Monday, May 17, 2010

A BOONDOCKERS BIGGEST BUGABOO----GETTING LEGAL

I come to Santa Fe, NM every year or two to visit an old friend, to take a break from travel ---to enjoy just sitting-- and this time to-- "get legal"---to register my new trailer, renew my truck and drivers license. Vagabonds like myself discover that this is no small matter---getting legal--because we, in fact have no fixed address--something that society insist that we have. So we do what all people do when faced with impossible demands---we lie. "where do you live?" seems a proper and necessary question for government---but for the two million of us full time travelers it can become a pain in the ass. I have friends who drove all the way to Alaska to get legal. Others make a biannual "pilgrimage" to South Dakota to "get legal". Down there is my legal address--thanks to my friend of 40 years--who makes me welcome and cloaks me with righteousness. See that tiny trailer left of center?--I lived in it for 3 years before selling it to him.
So I come and sit---right there--for two weeks or more.

My friend Bushrod--he eats healthier than I do--with chopsticks no less.


---lets me store my stuff too---that sailboat and that box.----and that's another bugaboo for mobile people. I wonder what others do who have no generous friend.



Bushrod and I have a TONTINE regarding our joint library of about a thousand books---whoever dies last gets the books.

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES---IN RHYME
PICK A STATE---THE RIGHT STATE

Full time RVers must pretend
To live in a single state,
For every rig must display
A valid license plate.

Never mind that it’s a fib,
A necessary story,
For government’s not invented yet
Our legal category.

So we ask in long discussions
Which state shall we claim.
Oregon’s best if buying a rig
Is your immediate aim.

For it has no sales tax, nor Montana,
Nor Delaware back East.
But when it comes to cost of insurance,
North Dakota’s least.

Its also the state of minimum hassle.
But what about income tax?
If you’re making hefty dollars,
You need to know these facts:

No income tax in the state of Wyoming;
Alaska also has none;
Nor Nevada, Texas, South Dakota,
Florida and Washington.

It’s easiest in Livingston
To become a legal Texan.
And be sure to choose a state without
Those troublesome inspections.

The very worst state for your license plate,
As any full timer will warn ya,
For tax and tag and rig inspections,
It’s awful in California.

I’ve settled for New Mexico,
Cheap for this land sailor.
For minimum bucks, one can buy
A permanent tag for your trailer.

So declare a state that fits your needs.
Though regrettable and uncouth,
We tell necessary lies until
They let us tell the truth.


6 comments:

Terry said...

Great poem, Randy, Thanks. Terry

Sondra said...

You have brought up an issue that I had wondered about...and how do you receive snail mail? Or have you been able to erase it from your existance...I wish I could and hope to be able to one fine day when My land ship sails in...
The poem was very informative I had no idea of any of those facts..great to know. You have a good friend who seems very comfortable using chopsticks..My son loves to show off his skill with a set and will even ask for another set if he finds a splinter...I am currently in AZ down in Mesa visiting my best friend who moved here last yr. ITS rather hot but at least no humidity. I am headed up to Utah and CO next...if my car holds out--how many miles do you have on your truck if you dont mind sharing that info.. Happy Travels...

Randy said...

Hi Dixie--and thanks--I've almost succeeded in going paperless--but not quite. I do what most full-timers do--have a mail forwarding service--It's expensive--so only get mail every 2 or 3 months.
Re: my truck--I have 60,000 miles on it. (gets about 12 mpg pulling the trailer and 17 detached)
I'm enroute to Denver--cross paths with me.

Anonymous said...

Now is as good a time as any to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading back through your blog.

I live in a motorhome because I am severely handicapped and it works for me. If there is some way to make things work with solar or some little gadget that makes it easier for me I've probably installed it. I had to hire someone to pick up my golf cart batteries but I hooked them up myself.

I retired in 1994 and I "legally" reside in Nevada.

You my friend are truly a poet.

We are all just apertures through which the universe observes itself. I like the view you have provided.

Randy said...

Thank you anonymous for the kind words---and especially that--quote?: "we are all just aperture through which the universe looks at itself". Wow that is a meaning generating--spirit lifting--obviously true (now that I think about it) statement.

Anonymous said...

randy,
the quote you refer to is from bhante kovida, a buddhist monk. I wish I could take credit for this wisdom but all I can do is share it when I can.I do not believe in god in the traditional sense nor do I consider myself a buddhist. I am a lifelong student of the dharma.I find most of its' root teachings to be true.

my first name is randall so in order to avoid confusion I will sign my comment anonymous