That's what everyone asked me before the road trip. I finally read it.

That's not do me. However, I so appreciate spending huge chunks of time outdoors each day.

why no dog?

Have you been going on vacations or traveling to places with regular amenities, do you see yourself doing that?

I've been thinking about it. Thinking about fostering. It's more work, the cabin is small - I can leave the cat alone for a couple of days and he comes and goes. Also, I think in winter it would be difficult. Again, small cabin. And I'm thinking about traveling this winter, not sure two animals is good for that. Or one.

An internet forum thread about living off the grid seems kinda like an Amish online dating site.

Sure. I have, I will. ... I can see myself moving back into an urban environment one day. But not right now. I've never hard this much space before.

Off the grid does not mean dropping out of society. It just means you are living without the benefit of public utilities.

Do you have a quad or dirt bike?

If no, why not?

Snowmobile?

I kept the minivan for more than a year and then totaled it a few weeks ago. Bought a '99 Wrangler from a kid off Craigslist. Needs a little work but I'm enjoying it. Doesn't fit the kayak, however.

i'm reading your trip report right now, really cool! Any chance you still have the pictures from the thread somewhere?

Haven't laughed this hard at a post in quite some time

So, no popcorn?

What has the cat said to you about all of this?

To be more specific, since it seems other posters might not know, the grid in the most basic definition of "off the grid" is the electrical grid.

I don't think I've seen it asked, how do you do laundry? I'm assuming laundromat is one of those trips into the city but you could be wash-boarding and clotheslining I guess.

Did you find Into The Wild inspirational, and if so in the "that's really cool" way or the "I don't want to die like that guy with mental illness" way.

Is there a pond on your property? Have you named it?

And this one is in all seriousness. It seems like the simple tasks of life - food, bathing, ****ting, getting places, etc., not to mention a mountain of yard work seem to be a heavy time investment. But I can totally see the appeal of 'defeating' nature to get it done. Is that why you do it, or something else? Have there been times it just hasn't seemed like worth the work?

How is having a cell phone or driving a car "living off the grid"? Sounds like slumming to me.

What's your job like? Editing other people's writing? Doing research online and writing articles?

Do you get snowed in in the winter?

What do you have in the way of appliances?

No sink?

I think if you changed it to "off the electrical grid" people would more clearly understand what you meant from the getgo.

I definitely came in here expecting you to be a total hermit and recluse.

They are up on a blog I host, but I'm always a bit wary of looking like a shill.

What's the easiest way to host photos these days? True, thread needs photos. There are some online, like I said, I'm not trying to drive traffic to my site however.

I got Gonzo when I was living in the DC apartment. He's thrilled to be outside. Half blind, he sucks at hunting, but he brings in the occasional mole and mouse. He's so bad at it though, I suspect whenever he brings in something larger that it's road kill he found.

I lived in DC for about 15 years before tiring of the city and worked for a range of online, policy and market-based pubs. So to me the job is normal, 8 hours a day or so, calling sources, reading online documents, filings, court cases, and so on. I write a lot.

Didn't get snowed in this winter, but everyone here will tell you that it was a very mild winter. People openly laughed at the minivan. I shoveled a few times and made it through. It's 300 feet down to the road, so I didn't mind the mild winter and am thining aout hitting the road this time around.

Appliances: Built a hand-pump sink into an Ikea dresser that works well, pulling from 5-gallon containers. Mostly for washing dishes. Propane burners for the stove. Indoor wood stove for heat, mostly.

I had a TV that gets 3 PBS stations, NBC and FOX.

No, I use the laundromat about once a week. T'burg is a tiny town and somehow they have two. I've been told there are a lot of people around here living similarly, and know at least one other guy who uses the gym to shower.

There is no pond on my land, though there are several on national forest land I walk to.

Water is shallow here. I've heard of 30-foot wells on nearby plots. Not sure I want to build a pond, but maybe.

It is a lot of work. When I bought the land it was totally overrun. I cleared land for the drive, the cabin, a field. ... A huge part of this was wanting to be back in nature, and so while I wouldn't call it "defeating" nature, there's something to it.

Right now all I can hear are birds and wind in the trees. I get a fair bit of wildlife here.

How expensive/difficult is it to dig a well? Do you believe in water dowsers?

Shot this out the back window a week or so ago. Gonzo was locked in a staring match.