If you could live a nomadic life, would you? Where would you go?
How would you decide? What would life be like without a “home base”?
Oh Boy! “Been there. Done that.”
When my long-time mate, Bill, and I were married just one year, we left our first together-home in the big city for a nomadic life. We drove thousands of miles away to work in remote areas of California (and I do mean REMOTE). It was Bill’s first job as a civil engineer and he would be working on constructing park roads in wilderness areas.
We wandered around the mountains of California for four years and lived in strange places.
There were places like Big Oak Flat, Portola, Hayfork, and Big Bear City. Way back in the 60’s these were tiny towns. Big Oak Flat was not very big, and only had a post office and a gas station.
But the scenery was always spectacular. And the people were so wonderful that some became lifetime friends.
We carried everything we owned in our car (and it was not a van). We rented just about any kind of shelter wherever we landed, and all that mattered was it had to be “furnished.”
Sometimes we lived in lovely A-frame dwellings and others were in less than desirable accommodations.
Once we lived in a one room “shack” with no bathroom facilities (and showered, etc. in a communal facility). The shack had a bed, a dresser and a brand new refrigerator. I could see my reflection in the frig, so it served as my mirror. When Ernie, the owner of the general store said we could rent a 26 foot trailer in back of his house, we jumped at the opportunity! The rent was $45 a month.
Ernie’s General Store in Hayfork was the only place to go when we lived there and when I looked it up on the off-chance it would still be there, I discovered it is FOR SALE today! Interested? Here is the realtor’s write-up:
Ernie’s Department Store has served Trinity County for over 65 years! This 4700 s.f. store provides a vast array of items including plumbing fixtures, garden supplies, gifts, fabric, guns & ammo, fishing supplies, hunting and fishing licenses, jewelry, clothing and more! Behind the store is a charming 2 story fixer that had 1 apartment upstairs and 1 downstairs. The store is a thriving business and there is the opportunity to expand. If you are looking for that occasion to change your life- make your move to the heart of Trinity County!
I don’t know if Ernie, himself, is still around but if he is, and he happens to read this, THANK YOU for offering us that lovely little trailer with the garden in the back and indoor facilities. You were definitely a lifesaver!
Another time our shelter was a house that had been moved. It sat on cinder blocks and we could see flash floods between the cracks in the floors.
We came and went with the seasons to live in these beautiful wild areas and shifted locations and dwellings when the snows arrived.
There was no “home base.”
Our son was born in Sonora (then a very small town) in a mini-hospital where only one other baby was born at the same time.
We brought our newborn home to the house with the cracks in the floors and the frog in the shower and rusty water. His crib was a dresser drawer until we bought something sturdier that would collapse to fit in the car!
About this time I began to wail, “We need to set down roots! We need to stop wandering. We need a home.” Bill eventually agreed and we moved to a big city and began to create a home.
Would I choose the nomadic life again now that our son is grown and self sufficient?
I believe wandering is a tailor made real-life adventure for the young to create indelible memories. It may even be an adventure for the aging.
But, would I choose to once again lead the nomadic life with no home base to return to?
NO!
Been there.
Done that.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You have an amazing way with words and you have had such amazing life experiences. You should definitely write a book!! 🙂
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[…] A NOMAD YEARNS FOR A HOME | Virginia Views […]
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Loved this post – nostalgic, lots of great and interesting memories, but funny! LOL I wouldn’t do it now either – I want my baths and electricity ~
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How incredible!! What an adventure. Such gorgeous places. But it would be really hard to bring a newborn home to a less than ideal place. This was a most interesting post from a most interesting woman! Kudos~
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Cindy, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You are inspirational. You also have an amazing way with that camera and words too. Maybe we should collaborate on a book. 🙂
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Thanks Cindy. This post is special to Bill and me since it begins to recall our very early days in California. And finding Ernie’s Dept. Store is still there was amazing. One of these days we plan to take a trip back to all those weird places to see what has happened to them in over 40 years. Should be interesting. 🙂
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What an interesting story! I’m sure you have so many memories from this time in your lives.
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[…] A NOMAD YEARNS FOR A HOME | Virginia Views […]
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Sounds great–but as you said, for the young. So true! I want to wander to a pretty place then set a spell. A long spell.
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Now that is a nomadic existence. You are a good sport and adventuresome woman. After one year of marriage Rick and I took a vacation out west in the covered bed of a truck. The truck was a buckskin color with a fiberglass shell that matched it…I thought it was rather cute…but live in it…NO, I would never have done that. You were really in love to do that for four years! This is a very interesting tale of your first years of marriage.
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Wow! What an adventure. I don’t think I was made for that kind of rootless thing.
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[…] A NOMAD YEARNS FOR A HOME | Virginia Views […]
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I often wonder what that would be like, to have no home base and roam. We’ve lived in the same house 35 years. I doubt the nomadic life would be for me.
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You must write your story down, the whole thing to save romantics like me from thinking there is still something waiting for me out there. Loved this piece! HUGS
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I hate to admit it but I was not all that adventuresome Georgette. I was terribly homesick and lonely a lot of the time. Your vacation in the covered bed of a truck – now that sounds adventuresome!
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I don’t think I was either. 🙂
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Oh, I don’t want to spoil your dreams my friend. Surely there is something still waiting for you out there. On the other hand, I think you may have have already found it. 🙂
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My adventures weren’t as exciting as yours when I was young, but I can clearly remember that feelings of loneliness and homesickness. I often think that I’d have enjoyed those adventures more if I’d been a little older. 🙂
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🙂 I have everything I could ever want it just has to be that damn blood thing 🙂
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You were such a good Mommy getting him into something more sturdy than a drawers my Dad spent some time in the stoves bread warmer at just 2 lbs grandma was tough too
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Ooooh, now there’s an idea :).
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My sentiments exactly. If I had been a bit older I might have understood the rarity of the experience. 🙂
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Eunice, I have not read anything about a “blood thing.” Maybe I came to your blog too late? Still, whatever it is you are coping with, I am glad you are happy.
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The stove bread warmer might have been a great place for your Dad – especially in winter?
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Do you follow oldgirlnewtricks? She and her husband lived in rural Africa for the first 2 years of their marriage and she recently blogged about it. Don’t think I would have made it there at all.
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🙂 as kids we thought grandma was kidding seems she was not lol
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Happy so very happy with who I am and who I adore with a blogger friend or two I now know what I suffer from is Wanderlust 🙂 I am awesome Planning on heading down to CT on Friday morning to try out for Millionaire no more chickening out! 2 hrs is better than 4 1/2 hr trip into NYC to audition 🙂
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Oh, I thought moving to Oklahoma during our first year of marriage was bad enough, but gracious, Dor, you win the prize! Isn’t it amazing the things we endure when we’re young and adventurous? You definitely earned your stripes with this one! 😉
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I will be sure to check the oldgirlnewtricks blog out. Sounds like a she had a real challenge promoting marital bliss starting off in rural Africa! Thanks Kate. 🙂
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Good Luck Eunice! 🙂
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It definitely takes youth to earn stripes mama! I doubt that either Bill or I could repeat the experience now.
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What an adventure! Lucky you! But I would not want to do it at this age. Even RVing is not for me.
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Thanks I hope they LIKE ME 🙂
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There is a time and place for adventure, but hurray for home and roots!!!
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Oh c’mon. I thought for sure the end of this was going to be your announcement that you’re buying Ernie’s for your next career!
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That’s a charming thought! Wish I had followed up on it. 🙂
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I do have many stories Dianna – lots and lots of stories. 🙂
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I just wrote you and was trying to think of the name ‘Hayfork’…..I remember you writing me about how you were living at the time and it sounded dreadful – but like you say here – an adventure!
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Oh this is the coolest–that you’ve had this experience and lived to share it! That you were able to wander AND to settle roots. Part of me wishes I could live the nomad life just for a while. But, then again, the roots grow more appealing as the years pass.
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I remember telling you all about the place and airing all my tales of woe! 🙂
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Youth is what it’s all about of course, but suddenly I’m developing a wanderlust again. Do you suppose it means I’m regressing? 🙂
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Regressing? Never!
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