Great Resources for Newbies to the Tribe.

Links of interests to vandwellers, car dwellers, campers, boondockers, etc.

I’ve put this post together to help newcomers to the tribe/lifestyle, in a effort to consolidate our community. There are many many smaller blogs and yahoo groups out there that touch on some of these topics, but I think these links will give you quicker access to the major works and resources.

Cheaprvliving.com by Robert Wells

http://cheaprvliving.com/ - Maybe you were a gypsy, vagabond or hobo in a past life, but you think you could never afford to live the life of freedom you long for? Maybe you are a survivalist, or just want to drop out of society but don't know how. Perhaps you are just sick of the rat race and want to simplify your life. We have good news for you, you can, and we are here to show you how! The key is eliminating the single highest expense most of us have, our housing. We will do that by moving into our vehicle… by Bob Wells.

Cheaplivingblog.com by Robert Wells

http://cheaprvlivingblog.com/ - My name is Bob Wells and I am the owner of http://cheaprvliving.com, http://cheapgreenrvliving.com and http://cheaprvlivingforum.com.   If you have ever been to those sites, then you know I have lived in a vehicle for over over 10 years and I absolutely love it! I have always had two goals for my sites, and in this blog they are the same:

1. Inspire others to break out of the rat race and embrace simple living by living in a car, van, or RV.

2. Teach you how to do it comfortably.

How to Live in a Car, Van or RV--And Get Out of Debt, Travel and Find True Freedom (an ebook) by Robert Wells

http://astore.amazon.com/kayakin-20/detail/B008S129XY - How and why to live in a car, van or RV, and learn to love it! There are two main reasons you might buy a book on living in a vehicle: 1) You're being forced into it by a bad economy, divorce, or unemployment, or 2) The "American Dream" has become a nightmare for you and you are dropping out of the rat race. Whatever your reason, this book will tell you everything you need to make it the best possible experience it can be. We'll cover details like: which vehicle to live in and how to find it, where to park, staying clean, going to the bathroom, how to cook in a van, get out of debt, survive any bad economy, travel on a budget, how to get your mail, how to stay comfortable in the heat and cold, how to get electrical power, and so much more I can't list it all here. By Bob Wells.

An Inspiring Vandweller – SwankieWheels’ Story by Robert Wells

I first met Charlene Swankie in 2009 at a get-together of the Yahoo group vandwellers. She had just bought a 2006 Chevy Express cargo van and was just getting started on her conversion. She realized the most important thing for her was getting adequate ventilation in the van. So she bought a FantasticFan and had us help her install it. I say "help her" in only the widest terms. She did every bit of the work herself and refused to let us do any of the actual work. Read more.

SwankieWheels - Kayaking America by Charlene Swankie (AKA SwankieWheels)

(updated 4/5/13) In 2002, I took an Alaskan cruise hoping it would help me get over loosing my husband in 2001. It didn't! Bad knees and extreme pain got worse and by 2005, I was shopping for a wheelchair. I also had high blood pressure, was on meds for that, plus meds for my stomach, my bladder, my joints, my migraines, my allergies, etc. I was a walking medicine cabinet. Now I have new knees, better health (off all meds) and a kayak. I've lost weight (about 80 pounds) and kayaked the lower 48 states. August 2013, I will kayak Alaska, my 49th state. Join me in May 2014 to kayak Hawaii and celebrate my 70th Birthday.

On this blog you will find help with projects, general information on my life and much more. Here are links to some of the highlights.

My 50-state kayaking and camping adventure.

The last five years… for Bob Wells – an overview for Bob’s potential update on me.

Getting Healthy On-The-Road Again: Day 1

Recent Art Work…. sketches for gasoline money!

Photographic Restoration Services

SwankieWheels’ Amazon Store - Support my Adventure by visiting my store.  I you buy something from Amazon, they will pay me a small percentage. ( I don’t know when that kicks in but so far I have not been paid ONE penny. )

Dances with Coyotes

This was a morning of uniqueness.  I woke feeling very congested from spending two full days in the lapidary shop and even though I wore a mask, my COPD is acting up.  So, slept in, and then drove out to a wilderness desert area and walked (and picked up rocks, of course).  After about an hour I headed back to the van.  Got almost there when a coyote began yapping.   So, I turned… tried to spot it… walked to the side a bit and finally caught a glimpse of it with the sun sparkling of its light tan coat. (continued…)

Colorado–First Month (May 2012) – First Camp Hosting job in White River National Forest near Rifle, CO.

I lost what??? 80 pounds???? Are you kidding.

Laid-Off and ON-THE-ROAD-AGAIN!!! Forest Fire closed my campground.

Index of States Kayaked by Charlene Swankie

Finding Freedom and Health, once again!

My Rig….

A Swankie Desk

A Swankie Roof Rack and Vent Fan

A Swankie Bunk (bed)

Bucket List by Charlene Swankie

Index of States I have Kayaked.
I have also created a table/index of all the places I have kayaked.  I hope to add things like the altitude, distance paddled, and other details.  There are blog pages for most of the states, but not all of them.  I hope to have a page for each state, with details of what I liked and what I would do differently when and if I return to that state.  Some states I don't plan to return to, only those I really really like.

Also on my Blog you will find a listing of “followers” of my blog, as well as Links to other Blogs I follow.  You should check out those other blogs.

It is our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness… and I’m gonna give it my all. Life just doesn’t get any better than this, until tomorrow.

Happy 4th and Happy Trails.

Swankie
(as of July 4th 2013 I have 84,647 visitors to my blog site… not as many as other blogs but I am thrilled)

Finding Freedom and Health, once again!

I HATE this photo of me… yet I keep it handy and look at it often. Taken a year after my husband died, it reminds me of a place I never want to go again.  (2002)

Ah, so much better.

Below is a conversation I have been having with a Facebook friend.  I thought it was important to share and hope that it might help others.

Friend: You are such an inspiration to me. May I ask about what kind of medical problems you have? I notice you have asthma? Do you have to use O2 on occasion? I have really bad arthritis but also a low immune system due to a liver transplant. With all of that I am more determined to fulfill my dream and become a vandweller.

Swankie Wheels: I have suffered from COPD, Asthma, sinus infections, etc. and so forth most of my life until I began living outside. About five years ago I began to feel that if I came down with bronchitis again, I would die.  I would have dreams/nightmares about it.

Today I am off all meds, except an occasional antacid, or headache pill. I used to get several migraines a week, but rarely get any now. I would say my health is better than it has ever been. About 3 years ago I was given sleep study tests and they wanted me to go on Cpap machine due to sleep apnea and take regular breathing treatments. I tried it awhile, but gave it up. It seemed to make me worse. Back then, I never would have believed my current health situation was possible.

Friend:  Good for you! I think that is fantastic. Doctors do not always get it right but I think that’s cause they do worse case scenario for everything and think pills will make you better. I have a occupational therapist who is all doom and gloom and really discourages me but I have told him I can do it and I have been proving that. Working on getting stronger with swimming etc. I think Bob Wells (cheaprvlivingblog.com) was right when he said something about how living in sticks and bricks contributes to our depression and makes us sick. I know I will have a challenge right now if I start out soon as I still have to take several shots and medications that will end in a few weeks which is when I think I will have my vehicle ready to go. But I just know if I feed my spirit the rest will follow. You and Bob Wells just reinforce that feeling I have had for a long time.

Swankie Wheels: I think you are absolutely right. I don't blame doctors. They look at a welfare mom who has a low income, low education level and is just trying to survive... they can't themselves even image a life of freedom for her. I am still scanning old medical records... and am just flabbergasted by the state of my health 15-20 years ago. It was a very slow process for me. I did not head out five years ago with the plan of being drug free and very healthy. My only thought was to FLEE.

But even years before that, I kept telling myself once I could afford the technology to be mobile and stay connected and do my computer related projects, I would hit the road. It was only a very long distant dream. Little did I know, I'd go through so much before it became my reality, i.e.,  falling in love, getting married, becoming a widow, having knee replacement surgeries, totaling my van, having shoulder repair surgeries... and then finally having an insurance settlement that let me get my current van and a final surgery to fully regain the use of my left leg. There was a nerve being impinged and I'd walk down an isle of a store, and my left leg would go totally numb... and someone would have to go get me an electric cart. All that now seems like another lifetime, another person in fact, yet it was me and it all happened within the past 13 years.

I am also a swimmer, something I had to give up due to my bad knees and hands going numb from Carpal Tunnels problems. I'd really like to get back into a swim routine, if I had the stability of a real pool at hand all the time. My personal best was 2 miles in 45 min. Wouldn't that be a hoot to be able to do that again – another item for my Bucket List?.

What I really can't believe is how different I feel now with all those drugs flushed out of my system. That was not even on my list of goals.  I think the few remaining ones I had (which doctors had told me I could never go off of - or I'd have killer heartburn back, and be peeing myself again all the time) were having a very negative effect on my body.

The bladder medicine was keeping the bladder relaxed so I didn't have urge to pee every time I moved... but the relaxed bladder meant it would stretch way beyond normal causing great pain in my belly... that is gone now since I stopped that med. The heartburn med... was the last I stopped... and I have taken it twice, when I began to get heartburn, but I think if I am careful to eat only the RIGHT foods, I won't need to do that anymore. But that is still an unknown. I believe I can remain off of it also.

And I am not sure yet, it’s been only a week since I stopped the last med, but I think I have more energy, am thinking clearer, etc.

Maybe all this info will help others.  I hope so.  HOPE… never give up.

Friend: I think it is important to let people know they have options and can be free. I think the pool therapy is really helping me too. The place where I go is very pleasing, you can choose the music, there is rarely more than two people in the pool unless there is a class and what I do is go back an forth from the hot tub to the pool so I get cool and hot. Gets my circulation going. And Oh yeah, I understand the wanting to flee, I am SO feeling that way myself.

Swankie: Born Free?  Not so much, but LIVE FREE!  Flee and be Free????   Kinda catchy, no?  Bob Wells mentions me on his blog.

Paddling with Alligators in Florida

Read more of Bob Wells thoughts and ideas on his website - http://cheaprvlivingblog.com/2013/02/be-a-blessingliving-a-blessed-life/.