the animal's journal

[theanimal]

More Lessons from the Field

Well I've learned yet another tough lesson this week as I travelled on the Colorado Trail. I made it 5 days and 116 of the 486 miles before realizing I don't enjoy staying by myself at night in bear country. I barely managed to get any sleep as my mind ran rampant throughout the night. It certainly didn't help that one night a bear ambled right past my tent! This lesson probably could have been learned from my short stint in the Brooks Range but it really became apparent here.

I consider myself pretty well educated about bears and I know the risk is low but I guess it is just something I am not comfortable with at this point in my life. So for that reason I am unfortunately backing off once again.

Needless to say, I think finding more friends that enjoy these kinds of trips is important. But I don't think that should be too big of an issue with time.

Now to figure out what's next...

[Chad]

The bear "threat" bothers the shit out of me too when I'm camping. It also frustrates me too, because it's mostly irrational.

[Gilberto de Piento]

I barely managed to get any sleep as my mind ran rampant throughout the night.

Ha! I've freaked myself out while camping alone too. Five days is a long time to be out. Don't be too tough on yourself.

You'll have to weigh the pros and cons of this for yourself but I used to have trouble sleeping while camping sometimes so I would bring advil pm. It worked well for me and is supposedly not addictive.

[UrbanHermit]

Have you considered Europe? Lots of great rambling to be had in the scotish highlands, the alps, the urals, etc. All the large predators were killed off centuries ago so no bear/cougar/wolf issues, and camping solo is quite safe. And if the weather turns sour, or you just need a break it's rarely more than a half-days walk out of the bush to the nearest village pub a hot dinner and a warm bed.

[theanimal]

@Chad- Yes, that's what pisses me off, they aren't something you need to worry about the vast majority of the time.

@Gilberto- I'm not one for taking any drugs or medicine but thanks for the tip.

@UrbanHermit- Yes, that's actually what I've been thinking about the past couple days. Iceland, Scottish highlands, and the Nordic countries are all very appealing to me.

Right now it's mainly disappointing because I have a lot of trip ideas (that are in bear country) and if I can't find anyone to do them with, I can't do them. At least at this point in my life.

[Gilberto de Piento]

Ironic that you have a bear for your avatar. Have you considered carrying bear spray? Or a gun?

[theanimal]

I thought the same thing myself.

I carried bear spray in Alaska but not in Colorado. I wouldn't take a gun. But overall the perceived threat is much larger than any actual threat. Especially concerning only black bears (grizzlies are a different story.) I think it'll be fine after continued experience and exposure, coupled with a refusal to give in..

[henrik]

There are lots of bears and wolves in the Nordic countries (probably not in Scotland and Iceland though (?))

[mxlr650]

Well I've learned yet another tough lesson this week as I travelled on the Colorado Trail. I made it 5 days and 116 of the 486 miles before realizing I don't enjoy staying by myself at night in bear country.

Colorado is all black bear correct? i am weary of Grizzlies, but Black bears are something you can largely ignore. Black bear attacks are uncommon AFAIK, so unless you are engaging in tug-of-war with a black bear over your backpack/food, things would be fine. I have camped quite a bit in bear country (Sierra Nevada ranges) and I have not had problems with black bear. Some rules i follow are

• always carrying bear canister
  cooking/eating dinner and walking for an hour before camping
  avoiding popular campsites

If i ever go camping in a grizzly country, i would pack heat. Our ancestors worked hard to put us on top of the food chain, and I would be ashamed to let them down by letting some dumbass animal attack me or think i am its combo meal.

I would suggest NZ for camping - south island is amazing! So is Australia!

[jennypenny]

Fatbiking Iceland sounds like a euphemism.

[theanimal]

There's something I've been going back and forth on for the past couple months..I kind of touched on it above. It's the issue whether or not to go after a full time job and ERE after 5-7 years or slowly work my way there through seasonal jobs while enjoying myself.

Honestly, I just want to do whatever I want..without any restrictions or constraints (like a job). So that's what makes me think of going after FI in the more traditional route. I mean, I'm only 21. I could reach FI and retire before I'm 30. It feels like a huge chunk of time but 5-7 years really isn't that long..


Thoughts? Insights? Advice?

[anomie]

Heya --

Not sure your inclination, but I used to know folks who WOOF'ed ... traveled around world working on farms in exchange for room and board...

http://www.wwoof.net/

Might be something you are interested in exploring.


best of luck you ya'. You have the world in front of you.

[Matty]

Hi animal,

I’ve enjoyed reading your journal and think that we are quite similar in a lot of ways. I share your passion for adventure and am always dreaming about the next trip that I’d like to do. NOLS, wilderness therapy, bike touring, building a cabin in Alaska all sound great!

I’m currently 24 and have taken a slightly different path which might be interesting for you to hear. I finished Uni at 21 and had a nice year off. I spent my time playing and recording music with my band, rockclimbing, camping, gardening, fixing up an old van and then travelling around southern Australia in it for the rest of the year. Man, it was great! I had a full-time job lined up for the following year so didn’t have to worry about what came next.

I was apprehensive to enter the rat race from the get go. I thought about starting my own business but decided to give the corporate world a chance first. I thought that it was important to experience something before completely writing it off. I didn’t discover ERE philosophy for another year but have managed to save about $75k in the 2 and a half years I have been working. If I didn’t discover ERE I think that I would have most likely quit by now and stayed away until my funds were exhausted.

I’m not sure of how my long-term plan will turn out but one option I’m thinking of is a semi-ERE period with an initial nest egg inspired by this post:

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/updat ... ation.html

Basically the earlier you can get out of debt and get a nest egg going, even if it isn’t enough to be FI, the sooner you can get compounding on your side.

What I’m thinking is to save maybe $200k by the time I’m 27, then scale the accumulation phase right down and start owning my time.

I’d work sporadically from this point doing odd/seasonal jobs, working holidays, outdoor education, second career, starting a business etc. to keep adding say $5-10k per year on top of expenses, but the pressure would be way off. The focus of my life would be fun and enjoyment, planning expeditions, working on the family farm, bike trips or anything else I happened to become interested in. If I didn’t work at all for a few years it wouldn’t matter and I could buckle down for 6 months to make it up later. I’d keep this going for 10-20 years before achieving full FI at a respectable age of <50.

I am acutely aware of spending all of my 20s in delayed gratification mode but at the same time I recognise that decisions I make now will have a significant impact on my future self. I think a strategy like this helps to give me the best of both worlds.

I’m trying to make the most of my time over the next few years while I accumulate. I’m planning to join the army reserves next year to pick up some new skills and experiences. I spend a lot of time improving my food growing ability. Weekends and after work are spent reading, camping, micro-adventuring, climbing, fishing, surfing or bushwalking. Annual leave is saved for mini-expeditions. Basically, focusing on the cool things that I want to do in life which are available to me while I work and prepping myself for the bigger adventures in a few years’ time.

I doubt my choices and sometimes think I should do it the way you are and make the most of my youth and health right now! I think no matter what you do you will always question if it’s the right path. I’m not saying you should change your approach but just thought I would share some of the thinking I’ve done over the last few years.

[Ego]

Honestly, I just want to do whatever I want..without any restrictions or constraints (like a job). So that's what makes me think of going after FI in the more traditional route. I mean, I'm only 21. I could reach FI and retire before I'm 30. It feels like a huge chunk of time but 5-7 years really isn't that long..


Thoughts? Insights? Advice?

This morning I ran into a friend who buys funky vintage clothing at flea markets then sells it at festivals. Her attitude toward life is similar to the one you are cultivating, no restrictions or constraints. She was telling me that her fellow festival vendors where complaining that they were not making much money and asked her advice. She told them to avoid buying expensive inventory that requires a high markup and to seek out unusual places to sell where the competition is low.

This weekend she is selling at a nudist festival. Apparently nudists like sheer clothing that protects them from the sun but does not obscure the view. When I asked her if she has to be naked when selling, she answered, "No, I don't HAVE to work naked. I GET to work naked! It sure beats 9to5 in a business suit!"

Now is the time to try unusual things. It is okay to be bold. It is okay to try things that others have never done. While my friend's advice is basic, it is a good place to start.

[theanimal]

Anomie- Yes, I am very interested in WWOOF. Thanks for the suggestion. I think it'd be a great way to build gardening/farming skills while experiencing new cultures. That being said, I don't feel as if I can do something like that at this point in my life. I have student loans that I'll have to start paying off soon and that is the big limiting factor. I'm planning to pay them off in 1-2 years.

Matty- I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I read your post a few times and read through your journal again. It sure does seem that we have similar interests and a similar mindset. I think the big issue for me is with the delayed gratification aspect. It's not that I can't wait or am impatient but I do seem to want everything now, now, now! I want to be FI, do big adventures etc. etc. While I think it'd obviously be in my best interest to build up more experience.

I like to think that building up the base and then having the freedom to go on these trips, outdoor education or seasonal work would be prudent as well. Like you said, the pressure would be off.

Ego- That's some very interesting advice, something for me to ponder further. I would like to be bold, and like to think I am bold in some of my choices. However, the other part of me fears and questions each decision.


Along with a variety of seasonal jobs, I've applied for a full time position with a company I'm very familiar with (hint, hint). It would be at their headquarters. While it would be an office job, the company has a very relaxed and flexible atmosphere with an emphasis on a work-LIFE balance. Also, access to free outdoor gear, heavily discounted courses, like-minded people and very close to a variety of large "playgrounds" are some other advantages..

Not sure if I'll get the position or not but I'm providing myself with the option.

[mxlr650]

Honestly, I just want to do whatever I want..without any restrictions or constraints (like a job). So that's what makes me think of going after FI in the more traditional route. I mean, I'm only 21. I could reach FI and retire before I'm 30. It feels like a huge chunk of time but 5-7 years really isn't that long..

How about working for 3 years, take an year off and work for another 3 years?

[jacob]

One potentially non-obvious thing I would advice taking into account is the life-cycle/age aspect of choices. Now it may be that this is not important to you, but if it is/will be it's better not to be surprised by it.

It's been mentioned in other threads that a good piece of advice is to look at the age of the people doing the same thing as you. E.g. if you're in a corporation and the average employee is 25, it suggests that people don't last long in this business. Similarly if you're traveling or woofing and you notice that few other backpackers/volunteers are over 30 that's another hint. Combine this with whether you're fine interacting with people much younger or much older or having significantly other interests than your own, either due to you changing or generations changing. Only you can answer this --- unfortunately, life experience is required here and that comes slowly.

TL;DR - some things are better done at a certain age.

[theanimal]

mxlr- That's definitely something to consider. I'll probably take it 6 months or 1 year at a time and see how I feel if I go that route. Thanks for your insight.

Jacob- Yes, I think this is important and I have thought about it. If you couldn't tell, my main interest is wilderness travel. The people who do things that I aspire to emulate span a large age range, from 20s to 70s. Generally, these people have been doing these trips and activities for a long time, so I'm not too concerned about it for this field.

Now with something like WOOF I can see it being mainly younger people. If I don't do that it's really no big deal. I figure I can learn the skills on my own. I just think it would probably be an interesting experience.

[Matty]

I can appreciate wanting everything now. A lot of my friends from uni are either unemployed, volunteering, travelling or working part-time (I studied environmental science…). Instead of feeling the pressure to work and consume from my peers I have the pressure to quit and YOLO (consume experiences)!

All the best with the decisions you make. I’ll look forward to following your progress!

At the wise old age of 24 my final advice would be: commit to whatever you decide to do and make the most of it, try not to pay too much attention to the inevitable second guessing. There are many paths to ERE but I think it’s important to be at peace with the journey you choose.

@Jacob - That's something I worry about, missing out on age-specific experiences. Right now I have the drive to do more adventurous and uncomfortable things like tour across countries by bike, wwoof, long expeditions. I guess the question is two-fold: will I still want to do these things and will I still be able to relate to the people I will meet? I think part one is more important to me.

There are a bunch of other things I'd like to do like improve carpentry skills, cultivate permaculture gardens, buy a fixer-upper, run a part-time business to boost the stash, which are perfectly suited to 30s and beyond so I'm happy to delay these activities to prioritise age-specific ones.

My answer to this dilemma is to semi-ERE and hope I still have the drive at 27!

Sorry to take over your journal theanimal!

[theanimal]

I was flipping through an old notebook and came across something I had written a few months ago. Much of it still applies today..

Random and Philosophical Musing

Why do I waste my time in front of the stupid computer for hours at a time each day? It is against my values, and frankly a waste of time. Most videos I watch are completely pointless and have no effect on me over time (Update: Doing much, much better at this). I don't want to be on there, why do I still do it? Is it fear of missing out? The websites stay relatively the same. It isn't often that I receive an important email. Yet, I check anyway. I am drawn to this virtual, fake world for some unknown reason. Is it to feel connected? Am I missing something? Books lie around on my floor, desired but unread. Miles of outdoor trails and possibilities surround me. Yet, I limit myself to this device, letting time slip by.

Is it naive to think that this problem will disappear after graduation (Update: HA! Yes!)? After all, I plan on spending weeks, months and possibly even years in the wilderness. But what about when I come back? How do I avoid falling into these bad habits? I returned from Alaska last summer and the internet was unappealing to me. My goal was to severely limit my time with electronics and that seemed easily within reach. My mom said that I'd have to be careful because I could slide back into these habits. I thought she was crazy. She proved to be right.

It sickens me to see everyone constantly glued to their phones, tablets and computers. However, I have conformed to their practices. I want to be free of these technological chains and addictions in order to live freely, outdoors, on the road or the trail. Unified as one and living every moment to the fullest. No more watching shallow celebrity videos or any others that I deem a waste of time.

Who is to say how many seconds, minutes or days one has left on this earth? Each moment is precious, meant to be lived, not squandered. It is the man who lives life fully with a wealth of time that has no qualms about his demise (death). While the monetarily rich, yet time poor, man sees the empty hour glass with great disappointment. For he spent his life chasing things of no true value.

Miscellaneous

In other news, I've thought a lot recently about publishing my work as a book again. It would take an overhaul and a lot of work to get it where I want it to be, but I think it would be a fun project. I've been researching the editing process lately. Anyone have any good recommendations for finding a quality copy/line editor?