Flashback: 1971 Account of Fulltimer’s Experience
Shades of the sixties, man! How many of you remember that monthly magazine on back-to-the-land living called Mother Earth News? Well, one of our team remembers pouring over issues of this “hippie era” journal, getting all kinds of ideas for the future. Just which of us that was, we’ll leave buried in the past. But nevertheless, maybe that reading led to a future lifestyle decision, courtesy of the writings of a 60s/70s fulltimer.
Back in 1971, Mother Earth News published this account of a life-changing decision that many of us have made, and many more are probably dreaming of. We’ll let the record speak for itself:
“July 11, 1969 was my last day of institutionalized employment. After selling most of our personal items and organizing the balance, we moved on.
“Our living quarters are a 1966 Avion 25-foot single axle travel trailer. We purchased the unit used and added folding bunk beds and dinette seats to the folding leaf table and two single beds already in the trailer. With this arrangement we are able to sleep six. The space is small for two adults and four children ranging in age from 4 to 10 but we have pretty well adjusted except for my wife’s occasional bouts of cabin fever.”
Sound a little familiar? For most of us the part of “four children,” is probably not something we ever got into, how many of us, ’sold our personal items, and organizing the balance, we moved on’? It’s a scary, but exciting move, leaving what we’ve known in the past, and heading out for a most uncertain future.
The account goes on to outline the family’s experiences on the road, the good, the bad, and the ‘when things get ugly’ phase–like the time they had to back their travel trailer down a two-mile, curvaceous, mountain grade. They recollect boondocking in unusual places, and keeping body-and-soul together in difficult economic times. Huh, the more you read, the more it sounds a lot like today. But remember, that was over 35 years ago.
It’s an interesting flashback in time. Read the full story online the the Mother Earth News website.
photo: mrebert on flickr.com
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