When citizens come to their senses---literally---we will begin to live like this:
1. The burden of food, clothing, shelter will be reduced to insignificance.
2. We will have all the free time we want;
3. All the adventure we can generate;
4. All the companionship we can attract;
5. Enjoy the weather we prefer almost all the time;
6. Live ridiculously cheap;
7. Move to new and interesting places whenever we choose;
8. Enjoy the full range of electronic connectedness;
9. Powering our lifestyle with the sun;
10. Free from most of the tedious distractions to discovering WHO WE REALLY ARE--WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE WISH TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.
Thousands already enjoy such a lifestyle and you probably can too. Here's how:
a. Arrange for an income stream of at least $600 a month. (some do it on $400)
b. Buy or build some kind of mobile domicile. (At a minimum, your car and a tent will suffice. A trailer or motor home is super luxurious)
c. Purchase a New Mexico parks pass ($225 per year) and enjoy any or all of 31 lovely campgrounds---scattered statewide---with amenities such as hot showers etc. (google New Mexico State Parks pass for details)
I found some of those thousands here at my first stop---City of Rocks State Park between Deming and Silver City.
Settling in among the stonehenge-like rocks for 10 days.
Trails everywhere---
And then one day I had a visitor:
Meet Glenn---Musician, Philosopher, Adventurer and fellow blogger. This is one terrific guy--If ever I were to envy anyone--it would be him. Check out his blog: 
And then a phlock of Philosopher/Adventurer friends joined me for several hours of wonderful conversation. I believe everyone really wants to engage in- depth on meaningful subjects. Most have simply never tried. What we talk about is WHAT IS THE GOOD LIFE and how to achieve it.
And when they left -- Lucas came to visit me. My cup runneth over!
Then---moving on to Caballo state Park---settling alongside Caballo lake.
Then to this strange place----White Sands National Monument. That's pure white gypsum you're seeing--not conventional sand. Lucas came along---loved playing in the sand.RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: New Mexico is leading the way for other states with its park pass system and in so doing is facilitating a new lifestyle. Slowly, slowly, it is dawning on folks that what they really want is sufficiency, freedom, simplicity and society----and all that---can be had for a pittance.
Slowly, slowly people are understanding that a house is a trap----a life squeezing, immobilizing trap that cost too much time and money. At our core, we are spiritual beings and nothing material CAN satisfy us. The "good stuff" and the good life are intangibles: a free and inquiring mind, the affection of others, learning, sharing, experiencing.
Myself and my fellow travelers are living proof that you need not live immobilized, in debt or in drudgery.
"Come---travel with us--together the inducements shall seem greater" (Whitman)
14 comments:
I cant wait to join ya!! My plan is in motion now I just the trips around the sun to catch up with me...and I'm all set!! YOUR photos are Great! I love NM soon as I see my chance Im making a bee line for Chaco Canyon!
Great philosophical points - well said (I may repeat some of your thoughts to those 'disbelievers' who wonder what/how we're doing the full time thing in a 17' fiberglass trailer). I follow Glenn's blog also. Would love to hear him play in person!
I love it when us transients get to meet up!!
The Tuckerbag
New Mexico has done a good job and I'm glad you took time to acknowledge it.
But... (and you knew that was coming), your post is one-sided and promotional, as usual. You probably think you are being a positive influence by being so panglossian.
But what if newbies and naifs get ideas from you and then go out and try them. Their results end up reasonably good, but they don't feel so because of the excessive expectations that you have burdened them with.
The result is a discouraged and cynical RVer -- just the opposite of what you wanted.
Thanks all for your comments--I'm now enjoying my 6th State Park--all have been lovely.
Boonie: As always your point is well made---simple cheap living is no guarantee of satisfaction. Extreme freedom brings its own challenge: how to meaningfully fill our time. Randy
Houses are traps, if one can't afford them. Otherwise they provide shelter - in all kinds of ways.
Like State Parks in NM, which are spectacular, set aside places cost something. Paid for by somebody.
I've been I think, to all the State Parks around here.
Monique spend a month or so at The City of Rocks, for instance.
The things that interest me at the moment are: watersheds, ecosystems, sustainablity, and sharing in some political citizenship...that is, gaining political power (of which we have none at present).
These are knowledge intangibles, and not exactly like the RV experiences you describe.
Low overhead, living within one's means, and a cheerful outlook are wonderful...where ever one finds them.
Bushman
Hopefully Lucas will stay! New Mexico sounds like a place to visit.
$600 a month to live and travel on. Would you or your followers elaborate more on this? That is incredibly cheap!!
Randy, I enjoyed that same wonderful park pass in 2009 with a few others from the WINs and Escapees. As far as I can tell New Mexico is the only state that has one, and I hope they continue to promote it. Enjoy, Brad.
I too will check out this NM Park pass. But also wonder how $600 a month would work. A blog on this would be enlightening to many.
Newly free and working on total freedom.
Another reader wondering how to do it on $600. a month. Would you show a breakdown of your expenses. I intend to join the ranks of you bohemians, and need all the info I can get.
Great inspirational Post. Keeps me motivated and as I often say, Keep my eye on the prize.
National Geographic, March 2011, has an interesting group of stories that seem to inform the situation you describe.
"Taming the Wild" on page 34, talks about the domestication of foxes and dogs but seems allude how humans have both domesticated and nomadic traits. The domestication trait in humans has been likely "selected for" over the centuries possibly because it fosters scenarios for humans to work together on large projects and systems. This is important because I believe we're here to evolve, and evolution is information building on information. Our genetics are information storage and we have now created further information storage systems such as books and computers.
But this same domestication trait leads to overpopulation and over-consumption. The nomadic, wild hunter-gatherer traits seem to lead to more innovation but has been "selected out" over recent centuries. We have plenty of evidence to show how smaller companies consistently provide more innovation than larger over-consuming organizations. We may need to understand how these two behavioral traits can work together in a positive way.
In the same magazine, another story called "Enter the Anthropocene, Age of Man" shows a chart graphic (on page 72) of a 3 dimensional cube. One axis measures population, the other measures technology based on patents. The third axis measures affluence based on GDP. Notice how the vertical axis of affluence adds to the shocking exponential growth after 1950.
It requires a careful, dynamic balance of management for both traits if we are to successfully evolve with the resources we have. Now for all the fear-mongers out there, I am not suggesting Eugenics. I am suggesting we understand how these traits matter in the larger picture and we manage it somehow.
Michael: Thanks for your inspirational comments: "I BELIEVE WE'RE HERE TO EVOLVE"
"EVOLUTION IS INFORMATION BUILDING ON INFORMATION" (genetic and cultural information) "REQUIRING A CAREFUL, DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MANAGEMENT"
What a superb summary of millions of years of earth's history---and a great hint of which way is up and what human ethical responsibility
is. Tell us more!
I am inspired that I can generate the income needed to travel for at least a year and maybe longer. I so want to meet fellow travelers and talk about what constitutes the good life. Also, have wanted to visit New Mexico for a long time, so happy to hear about their year long passes. Someone, in one of your other posts, asked about traveling with a family. Homeschoooling is the answer. I homeschooled my four kids for 17 years and wanted to do it while traveling...ex disagreed...but it can be done and what fun the kids would have.
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