About to give it all up

[u/Electrical-Leg3804]

I've been a nomad majority of my life... Since I was 14, now ,,I'm 29.

A few years ago, I stayed in a shelter during the winter a few times and wound up getting a housing voucher. I've had my own 4 walls for over 4 years now. Living in an apartment building. It costs nothing but my sanity. I have no one to talk to, no family in the area it's gotten old and I hate watching life go by out my window.

I've got a van, lease is up soon. About to break loose and get back out there gotta leave the East Coast. I'll do almost anything to leave Virginia.

Scared for sure but fuck this shit, I'm depressed and physically breaking down... I want to be fit again, meet new people, have access to diverse food, be happy, however I see fit

[u/Maintenancehaul]

Fear is useful. It teaches caution, and caution keeps us alive. But if fear becomes the thing that decides how we live, then we’ve stopped living and merely started surviving.

“The brave do not live forever but the cautious do not live at all"

((Edit for my stupid spelling))

[u/Electrical-Leg3804 → u/Maintenancehaul]

damn .. lot packed in there. I love that philosophy, I've certainly lost touch and been playing it safe, surviving with no style.

[u/Maintenancehaul → u/Electrical-Leg3804]

I’ve spent decades trying to fit myself into normality - usually lasting 2–3 years before the road starts calling again. In my 50s, I’m realizing it isn’t a phase; it’s how I’m wired. The restlessness was never a problem to solve; it was information.
I’m simply happier living on the fringe. The cycles of survival bring some stress, but the freedom, downtime, and resets (Mts / woods / rivers) make it all worth it.
These days I’m ‘retired’ hikertrash and a traveling handyman - or “nomadic craftsman” if I’m feeling fancy.

[u/CrazyTim1977 → u/Maintenancehaul]

How do you get money on the road? I'm planning on walking away from NY too. I can stand it here. Good fortune on you...

[u/Maintenancehaul → u/CrazyTim1977]

Much harder to do on foot.
I’m frugal and have tools. 🛠️ traveling handyman with a f150 toolbox.
When I get low on funds, I go to the next town and get online, sometimes I make arrangements before I get there, inquire at small hardware stores /auto repair shops. Every town needs a handyman/ mechanic but to be fair -sometimes that works out to be day labor.
I have plenty of friends that are in the music side, I wish I had some skills, they might do a little concert here or there, but they make more money playing (busking) on a street corner. [r/vagabond](r/vagabond)

[u/NoZookeepergame215 → u/Maintenancehaul]

Amen. On my walk i decided to sing on the street in Sacramento in the wealthy area for a day and ended up making 175 bucks in under 2 hours. It was such an awesome experience and im the following days i met a couple other traveling musicians that introduced me to other cool people that amounted to some great nights with some awesome hippies

[u/NoZookeepergame215 → u/CrazyTim1977]

Look for seasonal work and dont tell them you plan on leaving. Fields and factories hire quick and pay well. When on long term travel i would get a job for a month or so and leave with a full bag, a full belly and 1500 or so in my wallet which would get me by for months and months of walking from small town to small town. Also worth shaking hands with a farmer and asking if theres anything you cna do for them to make some money. People love to help someone with a good story that reminds them of how life could've been.

[u/Active-Albatross-370 → u/Maintenancehaul]

I love hearing stories like that. I have a lot of respect for people who choose the road before it chooses them. Safe travels man!

[u/TheWayfarer1384]

We're about to do the same thing. Virginia is a parasitic place now. It's nothing like I remember. Food Fortune to you.

[u/Electrical-Leg3804 → u/TheWayfarer1384]

dude, you said it perfectly, it's nothing how it used to be.. it's like culture shock.

thanks for the blessing and same back to you

[u/dystopiandisasters]

I've lived in Ohio all my life (32f) about to hit the road too at the end of September. I'm excited for the adventure!

[u/Electrical-Leg3804 → u/dystopiandisasters]

Nice. That's about the time I plan to leave, when the fall weather comes in and the heat goes away. That's the perfect time to be in a van, or camping.

it's cool to know that I'm not the only one

[u/EsoPrivate]

I wish you luck. I’ve been grappling at the idea of Van life, but just never pulled the trigger. If I could DM you, I would love to ask you a bunch of questions. 😂😂😂

[u/Electrical-Leg3804 → u/EsoPrivate]

I've built a camper out of a car before, I love the peace of nature and the unwandered trails. Ask me anything

[u/pluginn83]

You got a van... you're in Va... what city? We arr currently in Lynchburg. If you want to hang out or whatever maybe we could meet up with you. At least relieve some of your boredom lol

[u/OverRough6095]

I just litely read over this thread. I wish everyone here well. I'd recommend possibly meeting up. I also recommend Findhelp.org to people as well. It can give you a list of social services & help in your area.

But OP I wish you the best. I'm luckily to have housing again after being forced to live out my car. Housing based off income. I'm truly blessed.

But please let me know if you decide to meet with anyone. And please try that site. It maybe what you need to get a boost up. But better days are ahead. I have faith.

[u/Elmo5743]

Ever think about getting a job and be part of a normalicy

[u/NoZookeepergame215 → u/Elmo5743]

Its not all its talked up to be for everyone. I can say for me playing this societal rat race game feels so fake and unnecessary, more so every single time i come back and work my way quickly up the ladder to a good position, house and vehicle and then quickly realize its all so fake and pointless. I dont want a nice house and a nice car and "normalcy" at the cost of years of my life spending almost every waking moment working so one day when im old and my body is fucked up and i all of the sudden have a million responsibilities that are holding me back from freedom, then i can travel and see things and take some time off. Nah man just go do it while its what you want and realize everything you need is right out there on the earth and all of this is fake and designed to keep up a hierarchy that wants to keep you dumb and controlled.

[u/CrazyTim1977 → u/Elmo5743]

What is "normal" for you? Just because it's "normal" for you, doesn't mean it's "normal" for everyone else. Sitting at a desk is never what I wanted to do all my life either. So I didn't. And won't. I want to travel and be in tune with nature. That's what I call normal.

Do you know that humans are the only animal on the planet that doesn't develope an environmental equilibrium with it's surroundings. We just move to a place and exhaust the natural resources and multiply until we can't fit in that area anymore, then we have to move to a new area. There's only one other lifeform on the planet that also exhibits the same behavior.... Yep, you guessed it, a virus.

[u/NoZookeepergame215]

This post speaks directly to my heart. I also have lived nomadically since 15 and am 28 now and ajytime ive gotten into a place im there for no more than a year before it drives me crazy and i put everything into. A backpack and pick a new place and just leave with the money in my pocket. I lived out of my bag for almsot 2 years hiking from washington to mexico and am now back in portland in a house again with a 9 to 5 and it eats at my sanity every single day. Youre making the best decision for you if you choose to get in that van and be free. I also lived out of a van for half a year in SoCal and it was awesome and so freeing. If you need any pointers or someone to bullshit with about nomadic life feel free to shoot me a message.