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

[Raineyrocks]

I've wondered for a long time what it would be like to have no electricity so that I would have to read by candlelight or just go to bed at sun down and awake at sun up.   

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

It seems like it would be so peaceful and just the right way to live, no phone, tv, but I would miss my cd player and the internet.  The only part that would bother me, would be not having a shower and a toilet.  I did find toilets that don't require electricity but I'm lost at what I'd do about a shower.

Do you think it's possible to live this way in this day and age?  I was thinking it would probably be impossible to be totally out of the system, wouldn't it?

[Pat K]

No boats ,no lights, no motor cars,
not a single luxury.

[thinkliberty]

Gilligan was satan and he used the 7 deadly sins to keep the people on the devils island.

http://www.gilligansisle.com/sins.html

s Gilligan the Devil?
Years ago, CBS had a popular little series called "Gilligan's Island". There is, however, a dark secret about this "comedy" you may never have realized. The island is a direct representation of Hell.

Nobody on the island wants to be there, yet none are able to leave. Each one of the characters represents one of the 7 deadly sins:
Ginger represents LUST - she wears skimpy outfits, is obsessed with her looks, and is a borderline nymphomaniac.

Mary Ann represents ENVY - she is jealous of Ginger's beauty.

The Professor represents PRIDE - he is an annoying know-it-all.

Mr. Howell represents GREED - no explanation needed.

Mrs. Howell represents SLOTH - she has never lifted a finger to help on any of their escape plans.

The Skipper represents two sins: GLUTTONY - again, no explanation needed and ANGER - he violently hits Gilligan on each show.

This leaves Gilligan. Gilligan is the person who put them there. He prevents them from leaving by foiling all of their escape plots. Also, it is HIS

island. Therefore, Gilligan is SATAN.

Crazy? He does wear red in every episode.

[KBCraig]

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.

[Lloyd Danforth]

No boats ,no lights, no motor cars,
not a single luxury.

I wouldn't consider this unless the 'Professor' was on board!

[doobie]

I'd love to do this some day.  Depending on how long your showers are you might give this a go:

http://www.rei.com/product/752791

Could get a few of them and have shower heads from multiple directions!

[Ogre]

And don't forget what might be the hardest part of living this way: government interference.

Agents of the government will not permit you to live in a dwelling without their approved water flows. They will not let you live in a dwelling that does not meet their requirements, including having electricity. And you can forget about living on a space of land without paying your yearly rent to the government, so you'd either need some source of cash income, a large pile of stashed cash to pay your yearly rent, or at least a plan to avoid the government when they come to collect their yearly rent.

[Raineyrocks]

No boats ,no lights, no motor cars,
not a single luxury.

[Raineyrocks]

Gilligan was satan and he used the 7 deadly sins to keep the people on the devils island.

http://www.gilligansisle.com/sins.html

s Gilligan the Devil?
Years ago, CBS had a popular little series called "Gilligan's Island". There is, however, a dark secret about this "comedy" you may never have realized. The island is a direct representation of Hell.

Nobody on the island wants to be there, yet none are able to leave. Each one of the characters represents one of the 7 deadly sins:
Ginger represents LUST - she wears skimpy outfits, is obsessed with her looks, and is a borderline nymphomaniac.

Mary Ann represents ENVY - she is jealous of Ginger's beauty.

The Professor represents PRIDE - he is an annoying know-it-all.

Mr. Howell represents GREED - no explanation needed.

Mrs. Howell represents SLOTH - she has never lifted a finger to help on any of their escape plans.

The Skipper represents two sins: GLUTTONY - again, no explanation needed and ANGER - he violently hits Gilligan on each show.

This leaves Gilligan. Gilligan is the person who put them there. He prevents them from leaving by foiling all of their escape plots. Also, it is HIS

island. Therefore, Gilligan is SATAN.

Crazy? He does wear red in every episode.

Whoa!  That's pretty deep!  I bet you could really find bad stuff about Disney, I know I have, but never Gilligan's Island.

[violence]

far out into the woods with electricity

[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. 

[Raineyrocks]

No boats ,no lights, no motor cars,
not a single luxury.

I wouldn't consider this unless the 'Professor' was on board!

Good point, they would've been screwed without the 'Professor'.

[Raineyrocks]

I'd love to do this some day.  Depending on how long your showers are you might give this a go:

http://www.rei.com/product/752791

Could get a few of them and have shower heads from multiple directions!

I have one of those "stored away", just in case.    It would be so cold though in the winter, naked, outside taking a shower and I know there wouldn't be enough water in that bag to rinse off my hair conditioner so then my hair would be all dry.  I don't know.   I do like the multiple direction thought though, that's pretty cool! 

[Raineyrocks]

And don't forget what might be the hardest part of living this way: government interference.

Agents of the government will not permit you to live in a dwelling without their approved water flows. They will not let you live in a dwelling that does not meet their requirements, including having electricity. And you can forget about living on a space of land without paying your yearly rent to the government, so you'd either need some source of cash income, a large pile of stashed cash to pay your yearly rent, or at least a plan to avoid the government when they come to collect their yearly rent.

Right, that's what Rick said too about living in the woods in a house that's why he just wanted to live in a teepee or something. Would that be possible, not having a house so you wouldn't need permits for a dwelling?

The kids would probably be removed for not having electricity and stuff too even if it wasn't required.

I told Rick when he just wanted to become invisible, so to say, that it would be impossible because the land we bought would be on a county record somewhere and there would be yearly taxes.

[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.  We could get rid of cable and the tv and yeah I guess the damn dishwasher, now that I'll miss.  We could get rid of our phone.   Definitely get a smaller, cheaper house.

Then I'd still have a toilet and shower.  It would cut costs and paying stupid taxes and surcharges on multiple things.

Those are good ideas, right?