DWELLING PORTABLY

WWW.DWELLINGPORTABLY.COM

Looking to Live off the Grid with a Simpler Lifestyle?
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Click HERE for some "Dwelling Portably Books & Things" i have assembled for you.

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KPTEEPEE This link here goes to a nice little Instructables article produced by a man named "KresimirPregernik". It is actually his homemade version of the Golite Shangri-La 3 Tent. This instructable linked here has good comments from the viewers. So if you are low on cash and can afford to make your own little portable shelter from material used to make one of those "Car Tarps" a very light weight material plus for the inner liner the same material used to make umbrellas and do not ask me where to find that. You will probably have to substitute some of the fabric items to make this tent using his directions and pattern. But anyway, it seems like a good Instructable so that is why i am including it here. Picture on the right is of his completed homemade tent. "This is a two layer tent, with an outer waterproof layer and a breathable inner layer to preserve warm and reduce moisture condensation."

“Well, I like to hike. I like to spend the night in the Outdoors, on mountain tops. Therefore I need a shelter. A light one. Small one. Cheap one. No fiber poles. And there is an enormous choice on ebay today. Still, the price and what I like rarely match. So, DIY necessity was a way to get what I want . . . And here is the result. Well. I took my hiking stick, some thin ropes and assembled how the tent should look like in nature and to get the proper feeling how it shall work as well. Of course, the rope-line will help to determine dimensions. I put myself in . . . . . . . And this evening a decision about everything was made.”
Contact Form • Golite Shangri-La 3 Tent on YouTube
GRAHAM MACKINTOSH I should have had this up a long time ago, it is such a great example of what a person can do even if unemployed. I actually discovered Graham when he published his first book "Into A Desert Place". Something that he said in the introduction of his book that really hit home with me: He said, that if a person (i think he said young person) is unemployed and cannot find employment, the best use of his or her time may be to just go on an adventure - get a backpack and plan a trip somewhere. My comment: Don't turn to crime or stealing, but just take what comes your way honestly. Click on the picture at the right to view his list of books on Amazon for sale.

“In 1983 Graham Mackintosh was a lecturer at West Kent College in England, teaching social sciences and special education to unemployed teenagers. In the hope of showing his students that a shoestring expedition could be the adventure of a lifetime, Mackintosh, who described himself as the "least adventurous person in the world," set out to walk around the beautiful but dangerous coastline of Baja California. The two-year, 3,000-mile trip changed his life. When Mackintosh emerged from the cactus-strewn wilderness, he returned to England to write Into a Desert Place and there received the prestigious "Adventurous Traveler of the Year" award.

Mackintosh was soon drawn back to Baja. After years promoting Into a Desert Place in the USA and Baja California, and scores of trips below the border, he eventually decided to walk down the rugged, mountainous interior of Baja, visiting many of the old missions along the way. Journey with a Baja Burro, his second book, was the result. It describes his arduous thousand-mile journey with a pack burro from the US border to Loreto – a trip that began exactly 300 years after the October 1697 founding of the Loreto mission, the first permanent European settlement in the "Californias." In 2001, Graham spent four months in Baja’s Sierra San Pedro Martir with two street dogs, which became the subject of his third book – Nearer My Dog to Thee. His fourth book, Marooned With Very Little Beer, appeared in April 2008, and tells of his two months kayaking and hiking the second largest island in the Sea of Cortez – Isla Angel de la Guarda. Graham Mackintosh now lives in San Diego, California. He continues to give lectures and slide shows on his trips, writes articles on Baja and has guided tourists south of the border on various tours. He is married to Bonni, a nurse, who shares his love for Baja and nature.”
Contact Form • Facebook Page
MANPOWER At one time this was a great organization. I have used Manpower in the past quite freqently for temporary jobs and even used this service to help my unemployed father find a good permanent job at Toro Manufacturing in Riverside California. A person at one time could work their way across the United States using their income from this great service. But, in later years when i tried to use this service, the situation had changed completely and a lot of their clients (job-seekers) were of the very "rough" type, and so i quit using this service. But you may be in a different area and in a different situation where this service may work very well for you. That is why i am including it here on this website, because you have to decide for yourself if this is going to work for you. I hope it does. I hope you do not experience the problems i had to go through using this type of service. As they say: "Whether you are looking for a full-time, permanent position or a temporary job that gives you the flexibility to work when you want to, ManpowerGroup can help. To learn about the latest ManpowerGroup job opportunities from around the world, please select a country or territory below."

“ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, creates and delivers high-impact solutions that enable our clients to achieve their business goals and enhance their competitiveness. With over 60 years of experience, our $21 billion company creates unique time to value through a comprehensive suite of innovative solutions that help clients win in the Human Age. These solutions cover an entire range of talent-driven needs from recruitment and assessment, training and development, and career management, to outsourcing and workforce consulting. ManpowerGroup maintains the world's largest and industry-leading network of nearly 3,500 offices in over 80 countries and territories, generating a dynamic mix of an unmatched global footprint with valuable insight and local expertise to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, across all industry sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, local, multinational and global companies. The ManpowerGroup suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup Solutions, Experis, Manpower, and Right Management.”
Contact Form • Facebook Page
GROUND TRUTH TREKKING If anyone knows anything about portable dwellings these people certainly seem to be the experts. This is an incredible situation. 4,000 Miles by Boot, Raft and Ski. Well educated people, but they walk around a lot, have a couple of young children, plus live in a Yurt in Alaska when not on the trail.

“This is a record of adventures of a young, idealistic couple who choose to reduce their world down to just two small packs and the next 100 yards in front of them. In June 2007, Erin McKittrick and her husband, Hig, embarked on a 4,000-mile expedition from Seattle to the Aleutian Islands, traveling solely by human power. This is the story of their unprecedented trek along the northwestern edge of the Pacific Ocean—a year-long journey through some of the most rugged terrain in the world — and their encounters with rain, wind, blizzards, bears, and their own emotional and spiritual demons. Erin and Hig set out from Seattle with a desire to raise awareness of natural resource and conservation issues along their route: Clear-cut logging of rainforests; declining wild salmon populations; extraction of mineral resources; and effects of global climate change. By taking each mile step by step, they were able to intimately explore the coastal regions of Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska, see the wilderness in its larger context, and provide a unique on-the-ground perspective.
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An entertaining and, at times, thrilling adventure, theirs is a journey of discovery and of insights about the tiny communities that dot this wild coast, as well as the individuals there whom they meet and inspire. Erin McKittrick had already logged more than 3,000 miles through Alaska's untracked wildernesses, before embarking on her 4,000-mile trek from Seattle to the Aleutian Islands. She received an MS in molecular biology from the University of Washington, but left academia to pursue more wilderness experiences and to concentrate on environmental activism. She lives with her husband and baby in Seldovia, Alaska.”
Contact Form • Facebook Page
THE SIERRA STOVE This is the famous little wood (twig) burning stove from ZZ Manufacturing. I have owned their stoves and they work very well in my experience. It is best to gather together a pile of wood burning twigs and stuff before starting the stove. In other words have plenty of fuel ready to feed the fire after you get it going.

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“Welcome to zzstove.com, home of ZZ Manufacturing and the SIERRA and SIERRA TITANIUM stoves. The SIERRA stove, (pictured right), is ideal for backpackers, distance bikers, back country horsemen and other campers looking for an extremely lightweight, dependable and powerful stove. The SIERRA is an excellent choice for Boy Scouts, providing a safe and simple way to learn the skills of campfire cooking. The SIERRA burns twigs, bark, pine cones and other woods readily available around a campsite, as well as charcoal and other solid fuels. The SIERRA incorporates an adjustable speed fan, creating a forced ventilation system that provides intense heat and efficient burning. The SIERRA weighs only 1 lb yet creates up to 18,000 BTU/hr, enough heat to boil a quart of water in four minutes. A single "AA" battery powers the fan for 6 hours. The optional "D" CELL POWER SUPPLY provides over 35 hours of cooking time. The SIERRA SET includes a polished stainless steel kettle with frying pan cover, a wrap around windshield for faster and more efficient cooking, a cross grate for burning long sticks, tongs, a sample of ZIP FIRES and a nylon carry sack. The entire SIERRA SET weighs just 2 lbs.”
Contact Form • FAQ
PEACE PILGRIM Actually, i should have put this up a long time ago, but only recently have i thought of including this famous lady here. Even if a person does not agree with her purpose in life it is still a very good example of how a person can live without all the trappings of security, like a regular home, income & transportation. To me, this is really a fascinating situation. Think about it, she walked for 28 years with no money, her possessions consisted of the clothes she wore and some items in her pockets. She died in 1981 as a passenger in a car while traveling to a speaking engagement. Something for you to consider is the fact that she maintained a very low overhead in her life: She had no children or pets or cars or homes or credit cards to maintain. She had divested herself of a lot of the things that cause trouble for many people.

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“From 1953 to 1981 a silver haired woman calling herself only "Peace Pilgrim" walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. She vowed to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." In the course of her 28 year pilgrimage she touched the hearts, minds, and lives of thousands of individuals all across North America. Her message was both simple and profound. It continues to inspire people all over the world. Her pilgrimage for peace began on the morning of January 1, 1953. She vowed "to remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace". Peace Pilgrim walked alone and penniless and with no organizational backing. She walked "as a prayer" and as a chance to inspire others to pray and work for peace. She wore navy blue shirt and slacks, and a short tunic with pockets all around the bottom in which she carried her only worldly possessions: A comb, a folding toothbrush, a ballpoint pen, copies of her message and her current correspondence.”
Contact • Facebook Page
RICHARD THE PIANO TUNER This is another true example of "Dwelling Portably". Be sure and check out all the material i have linked to here. It is very interesting and i think you will agree. Thanks to "Jim Castleberry" for sending me this great example. Taken from England your England: "Richard is a portrait of a wandering piano tuner while he explores the adventures of living without a fixed address. He classes himself as "Working Homeless" – a growing group who sleep rough by night, but then get up in the morning to go to work. Richard sees his lifestyle choice as an experiment in economics, convenience and environmental impact which he blogs about here."

“Welcome, my name's Richard Roberts and I offer piano restoration, repair and tuning services in the London area. I specialize in home visits to old pianos that have been neglected for many years. I also care for all types of acoustic (not electronic) pianos in any condition and in any setting, not just the home. I've been maintaining pianos in London for over ten years, and previously in Oxford and Portsmouth for ten years before that. I have no fixed abode but I'm normally in Central London where I cycle to work, I also cycle to clients further afield in Greater London and the Thames Valley. I learnt my trade from my father Marcus Roberts in Oxford, who specializes in the sale and restoration of the finest pianos in the world — you can browse his stock at www.robertspianos.com. His father was a music teacher, his grandfather was a piano tuner, and I'm grateful that in turn he also taught me how to work with pianos from a very young age. Since early 2011 I've been conducting an interesting lifestyle experiment: I live outdoors. This means that I just go to sleep wherever I happen to be at the end of the day, and involves sleeping "rough" by default but occasionally staying over with friends or family. I'm doing this for practical, environmental and economical reasons and I'm thoroughly enjoying it – you can read more about my lifestyle on my Lifestyle page. Please note that I do shower everyday, I don't have any dogs, I don't smoke, and I'm not addicted to anything except English breakfast tea and my mum's home-made fruitcake.”
Richard Roberts • Contact Form
HOW TO LIVE HOMELESS IN STYLE OK, this is an old website that looks to me has not been updated since 2010. I am including it here because it may be of interest to a lot of you hopefully. This website linked to here is mostly about using empty plastic beverage bottles for different useful items such as the "Bottle Boat" shown in the picture at the right. Right here, i want to warn you about these projects as being potentially dangerous to your health & welfare. This "Bottle Boat" may only be reasonably safe in a swimming pool, NOT in the ocean, river or a lake for most people.

Always take into consideration your own abilities and the environment before using things like this boat. Meaning there are people who are physically very strong and can swim for miles in the ocean to safety, and then there are people like myself who cannot swim very far even in a swimming pool. This project linked to here might be a good item for someone to make for resale as a business to earn some income.

“Robert Spalding is a podiatrist in Chattanooga, Tennessee and has been writing for nearly twenty years. He is a retired Memphis Fire Department paramedic, former full time Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy, and current Hamilton County Reserve Deputy. He is an avid inventor with over forty products patented, trademarked, or sold commercially. His thirty-year background in EMS, law enforcement, and medicine provides topics for his ten books. He has published seven to date, with three more to be released in the next eight months. He is co-founder of www.MediNail.com, an online training center for nail technicians to become ANTs or advanced nail technicians and MNTs or Medical Nail Technicians to perform medical pedicures in physician's offices. Dr Spalding's adult titles include Death By Pedicure, sold at www.justfortoenails.com, Drug Subs sold at www.drugsubs.com and his newest book, How to Live Homeless in Style: 50 Ways to Survive on Plastic Bottles in These Economic Times sold at cokefloat.com. Dr. Spalding has a series of children's picture and young chapter books at www.fufufactory.com and www.saraclaus.com. He is releasing two new titles, Death by Manicure, www.deathbymanicure.com and An American Playground, www.anamericanplayground.com. He lives and works on Signal Mountain for the past fifiteen years with his wife Gina.”
Dr Robert Spalding • Signal Mtn, Tennessee • Phone: (423) 756-3668 • Contact Form
CARRIX For those of you who like to walk long distances but would rather not use a backpack so much, this personal trailer loaded with your heavier items might be the answer to a more comfortable walk. This cart system looks to be quite efficient. On his website the inventor has a lot of pictures, plus you can buy accessories for this one wheeled system. They have a second website which you can visit by clicking here.

I pulled a two wheeled cart loaded with my camping gear from Desert Hot Springs (Near Palm Springs), California up to Cambria, California along the west coast of California and returned to San Bernardino, California pulling the cart and camping at night alongside the road.

“Dear fellow bushwalkers and hikers. Carrix has been designed and shaped specifically to carry your bag on your bush or track walk. Lightness, strength and reliability are the criteria for this unique and simple concept. As most of the load rests on the wheel, making for perfect load distribution, Carrix goes everywhere you want it to go, without weighing you down. With less strain on your back and legs, you save energy and enjoy your walk more. On your mountain walk, uphill and downhill, a shockproof Carrix can efficiently carry your heavy bag, negotiate bumps and endure the most punishing treatment on steep and rough terrain. For the climbing part of your trip, simply pack your Carrix strapped bag on your back. During transit at airports or railway stations, just fold the handles and push your loaded Carrix forward. Carrix is delivered as a kit in a compact bag and can travel with you anywhere in the world. Carrix is a multi-use tool with a multitude of working and recreational applications for outdoor activities such as diving, camping, caravanning, gliding, sailing etc. . . And more for you to discover. Enjoy your walk! Made in Switzerland, Patent and trade mark, all rights reserved. No 03405186.2 ”
Frame Fashions • 71 Moulder Street • Orange NSW 2800 Australia • Phone: 02 6360 4776 lunette@bigpond.com
PULL DOGS You are probably aware of the fact that in many snowy cold climates people have 'sled dogs'. Dogs trained to pull a sled. Well, lets take that concept and apply it here to a different situation, like using your dog (for those who have dogs) to haul some of your food and/or gear while traveling on the road.

“Pulldogs.com presents the Canine Cargo Carts™: A dog cart for dogs that love to pull and people who love to walk and hike. Our dog carts allow you to walk with your dogs while they pull gear. At pulldogs.com, we believe a small investment in a well-made cart is an investment in the health and happiness of both dog and owner! A dog cart is a great way to exercise dogs that are bred to pull or just have excess energy!

Cargo Carts™ allow active owners to walk or hike while their dogs work. Pulldogs carts have two wheels and a slightly lower center of gravity, so they're easier for the dog to turn and maneuver and harder to tip than a dog wagon. Carts feature removable anodized aluminum shafts that are wrapped in handlebar tape for the dog's comfort, and are positioned to allow the dog to comfortably sit and lie down while attached to the cart. Shafts on all but small carts are also sectioned for portability. All carts also include never-go-flat wheels for worry-free trips. Canine Cargo Carts™ feature extra touches like rounded rails, tie-downs and leash ring, custom license decal and fleece bolt-bag and sleeves for shaft storage. They're designed for years of use, and for convenient storage when not in use. At pulldogs.com, we produce dog carts that are sturdy, stable, and attractive. We offer multiple color combinations to complement any dog! Padded fleece-lined pulling harnesses match carts and cart accessories. Pulldogs dog carts carry camping and fishing gear, food and water, emergency supplies, groceries (go green!) and anything else you can imagine! Cargo Carts™ are light enough to be portable (less than 30 pounds for Standard), but sturdy enough to give your pulling dogs the exercise they need and hold the gear you want! They're also great for hiking with your dog: Conditioned dogs can comfortably carry only 1/4 to 1/3 their body weight, but can pull 2-3 times their body weight for the same distance. *Please consult your veterinarian before starting your dog on any exercise regimen, just as you would consult your own medical doctor*”
Pulldogs Products • Contact Form
REAL CHEAP FOOD The mission of this website linked here: "Eat Real, healthy food for little money!" There is a considerable amount of information here, a lot of links to other sites with low cost food recipes. Lots of good help for the beginning cook. But, it looks like a lot of simple cooking type recipes which a person could do on the road. This website has been up since February 22, 2010. There is not a lot of information about the creator of the website, just lots of information on eating cheaply with quality food items. Go Figure!

“Started thinking about what I could do in life if I could eat a balanced diet with complete nutrition for as little money as possible. Decided I could do more of what I really wanted to!”
Real Cheap Food • Contact Form • fb@realcheapfood.com
RANCHO COSTA NADA This listing was sent to me by a man named "Tom Hathaway" and i want to thank him again for taking the time to send me this link. OK, this listing here should be interesting to many of you because it shows what a person can do by just thinking a little and having some fun being creative. I am familiar with the Imperial County of California, it is located mostly at the South East corner of the state and gets very hot in the summertime, plus it is has a lot of agricultural land along with a lot of barren desert land. The website linked here has a lot of interesting pictures plus some useful information you might be able to apply in your own life. Anyway, the picture on the right shows the author walking by and clicking on the picture takes you to his website, i guess.

“This book tells how to live cheap in the desert. It's a survival guide for frugal living, about how to live on almost nothing after quitting the job, the commute hassle, the mean boss, and all the nagging worries about rent and mortgage. It's about self-reliance, independence, and a life of freedom and leisure. Amazon says that "Rancho Costa Nada: The Dirt Cheap Desert Homestead," has become one of the top ten survivalist books.
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Originally Rancho was published by Loompanics, a catalog publisher of quirky books that went out of business and sold "Rancho" rights to Paladin Press, another interesting publisher. "Rancho Costa Nada" tells how the author bought 10 worthless acres in the California desert for three hundred bucks. For another hundred, he built a comfortable little hogan out of scrap lumber and sand bags. Some ideas he figured out for himself, such as how to be his own utility district. Other schemes for frugal desert living came from half a dozen fellow homesteaders in the barren waste of the Smoke Tree Valley in Imperial County, California. The author is no pioneer. Just an average mope without any particular survival skills or homesteader attributes such as carpentry or auto mechanics. He was raw. But he found out that by using a few simple expedients it's easy to live for almost nothing. No hardship. The cash he generates (and how hard is it to turn a few bucks in Samland?) becomes disposable income. So he travels during the summer inferno and uses the Rancho as home base in winter (unless he's house sitting or on the road) . . .”
Phil Garlington • PO Box 901 • Victor, CA 95253 • philgarlington@yahoo.com
TREK LIGHT GEAR Here's a very portable item for you which allows you to sleep wherever you can tie two ends of a rope opposite each other. Of coarse i am talking about a hammock. I tried using a hammock once to sleep in overnight near Bishop, California. It was one of the most miserable experiences in my life. I was cold and could not go to sleep. So, there must be something you can do to make it work, but right now i do not know what to do to make hammock use a pleasure. I suppose they are mostly good to use in warm tropical weather, but i think mountaineers use them, they must have some way to keep warm.

“Trek Light Gear was founded by Seth Haber, who wanted to combine his outdoor enthusiasm with his growing interest in entrepreneurship. His love of the outdoors brought Seth from Rhode Island to Boulder Colorado, where he soon put his computer science degree to the test working for a large medical company in the area. Despite a busy schedule, he continued to take full advantage of the wilderness around him and used his time outdoors to relax, unwind, rejuvenate and go on countless adventures with friends. As a full fledged weekend warrior it soon occurred to Seth that there were always brief moments within each trip and adventure that stayed with him long after he returned to the cubicle and went back to work.

If you've ever sat at your desk after returning to work from a vacation and closed your eyes and felt yourself back on the beach or back at your campsite listening to the wind in the trees, then you know the feeling. Seth quickly realized that it was these moments of bliss that were the key to creating a healthy balance in a busy life and he soon found himself searching for a way to encourage people to get outside, take a break and enjoy the world around them in a low impact and healthy way. What better way to get outside, relax and take a break from a busy life than to lay in a hammock? And, what if you could easily take that hammock, that little piece of heaven, with you wherever you went? With this revelation, the Trek Light Hammock was born. Seth quickly teamed up with a like-minded friend (who would later move on to other ventures) and he began his quest for the perfect hammock design to make the dream a reality. Soon, he was traveling all over the state of Colorado selling the hammocks at local festivals and shows and spreading his philosophy that no matter how crazy your life is, you are never too busy to take a few moments and relax.”
Trek Light Gear • 1925 33rd St. • Boulder, CO 80301 • Toll Free: (800) 960-1471 • Contact Form
LIVE WORK DREAM Here is another example of people leaving the corporate system and making their own lifestyle. This website linked here has a lot of good information for your perusal. They have articles on subjects such as: Best campsites, good eats, watering holes, etc. Also, lots of good pictures for you to look at.

“Welcome. We're Jim and René @LiveWorkDream, thanks for stopping by. We are young RV snowbirds working from the road who love to share our story, hoping it will inspire others to follow their own dreams. When our dog Jerry was diagnosed with bone cancer in late 2006, we quickly made plans that changed our lives forever. By June, 2007 we had sold our business, home and nearly everything we owned.

We hit the road in an RV to explore the country leaving the corporate world behind – and never looked back. Over the next three years we traveled the country in search of the next big thing. After building a couple online communities and considering various business opportunities, we realized we could never return to typical day jobs. Perhaps you’ve seen us. We're the ones with the big satellite dish and websites listed all over our rig. Our travels with Jerry were featured in Nature: 'Why We Love Cats and Dogs' which first aired on PBS in 2009. To support the RV lifestyle we love so much, we earn our income a number of different ways. René is a freelance writer, Jim is a graphic designer and together we do marketing for the perfect company. This US based manufacturer helps us maintain our goal of personal wellness and financial freedom with steady commission checks simply by generating referrals. We operate this business and help others do the same, from the comfort of our own home – wherever it may be parked today. After full-timing for three years we are now snowbirds, working from the mountain home we call Jerry's Acres nestled in the Rocky Mountains about an hour from Fort Collins, Colorado. When the snow falls, we hit the road with new 'Tripawds spokespup Wyatt' until Spring. Maybe we’ll see ya deep in the heart of Texas!”
Jim and René • 240 Rainbow Dr #14065 • Livingston, TX 77399 • Phone: (707) 845-3129 • info@agreda.com
ZEN STOVES If you have an interest in small backpackable fuel efficient stoves then you are probably going to like this website. Included are both factory made and homemade stoves with material lists and how-to-build plans which are free. Picture on the right is of 'Jerry Pepera's homemade Zip Stove'.

“Welcome and enjoy your tour. Since the discovery of fire and cooking, man has endeavored to eat tasty and hot meals. For backpackers wishing to take on the challenges of the wilds, they can do so and still enjoy a hot brew or freshly cooked meal without needing to rub two sticks together. Portable homemade backpacking stoves such as the many variations of the infamous alcohol stove have been used for a long time in Europe, by the Boy Scouts and are now just gaining popularity with ultralight backpackers and thruhikers in America. This site is composed of a compilation of techniques and ideas dealing with commercial and do it yourself (DIY) camping stoves that use alcohol and other hiker friendly (as well as unfriendly) fuels for cooking. If you choose to experiment with one the many DIY stoves on this site, please use common sense and read the Warnings and Disclaimer. Please refer to the Credits Page for sources of information and happy stoving!”
ZenStoves • zenseeker@hotmail.com
THE LOST BUS At about maybe October of 2011, i saw these guys here in my hometown of Crescent City, California. They were parking the bus in a parking lot and i decided to look them up on the internet and read their story. Kind of interesting. Probably these guys are unemployed, but trying to do something creative which i think is cool.

“All three of the Lost Bus members are long time best friends and graduates of Holland Christian High School. Our dream has become a reality through establishing the Lost Bus. We purchased our bus as a 1996, International Carpenter 65-passenger school bus. It has a 444E, 7.3L turbo engine with an original 140,000 miles on it. Since the purchase back in November of 2009, it has become so much more than an ordinary 1996 school bus. Please read on to see some of the modifications and additions we have or are in the process of doing to create our bus into the most efficient and effective mobile headquarters; but more importantly, a home. All members have had to give up a lot in order to make this dream a reality, but decided the excitement of travel and their enthusiasm to make a change in the world out-weighed their losses. Here is a short background bio of all three members that you may like to know. Have you spotted the Bus? Tour the Bus and meet the crew! Invite us over to your place or out for food/drinks. We are a friendly bunch and love to meet new people, especially the locals! Please let us know if you have any suggestions or work. So what are you waiting for, give us a call! (616) 886-6799.”
The Lost Bus • Derek Evenhouse • Phone: (616) 886-6799 • Contact Form
TECHNOMADIA This cool couple have a plan and they are living it out right as i speak. The link here takes you to their popular website which documents their travels and other items of interest.

“We are two gen-X geeks who are utilizing technology to engage in a full-time traveling lifestyle – in other words, we're technomads. Technomad: Technology enabled nomad. Our journey is not one of sabbatical or retirement – nor have we set an end date. We aim to create a long term sustainable lifestyle that combines our hi-tech careers with a rich and fulfilling life full of travel, community, adventure, wanderlust, and amazing experience. We feel that the sky is the limit to where our adventures might take us, and we're still only just getting started! We intend to keep this blog as an authentic recording of our personal journey. It's a mash-up of travelogues so we don't forget and thoughts on how we make our mobile life of intent work. We share what we've learned because we're inspired to share and it will come in bursts as we have time. We have no aims to make an income stream out of this blog, and honestly – blogging for dollars just doesn't sound like fun to us. We feel we're richly rewarded for our efforts on this blog by all the amazing people we've met and opportunities that wouldn't have manifested otherwise. We blog because . . . Well . . . We enjoy it! And we'd absolutely love to hear from you and meet-up during our adventures!”
Technomadia Contact • us@technomadia.com
HOMELESS BY CHOICE I really like this Blog and wished the author would add to it occasionally. Unfortunately the last update is: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010. There seems to be a lot of useful information on this blog, very practical information and advice for the wandering person. Picture on the right says: "Homeless By Choice" Extolling the virtues of "Free Sleeping" A Blog on personal economy, Self-Sufficiency, Freedom, Extreme budget Travel and the Rent Free Lifestyle.

“Glenn Campbell is this dude who used to work as a baggage handler for US Airways until he got laid off in 2008. The good news: He still got to fly for free for three more years—without the inconvenience of working for it. The bad news: He had little money and couldn't afford rent or hotels. The solution: He became deliberately homeless, finding ways to live comfortably while paying little or no rent. This blog recounts some of the things he learned — It's all about freedom, creativity, and finding clever ways to do what you want within the limited resources you have.”
Contact • Glenn@Glenn-Campbell.com
CHRISTOPHER NYERGES I have watched this man on television as he was being featured by Huell Howser in his series "California Gold". Chris was able to identify a number of plants suitable for eating even in the city of Los Angeles, i am talking about wild plants growing in vacant lots, etc. Chris can teach you a lot of survival skills helpful even in a city situation.

“Since 1974, Christopher Nyerges has taken over 30,000 children and adults on Wild Food Outings, Survival Skills Outings, and other field trips and outdoor programs. He has worked with such groups as WTI Inc. (original sponsor of the outings), Tree People, Southwest Museum, Boy Scouts of America, The Sierra Club, Elder Hostel, and many colleges, schools, churches, and libraries. He is the author of seven books, including Guide to Wild Foods and Enter the Forest. He has had thousands of newspaper and magazine articles published since the mid-1970s, and is currently the editor of Wilderness Way magazine. His classes and workshops have been featured on all Los Angeles area television stations, including KCET's "Life and Times" and Huell Howser's popular "Visiting" show. For two years, he appeared on Fox TV's "X Show," demonstrating survival skills on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Christopher makes his home in the out skirts of Los Angeles, California. He holds classes on a weekly basis throughout the year, where folks from all ages and backgrounds have an opportunity to learn from one of the countries foremost authorities on survival and emergency preparedness. His unique style of instruction, coupled with the out in the field classes makes for an easy to learn, way to spend an afternoon.”
School of Self-reliance • Box 41834 • Eagle Rock, CA 90041 • Phone: (626) 791-3217 or (323) 255-9502
christopher_nyerges@yahoo.com.
PORTABLE WRITING Link goes to book at Amazon. This is a new book i just found that seems (by the title, anyway) to be a very appropriate book for this website and subject matter of this website. You can visit the authors blog by clicking here.

“Want to be a well-paid writer but don't know how? In Portable Writing you'll find step-by-step instructions for 25 profitable writing projects. Included are creative ideas that aren't found in any other book on writing, yet are so simple any writer can profit from them. The book also provides directions for finding people who want and need your services and features anecdotal examples and illustrations throughout the book. Writers can earn income anywhere, whether they live in Muleshoe, Texas or Humptulips, Washington, or while traveling. A bonus section features information on RVing and finding writing opportunities on the road. Projects covered in the book include: an overview of writing for publication, including books and magazine articles; instructions for six types of newsletters, including the unique concept of joint newsletters for clients; news releases; ghostwritten books; ghostwritten articles for business owners and corporate executives for trade and industry magazines; organizational histories; family histories and recipe books; cookbooks; how-to and inspirational books; and weekly columns for business owners and professionals. Also included are instructions for brochures and seven smaller, but profitable projects. There are no educational requirements or geographical limits for a successful writing career. Recent graduates will learn how to find creative freedom as a writer. Military and corporate spouses will learn a new, portable career that will travel with them no matter where they're transferred. Retirees will learn how to make their retirement more fulfilling. Those who want to learn how to write will find their launching pad to success in Portable Writing. This is the only book that provides writers with both their survival guide and their ticket to freedom!”
Also, available here: BOOKLOCKER
HOUSE SITTERS AMERICA This site specializes in "House Sitting" a little different than "Caretaking". Some of you portable dwellers might like to try this angle for finding temporary housing.

“Would you like a change of scenery for very little cost? Are you sick of paying rent? Want to save for that something special? Like to take your family on an interesting holiday? Love caring for animals? If so, then house sitting and/or pet minding is definitely for you. Our website can match your expertise with a householder looking for someone just like you!
With House Sitters America you can . . .

Contact homeowners who advertise for a house sitter.
Advertise your house sitting services to homeowners throughout America.

You can . . .
• Save a bundle by living rent free!
• Earn an income as a professional house & pet sitter.
• Travel throughout America experiencing house sits in different cities and states.
• Enjoy the nomadic, exciting house sitting lifestyle.
• Start that much put off project e.g. write that novel or book, paint or sculpt that masterpiece.
• Feel great knowing you are minimizing the home & pet owner's worries & concerns.

What is house sitting?
House sitting is living in a person's house for an agreed period of time while they are away. You maintain the house as if it were your own, doing any household jobs that need doing such as pet care, garden maintenance, forwarding mail etc. House sitting can vary, from a weekend up to 3 years (or longer) and anything in between.

What is caretaking?
A caretaker is a person who is paid to manage a property that is involved in a business. This may include positions such as ranch sitters, bed and breakfast hosts, or managers at resorts or campgrounds. A caretaker is generally distinguished from a housesitter in that they are involved with running the business while the owner/manager is away, and they may or may not reside on the property. Caretakers are not licensed, and are therefore paid according to a private agreement between themselves and the owner/manager.”
House Sitters America • #2556, 455 Route 306 • Monsey, NY 10952 USA • info@housesittersamerica.com
HOUSECARERS Looks like another quality house sitting site providing a good service to hopefully many people. This business based in Australia, but provides service worldwide.

“HouseCarers invites you to join one of the fastest growing popular trends in the world today - House Sitting. HouseCarers provides the most comprehensive information available on house sitting. We guide you through the process of successfully matching homeowner with sitters. Housesitters list their preferences through a simple registration process. Homeowners communicate with sitters through our confidential message system to preserve privacy and security. Whether you're a house sitter or a homeowner, HouseCarers brings peace of mind closer to home.”
Access 2000 Pty Ltd trading as HouseCarers • 41 Hill St • PO Box 404 • Belmont NSW 2280 • Australia • Phone: 61 2 9913 1844
MIND MY HOUSE Billed as "Bringing home owners and house sitters together". Nice website based in New Zealand.

“Welcome to MindMyHouse – a global house sitting matching service. We provide all the online tools for home owners and house sitters to find each other from around the globe (or around the corner). And it works! Our house sitters provide their pet and house sitting services for free in exchange for the privilege of accommodation in the owner's home. Home owners join for free. House sitter memberships are the cheapest on the web at only US$20 or equivalent per year. Dual memberships are perfectly respectable.”
MindMyHouse • 87B Stokes Valley Road • Stokes Valley • Wellington, New Zealand • support@mindmyhouse.com
CARETAKER-JOBS This website is owned by the house sitting website called Housecarers.com above. It specializes in Caretaking as opposed to House Sitting.

Click Above
“Caretaker-Jobs.com is dedicated to serving the needs of property owners and caretakers world wide. Our focus is providing a secure environment where property owners can quickly match, screen, and select caretakers; and caretakers can achieve their financial and lifestyle objectives. We also help fill, related live-in horse jobs, ranch jobs and summer jobs. We guide you through the process of successfully matching property and estate owners with caretakers. Candidates list their preferences, experience, and motivations through our simple registration process. Property owners may list free caretaker wanted ads and communicate with caretakers through our confidential message system to preserve privacy and security. Whether you're a property owner or a property caretaker, Caretaker-Jobs.com will help you find a match you can trust.”
Access 2000 Pty Ltd trading as HouseCarers • 41 Hill St • PO Box 404 • Belmont NSW 2280 • Australia • Phone: 61 2 9913 1844
CARETAKER GAZETTE This very useful publication has been around for a long time and been of help to many people i'm sure. Consider it a resource and possible option in locating a place to live if even temporarily.

Some people even become professional caretakers as a way of life. But you have to establish a good name for yourself as someone dependable, reliable and trustworthy.

"THE CARETAKER GAZETTE is a unique newsletter containing property caretaking and house sitting jobs, advice, and information for property caretakers, housesitters, and landowners. Published since 1983, it's the only publication in the world dedicated to the property caretaking field. The GAZETTE provides its subscribers with thousands of house sitting and property caretaking jobs each year. We have housesitting jobs in all 50 US States, Canada, Mexico and dozens of other countries. All of our subscribers also receive, at no extra charge, email listings of new rent-free living opportunities (when property owners need to find house sitters very quickly) several times each week. You can enjoy rent-free living as a property caretaker in desirable locations. Positions on estates, mansions, farms, ranches, resort homes, retreat centers, camps, hunting and fishing lodges, vacation homes, private islands, and any other kind of property imaginable are listed in The GAZETTE."
The Caretaker Gazette • 3 Estancia Lane • Boerne, Texas 78006 USA • Phone: (830) 755-2300
caretaker@caretaker.org • Contact Form
DWELLING PORTABLY Link goes to product at Amazon. This publication has been around for a long time and the authors live the life believe me. You can buy back issues on Amazon.com and they have a book available for sale. See below.

"This legendary zine has been crammed full of information about living without a permanent residence for nearly thirty years - tips for biking, tents, showering, cooking, etc. It is written by many folks who have lived the lifestyle far outside of cities and bereft of technology."

Dwelling Portably 1980-89
by Bert Davis; Holly Davis
PUBLISHER: MICROCOSM PUBLISHING ©2008
ISBN-10 1934620084
ISBN-13 9781934620083
FORMAT: Paperback
PAGES: 168
Size 8.25 x 5.25 x 0.5 Inches
PUBLISHED: 06/01/2008

RV Living • Wear Black • Start Small • Paul Elkins
KNOWLEDGE HOUND I include this website here because it may be a very good resource of information for many of you. It is one of the most comprehensive sources of "How To" on the internet.

“In January of 1946, Pearl Baum debuted the first of her popular radio shows, How To Do It, giving her listeners advice on everything from how to improve their vocabulary to how to stop thumb-sucking. In September of 1997, her granddaughter, Heidi Allen, began building what was to become the Web's most comprehensive how-to site, Knowledge Hound (www.knowledgehound.com). But until this year, Allen had no idea that providing free access to do-it-yourself advice ran in the family. The discovery came to light while she was going through a dusty box that had been hidden away in a storage locker. Inside, she found a tattered magazine article detailing her grandmother's career. "I was speechless when I saw the original name of her show," says Allen. "It was almost spooky. But it makes me want to work even harder, because now I have a tradition to carry on." The newest chapter of that tradition began when Allen tried to use the Internet to teach herself some new skills. After repeatedly spending hours picking through thousands of search results with little luck, she decided to take action. Knowledge Hound was born. The site is the Web's biggest directory of free how-to links, and the wide variety - from alternative energy to programming to crafts and more . . . Offers something for everyone. "I've had visitors just stumble onto something they weren't even looking for and, suddenly, they see a whole new world of possibilities. That's the beauty of it, putting all of those possibilities in one place.", says the upbeat entrepreneur. The response to Knowledge Hound proves that others agree and serves to strengthen Allen's commitment to expand an educational tool that would already make her grandmother proud.”
Knowledge Hound • San Antonio, Texas • Contact Form
CITY-DATA This might be a great resource for those of you looking for a place to go to live or visit. Could be used in conjunction with the house sittings websites above or just for your own personal research.

“We've collected and analyzed data from numerous sources to create as complete and interesting profiles of all US cities as we could. We have over 94,000 city photos not found anywhere else, graphs of latest real estate prices and sales trends, recent home sales, home value estimator, hundreds of thousands of maps, satellite photos, stats about residents (race, income, ancestries, education, employment...), geographical data, state profiles, crime data, registered sex offenders, cost of living, housing, religions, businesses, local news links based on our exclusive technology, birthplaces of famous people, political contributions, city government finances and employment, weather, tornadoes, earthquakes, hospitals, schools, libraries, houses, airports, radio and TV stations, zip codes, area codes, air pollution, latest unemployment data, time zones, water systems and their health and monitoring violations, comparisons to averages, local poverty details, professionally written city guides, car accidents, fires, bridge conditions, cell phone and other towers, mortgage data, business storefront photos, a forum and a social network with 1,000,000 registered members and 16,000,000 posts, blogs, 5,000 user-submitted facts, 27,000 exclusive local business profiles with photos, restaurant inspection results, and more demographics.

If you ever need to research any city, zip code, or neighborhood for any reason, from considering a move there to just checking where somebody you know is staying, this is the site for you.”
City-Data • Contact Form
BLTP SANDWICH This is really a modified BLT Sandwich, the "P" stands for "pickle". Don't like dill pickle? Don't include it on the sandwich, simple huh? I love BLT's (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato sandwich. The recipe below is for 8 people - 1 sandwich each, but it is possible to make just one sandwich for yourself: Divide the ingredients by "8", i guess.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds thickly sliced bacon (at least 3 slices per person)
16 slices white bread, toasted
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 small head lettuce
4 dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

Cooking Directions: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat, working in batches, until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Spread each slice of toast with mayonnaise. Top half the slices with the tomatoes, lettuce leaves, pickles, and bacon. Top with the remaining toast.
Real Simple • Toll Free: (800) 881-1172 • Contact Form
FREE GAS USA This might be something worthwhile for some of you that qualify. First, check their website to see if you are in the right category for aid, and then send them an application downloaded from their website. Please do not try and abuse this generous program.

“Free Gas USA, Inc. is a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based 501 (c)(3) nonprofit corporation, established to provide gasoline grant assistance for poverty-stricken individuals and families residing in the United States of America. Founded in 2008 during the height of the gasoline crisis, Free Gas USA partners with public, private, philanthropic and other religious organizations to help resolve the daily transportation needs of low-income, elderly and disabled American consumers. Free Gas USA, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Baptism USA Ministries. Free Gas USA, Inc. provides gasoline grants in denominations ranging from $50 to $1200 dollars. Grants are need-based and restricted to fuel purchases only. Recipients are assigned coded fuel cards thus limiting their purchases. Gasoline purchases are permitted to provide for basic necessities such as employment, educational and medical conveyances. Fuel acquisitions for grocery shopping is permitted and strongly encouraged. Gasoline grants are awarded monthly. Fuel cards are distributed based on donations received, geographical restrictions of funds processed and the location(s) of participating gasoline distributors. In order to minimize corporate expenses and maximize grant awards, Free Gas USA does not distribute gasoline grant applications via United States mail. Therefore, grant applicants must obtain an application via this website. All applications must be submitted with an agency referral form or they will not be processed.”
Free Gas USA • PO Box 2632 • Kalamazoo, Michigan 49003 • info@freegasusa.org
OFF-GRID Link goes to product at Amazon. This here is a relatively new website featuring the subject as the title says: Living off the grid on your own land. Possible future source of low cost real estate. Contains input from people currently living off-grid. Link is to product info at Amazon.

“Off-Grid reports on the people, technologies, events and influences throughout the global off-grid community. The Landbuddy section helps you find others to go off-grid with and the free classifieds are full of ads for off the grid real estate. The Off-Grid101 section is packed with basic information from the right kind of solar cooker to how to gather rainwater. With daily news stories and a busy forum, off-grid.net is an indispensible part of daily routine for many off-gridders. The brainchild of author and campaigner Nick Rosen, the site now has 75,000 visitors a month, mainly from the US and UK, and continues to expand. Off-Grid.net is an eclectic mix of practical advice, news from the on-grid world and issues rarely covered by the mainstream media. It promotes the many enterprises that are working for a sustainable future. It campaigns on issues affecting people who live or work off-grid, including zoning/planning permission where we are calling for changes to allow people to receive special permission to set up off-grid homes in places which do not currently have residential permission. We want to see large-scale off-grid developments in towns and in the countryside, so that the hundreds of thousands who would like to live this way are free to do so. The UK edition of the book "How to Live Off-Grid" is published by Bantam. Off-Grid is currently preparing a book for publication in the US in April 2010. The site flourishes thanks to the support of its loyal readers in the form of advertising and retail sales. We encourage you to join in the forum, and post comments about specific stories. Donations are welcome from individuals and organisations who wish to provide greater support for our work and can be made online through PayPal to nick (at) off-grid.net. You can also email us this way or phone: +44 (0) 7971 543703.”
off-grid.net • Toll Free USA: (877) 706-7423 • Phone UK: +44 207 729 2749 • nick@off-grid.net
I HATE MY LIFE I found this website to be quite interesting. It is the story plus lots of information about this one man's bout with homelessness. This guy is not a substance abuser or mentally ill or a criminal. His story is proof of how easy it is for someone to become homeless in today's society even if you do not have severe personal addiction problems.

“I became homeless in March of 2002 through a series of bizarre events (that I am not posting here as I am trying to sell the story or the screenplay). But it was a happy ending; I got off the streets April 1, 2003. I was not (and am not now) a drug addict or an alcoholic. The fact is working/sober people can become homeless too. Indiana Congresswoman Julia Carson knows this to be true. A member of her staff found my web site and wrote me an e-mail informing me that "40% of the homeless in America are employed." I'll be honest, before I became homeless I knew very little about homeless people. While I gave them money occasionally, I was really ignorant about their situation. Why were they homeless? Didn't they have any friends or family to help them? Well, I had "friends" and I was homeless. The worst part about being homeless wasn't living on the streets or being hungry, it was having my friends, or the people I thought were my friends, turn their backs on me. When I called these people they treated my situation with absolutely no urgency. It was as if I told them I just "had a cold" and it was no big deal. What was really amazing is many of them would tell me how hard they had it. Here is the very phone I called people from . . .”

Contact Thanksforsavingmyass@yahoo.com
AIDPAGE Some of you may have a need for this service occasionally. It is still an active website and might be a useful communication device for locating a place to stay or something. Billed as "The biggest mutual support community on the web - Join Now - it's free!"

“Looking for help . . .? Just need to talk to somebody . . .? Want to help somebody. . .? Make an aidpage about whatever is on your mind. Tell about yourself. Add pictures. Making an aidpage is easy . . . technical skills are not required. . . and Aidpage is free. Then. . . browse other people's aidpages. Use the comments section on their aidpages. Write to them. Post web links and pictures. You can send them private messages too. Some of them will reply to you. At the same time, other people will be visiting your aidpage and will be writing to you. Write back to them. Talk to each other. Make aidmates. Come back on Aidpage every time you need to share something. On Aidpage, people are real - it's not like TV. Real people talk to each other and help each other. That's what Aidpage is about. How can people help each other on Aidpage? Aidpage doesn't tell you how to help each other... It's up to you to decide. Advice, good information, and friendship are easy to share right here on Aidpage. But you can do whatever you want. . . or whatever you find necessary. . . in whatever way you want. Use the information and web links contributed on Aidpage by other people. Add your own web links and resources. Be a good aidmate. Tell your friends and relatives about Aidpage. The more people know about Aidpage, the better for all aidmates. This is the easiest way to help each other.”
People Networks Inc • 16192 Coastal Hwy • Lewes, Delaware 19958 USA • Contact Form
HITCHHIKING Hitchhiking, Rail & Road Travel - the site of the subcultural movement.

“digihitch.com was created in February of 2001 as an interactive place on the web where hitchhikers and road travelers could meet and share resources. Using a new web portal system called PHP-Nuke (then in version 4), the site was organized into topics and categories most relevant to road travelers. The original idea and content for digihitch came from Morgan 'Sal'man Str©b. Inspired

by the hard work of hitchhikers like Bernd 'The Thumb' Wechner of Suite101.com, Vladas Sapranavicius of Vilnius Hitch-Hiking Club and others, Morgan decided to build a website that reflected the subculture of travel. Our slogan, 'the site of subcultural movement,' says that you can connect with people, stories and tips of uncommon travel to go further. Now, digihitch.com has over 7500 registered users, with over 30,000 unique visits each month and well over 10 million pages viewed since its start. We've reached critical mass, thanks to each and every member who has chosen to pitch in a voice and make digihitch a home on the web. As interaction is the key part of digihitch.com, we've provided some great features, allowing users to get involved and share stories. The Great Campfire is our message forum, with thousands of posts and dozens of new topics each week. The Stories section allows road travelers to share their stories, tips and news- now with hundreds of articles available. Web Links has become an exhaustive resource for sites related to the mode, with over 1500 sites/pages featured. Our goal at digihitch.com is to continue to provide a welcome place on the web for hitchhikers and extreme road travelers. At the same time, we want to promote a more positive image of the nature of hitchhiking and 'road questing'. We hope to accomplish this by offering up quality resources and promoting those people and organizations who carry the spirit of the road on. That is... to trust each other, go further, share freedom and help those in need along the way. After all, a hitchhiker is a kind of road bard, carrying a message of possibility and- often- inspiration to the drivers and onlookers he or she meets. As we say on digihitch... we provide the space, you chip in the voice. We hope you'll contribute to the community, and find the resources that will allow you to go further...”
digihitch • Contact Form
OFFICIAL SLAB CITY WEBSITE Unless things have changed since i last visited Slab City, a person could live or camp there for free and for as long as you like.

There are people living there who have been there for years. The place seems to attract both good and bad. So a person has to decide for themself whether or not it is worth it. As far as i know the place gets very hot in the summertime. Great in the winter months though.

“Welcome Snowbirds and Slabbers of all ages, this is the official Slab City website. Slab City is a free RV oasis located in the desert southwest near Niland, California. We are an organization dedicated to the clean-up and preservation of Slab City. We have assembled vital information for our registered members about Slab City and the surrounding community on our website. Such items include local maps, 24-hour weather conditions, and RV services. This website also contains the only known "Slab City Search Engine" to look up items of interest, and we have an extensive online library of Slab City video clips and photographs on display. The Slab City Organization is privately funded and relies upon donations from members to operate.”
Slab City Organization • PO Box 1122 • Portage, IN 46368 USA • info@slabcity.org
MORE SLAB CITY This website has some more good pictures of the "Slabs". I have visited here when i was living in Southern California, but i did not like it - too many people, way over-crowded for my liking. Plus it looked somewhat a dangerous place to stay for very long.

“The Slabs is short for Slab City, in the desert next to the Salton Sea in Southern California. Slab City is not a city, just a collection of RV's scattered around a large area. It is on the site of an old abandoned Navy base called Camp Dunlap, used during World War II. All the buildings have been leveled and only the slab floors remain, thus Slab City. Camping is free and RVers of all types gather to socialize and hold flea markets. The Slabs is not for everyone, but it's worth an overnight stay. The Salton sea is an inland Sea about 125 miles from San Diego, and about 35 miles from the Mexican border. Slab City has a Christian center, a Library of sorts, a Hot Bathing pool heated by Geothermal Energy, and a shower which is the outflow from the Hot pool. There is no electricity, water, or sewage facilities. Water is collected from the Gas Station in Niland or behind the grocery store where you turn onto Main street. Sewage can be dumped at Niland fairgrounds located west of highway 111 at the south edge of Niland. The charge is $3.00 payable at a red post located at the exit. Another dump is available at the rest stop just outside Calipatria.”
Slab City • Niland, California
FREE CAMPGROUNDS This is a page from Eugene Casey's website featuring free campgrounds and free camping throughout the US only. Plus some practical camping tips, recipes, camping checklist, fire and animal safety.

Lots of nice pictures of many outdoor sites.

“The free campgrounds reviewed on this page are some of the best in the USA. They might have incredible views or impossible landscapes. All these campgrounds are free unless otherwise specified. And yes, we camped at all these campgrounds and many more. Someone told us that you can camp anywhere on National Forests, so we did. Unless there are signs that specifically say otherwise, and as long as you stay on established roads, just find a good spot and set-up your camp. Follow the same regulations as below, and leave no trace.
BLM REGULATIONS: You are welcome to camp almost anywhere on public lands. Certain restrictions may apply, so check with the local BLM office. Pack out all you bring in, including your trash and cigarette butts. Use only down and dead wood for camp-fires, unless otherwise restricted. Use existing fire rings when possible. Bury human waste 6 inches deep and 200 feet from camp, trails, streams, or washes. Avoid camping in undisturbed areas.”
No Contact Information
BOONDOCKING.ORG I like this idea a lot but i fully realize that if someone has a great camping spot that they wish to keep to themselves private they are very unlikely to participate in this program. So, put up information that you do not mind being public information and keep your secret places to yourself. I guess that's just common sense anyway. I tried entering some coordinates but was not able to find anything. I suspect that this site has not had much use. And also going back to what i mentioned here before - if someone has a good camping spot in a forest somewhere it is unlikely they are going to make it public information. I don't think i would.

“Welcome to boondocking.org! What is Boondocking? Boondocking is free camping, generally out in the boondocks. My name is Andrew Koransky and I love to travel by car around the USA. And one thing that allows me to travel is being frugal. Call it a pet peeve, but it sure seems ridiculous to pay for camping. You may have noticed, our wonderful National Forests really like to charge you for primitive camping. But did you know, usually just a mile or two away from the "developed" campground, you can find a secluded spot in your National Forest that's perfectly legal to camp? Many times, in these National Forest campgrounds, campsites often have nothing more than a pit toilet and a fire pit with a grill. The way I've set up my travel rig, I only need a flat spot to park. The great outdoors (used responsibly of course) serves as my toilet, and my stove serves as my cookery. Why pay for camping for nothing more than a stinky pit toilet, when just a few miles away, you can legally camp in a secluded spot?

Back in September 1998, I took a year off from work and started traveling around the USA. Being a computer geek, I brought my laptop and started one of the web's first travelogues. I had plenty of adventures in technology, finding a phone line for internet access, playing with cellular modems, trying to use mapping programs, GPS's, etc. . . It was great fun, but it couldn't last for ever. I returned to society in September 1999, taking a job, and eventually got married. While dreaming about an upcoming year off (2006), I also started to dream about ways of making my free camping experience easier. During a few jaunts out west (using what little vacation time I had), I realized how difficult it is to find free camping, especially when you are constrained by time. I also realized that I had lost track of some of my GPS coordinates that I had recorded for free camping. (Anybody know where that spot is pictured above near Carlsbad Caverns/Guadelupe National Park??) So here you go. This little web application will allow you to enter GPS coordinates for your favorite camping spots, and find spots near your current location. Combining a mapping program and a GPS, now you should always be able to find free camping on your favorite public or private lands.” Happy boondocking! - Andrew
Andrew Koransky • andrew@koransky.com
SHISH KEBAB COOKING Link goes to a product at Amazon. This is another idea for you to consider. Actually, there are many different versions of Shish Kabab or Kebab. I have purchased a ready-made Shish Kabab from the Safeway store and cooked it in my convection oven. It was very good and i would or will buy another one. I would think a person could cook these Shish Kebab's right over a campfire and marinate as they cook. Also, maybe using hot dog weiners for the meat part of a Shish Kabab might work.

Ingredients:
Teriyaki sauce (Any Store Brand)
One small sirloin end pork roast (about 1.3 pounds)
Fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
Red bell pepper, cut into chunks
Zucchini, washed, ends trimmed, cut into chunks
Green onions, cut into 3 to 4-inch pieces
Four metal skewers

Cooking Directions:
Using a large knife, carefully cut the pork roast into chunks about 2 x 2 inches in size. Put the chunks in a non-metal bowl and pour teriyaki sauce over top. Cover the pork and marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or two. (I didn't completely cover the pork with the teriyaki sauce, so I turned the pork pieces over about halfway through the marinating time.) Carefully thread the meat, pineapple, and vegetables onto the skewers while you're preheating the grill. When the grill is ready, place the kebabs on the rack. Cover and grill for about five minutes, then turn the kebabs over and grill for another five minutes or so or until the meat is done. Carefully remove the shish-kebabs to a platter. Serve over a bed of your favorite rice.
Squidoo "Publish Gorgeous Web Pages about all your favorite things"
PEANUT BUTTER AND SWEET PICKLE SANDWICH This is a recipe listed on ABC Good Morning America home recipes from Linda Irby. I have heard about this recipe for many years but i have not tried it yet.

Ingredients:
2 slices white bread
2 tablespoons peanut butter, extra chunky (or whatever your preference)
3 or 4 Sweet Gherkin pickles, thinly-sliced lengthwise

Cooking Directions:
Spread peanut butter on one slice of bread, and top with slice Gherkins in a single layer. Top with remaining slice of bread and cut diagonally in half.

Recipe Summary:
Main Ingredients: bread, peanut butter, pickle
Course: Brunch, Lunch
ABCNEWS.COM • Contact Form
TOP RAMEN NOODLES Because of it's questionable nutritional value, Top Ramen is kind of controversial as use for food. But you can add some green peas and fried hamburger to it to jazz it up a bit or maybe add some other kind of meats and vegetables. Actually there are a lot of recipes and additional ingredients suggested by many people on the internet. Need to mention, but i think Top Ramen has a "Cult Following". One such site click here: Ramenlicious

“Top Ramen. The Original Instant Ramen Since 1970. The versatility of Top Ramen makes it a true family favorite. It's a soup, it's ramen noodles, and it's the best value you'll ever find in the grocery store. And with so many ways to enjoy Top Ramen, it's one meal that always stirs the appetite. Check out our recipe collection or submit your own recipe ideas. We just may include them for Top Ramen fans everywhere to enjoy.”

RAMEN BREAKFAST BURRITO

Looking for something dirt cheap, fast and hearty that will hold you through until lunch? Try this super easy Ramen Breakfast Burrito.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 pkg ramen noodles, any flavor you like
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup shredded cheese
hot sauce - (We use Frank's)
flour tortilla

Cooking Directions:
Bring water to a boil, add ramen. While ramen is cooking slowly pour in beaten egg, add seasoning packet (Cook for 3 minutes). Drain, reserving about 1 T. of water. Add cheese & hot sauce (to taste preference). Fill a warm flour tortilla, wrap and enjoy.

Recipe Summary:
This makes a fast, hearty breakfast on the go for 2 people. Read more: Budget101.com - - Breakfast Burritos | Ramen Noodle Recipes | Dirt Cheap Recipes.
Nissen Top Ramen
SIMPLY DIFFERENTLY Lots of good info about temporary portable dwellings from this man based in Switzerland. He likes to design portable structures and uses his website to document his ideas. Very cool ideed.

“My name is René K. MÜller, I have been pondering on making temporary buildings for quite a while and finally started to do my own shelters, in particular tipi and yurt, which this website features. I try to document and share all information openly in order to inspire others, like you, to do alike things. I do believe by redoing things, like re-inventing the wheel if you want, new approaches are considered.

It isn't really that all things are set for all time, no, sometimes we require to redo things we have become custom so much, like in case of housing, some things can be done better. What started as personal web-site, formerly known as "Housing, Dwelling & Shelters" (no longer reachable). I moved to SimplyDifferently.org finally, also a site I started which first dealt just to provide an overview on living in temporary shelters, but now also contains all my notes, online calculators - one place or web-site to find anything I gathered on temporary buildings the past years. Some of my notes are first in handwritten form, but I personally rather prefer to make it interactively, searchable and therefore transcribe it in electronic form, and create related illustrations and those end up in on this website, kind of my personal public notebook you are exploring on this website. Here in Switzerland, where I currently reside, the land is pricey and so is building houses; without mortgage from a bank almost nothing goes, and this isn't what I have in mind - additionally, planning and building houses are heavily (over)regulated too. Temporary buildings on the other hand aren't regulated here, and this means one can build and put up as I like as long I can take it down and is thereby considered temporary; and that circumstance really made me finally go ahead and do my own projects on temporary buildings.”
René MÜller • spiritdude@gmail.com

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Website Last Updated: May 8, 2013