how to dirtbag

ever since i started living the "simple" life of a broke climber i have been learning new ways to get along with low funds and climbing often. im trying to start a thread to reveal secrets of the trade. or how about different ways youve made it work. any info is appreciated as it could help myself or someone else to "live the dream".

I think the first rule is drink everyone's beer and eat all their foot while at camp.

If mooching isn't natural, you may have a hard time with this :D

Live in your car. I haven't done this climbing, but pulled two really long summers in an 89 volvo station wagon, surfing and nervously re-parking my vehicle when things got hot

How to dirtbag?

Don't shower!

Will's trick will also work at campgrounds. Just tell them you want to look around at the grounds before you commit then just use the showers there and say you didn't want to stay.

PS wear a hat so they don't see your wet hair

I was in the valley last year and made a few bucks by charging several nice Asians $10 to take pictures with me / my gear.... it bought some food :)

Baby wipes and lots of Tobasco sauce.

I guess I have been living ala dirtbag for the last few years. But I haven't mooched food or shelter, pretended I was a guest in a hotel to use showers or pool. I also don't do food stamps or any of the other schemes which some people talk about as "tricks of the trade."

A trick of the trade? Understand that we don't need most of the stuff we buy, and that we can buy most of the stuff we need at less than the suggested retail price.

It's not for everyone, and there's nothing wrong with either way.

Part of the year I live on a nature preserve, in exchange for light caretaking duties(10 minutes a day would be bout the minimum required, though I do spend much more). This area is situated in a very prime locale.

The other part of the year, this will be the 3rd year going, I take the van to the southwest, mainly JTree, and live there.

I have a car and that is the biggest expense - buying the thing, gas and insurance, and repairs. I also have mobile broadband, and a cel phone. B/band is $50 a month and I probably should not have it, but it makes working out of the van much easier(not having to find free wifi to connect). Cel phone - I DON'T need, but maintain for those few calls that get made each month. Other than that, food is the expense.

I left New York the day after the election - knowing I did not have enough money for gas to get to CA. I made two repairs needed before the trip, and that took 1/4 my gas money.

What did I do? I posted on Supertopo and rc.com that I needed to sell 4o chalkbags to get to CA. And people responded. Unfortunately, I underestimated how many chalkbags I really would need to sell - hahah. But, I have sold about 25 so far.... I am currently in Little Rock, AR... Wanna buy a chalkbag?

Other on-road tips:
- Having a portable way to raise money is very helpful
- Ice is a luxury, and unnecessary.
- Walmarts really do let you sleep in their lot while in transit.
- Public libraries have wifi and electrical outlets. Bring your own multi-port if you want to plug in besides one item, so as not to put others out who also need the outlets

Seamgrip. There is a great Alpinist article about it. Incredibly useful!

alpinist.com/doc/web12x/wfe…

Find a local foodback and ask if they will allow you to 'shop' there for a day if you volunteer labor. You may be able to go into work for a day and get to 'shop' for the allotted price. In the one that used to be near me, everything non-refrigerated was $.11/pound. I got very very good at guessing what was in a can by shaking it. Everything refrigerated was about twice that. It was the average cost to the foodbank. Somettimes there will not be a label, or the bread or Oreos will be a week out of date.
I realized I had done this routine too many times after I learned I could tell a can of peaches in syrup from peaches in water by the sound and feel, and ravioli and spagetti-o's from any of that.

Anyway, YMMV according to location and things may have changed since to 90's. Check the local policy. Try to arrange work on a rainy day. It will not be "rest," it will be "cross training."

Happiegrrrl wrote:I guess I have been living ala dirtbag for the last few years. But I haven't mooched food or shelter, pretended I was a guest in a hotel to use showers or pool. I also don't do food stamps or any of the other schemes which some people talk about as "tricks of the trade." A trick of the trade? Understand that we don't need most of the stuff we buy, and that we can buy most of the stuff we need at less than the suggested retail price.

+1. I was wondering how long we'd go before someone said that.

Just because you are a rock climber living in your van doesn't give you the right to steal. Eat out of the trash can, ask the market or grocery store for the stuff their going to toss, wash a few dishes for food - but don't steal.

Happiegrrrl wrote:I guess I have been living ala dirtbag for the last few years...

Awesome post. Good luck out there!

1)Go to trader joe's and check out their dumpster. They throw out veggies that are good still in packages. You can do this for all the markets.

2)Offer rides, wash dishes, and generally be helpful to others. It's hard to be a dirtbag without help from others, so contribute what you can where you can.

3)Don't mooch off other dirtbags they will pick up on it and soon you won't be welcome and will have trouble finding partners unless they are desperate. If your eating with them always contribute something to the meal. My dirtbag friends usually cook a feast with everybody contributing something whether it's a can of beans, a piece of cheese, burrito shells, onions, peppers, sauce...you get the idea. We always seem to have an amazing meal.

4)If you don't have anything to contribute be very gracious and wash dishes.

5)Share herb when you have it, this has ruined many a dirtbag friendship. Showing up when something is burning but always keeping your own stash seperate quickly ruins your rep.

6)Be especially helpful to the tourons they are the bread and butter of your dirtbag lifestyle. Lot's of people don't know how to camp, start fires, set up tents, or don't know the helpful details of the area. Be someone who can recognize these people, help them and then it becomes easier to come over later and ask for cheese, onions, peppers, tortillas, beer, wood. Most people will be glad to share something with you if you have been nice to them.

7)Truly get to know the area your camping in, befriend the locals and find out the cool hidden spots and adventures to the area. When weekend warriors or sporadic climbers visit you will be a good tour guide. Nothing makes a campfire more generous than having a kick ass adventure that they wouldn't have had without you. They will remember you and probably tell thier friends so this could be the gift that keeps on giving.

8)Don't pop up on the ranger's radar. This mean's keep your camping area CLEAN. The rangers have a map of the campsites. During the day when everybody is gone climbing they are walking the campground. They take notes on the campground map. For example: campsite 1 is a family. Campsite 5 has beer cans piled high, Jack Daniels on the table and things look in disarray---Stop by tonight after dark and check out what else is going on. I advise hanging out at your campsite if you have to during the week and partying at someone else's campsite on the weekends. If the ranger's do show up be very nice and courteous. Never admit to anything that is illegal if they ask. Always offer to change whatever is bothering them--whether you intend to change it or not.

Good Luck

Become a server or a bartender or both when you find a place you want to be for more than a few weeks. You make enough working 2 days a week to get by, and you'll eat/drink well on the nights you work. This is also an industry where nobody's gonna be too bummed when you quit after a month.

That and follow follow all the other advice here about being an awesome person. Dirtbagging would be pretty lame if nobody would hang out with you.

some posts on the dirtbag life via The Climbing Zine:

climbingzine.com/?s=dirtbags

I dirt bagged a while for surfing & snowboarding but the same tactics work for climbing.

#1 minivans with dark tinted windows work the best, you have room for all your gear & to sleep but from the outside it doesn't look like you're living in it. You can park & sleep inside ANYWHERE there is legal parking. Keep a jug urinal & wag bags inside in case nature calls.

#2 Stay CLEAN! if you start to get that homeless look you start to draw heat & normal people try to avoid you. shower every day or two even if you have to use cold water from a jug (you go numb after the first couple of minute anyway). Most truckstops, campgrounds, & hostels will let you take a shower for around 5 bucks. If you're in a city one trick I've often used is to go to a health club, say I'm new in town & do they offer a trial membership? Usually good for a week of saunas, Jacuzzi's, long hot showers & clean towels. Also keep your vehicle relatively clean, it will help you stay under the radar if you have to sleep on a street in a city.

#3 Ditch the cooler, way more trouble than it's worth. If you can go Vegan it helps too. Canned food (especially beans & bean based foods) is the way to go, stick with fresh fruit & veggies that can be eaten raw or when lightly steamed. Red wine tastes great at room temperature & is healthier than beer any way, Franzia Merlot rocks & you can get it for $15 a five liter box.

#4 If you have any construction experience & don't mind really hard work, getting a laborers job at a construction site it is about the easiest way to pick up some cash. You can go to a temp agency, or just go to the nearest construction site. Even in times of construction slow downs (like now) there are always jobs for day laborers that are willing to pick up debri, & move lumber & other supplies around.

Great thread, hoping to pick up some good tips & someday I'll be out there again. I used to dream about having a nice house & family, now that I have those things I dream about the times I lived in my van. Best days of my life!

--If you really want to get down below the radar:
--Seek a warm climate
--Locate in a semi-rural area.
--Sell plasma for money, collect recyclables.
--Buy bulk rice and beans, eggs for protein and a cheap multivitamin to avoid scurvy. Eat cheap buffet once a week. You will need a large cookpot.
--Skip the car thing, pull a bike out of a dumpster and fix it up by cannibalizing from other rusty contraptions, or just walk.
--You are going to live in the woods. Avoid known camping areas as there are often time limits as to how long you can stay. Avoid the homeless as they are often severely mentally ill. Travel along a country road until no cars are in sight, then plunge back into the woods a couple hundred feet carrying your bike over the fence along about dusk. Once you are back in there you are invisible and safe. No fire. No light. Tent with mosquito netting, sleeping bag. Good for grieving.Once you cheer up a little go back home and make some friends.

Eric Coffman wrote:1)Go to trader joe's and check out their dumpster. They throw out veggies that are good still in packages. You can do this for all the markets.

TJ's has a policy that they throw out stuff the day before it expires. If you hit it right you can get more food then you can fit in your car. Bread expiration was always a big day for us!

couchsurfing.com

Please don't end up as just another mooching climber.

Have fun out there climbing!

Happiegrrrl wrote:I guess I have been living ala dirtbag for the last few years. But I haven't mooched food or shelter, pretended I was a guest in a hotel to use showers or pool. I also don't do food stamps or any of the other schemes which some people talk about as "tricks of the trade." A trick of the trade? Understand that we don't need most of the stuff we buy, and that we can buy most of the stuff we need at less than the suggested retail price. It's not for everyone, and there's nothing wrong with either way. Part of the year I live on a nature preserve, in exchange for light caretaking duties(10 minutes a day would be bout the minimum required, though I do spend much more). This area is situated in a very prime locale. The other part of the year, this will be the 3rd year going, I take the van to the southwest, mainly JTree, and live there. I have a car and that is the biggest expense - buying the thing, gas and insurance, and repairs. I also have mobile broadband, and a cel phone. B/band is $50 a month and I probably should not have it, but it makes working out of the van much easier(not having to find free wifi to connect). Cel phone - I DON'T need, but maintain for those few calls that get made each month. Other than that, food is the expense. I left New York the day after the election - knowing I did not have enough money for gas to get to CA. I made two repairs needed before the trip, and that took 1/4 my gas money. What did I do? I posted on Supertopo and rc.com that I needed to sell 4o chalkbags to get to CA. And people responded. Unfortunately, I underestimated how many chalkbags I really would need to sell - hahah. But, I have sold about 25 so far.... I am currently in Little Rock, AR... Wanna buy a chalkbag? Other on-road tips: - Having a portable way to raise money is very helpful - Ice is a luxury, and unnecessary. - Walmarts really do let you sleep in their lot while in transit. - Public libraries have wifi and electrical outlets. Bring your own multi-port if you want to plug in besides one item, so as not to put others out who also need the outlets

i have to say, what a great post. really explaining how to do things without foregoing those core values you need to be happy with yourself at the end of the day. thanks for this one!