end (think your roommates) of a similar situation, I can tell you that it is unacceptable. |
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I second 20kN's response regarding BAH. If you're an NCO, you should be making some relatively decent money. Save up your pennies while enjoying an apartment, get out with a nice lump of change, and then be a dirtbag. I got out as an E-5 with about $20,000. I spent most of it on tuition much to my dismay. I wish I would've done something badass like climb or travel or hike the AT or something. |
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This sounds like a terrible idea. It may save you some money but will not gain you any freedom as long as you've got a 5 day a week job to go to, and you said money is not an issue, freedom is. |
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Ha, glad to see everyone is generally on the same page as me. Em Cos, rangerdrew, 20kN, etc. are all saying exactly what I'm thinking: |
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Thanks for all the insight guys. Being in my twenties I didn't really think of all the ramifications I could have on others. I really don't want to be a burden on my friends. |
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At the risk of sounding trite, if you don't like what you are doing make a change. If you want to dirtbag, go for it. You get one life. Don't waste it making compromises that you will regret and wasting years in a situation that does not fulfill you. Reading between the lines, it seems that you want a change but are afraid to pull the trigger. |