How Isolated ... ?

fantasymaker · #81 01/25/10, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

How flat and treeless does that have to be?!?
Even in western Kansas we aren't flat enough to have a line of sight to something 100 miles away...

We used to live about 12 miles from the railroad. Almost no trees, but enough hills you certainly couldn't see it... We could hear the whistle when the wind was right and we were standing on a hill. Otherwise you'd never know it was there.
I've never lived less than 80 miles from an interstate, though, so I don't have any experience there...

The 100 mile situation I was thinking about was spent on a mountaintop most of the distance was over open water but at least a third was over spruce forest.
Right now I am 20 miles from the nearest railroad and interstate and some nights I can hear them . I cant see them at all with both trees and small hills in the way.

IndianaWoodsman · #82 03/17/10, 02:07 AM

50 miles (minimum) to town. I could handle neighbors within 5 miles if they were like-minded folks. I would love to camp my way around. That is, not own land, own a tent and a couple of horses. I would do best in a forest setting.

blooba · #83 03/17/10, 09:27 AM

not much further than 15-20 minutes to a small town with at least a hardware store/small mom pop store and not much more than an hour from at least a walmart sized town I have found about right.

Freeholder · #84 03/17/10, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndianaWoodsman

50 miles (minimum) to town. I could handle neighbors within 5 miles if they were like-minded folks. I would love to camp my way around. That is, not own land, own a tent and a couple of horses. I would do best in a forest setting.

I've thought about doing that, although with packgoats rather than horses (and a few does in milk). I've always wanted to spend at least a summer, preferably longer, just camping. Never had a chance to do it, though.

Mama Crow, I've looked at the Texas Big Bend land, too, on eBay, but am not sure it would be a good place for us (my mentally handicapped DD and me). I'm not too thrilled about the heat; am concerned about the availability of water; and need to be able to get to church regularly. Considering that the price of gas is likely to start climbing again, remote areas like that are going to become less and less desirable for anyone who needs any kind of connection with civilization, no matter how tenuous.

If it wasn't for the price of gas, though, I'd love to live as far out as I could get. I was raised on a homestead in Alaska and 'need' more space around me than most people seem to.

Kathleen

ETA: You have to look at more than just the cost of the land, you also have to look at the cost of living there. In the case of the Big Bend land, there would be the cost of developing a water system (how much does it cost to build sufficient cistern capacity to carry you through at least a whole year?), and the cost of getting to town once in a while for needed supplies.

canfossi · #85 03/17/10, 04:22 PM

I live 13 km from the nearest town about populaton 1500 and 50 km from a much larger town. I am on 100 acres and on a dirt road where only about 2 cars in winter and 4 or 5 cars in summer per day go by. I wouldn't mind being even more isolated, I do like the airstrip idea. Chris

Firethorn · #86 03/17/10, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PulpFaction

I've had an interesting evolution of isolated lifestyles. Grew up homeschooled on 175 acres. There were about 2 kids in my age range that I knew and would make a point of seeing on weekends throughout that period.

Then my parents decided to move, put me in public school, and that's when the problems started. Eating disorders, depression, anxiety, insomnia, stress...until I dropped out and went on my own way.

I vacillated wildly from isolation to really, really URBAN living. (Alaska to NYC)

Now I live in a small town on a tiny lot surrounded closely by people I consider family...and rapidly it is becoming too much. This summer I am trying out the next step back from society--a job as the only bartender in Chicken, AK which consists of a handfull of miners in the summer, and a few year round dog mushing and trap lining types.

It's remote. No power. No running water. No cell service. Better not try to drive there without a couple of spares in the back of the truck kind of place.

Who knows, may find out that's just right for a while. May find out it's a little too isolated. Either way, I fully intending on knowing what I can handle before I invest in land that would necessitate that lifestyle. Perhaps fewer farms would be passed from owner to owner as city-folks succumbed to the idyll if they tried it out first.

Wow, what a life change. Have to admit I admire your decisiveness. Fix it.
I would have been much the same. (the part about going your own way) But instead I started a family. That was my saving point. Took me many years to get to the place I felt was home.
I agree, try it before you buy it. (land/home purchase of course) Would save many a heart ache and farm and stead.
Hope you find where you fit.

ronbre · #87 03/17/10, 06:57 PM

well we did move here when there was just a dirt road and no neighbors..however..that changed over the 39 years that we are here..they paved the road back a few years ago and now we have tons of neighbors..not necessarily a good thing

lmrose · #88 03/18/10, 05:58 PM

We have ten acres bordering on a paved road and a dirt road. Altogether there is 1/4 mile road frontage. So no one can build close on either side of us or in back of us. There is a house across the road on a hill which has been empty a couple of years. The other house across the road has an unfriendly neighbor who spaent six years pesecuting us and trying to make us move.He finally gave up and we have had two years of peace and quiet. We forget he is there because he doesn't acknowledge us. The other houses around we see but they are far enough away that we never see the people.

On the dirt road along the ocean are a string of expensive new homes belonging to rich foriengers who only come here a few months a year. Most times the homes are empty. We have one neighbor who is my husband's second cousin who has a husband and child. She usually calls every day to see how we are. Other than her I go for months without seeing any other person except my husband. So in plain view we are still isolated in a way of speaking.Town is nine miles away and we don't own a vehicle.

We always wanted to live in a secluded place but there are so many home invasions and such it probably wouldn't be safe.The back of our farm is secluded where I like to camp but I wouldn't stay there with out the dog with me. We have encountered more strangers wandering the roads here than ever before and don't feel safe wandering around the woods anymore after being confronted by a stranger this winter. Then there is a coyote problem here all over Nova Scotia and Canada. One woman was killed in Cape Breton and a man threatened this week. Right down our road a coyote was in someones back yard. She called wildlife control and they trapped it.

So I guess we are as isolated as we should be considering the times we live in.

oz in SC V2.0 · #89 03/18/10, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Crow

If you had the opportunity, how isolated (as far as location) would you go? How deep, or how far, off the beaten path would you go? Or would you even want to?

I wouldn't mind being an hour or so away from town.

chewie · #90 03/19/10, 12:28 AM

last year, i lived in a smaller camper for 9 months. i had another house to use for laundry and showering. doing so taught me alot about myself. in fact, i would encourage anyone to try it--some of the 'lessons' can't be verbalized, but were felt strongly.

to live more isolated, you have to be pretty confident and content within yourself. i do wish we could be away from so many neigbors, as it fits me well. but i dont' think i'd like travelling around, camping all over. i love isolation, but detest moving/big changes. i very much am a homebody, and have found my place to 'park'. no where is perfect, tho., so i must simply get used to seeing someone once in a while.

foxtrapper · #91 03/19/10, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Crow

If you had the opportunity, how isolated (as far as location) would you go? How deep, or how far, off the beaten path would you go? Or would you even want to?

The old saw about "if I can hear you, you're too close" always made sense to me. For a few years I lived in a tenant house on a landlocked farm, tucked away behind another farm. I loved the privacy and quiet, and I'd love to have it again.

That said, I did not like the several hours it took to go get a board, or a gallon of icecream.

glazed · #92 03/19/10, 06:10 AM

I forgot about this thread ... a lot has happened since I posted it ..... I find all of the responses fascinating.

Thank you, IndianaWoodsman, for resurrecting it.

Well ........................

y'all are going to think I'm crazy (if y'all don't already.)

I suppose I should reveal that I am seriously, seriously setting my sights on moving way, way down there someday.

Don't know if it will be soon, or not.

I'll be visiting my friend Patricia - with the domed guesthouse real soon ....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Crow

Source: Ernie's Thread - Comfort in a Post-Modern Age

Patricia (from the above article) is a personal friend of mine, and I will be staying in her domed guesthouse within the next few weeks ... I'll try to remember to take pictures of her set-up if y'all are interested.

................and, I'll be checking out the tiny school in Terlingua, and looking into maybe teaching high school English to the, ahem, maybe seven students total (immediate/reliable income to get on my feet.)

(three minutes, 20 seconds)

and

(two minutes, 11 seconds)

and

(one minute, 45 seconds)

I suppose I'll be making some new threads asking for ideas on how to change (or adapt) your mindset for homesteading in a desolate, isolated desert.

So, please, keep your eyes open for those brainstorming threads ... which may (or may not) be coming soon.

I'm looking at a specific ten acre piece that has a creek, and supposedly good roads to and from, and will go down there to check it out (and possibly buy) when I go visit, too.

Speaking of so-called isolation ... did you know that the Big Bend/Terlingua area has been compared to the likes of Tibet?

Oh! And, please ... my favorite video of the area is

... please give it a moment of your time.

pheasantplucker · #93 03/19/10, 06:26 AM

My wife and I have 15 acres. We're 4 miles from the nearest little town...Maybe a population of 100 or thereabouts. then if you go almost 10 miles in the other direction, there's a town of perhaps 250. 14 miles down the road is another town of maybe 250. Twenty five miles away is a big city (Cambridge, Oh), We have neighbors across the little valley from us, but for the most part, we have our privacy, but we're not so far out that we feel isolated. It's perfect for us. I just step out into our woods, and I may as well be 300 miles from the nearest neighbor.

SueMc · #94 03/19/10, 12:04 PM

Rachel, Chicken, AK! I love it! My son and his best friend are helicopter mechanics and they spent a couple of summers in and around Chicken with the helicopters that some geologists were using in their work. The guys loved the area. I seem to remember hearing about a "tradition" of shooting underwear out of a cannon there in Chicken?! I'm trying to find a pic of the bar!

Although my son could live somewhere only accessible by boat or plane, I'm happy having the 35 acres that we recently bought but have not built on yet. We've been on 3 acres, with neighbors for the last 30+ years. I've been able to have the animals I want and pretty much do what I want, but I still have neighbors. The larger acreage has plenty of building spots that will, because of the 9 acres of woods, be isolated from the view of any other future neighbors. Like someone said, "we own our view". I work in a city of about 80,000 people and will continue to do so. My drive is about 30 min to work, which is about right. We are almost surrounded by COE land, except for a farmer's field to the South. Since we are in Central IL, we don't have the mountains or ocean to encourage a rush of multi-millionaire builders to the area. Our place is rolling acreage since we are close to a large lake, so it's not like living in the middle of a flat corn field. We are also within walking distance of the lake with lots of wooded hiking areas bordering it (government owned, so no building!). Another good thing about this area is that the soil is amazing. You have to dig pretty deep before you run into clay. So if nothing else, we could always grow crops and feed ourselves.

We travel alot and I've seen many places I'd like to live (TN!), but bottom line is, I'm here because I've got a good job close and a couple of grandkids nearby. I also like the idea of living somewhere where you can afford to pay the bills AND visit some of the other places. My sister and her family have been in the San Francisco area for a long time and even with the two of them making good money, they can barely afford their cost of living in that area.
That all being said, I always REALLY admired the "Rootbeer Lady" who lived in a remote cabin in what is now the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in N. Minnesota. She got in and out of her cabin by canoe in the summer and snowmobile in the winter. She cut and stored ice in the Winter and made rootbeer (ice cold) that she sold to passing canoeist in the Summer. If I were half as independent and resourceful as she was, I'd be very happy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PulpFaction

This summer I am trying out the next step back from society--a job as the only bartender in Chicken, AK which consists of a handfull of miners in the summer, and a few year round dog mushing and trap lining types.

It's remote. No power. No running water. No cell service. Better not try to drive there without a couple of spares in the back of the truck kind of place.

Who knows, may find out that's just right for a while. May find out it's a little too isolated. Either way, I fully intending on knowing what I can handle before I invest in land that would necessitate that lifestyle. Perhaps fewer farms would be passed from owner to owner as city-folks succumbed to the idyll if they tried it out first.

JWK · #95 03/19/10, 02:21 PM

What is COE land?

chewie · #96 03/19/10, 03:51 PM

corp of engineer

CamM · #97 03/19/10, 04:07 PM

I used to think isolation would be great, but I realized if I want to become a farmer proximity to a town is important. Despite my less social personality, I like to see other people sometimes.

Wags · #98 03/19/10, 07:11 PM

In my younger apartment living days I yearned for complete isolation. But now I'm content to live on the outskirts of a small town. Hubbies commute is 2.5 miles now. We have just under 5 acres - with neighbors on either side on similar sized parcels. Behind/below us is a 70 acre grass seed field and across the road is 120. So while we don't "own our view" its not likely to change given the zoning laws.

Currently we are a ridge, which means great views of the Cascade mountains (Three Sisters) but I hate always going up or down. A few more acres with trees, and at least some relatively level space a few miles further out of town would suit me just fine. But I would miss the neighbors - they are friendly and quiet.

ErinP · #99 03/19/10, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

The old saw about "if I can hear you, you're too close" always made sense to me. For a few years I lived in a tenant house on a landlocked farm, tucked away behind another farm. I loved the privacy and quiet, and I'd love to have it again.

That said, I did not like the several hours it took to go get a board, or a gallon of icecream.

I'm happiest when I don't hear OR see any neighbors.

Though the year we live 70 miles from the nearest hospital (6 beds lol) and I had a lodged kidney stone I could have stood being just a smidge closer to civilization.

Jaclynne · #**100** 03/19/10, 08:18 PM

Mama Crow - The older I get, the more solitude I seek. I'd love to be planted in the middle of a wilderness, but I have a strong affinity for tall trees, so I'm not sure West Texas suits me.

It does however, suit my sister perfectly. She and her dh spent a year on a remote property somewhere west of Del Rio and they loved it. They were building a new cabin for friends that owned the property. My sister suffers from severe bi-polar, but she did great there. The sunshine and exercise searching out fossils and working kept most of the depression at bay. And the solitude tempered the mainc stages ( besides, she said you couldn't get yourself in a lot of trouble in the middle of no where.)

I've had this site bookmarked for years, http://www.lajitas-texas.com/ It is a picture log of the building of a remote adobe house. It very interesting, with lots of good pics and info on the build and water setup, etc.