|
(E/N): Typical story here. I'm about to turn 29. Got a stable job, lots of toys, some money saved up, and I'm unhappy. Why? Because as much as I love living in the PNW, I really really dislike going to work every day and doing stuff that means nothing to me. I've been at the same aerospace gig for almost 7 years without a promotion and I've been almost entirely confined to working a desk job. On the days I'm allowed to do anything hands on, my day flies, and I'm eager as can be to go to work. Management knows this and yet the amount of red tape to move me to a position where I would thrive is completely ridiculous. This is the article that got me going: Your Lifestyle has already been designed Well, gently caress. I thought by having a good, easy job, I had beat the system. Not so - the system has beaten me. I've looked for any and all distractions to move me through life and ignore what I was doing 80% of my awake hours to enjoy the 20% I have left. So a few months ago I started thinking hard. Should I start a new job? Should I just leave without anything planned? Can I really afford to quit? Can I survive not being at work? Can I really give up my toys??? We are about to find out. The stable only a few weeks ago is below, along with their current status. '89 Comanche (gone, to brother) '90 F-150 (tentatively sold) '08 KTM Super Duke (really struggling with putting her up for sale) '06 KTM 525 EXC (sold) '02 WRX Wagon (sold) '92 Miata (up for sale, not sold yet) So a month ago, the gf and I decided to say gently caress it, and take a chance. We both broke our leases and started selling off our crap. I've already given notice to leave my position. For the next few months, we will live at my mom's house while prepping to hit the road. There's lots to do, lots to plan, and of course, money will be tight. First thing on the agenda: USA. Including Alaska. So since I'm selling off everything above, I bought something to tour the USA in.  '06 XTerra Off-Road. Nothing special, but big enough and comfortable enough and capable enough to get me through anything reasonable.  and it's a 6spd Lots more to come. Open to suggestions, places to see, couches to crash on, beers to drink.
|
#
¿
Nov 24, 2014 23:21
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 11, 2024 07:36 |
|
|
Disgruntled Bovine posted:That's extremely brave. While I bet you'll regret it when you eventually run out of money and have to go back to the grind, you'll be very glad you did it long term. I will run out of money. I'm well aware. Lots of people are shocked at my decision. "How will you afford that? Are you rich?" Ha. Yet consider the following statements: "I'm getting married!" "We're buying a house!" "I'm having a kid!" These are all normal things that cost way more than taking a few years off of work. Yet nobody asks you how you can afford it. Rough estimates show that as long as I head towards asia about a year from now, I may have enough to be retire for 3 years. 2015, 2016, 2017. By 2018, I'll have to return to some sort of job, but I doubt I will ever return to the 'grind.' I already live far below my means, I really don't have a need for a corporate salary.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 25, 2014 01:04
|
|
|
cursedshitbox posted:If you pass through Vegas I know where some awesome abandoned mines and cities are. I'm planning on going thru Vegas on my way across the country in 2 weeks actually!
|
|
#
¿
Nov 26, 2014 06:55
|
|
|
Das Volk posted:If you pull a stunt like this (or mine) is it a pre-life crisis? A pre-mid-life crisis? It's not a crisis. Just because you choose to do something other than the normal does not qualify as a 'crisis.' I think the normal is wrong. Working 9-5, 48 weeks a year with 2 weeks vacation until you 'retire' at age 70 is wrong. I will not turn 60 and regret not doing more when I was younger. 
|
|
#
¿
Nov 26, 2014 06:56
|
|
|
CornHolio posted:I've always felt like doing something like that, though with a house and kids it's pretty much impossible to do. And a huge part of me has the feeling that (at least in my case) it wouldn't solve the ennui and listlessness that I always feel. I'll still feel like that, just in other places. It's funny that you're responding to this thread, because you're actually part of the reason I can do this. I read your thread back in BFC back in what, 2009? and was like oh poo poo, am I living above my means? I wasn't, but I became aware of a lot of wastefulness in my spending. 5 years later, thanks to much more careful spending, I can afford to take off work for a few years. Teaching the gf the same stuff to get her out of debt thought, has NOT been fun. Thanks CornHolio
|
|
#
¿
Nov 26, 2014 19:41
|
|
|
Polish posted:If you stop by the Philadelphia area I'll let you drive a Zamboni. I'm in Philly now. How's it handle compared to a Miata?
|
|
#
¿
Nov 27, 2014 17:42
|
|
|
kastein posted:More power to you! If you end up in the northeast, come on by. You can't drive any of my MJs though because none of them drive right now. I'm back in the northeast for a week, I'm actually driving my brother's MJ at the moment. Been removing all kinds of trash from my mother's house, as my gf and I are moving in for a few months.  Thanks for the offer btw! In the meantime, sorry for no updates for a few days, been very busy prepping to return to the NE (temporarily). A fellow AI buddy may actually join me for my 2 week trip back across the US starting next week. The $600 F-150 is next on the chopping block, come Monday. 
Blaise fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Dec 1, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Dec 1, 2014 22:27
|
|
|
I guess it's time for a little update. I've left Seattle. Lucky for me, a friend of mine (also an AI-er) chose to fly out and join me. This it the rough route we took (excluding the drive from Denver to Philly, which is just a straight line):  Day 1 was heading from "rainy" Seattle towards "sunny" California. It was anything but that. We got a late start and made it to rt101. As you can see, our stay on US101 was VERY short. Day 2 was heading back to I-5 to avoid the ridiculous rain along the coast. We slabbed it all the way to California. Day 3: Break. As it rained. Hard. All day. My buddies place in SF had his palm tree falling apart above it. Day 4: Headed over the Sierra Nevadas and towards death Valley. Unfortunately the best (highest roads) were already all closed for the season Not a challenge at all...    Day 5: Death Valley. Oh Death Valley. It's so incredible. I can't wait to go back. A preview:  Merry Christmas all! Will post more soon
|
|
#
¿
Dec 24, 2014 20:26
|
|
|
Oh Death Valley. I really can't make this any more clear: If you haven't been, GO! GO NOW! Death Valley is a park of extremes. Extreme heat, extreme altitude changes, and extreme changes in vegetation/scenery at every turn. It's truly incredible. Since December is low season for Death Valley, very few people were on the roads and trails with us. If I had to recommend a month, I'd probably recommend October or February though: not because of the temperature, but because of the length of the days. The temperatures were mid 60s daytime and mid 40s at night which was totally awesome, we just had to make a very conscious effort to be active from sunup to sundown. A great map to use is available here, although I'd get a printed map upon entrance to the park. FYI, there is no actual entrance where you pay a fee, it works on the honors system. I have a yearly pass, but if you choose to visit, you could easily skip the $25 entrance and explore for free. I strongly suggest paying the entrance or a yearly pass, its truly an incredible place. As with most national parks, you can see the 'main' attractions with a regular car. This is boring. Don't do it. Flex your hard earned american  and purchase an  SUV to really get out there.Our goal for our first day in DV was to get to racetrack playa. As described here, this is a playa with rocks which move across the bed and leave streaks after themselves. Their mysterious movement has been debated for a very long time. Really cool stuff.  Starting off in Panamint Springs (bottom of map), we decided that rather than driving the 75+ paved roads plus 27 miles of what we had been told were AWFUL washboarded dirt roads, we would just shortcut and cross Hunter Mountain (see in pink). We asked a few locals. "Roads closed" "Never been that way, but I have a Malibu, so I just drive around" "I really wouldn't recommend going that way" "You ummm, got four wheel drive?" So since exactly nobody recommended we go that way, we set out exactly in that direction. We came across a guy in a nicely modded JK Rubicon who had been through the night before, and said it was a piece of cake, never even needed 4L. Here's the entrance to the road. Nothing but gravel, total cake. My buddy Josh had never been off road at all, so he was pretty nervous when I'd slide the car a little, but it really wasn't bad.  Firearms are illegal in National Parks?  Never mind California... if you're out here, I'd suggest being armed. There's NOBODY ANYWHERE. The odds off running into law enforcement is zero, but the chance of running into some, uh, interesting people, is likely. The road was mostly like this. We saw a few bikes that turned around, and a Tundra that I thought we were going to have to pull out (his lady looked VERY annoyed). He somehow got out on the last try. Then we came to a fork in the road, and Josh poo poo his pants. Me: "That's the road" Josh: "What road?" Me: "That way, that's the road" Josh: "THERE IS NO ROAD. Dude are you sure about this? The road lead up the mountain but had clearly not been touched. The Rubicon guy, if he came through the night before, had clearly missed all of the snow.   So I said screw it, put it in 4Lo, enabled the locker, and sent a text to the gf with my location (somehow had service?!?). I didn't tell her what was going on, but figured if she didn't hear from me, at least they'd find us eventually.  Heading up the trail we came across some cows. Why the hell they wanted grass at 8000ft vs somewhere reasonable is totally beyond me. But they definitely gave us a  look.  What's the map say again? IN WINTER CARRY CHAINS. ROAD MAY BE CLOSED. drat. They were serious. As far as I made it.  So we chained up. We were SUPER close to the top. Victory was so close.  That did exactly nothing. In retrospect, we should have chained the front wheels. I kept sliding into the embankment due to not having enough steering control, and I was more traction limited in the front than the rear due to having an open front diff. It was already 1PM at this point. The altitude was getting to us, we were getting frustrated and we REALLY wanted to make it to racetrack by sunset. So we turned around, and I took this quick photo:  Next: Driving to the racetrack the plebeian, normal way. Blaise fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Dec 24, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Dec 24, 2014 21:45
|
|
|
meatpotato posted:I loved your Death Valley post. I've only been there once in the summer and camped at Wildrose, which I recommend (no fee, no RVs, out of the way). I forgot to bring tent stakes and of course the winds were over 30 mph that night. Piling big rocks at the corners of the the tent inside and out actually worked out. Way cool post. Never seen that bit about the Germans. Awesome. What were you thinking driving down a road like that in your Passat??  I was careful (really) and we were in a proper 4x4 with good tires.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 25, 2014 04:55
|
|
|
The Royal Nonesuch posted:That being said I've spent a lot of time in CA deserts and never even come close to needing firepower. Almost always have something along with me though, especially if I'm out with the girlfriend. We never felt threatened either, but you really are in the middle of nothing. If anything were to happen (a big if), you're on your own. Thus the recommendation!
|
|
#
¿
Dec 26, 2014 00:01
|
|
|
So sorry for the massive delay on updating this post from december. Been busy! Alright, so last I posted I explained how we managed to get stuck on Hunter Mountain. The truck did great as did the Duratracs, but I chained the rear axles which lead to me not be able to steer.  So we turned around and went the looooooooooooooooong way around to Racetrack Playa. The drive was pretty but very rushed. Also I had aired down the tires to ~20psi so trying to speed was quite an unnerving experience. We aired up at the gas station in Stovepipe Wells (free air!), so at least from then on it was as fast as you can in a 4500lb xterra loaded full of crap.  Very few pictures of us on the way back, as we were annoyed and rushed. Goonz:  After 70+ miles of pavement, we hit the dirt. And then we hit the awul, awful washboarded part that everybody told us sucked, which was exactly what we had tried to avoid by crossing over Hunter. I aired the tires down to 16psi to try to save the suspension (and our minds). It helped, but there was no way to go over 20mph. And it was getting dark. FAST. At least we had really cool black volcanic rock to keep up company.... can you see the washboarding?  We got to Teakettle Junction after the sun had set. If you look at the map, we were hoping to be here at 11am. It was 6pm. A few more miles and we got to the racetrack, and it was DARK.   My buddy in SF had donated a pair of Hella Driving lamps during the trip, which were suddenly becoming of very welcome use. This was a 1.5 second exposure shot. We could see only that we would be venturing out on the playa with NO idea of where the actual rocks would be. Ok so that's the bad news. The good news?  Once my eyes had adjusted, I could clearly, with NO uncertainty, see the milky way. Hooooooooly crap! I Hadn't ever seen it before! This photo was taken straight up, maybe 20 minutes later as my eyes had adjusted. Great, but how to find the rocks? Josh had brought along an incredibly bright 900lm LED flashlight. With the lamp on full blast, it was essentially one car headlight. Off we went, walking into the darkness, using the light only as needed. We wandered a lot, and the experience started to become surreal. We could see the stars and silhouette of the mountains clearly, but NOTHING of what was close to us. At one point I kinda freaked out as we had turned the lamp on and discovered a HUGE protrusion in the playa that I hadn't seen simply because its silhouette was lower than that of the mountain range in the background. Creepy. To reiterate the post above, about the headlights in the darkness being less weird - perfect example, about 10 minutes into our first attempt to find the moving rocks, an SUV appeared in the distance, drove up and then parked squarely next to the Xterra. We hadn't seen another car in at least an hour. We walked back to find that the guy was just an amateur photographer. No biggie, but feels good to know that when there is nobody around, you can protect what's yours. Anyway........ So what did all this get us? drumroll...   SUCCESS. I'm no pro photographer so this was very difficult to capture in total darkness. We got where we wanted and seen what we had planned. Unfortunately it was past 9pm and we had to backtrack the 27 miles (dirt) and another 40 or so paved and still find a hotel. To be continued... Blaise fucked around with this message at 15:53 on Feb 20, 2015 |
|
#
¿
Feb 16, 2015 03:43
|
|
|
Optional Options posted:What kind of exposure settings on those starry pictures did you use that the stars arent streaked? About 90 seconds for these. Unfortunately my ultrawide lens is very slow (f/4.5) so even at ISO3200 it takes forever to get light in.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 16, 2015 23:05
|
|
|
So this thread has been a little dormant. Time for a small update. I was hoping to hit the road April 1st. That didn't happen. New hit road date: June 12. Crappy. Currently I'm in the mode of selling everything. To prove I've come a long way since the beginning of the thread, I present: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4979932525.html And http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/mcy/4979885218.html  It's really happening.
Blaise fucked around with this message at 23:17 on Apr 24, 2015 |
|
#
¿
Apr 24, 2015 23:13
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 11, 2024 07:36 |
|
|
bolind posted:I wish we were on the same continent, I want that Miata. I wish you were too. I'm getting tired of 4 word emails code:
|
|
#
¿
Apr 27, 2015 22:19
|
|