Going stir crazy grounded in the MidWest in cublicle-land

H

hoyden

Lady Bug
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
1,462
Location
Carbondale, IL
Just gotta vent....
I'm sitting here at my jobby job after three months at this desk in an open floor space florescent light corporate building industrial park (what an oxymoron "industrial park") and horribly missing open roads, daily change, sleeping in my camper with my doggies, breathing fresh air, night critter sounds, exploring.

See! This life has made me terrible with run on sentences!

:(
 
I hope I don't offend you, but of all the places you have traveled out west, why in the H** did you end up where you are ?

Do you have your escape planned already ?
 
Ha! No offense taken. My mom lives in southern Illinois, in a university town with no jobs to speak of. An old high school friend contacted me and said that she works for IBM in Columbia, Mo and it's only about 3.5 hr drive back home. I applied and got hired.

I should have known tho - it's still 3.5 hrs. And while mom has visited me a few times, and me there, it's still not day-to-day very good. I'm still living in a town where I don't know anyone (my friend is married + four kids, so not much for social time) and BUGS and TORNADOES.
Seriously, I've gotten so many damn bug bites since I've been here. I don't even want to go campering cuz last time I went for a walk - on a paved trail - a couple of weeks ago, I ended up with somae strange bug bites on my legs that turned into blisters! Three weeks later and I still have the bites, no longer blisters, but still there! WTF.

I'm working on an escape plan. It might involve selling my rig tho (and getting a camper van) cuz truck payments for the next couplea years are hampering my ability to escape.
I think I need to find remote work. Or some kind of work I can do while nomading.
 
Stalking Light said:
You could see if you can find a job in Silicon Valley and then you would have to live in your camper. ;)
Click to expand...
I've been seriously trying to figure out how to live in my camper here. Or a camper anyway. Would like to save some money (rent/utilities) and get my savings back up. But most of the land seems to be privately owned, so no boondocking in National Forest or BLM land for weeks..... I did bring my doggies to work one day last week when worker guys were checking my home a/c. I popped up camper in our ample parking lot in a remote, empty section. I got to visit with them and take them for walks during the day, so that was nice. But I probably can't do that daily.
 
hoyden said:
But most of the land seems to be privately owned, so no boondocking in National Forest or BLM land for weeks.
Click to expand...
https://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf

Encompassing 1.5 million acres of beautiful public land in 29 counties in Missouri, Mark Twain National Forest maintains a healthy, working forest and restores Missouri's natural communities.
The Forest is waiting, come explore!
Mark Twain National Forest has a wide range of popular recreation opportunities. The forest has over 750 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and motorized use. Sections of the Ozark Trail wind through the forest. More than 350 miles of perennial streams, suitable for floating canoeing and kayaking, meander through its canopied expanses. Our campgrounds offer visitors a variety of forest experiences, including semi-primitive and wilderness camping for solitude.
Click to expand...
"Forest General Rules"
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mtnf/maps-pubs/?cid=FSM8_045650

Of course, no clue if you might be near Rolla, MO 65401
 
Hey flinchlock!

I need to explore Mark Twain and some other areas more - I've marked a dozen or so on my google maps, but one of the problems is that there seems to be a lot of private property /inside/ the Mark Twain NF and it's not difficult to find yourself on someone's property. Which is weird.

Oddly, Mark Twain NF is also not one contiguous forest. It's a few different sections.

I think I'll scout out some of those places I mapped this weekend.
 
Yes, I think most National Forests here in the east were created that already had private property.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain_National_Forest

Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) is a U.S. National Forest located in the southern half of Missouri. MTNF was established on September 11, 1939. It is named for author Mark Twain, a Missouri native. The MTNF covers 3,068,800 acres (12,419 km2) of which 1,506,100 acres (6,095 km2) is public owned, 78,000 acres (320 km2) of which are Wilderness, and National Scenic River area. MTNF spans 29 counties and represents 11% of all forested land in Missouri. MTNF is divided into six distinct ranger districts: Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs, Eleven Point, Houston-Rolla, Cedar Creek, Poplar Bluff, Potosi-Fredericktown, and the Salem. The six ranger districts actually comprise nine overall unique tracts of forests. Its headquarters are in Rolla, Missouri.
Click to expand...
 
Hoyden, I spent some time on the Mark Twain during my working years acquiring land for the national forests- there are some really beautiful places there. Some of the karst areas are really worth seeing- big springs, cold rivers and caves and such.

Stop in at the office in Rolla. They are friendly and will give you good advice of places to go and camp, including dispersed camping. You don't want to get too far into the backwoods there without knowing where you are going. There are still some old-fashioned hillbillies back in the hills who don't like strangers poking around, haha. :)

As I understand it, the forest was created in multiple smaller pieces as a political strategy to get the forest approved by Congress- more people and political figures would benefit that way. Better than no forest, I guess.

As for the truck, just paid mine off last year- (bought in 2011). It does happen eventually, haha. 1% interest loan- made sense. Hang in there- I agree you will love having the camper- although camper vans can be cool too. Probably would spend as much to get a good one though.
 
Hi takeiteasy!

Looks like Rolla is about 95 miles south and just a little east of me. That's not too far! I'll go there this weekend!
Yeah, not so much for the old-fashioned hillbillies. Start hearing that banjo....

That's some interesting history - and sucky that natural spaces have to be political like that :-(

I like camper vans for the ease of stealth campering and getting to the driver seat from the living area.
But I love my Tacoma for it's solid 4x4, and comfort and my FWC cuz of it's quality and ease of use.
Torn....
 
Yeah, I hear you on the advantages of vans, especially the access from the drivers seat. Have fun arguing it out with yourself. :)
 
omg I've been having this argument with myself for months. Heck, I spent a good amount of time planning in my head while driving on my no-destination adventure and building out a sweet van :-D Tho, I lack the knowledge for how to make most of it actually happen, especially electrical. I am good at soldering, not so good at figuring out wiring. You'd think after all these years of poking around with motorcycles I'd have more of a clue. But no.
 
Lots of help out the on the internets, haha. Once you get into it, you'll be fine. Assuming you decide to go that way. Myself, I like having the camper when I want it, and a truck when I want that. So easy to pick up a load of mulch or whatever. :)
 
hoyden said:
Just gotta vent....
I'm sitting here at my jobby job after three months at this desk in an open floor space florescent light corporate building industrial park (what an oxymoron "industrial park") and horribly missing open roads, daily change, sleeping in my camper with my doggies, breathing fresh air, night critter sounds, exploring.

See! This life has made me terrible with run on sentences!

:(
Click to expand...
Lady Bug, after running "wild and free" we sure can understand your frustration and feeling trapped.

How do we make ends meet and still live a life that gives us meaning and freedom? When you get a handle on that question, please pass on the answer to all of us. :)

Your answer is out there. Take a deep breath and continue the search. Remember to laugh everyday at the wonderful little things around us.

Oh, 2020 is right around the corner - trust us old farts on that one - and then only 4 years to the next total solar eclipse! :)

We are all rooting for you and wish you the best.
 
You are in one of the most portable skills set career areas. Always, take on any new tasks that expand your skills so that you can take advantage of new opportunities.

Why not get one of the weBoost cellular amplifiers for your rig so that you can be in a more preferred location while you work. IT tasks are usually done remotely anyway. Get yourself set up with the tools for working remotely from your rig before the need arises to make the transition easier. You might try working remotely a day or two at a time first. Sometimes, being on call for problems can be an intro to a more extended remote working arrangement. Also, explore Hughes satellite internet services.

A stir crazy denizen trapped in a cubicle farm while in possesion of a fully capable escape vehicle is not a pretty sight. You could be the Dawn of a new day. :p Don't let your present situation dog your attitude. ;)

Paul
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads - WTW

H
Adventures in Abbeyland
2
hoyden
H
billharr
Full Report Coast to Coast in a Hawk
mitch h
mitch h

New posts - WTW

Back
Top Bottom