The Rules of the Road, #hobolife

The allure of the road, the yearning to be away, away from here, away from where you belong, where you have a job, responsibilities, mortgages, a past. The road is where freedom is felt, where life becomes a passing phase of blurry images or a hyper-focused picture of the immensity and simultaneously finite sense of life. These are the desires that will turn a man into a wanderer, into a vagabond, a hobo.

The more one wanders, the more one wonders what is around the next bend, how far can one go, what is that draws me into this landscape, down the road, why does time slow down and one follow the sun? And the more you learn small tricks and begin to enjoy the pain and stench that is living on the road. Soon you pull out your hobo cup when you are at home, after a long day at work, pour some whiskey into it and begin to dream of the next time your feet will hit dirt trail and you can get lost in the place they call wild, they places they had to define so those of us who need freedom have a place to go.

This is the #hobolife.

Rule #1

When life gives you lemons, slice ’em up and put ’em in your beer. Trying to plan life is like yelling at water to get it to flow the other direction. There’s just no sense in it. If you want to be on the road, you can have an idea where you would like to be the next day, but if that doesn’t work out you just roll with the punches. Sometimes that means you roll out the sleeping bag in a colvert, or you end up in the hospital hoping to someday be able to breath again, or it means that the valley you planned on walking through is so full of wild flowers that you’re not sure it would be right to disturb them by placing your bedroll there. It’s all just part of it.

Rule #2

Always know where your hobo cup is. I don’t feel like I need to elaborate too much on this at this point, but your cup should always be at hand to receive a free drink, some change or soup. Or just a place to put your coffee in the morning when you arise with the sun.

Rule #3

Always be roaming. Whether you are afoot or at home, the road will always be on your mind and it’s ok to allow it to consume your thoughts and be the one thing that you can’t get enough of. After all, that’s the point. To yearn for the freedom you desire is not wrong and will only lead to you lying your head down where it wasn’t the day before.

Rule #4

Always help out those who need you to help them out. If you are driving, pick up the hitchhiker. If you are hiking and have gear someone has forgotten, share. If a cup is held out in your direction and you have some spare change, toss it in. If you have a few dollars, offer to buy ’em dinner. You never know when life will decide that your destination has changed and where you are isn’t where you will be. Kindness is always returned, even if it isn’t immediately.

Rule #5

Get yourself some kind of moniker. It’s best if these are given, but sometimes you just have to give one to yourself. KB is affectionately known as both Mama Bear and Freedom Toes depending on the trip and circumstances. Brother Meinkey may have been referred to multiple times as Shelbysticks© for his affinity to using trekking poles. We’ve met Gadget, Ansel, Wookie, Fixie and who knows how many other people along the way. A moniker helps people remember you and serves as an alias if those lemons life gave you happen to mean you are also on the run.

Rule #6

Always be working toward eliminating things from your pack. If you add something, two things need to come out. Being on the road isn’t about being comfortable, it’s about being free. Every item you carry is a rock in your bag and a shackle around your ankle. Get rid of the shit.

Rule #7

If you pull out your flask, pass it around the entire group. I don’t care if it’s supposed to be lasting for a month, if you are in the company of others, share. I guarantee you that the whiskey will flow up hill in your direction if you do.

Rule #8

Stop worrying. It’s amazing how quickly we learn to survive without all the things we think we need and all the worries that surround those things. If there’s some place you want to go, go. Let the circumstances of the road work themselves out. All you have to do is keep moving.

Rule #9

Let the plucking of the banjo always be in your heart. I don’t know what it is about this traditional instrument, but it’s melodic sound will pretty much force you to stand up and walk out of any board meeting, any cubicle and any town just to be on the road. You’ll probably end up growing a beard or having hairy legs. Once you learn an appreciation for the banjo, really go wild and listen to the singing saw and the washboard.

Rule #10

Don’t get in the van!

P. L. and R.