Has anyone thought of moving far into the woods without ammenities?

[Raineyrocks]

We could get rid of cable and the tv

That's the best idea of all. When you give up television then you have to find more creative entertainment.  This more creative entertainment is well....

more entertaining.

Yup, already done!   Years ago we didn't have cable and like here no channels come in so basically no television except for the occasional movie.  We did so much more together!  I guess it's time to pull out the games.

[Raineyrocks]

rainey, there was an excellent miniseries on PBS several years ago called Frontier House, in which the producers took three modern American families and stuck them in an environment that matched the American frontier in the 1800's.  They all got lots of expert advice on what they needed to do to prepare for, and survive, the coming winter (they were in Montana).  I highly recommend it if you can afford it or find it for rent; it's for sale on amazon.  I can tell you more about it later when I'm not eating lunch at work. 

That sounds neat, thanks Friday!

[Raineyrocks]

Do those old ringer wash machines that you pull the clothes through use electricity?

The wringer doesn't. The rest of the machine does. The next-earlier iteration involves scrub boards and wash tubs. They had hand-cranked wringers for those, too.

I agree that "simple living" has a great attraction, but when you're the only one doing it, it's going to get pretty lonely. Not to mention, it's going to be impossible to find anyone in person with experience living that lifestyle, so you'd be on your own, without any advice. Unless you turned to the internet, of course... lots of advice and information there, but it's not compatible with candlelight.

Yay, finally an answer to one of my questions, thanks KB!        Oh well, to the river with the clothes I guess unless I found a hand cranked one.   I probably will never do this especially if I have to lose the internet but so many times I've yearned for a pionner,(sp?), type life.

The kids would hate Rick and I if we moved them "into the woods" , your right it would be pretty lonely but I'd be willing to play Monopoly with them. 

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/07/qa_electricity.php

http://images.google.com/images?q=Wonderwash

Neato!  Your awesome Pat, thanks!

[Raineyrocks]

I've come to the conclusion that there is no way to truly get away from it all however, there are other options to lead a simpler life.

Just because we have electricity doesn't mean we need to use it, we coud unscrew all of the lightbulbs.   I could wash clothes in a stream or look for a hand cranked ringer washer.   We could use wood to heat the house.

Just turn off the main breaker. Turn off the water line coming into the house. Block the toilets from being used.

You'll need to install a hand pump. My first wife's uncle in NC hosted a family reunion and the big story of the day was they had just got running water - a hand pump in the kitchen. That was much easier than going outside to pump the water. We still had to go to the outhouse, though, and this was the reason for hosting the reunion; more folks to help with digging the new hole and moving the crapper and filling in the old hole.

Be careful with the lanterns and wood stove. You don't want to be burning the house down.

That's a great idea and I already presented it to Rick but he won't go for it, getting rid of cable is his limit for right now even though he's open to the idea.

I just bought 2 heavy, multiple candle holder things.  I know there called candelabras but I'm not sure if I have the spelling right. 

[Raineyrocks]

lots of information and resources are available at

www.thesurvivalpodcast.com

and Jack's forum

www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum

Great, thanks!

[Friday]

I seem to remember that these shows were fraught with personality problems

To me, that was one of the most fascinating aspects.  Taking "normal", modern Americans, sending them back in time in a sense, and seeing how they dealt with it emotionally.

, possibly scripted

Yyyyou mean, reality TV isn't rrrreal??  Next you'll be telling me there's no Santa Claus!

and offered little in practical living

There's no m*****f***** way I'm seriously looking for practical tips on how to live like the Unabomber.  I hope rainey isn't really, either.  Modern amenities are nice.  The internet is nice.  Tampons are nice.  Contact lenses are nice.  We all smell so much NICER than we did 100 years ago.

[violence]

there is no obamaclause

[Lloyd Danforth]

Or chips!




Now!

[Pat K]

[Free libertarian]

I bet those "bullets" don't work against vampires...eeewwww.

[FreelanceFreedomFighter]

The Film about the guy who goes to Alaksa and builds a cabin is closer to reality as to how one would do this today on an individual level. Even that would have been more impressive without the airplane deliveries

That was Dick Proenneke who did that in 1967 at the age of 50. (He decided to "retire" and do this after his brother died in VietNam.) The show is called "Alone in the Wilderness". There is a follow-up show called "Alaska Silence and Solitude" that was done about 20 years after Alone in the Wilderness. They're available online...

I don't think you could do that now because of all the "government" rules and regulations on "homesteading", especially restrictions in "National Parks"... the folks that ended up "taking over" Dick's homestead & cabin located on Twin Lakes...