Am I too old to be a dirty street kid? ;) | Squat the Planet

Am I too old to be a dirty street kid? ;)

daydreamer

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Ok, I just wanted to grab attention with the subject title. No offense to dirty street kids, I love ya!

I'm brand new here, been lurking for a few days and loving this site. I'm 42 and female and feel like I've been a punk at heart my whole life. I got pregnant at 18 tho, and tried to live the "normal" life for my kid's sake. I love my son but I've been miserable for the last 23 years. I've been gradually disconnecting from the mainstream for years now and I've come to the point where I'm ready to just hit the road and disappear. I bought a van and I'm heading west in a couple weeks (just tying up some loose ends here).

I originally intended to go to San Diego (for the weather, I have fibromyalgia and the humidity on the east cost is killin' me), but I'm not married to that idea. I'm also thinking about Slab City. But really, I'm up for anything. I might even head to Williston, ND, for the money, at least for a while but I'm kinda leery about being a woman alone there. Probably not the best time of year for ND anyway, what with cold weather in just a few months. Maybe next spring.....Whatever, we'll see what happens. I'm basically letting go of the reins and seeing where the horse takes me at this point.

I don't have much money right now, but I know how to make enough to get by. I've flown a sign a couple times when I needed to pay the electric bill, or needed gas, so I could do it again if I had to. But I don't plan on depending on that - I do mystery shopping so I can do that anywhere in the country. I don't want to get involved with any kind of welfare cuz I don't want to be on the gov't radar if I can help it. My political stance is pretty much waking up every day and wishing for a "reset" button, i.e. a plague, nuclear war, etc. I realize there's a 99.9% chance that I would be one of the casualties but I'm ok with that. I feel like this planet needs to get back to about 10% of its current population and humans need to go back to being hunter/gatherers. I might be in the minority with that opinion, but whatever.

The best thing about this site is the acceptance I see here. There are a few haters but I'm blown away by the general "live and let live" attitude that I've seen. I've tried to live my life by that motto and the Golden Rule, but most people I know couldn't give a flip about that and just want to force their opinions down other people's throat and try to control them. I have run out of patience for that and I'm "dropping out", I guess.

Anyway, enough about me. I really look forward to reading more here, and getting out there, and hopefully meeting like-minded people.

Shana
 

TheWindAndRain

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You're never too old to start living. Williston is a rough place, but I don't think you have to be worried about safety as long as you don't get involved in the meth, prostitution, etc. If you do decide to go there, hit me up I can give you a few pointers for how to get started in that town. Good luck.
 
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daydreamer

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Thanks for the welcome!

You're never too old to start living. Williston is a rough place, but I don't think you have to be worried about safety as long as you don't get involved in the meth, prostitution, etc. If you do decide to go there, hit me up I can give you a few pointers for how to get started in that town. Good luck.

I really want to check out Williston so I have a feeling I'm going to end up there, even if it's just briefly. No worries about meth, prostitution! I'm too old and tired for that nonsense, lol. I just want to be as inconspicuous as possible, maybe make some money to finance the next few months on the road. I'm not totally against staying all winter but I know there's more to living in such a cold environment than just "toughing it out". For instance, how do you start your car when it's 20 below? There's just so much I don't know... But yeah, I'll definitely get in touch if I do find myself heading that way. :)

A rubbertramp is born.

Welcome.

Thank you! I've gone out on a couple "test runs" in the van, but I can't wait to really get out there and just leave everything behind. I think the first thing I'm gonna do is pick up a hitchhiker. Might as well dive right in, right?
You're never too old to leave the rat race.

Exactly! Just cuz the last 23 years sucked doesn't mean the next 23 have to!
 

Matt Derrick

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Awesome, I'm personally glad to see some older folks on here. I'm 35, so it's nice to talk to people in my age range for once :p, it's never too late to start, if it was i'd be retiring by now, and it's refreshing to see a female in my age range that wants to travel, i thought all of you were gone :)

i'm all about the rubber tramping these days, although i'm working on getting another school bus and renovating that (had a full size a few years back). if you need any advice feel free to hit me up.

as for getting by, im working on going to school for computer programming, so i can work online from the road. i haven't really been a fan of flying a sign if i can avoid it.
 
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Daydreamer

Your "reset button" just got pushed, go enjoy yourself. You did your "parent" duties and now it's time for you to do what you want! Your going to learn alot when your out on the road. The first thing i learned was, your not too old to leave it all behind. I'm 54 and wished i had done this 30 years ago. Good luck!!!!
 

daydreamer

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Awesome, I'm personally glad to see some older folks on here. I'm 35, so it's nice to talk to people in my age range for once :p, it's never too late to start, if it was i'd be retiring by now, and it's refreshing to see a female in my age range that wants to travel, i thought all of you were gone :)

i'm all about the rubber tramping these days, although i'm working on getting another school bus and renovating that (had a full size a few years back). if you need any advice feel free to hit me up.

as for getting by, im working on going to school for computer programming, so i can work online from the road. i haven't really been a fan of flying a sign if i can avoid it.

I suspect most females got it out of their system while they were young, whereas I've had it simmering away inside all these years and I'm about to blow, lol. Btw, Eric Amptmeyer said to tell you hi ;) Haha, just kidding. But I have him to thank for finding this site. I was researching Slab City and came across his rant about you. I'm not taking sides cuz I know zilch about the situation, but it's real hard to take him seriously after reading his obsessive ramblings! He's clearly just a little bit mental, and not in a good way...

My son is talking about getting a bus. The extra room would be nice but I guess stealth goes out the window, huh? I have an extended cargo van and I already feel like I'm SO.OBVIOUS.

MILF tramp = Sexy :)
Umm...thanks? I think? I'm overweight and I'm starting to get gray hair but thanks! ;)

Welcome to StP from a 44 year old who's fixing to hit the road (again, finally) in +- 8 weeks.

Where are you headed? Let me guess, the desert?

Daydreamer

Your "reset button" just got pushed, go enjoy yourself. You did your "parent" duties and now it's time for you to do what you want! Your going to learn alot when your out on the road. The first thing i learned was, your not too old to leave it all behind. I'm 54 and wished i had done this 30 years ago. Good luck!!!!

Thanks! I'm all about learning. I crave knowledge, about anything and everything. I used to dumpster dive and one night I found a brand new computer monitor sitting all by itself in a dumpster behind a Staples. It would power on but the screen stayed black. I researched and found out it was a known problem with the capacitors, so I researched some more and ordered new (better quality) capacitors and replaced them. I know almost nothing about electronics but that was such a blast to learn how to do that. One of my prouder moments :) I think there was a pissed-off Staples employee that got off work that night, though.....

I'm on the road right now for my MSing job (just an overnighter) and I'm right off of I-40 in NC and I just want to get on the interstate and GO WEST. Aaaarrggghhh!
I can't wait!
 
Well you have come to the right place for knowledge. Without mentioning names ( i don't want to leave anyone out) you've got some poster's here who know their stuff and i make it a daily thing to read those posts. They have helped me immensely and 99% of my questions have been answered by STP. So have at it!!!
 

professorjpj

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Hi daydreamer... Im the professor.. Been homeless and destitute(and travelling) MOST of my life... Heading to san fran in 11 days.. But ive done it WITHOUT ever driving.. I walk, bus, longboard, bike, hitch, etc... I guess you could say im the ultimate travelling bum! HAHA.. If you'd like to chat, let me know? It would be nice to talk to others like me a bit...
 
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daydreamer

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Well you have come to the right place for knowledge. Without mentioning names ( i don't want to leave anyone out) you've got some poster's here who know their stuff and i make it a daily thing to read those posts. They have helped me immensely and 99% of my questions have been answered by STP. So have at it!!!

Right now I don't even know what I don't know so I don't know what to ask, lol. I'm sure once I hit the road I'll be FULL of questions! Y'all are gonna get sick of them! :D

Hi daydreamer... Im the professor.. Been homeless and destitute(and travelling) MOST of my life... Heading to san fran in 11 days.. But ive done it WITHOUT ever driving.. I walk, bus, longboard, bike, hitch, etc... I guess you could say im the ultimate travelling bum! HAHA.. If you'd like to chat, let me know? It would be nice to talk to others like me a bit...

I used to be a truckdriver so I guess I've done enough driving for the both of us :p A part of me even feels like the van is a bit of an albatross. When it inevitably dies I might turn to hitching/hopping/etc... But for now - while I'm transitioning to this lifestyle - I'm pretty glad to have it :D

Is there a reason you don't drive? Have you ever driven?
 
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professorjpj

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Good question.. Well, I will give you a very honest answer... Ive ALWAYS been DIRT POOR my entire life! Never made much money, so could never afford more then a cheap bicycle!! And now, I ride a longboard around instead!! I have never had a steady job for long, and usually the few jobs Ive worked were minimum wage.. Trying renting a place AND affording a vehicle on that! And when I was a kid, my mother never drove either, so I was never around cars.. Now, another point I have to raise about driving, without a regular income of some type, a vehicle cannot be kept! In my lifestyle, I have to go on the assumption that I will not be able to make money(which is true 95% of the time).. It takes an income to KEEP a vehicle going.. If you cant make money for gas, insurance, fees, taxes, upkeep, sooner or later that van will become a large paperweight.. Sad but true.. I carry 1 bag, plus my sleeping bag rolled VERY tight, and my longboard.. If it doesn't fit in my small bag, I dont need it... Ive learned to be a true minimalist!!
 

daydreamer

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If it doesn't fit in my small bag, I dont need it... Ive learned to be a true minimalist!!

I like this as well. "Stuff", with a capital S, just drags me down. I can't even think straight when I'm surrounded by clutter. I feel like my brain is short-circuiting. Y'all shoulda seen the TON of stuff I just gave away a couple months ago. I went through the whole house and if I didn't use it at least once a month (not counting seasonal stuff, obviously) then it went out on the porch. I put an ad on the local FB yardsale page that said FREE! COME AND GET IT! It was a lot of good stuff too, but I just wanted it GONE, couldn't stand to look at it anymore. I would love to just live out of a backpack!

I ask myself the same question. I'm 40 btw ... ;)
Edit: I think you are as old as you feel ... :)

Well, that's a bit tricky cuz mentally I feel about 15 and physically I feel about 90 (fibromyalgia). Really sucks when your brain says "I wanna go bungee jumping!" and your body says "Are you effin out of your mind?" :eek:

omg you are finally living the dream! congratulations daydreamer! i'm also headed to north dakota and slab city in my van. let me know if you need a road dog

Woot! When are you leaving?
 

Anagor

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Hi!
Well, that's a bit tricky cuz mentally I feel about 15
I feel a lot older then you. Like 20 ... Mentally ;)
and physically I feel about 90 (fibromyalgia).
Sorry to hear that. But similar here. I smoke way too much. Bought a bike end of last year. After half a kilometer (mildly) uphill I feel like 100. ::hungover::
Anyway. I want to change my life. And I will. :D
 
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