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Part II, Models of the Good Life

How strange it is that, after 16 years of full time RVing, I've finally had a chance to camp and mountain bike with other campers. It's wonderful.

Why hasn't this happened dozens of time? Just about any rig could be parked where we have parked this past week. About a third of RVers have bicycles bungeed to the ladder at the back of the rig. (Virtually unused of course.) So this isn't about "practicality."

In the 'Solitude' chapter of "Walden," Thoreau asked, "What sort of space is that which separates a man from his fellows and makes him solitary? I have found no exertion of the legs can bring two minds much nearer to one another."

Good ol' Hank. I think we can answer his question: it's about the 'vision thing.' Retirees and travelers look like they are in one big category when you look at them from the perspective of the whirring hamster wheel of normal American life. But they are actually quite different from each other.

They have different models of the Good Life, worshiped in the altar of the imagination.



During their working years, most people were not lucky enough to have had any kind of outdoorsy club to join, so they never learned how much fun it was to be like a dog at the dog park, but with a small tribe of active human beings. It never became a habit of pleasure to them. Or maybe they were so busy, busy, busy with the phony pragmatism of conventional life that they just didn't take the time for it. 

Comments

Or, just "so busy, busy, busy with the 'phony.'"
Nice photo of Determination Towers, Boonie. Enjoy your dinosaur dreams - where to next?
Jim and Gayle said…
If memory serves I believe Walden would only ride a hardtail MTB.

Jim
Jim and Gayle said…
OK, I intended to say Thoreau. I don't even know Walden.

Jim
Shame on you, for divulging locations. (grin) Oh dear, I feel an essay cummin' awn...
Well, Boonie, the most incredible thing that you really should go see is XYZ Arch. Hint: It's way out on XYZ Road. :)
John V said…
This blog is one that has given us hope that there are fulltimers out there who like to and are physically able to enjoy the outdoors. Over the last year and a half we have basically only run into fulltimers who are more interested in relaxing and enjoying a view (or a meal) they could drive to rather than working up a frothy sweat in the mountains. Must be the demographic :-)

OK, cue the outrage from Boonie, Mark, Wandrin, Jim and Gale in 3, 2, 1.....
John V, it sounds like you have had the usual disappointment and disillusionment of the idealistic and hopeful new RVer. But there are glimmers of hope here and there. For instance, the Escapees has a BOF group, http://www.escapees.com/BikesNBoots/ , that might fit for you. I don't know if they ever have Gatherings.
Or, he could join our gang any time...sheesh boonie, you're missing the opportunity here! We like "frothy sweats!"
mark