We left serolynne's house in Indian Harbour Beach yesterday, very likely never to return.

Hopefully her house will sell long before we ever make it back to Florida, and we've left it empty enough that she should have no need to return for any closing or final cleaning.

The past few weeks have been a frenzy of selling stuff and Goodwill runs.

We have loaded up our Tab, and we are migrating north.

Last night we handed off Cherie's Prius to its new owner in Inverness, FL. Tonight we are visiting with friends in Atlanta. Tomorrow night we'll reach Hohenwald, TN. Wednesday morning we'll be touring the Oliver factory.

And then late Wednesday night we'll reach my folks place in St. Louis, where we will be storing our excess stuff and staging into the new Oliver.

We pick up the Oliver on July 25th.

Nomadism has begun again...

Mobile connectivity is essential to our life as technomads.

And over the past year and half, Sprint's EVDO service has worked wonderfully for us. We have gotten broadband speed all over the country, and it has worked so well that we have even been able to cut the cable modem line while living here at Cherie's house in Florida.

To connect we use a Novatel Merlin EX720 card, and to share the connection we use a small Cradlepoint CTR-350 WiFi router. This combination is small, portable, simple, power efficient, and it works amazingly well.

The reason that we chose Sprint last year was that it was the only nationwide carrier offering "unlimited" wireless data. At the time Verizon was also advertising "unlimited data", but was attaching fine print defining unlimited as "5GB a month".

(The New York Attorney General actually had to get involved to get Verizon to stop marketing 5GB as "unlimited"!!!)

Over the past year, Sprint won a lot of customers thanks to this "unlimited" policy, despite having inferior coverage. But the limits of "unlimited" have apparently now been reached.

Taking Verizon's lead - Sprint is dropping the easy to understand and consumer friendly "unlimited" and is now implementing a 5GB cap.


The new deal from Spint:
Here are Sprint's new terms, that we must either agree to or use as an excuse to cancel our two year contract:

Sprint reserves the right to limit throughput speeds or amount of data transferred and to deny, terminate, modify, or suspend service if usage exceeds 5gb per month in total or 300mb/month while off-network roaming.

*grrrrr*

How are we supposed to depend on our wireless connection for getting work done when it can be throttled down or canceled at any time without warning? The 300mb off-network roaming is particularly troubling, because there is not even a way to tell when you ARE roaming, and such roaming has always been free.

Sprint's cap is a "soft cap" - there is no charge if you go over, but there is also no certainty that your connection will not be cut off either. Install a major OS update and you could find yourself cut off. Get a lot of work in to do, and you could find yourself unable to do it. Etc...

There is no longer ANY option for a real unlimited usage connection from Sprint, even if you would gladly pay more for it.


Verizon's WORSE Deal:
Meanwhile, Verizon's "soft cap" is growing painfully and outrageously hard. Rather than having a rarely enforced threat of service cancelation if you exceed 5GB of usage, Verizon is now rolling out "overage charges" of $250 per GB.

Let me repeat: TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS PER GIGABYTE!!!

In other words - the first 5GB you use are around $14 each, but the 6th you consume is suddenly 18x more expensive. This is the sort of gouging that you typically see con-men trying to pull after a natural disaster.

For an example of how easily it is to consume this much data - we have been watching the TV series Torchwood (purchased via iTunes). One episode is around 600MB - which via Verizon's new pricing would cost us $2.00 to Apple, and $150 to Verizon to view.

Based on this math, to download the entire season will cost you nearly $2000!!! ($25 to Apple and $1810 to Verizon). This is one VERY expensive single click of the mouse!

Here are the details of Verizon's new terms:

Effective June 22, 2008, Verizon has now changed how overage charges will affect those who exceed their allotted (5GB) usage per month. The new implementation provides for:

• All plans are now subject to standardized $0.25/MB overage charge.


• There is now a temporary "usage limit" cap of $250 for monthly overage fees.


• All customers will only have three monthly bills subjected to a usage limit of $250. After the third bill to have the usage limit applied, there will no longer be a usage limit on the monthly bill, and the customer will be responsible to pay for all actual usage charges incurred on their monthly bill.


• In addition to the changes in overage charges to existing 50MB and 5GB plans, a new plan is being made available to customers who have used up all their 'usage limits'. This new "save plan" provides 10GB of data usage for $199.99/mo and the same $0.25/mb overage charge after the alloted data usage.

Insane.


AT&T's Capped Plans:
In the past year, AT&T's 3G HSDPA network has become a viable mobile data alternative to EVDO on Sprint and Verizon. But AT&T has a 5GB soft cap just like Sprint (and like Verizon used to):

The parties agree that AT&T has the right to impose additional charges if you use more than 5 gigabytes in a month. Prior to the imposition of any additional charges, AT&T shall provide you with notice and you shall have the right to terminate your service.

At the moment, AT&T is not charging for data over 5GB, and they are not enforcing their cap. But how long before they join Verizon in the gouging? I am guessing it is only a matter of time.


Alltel - The Last Bastion of Unlimited Data:
Alltel is the only nationwide wireless network that is still offering unlimited EVDO usage, for only $59/ month. But seeing as Alltel is in the process of being acquired by Verizon, my guess is that this offer will probably not be around for very much longer.

Even though the deal is likely not to last, Alltel is the only carrier with reasonable data plans. Because of this, we will probably soon cancel our contract with Sprint and switch to Alltel. At least we will have a few months before we have to cancel again and look for another alternative...


*sigh*

It looks as if the unlimited usage plans that have allowed wireless data in the US to thrive are soon to be a thing of the past. This is a shame. The wired Internet only took off once ISP's stopped billing per hour and offered unlimited use. With usage caps and outrageous overage charges in place, users will grow very wary of actually making use of all these wonderful fast networks that are being deployed.

Why have fast 3G wireless data if you can't actually make use of it?

Unlimited data. RIP.

When I gave up my place in San Francisco and began my nomadic adventures (over two years ago, wow!) - I hosted a House Cooling Party to celebrate my departure.

Now serolynne will soon be leaving her house behind, empty if not yet sold. Her house cooling party is tonight.

I've had a lot of people over the years express interest in the idea of a house cooling party, so I'd like to share my "rules" for hosting such an event. Even if you are not hitting the road and intending to leave your house empty, this is a great way to get rid of STUFF and find it an appreciative new home.

What is a House Cooling Party?
The idea of a House Cooling is the exact opposite of a House Warming. I expect guests to come empty handed, and leave with gifts, plants, liquor, or food. In particular, I would love to pass on to friends the treasures that I don't want to store and which are too tough to sell, but which are too cool or personally significant for Goodwill. There will be all sorts of cool stuff up for grabs.

Party Rules:

1. Guests MAY NOT leave empty handed.


2. Take only things you will appreciate, or that you will gift forward.
   If you are an eBay mogul and think you can make a killing selling some of the random collectibles (Star Wars?), let me know and we’ll split the profit 50/50...


3. Take a lot! It feels good to see things pass on to good homes, especially to friends. Make me feel good - come early, and load up!


4. The only price: tell me what you take, and share with me about what good use it is destined for. Sign the PurgeBook before you leave - this will become a treasured keepsake.


5. HAVE FUN!

Special Bonus: Those who stay late and help clean up have dibs on taking what remains in the liquor cabinet.

Please use and modify these rules in hosting house coolings and/or purge parties of your own!

Camp Nomadia is starting to come together.

We've been listed in the 2008 Burning Man theme camp directory at BurningMan.com, and just today we submitted the following official camp events to be included in the printed and online "What / Where / When" guide.

Nomadic Happy Hour - Tuesday & Thursday, 4pm - 6pm. Sunday, 3pm - 5pm

The vision of Camp Nomadia is to bring together as many cool nomadic spirits as we can to share stories, resources, passion, and community.

To foster nomadic community, we are hosting a Nomadic Happy Hour on Tuesday and Thursday (4pm to 6pm) and Sunday (3pm to 5pm).

Come and stop by - whether you are a current nomad, future nomad, wanna-be nomad, part time nomad, domestic nomad, international nomad, technomad, lowtechnomad, former nomad, land nomad, rail nomad, backpacking nomad, open water cruising nomad, friend of a nomad, or you just want to be around nomads.

Bring some food or drink to share, and come mix and mingle. Tour a few truly mobile homes. Learn what it is like to live full-time on the road. Ask questions. Swap stories.

Or just come hang out and meet some cool folk.

See you there!

GIANT Settlers of Catan Game - Daily Open Gaming, Monday thru Saturday, 8am - 7pm

Play the strategy game Settlers of Catan on a 25-foot-wide board! Why play with resource cards when you can have resources? Form coalition governments and strategically build the city of your dreams! Get lots of hex in the process! Prove that the playa hasn't reduced your attention span to mere seconds!

A photo showing off the 2007 version of mega-Catan...

You can see more pictures and read more about the giant Catan game here. nasu_dengaku has created a thing of beauty indeed, and I am thrilled that he has decided to join Camp Nomadia (and that he is bringing his toys!)

The planning for Camp Nomadia is being discussed at forum.technomads.net. Anyone interested in camping with us or getting involved somehow is welcome to join in there.

And if you are going to be in Black Rock City at all this year, be sure to stop by and hang out with us at the Nomadic Happy Hour!

With our Oliver on the way and Cherie's house on the fast-track to sell, it is time to find a new home for my beloved Tab.



My uber-upgraded Tab is fairly unique in that it is actually able to run on solar for extended periods of time without resorting to a generator or shore power. The large 110W panel and 260 amp hour battery bank allow for comfortable off grid living in a trailer small and light enough (just 1500lbs) that most vehicles can tow it.

I've never seen any other trailer that is simultaneously so small and so autonomous.

The cute retro clamshell design is also a fabulous attention grabber and ice breaker.

The Tab is perfect for weekend getaways, festivals, cross country road-trips, and even extended living. It has been my home for much of the past two years, and Cherie and I were very comfortable living primarily out of Tab for seven months of cross country exploration last year. In all that time, we only had to plug in to charge the batteries a handful of times, despite our heavy laptop and internet usage. The electrical system and massive battery capacity worked wonderfully for our needs.

New Tab Clamshells seem to be selling for as much as $17k - $19k now, without any of my extensive upgrades. Mine is a 2006 model, and it is just over two years old. The only major options missing are the air conditioning (which takes up a lot of the interior storage) and the electric refrigerator (which uses too much power to run off of solar).

These are the technology and other upgrades that I have installed in Tab:

• Siemens 110w solar panel with panel tilting hardware


• Blue Sky Energy Solar Boost 2512iX MPPT solar charge controller


• IPN Pro Remote - solar control panel & battery monitor (w 500A shunt)


• 2x Trojan T-145 6V Batteries (260 AH Capacity)


• Xantrex Pro 1000W Inverter w 30 amp auto-transfer switch. The Inverter is wired to provide AC power to all internal and external power outlets.


• Interior Red LED Mood Lighting

The solar system revolves around a BlueSky MPPT current boosting charge controller, a 110W Siemens solar panel, and the fabulous IPN-Pro Remote which tracks amp hours and the precise amount of battery capacity remaining. The power is stored in two Trojan T-145 6V "golf cart" batteries, and turned into AC power by way of a Xantrex Pro 1000W inverter with an integrated 30 amp transfer switch.


The Tab is seemingly larger on the inside than out. The kitchen is of course largest of any RV in the world. The pantry area of the kitchen (the top cabinets) can be accessed from both the inside and outside of the trailer - perfect for late night snacks and breakfast food.


This view shows off the aluminum tongue box that I installed on the front of the trailer for extra storage. The only current damage to the Tab that has not been repaired is a dent in the tongue box, caused by contact with the spare tire on the rear of the Jeep. The latch on the tongue box now has trouble remaining shut in transit, but it stays shut just fine with the aid of a bungee cord.


The front area of the Tab is a bench seat with a sizable amount of storage hidden underneath. The toilet is hidden here, and it can be used in place by sliding the front window shelf back, or it can be pulled out and relocated. In two years, I think it was only used two or three times. The shelf above was an incredibly useful upgrade. It dismantles in seconds for transit, but while camped it provides valuable counter space and it also serves as a great monitor stand for movie watching. The back portion of the interior is a bed that converts into a table that can comfortably seat four for dinner.

Some other features:

• Tongue Box Storage w 20lb Propane Tank (slightly dented)


• Outside kitchen with two burner stove and sink


• 5 gallon fresh water tank & electric pump


• Thetford Porta-Potty (hidden in front cabinet)


• Propane Furnace


• 4 person dinette that converts to a bed


• Large double pane windows with screens and day / night blackout shades


• Custom front shelf - makes for great movie watching from bed...


• Large wardrobe closet and an amazing amount of storage space for a trailer so small


• Smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide detectors


• AM/FM/CD with inside and outside speakers... (Upgraded to allow for iPod or aux audio hookup)


• Filled with loving energy and good memories...

Trailer Condition: Our Tab has been well used, but well cared for and maintained.

The tires were replaced in the Summer of 2007, and they are in great condition. The only current damage to the Tab that has not been repaired is a dent in the tongue box, caused by contact with the spare tire on the rear of the Jeep. The latch on the tongue box now has trouble remaining shut in transit, but it stays shut just fine with the aid of a bungee cord.

The plastic wheel wells on the Tab had been installed incorrectly by the factory, and they eventually cracked and split open. I fixed the issue that caused the cracking, and have patched the wheel wells. Acknowledging the issue, the Tab factory sent me two brand new wheel wells that will go to the new owner for use in the future if you ever want to replace the currently patched parts.

I will be happy to discuss the full mechanical history of the trailer with any prospective buyers.


I am looking to sell her for $12,500. $11,500 (PRICE REDUCED)
The value of the electrical system upgrades alone is around $2000, not counting labor to install them. Based upon my research into other used Tab's selling online, this is a very fair price.

We have lots of photos to share, and are happy to answer any questions in depth about this trailer over the phone (408-667-9022).

We're currently located in Melbourne, FL. If we have not found a buyer in FL by July 13th, we will be relocating the Tab to St. Louis, MO.



I've put a lot of my heart and soul into this sweet little trailer, and I really want her to go someplace where she will be loved and appreciated.

If you are interested or know anyone who might be, please spread the word and let me know ASAP.

We're spending a few days in Texas - staying with Cherie's brother.

Ah, TexMex food... My stomach is in heaven!!!

Last night after we landed we immediately headed to Chuy's for some awesome food and drink. Today we spent the morning meeting with a client in San Antonio (the official reason for this trip), and then the rest of the day on the San Antonio River Walk enjoying even more great food.

Tonight was incredible BBQ at the Salt Lick. It is easy to see why people drive for miles to eat here.



I think I am going to pop.

Tomorrow I will be spending the day with Cherie's brother Ken at the drop zone where he is a skydive instructor. If conditions are right, I might even manage a tandem jump.

Then more amazing food, I'm sure.

Saturday night we'll be checking out the live music scene in downtown Austin.

Sunday we will spend at Schlitterbahn, a water park that has been rated the "World's Best" for the past ten years straight. They apparently not only have water slides, but water coasters that shoot you UP hill! Oh, and they also have over three miles of leisurely tubing through lush landscapes...

We head back to FL on Monday.

I am excited to be able to spend some fun and relaxing time enjoying Austin and environs, Cherie's old home town. When we were here last year, we were so focused on buying a new Jeep and the other excitement that we hardly even had a chance to look around.

This time we are determined to have much more fun!

We just mailed off our deposit for our new Oliver Trailer.

It's now officially on the way - and I hope to soon be posting construction updates and photos from the factory.

I must say that I have been incredibly impressed by the sales and ordering process.

Over the course of the past month the Oliver's base price has increased, and several formerly optional features (like the 4" raised axel and larger tires) have become standard.

Because we first contacted Oliver just a few days before the price increase, they have been working with us using the older price sheet. But as we finalized the invoice today - they surprised us by letting me know that not only are we still getting the old base price, they are throwing in several of the formerly optional features for free.

Wow - what a class act.


Sherry and Paul were kind enough to let us take their Oliver for a test tow when we visited them two weeks ago. It towed beautifully with our Jeep Liberty Diesel, and we managed a bit better than 17MPG during our brief test.

It is looking pretty certain that by this time tomorrow, we will have placed an order for a custom-built Oliver Travel Trailer.

We've considered a lot of alternatives, and it really feels like this is the best choice for our next home.

Here are my thoughts on the other options we've considered:

Stop Nomading: I often get asked when I intend to stop living nomadically. My answer has always been that I would stop when it felt right, and right now it still feels like I am just getting started. I am looking forward to exploring slower paced travel, building a home jointly with Cherie, and crafting a truly sustainable and very livable life on the road. At the moment - there is no end in sight!

International Adventuring: At some point however, I would like to park the trailer and head out for some extended international travel. But not yet. Certainly not until Cherie's house is sold. And maybe a year from now the US dollar will be worth a bit more...

Cruising: Someday I would also like to do some extended live-aboard sailing, but again - the time doesn't feel right yet for me to (literally) get my feet wet sailing off into the sunset.

Stay in Tab: The cheapest and simplest option for us would be to stay in Tab, my home for the past two years. Cherie and I were amazingly compatible living in such a small space last year, but we knew from the beginning that it really wasn't suitable for two people living longer term on the road. To make our life on the road more sustainable - we would really like to have a refrigerator, a shower, a table separate from the bed, an air conditioner, and other little niceties...

Exotic Options: It is fun to fantasize about an Earth Roamer expedition vehicle, or cruising across the Australian Outback in the massive Wothahellizat (Winnebago meets Mad Max!), or living in an fantastical House Truck or House Bus. (Follow these links for some amazing pictures!)

We actually even found an intriguing bus conversion with a rooftop patio for sale cheap locally on Craigslist. Tempting....

But, while fun to think about, none of these options would be particularly practical. Parking issues, maintenance, and fuel economy would be just the start of the list of issues...

Bigger RV's: We also have looked at a few big motor homes over the past year. Some were bigger inside than some apartments - with three slideout sections, giant kitchens, and even washers and dryers! But they are hugely expensive, limited to freeways and major roads, and not city friendly. Also not fuel efficient, and they would require us to tow around with us some sort of other vehicle for actually getting around once we got somewhere. No thanks.

Roadtrek / Class B: The Roadtrek Class B (van style) motor homes on the other hand are a bit more of a practical size, and many people rave about them online. The van sizing allows you to blend in with neighborhoods - and parking and driving is a breeze. The diesel Roadtreks even manage to get better than 20 MPG. But when we actually spent some time looking inside a few Roadtrek models, we felt cramped and claustrophobic. Definitely not something suitable for long term living. And we would still be stuck needing some sort of local transport if we wanted to set up in one place for a while.

The Sportsmobile on the other hand is a bit more rugged, offering 4x4 options and a pop-up camper roof. I would love to see one of these in person. They seem to allow an incredible amount of customizations.

Class B+ / C-: The so called "Class B+" motorhomes (technically - they are smaller and more streamlined Class C's) strike a balance between the overly large RV's and cramped camper vans. The R-Vision Town & Country Touring Sedan and the Phoenix Cruiser are both rather compelling examples of this category. They seem small enough to provide practical transportation, but large enough to provide plenty of living space. But they still leave us lacking local transport once we arrive anyplace without carting along a scooter, or towing a car. *ugh*


A trailer just seems to be a better fit for our needs. I really like being able to unhitch and leave home behind, while still having our fabulous and fuel efficient Jeep for both local urban transportation and off road exploration. But what sort of trailer should we get?

Bigger Trailers: There are seemingly thousands of larger trailers out there, and most of them upon closer look prove to be poorly designed, cheap, and boxy. Most of them are also too big and heavy for practical cross-country towing behind our Jeep. No thank you. I like a trailer that is easy to pull, even off road and to out of the way places. A big trailer is just not a good fit for a full-time life in motion.

The Tada: This past year Thor came out with an oversized version of the Tab called the Tada. I have yet to see one of these in person, but the design really disappoints me. For one - they kept the same ceiling height as the Tab. 5'9" is fine when you only need to walk a step or two before sitting. But with the extra interior space of the Tada, I imagine that this will be a constant annoyance. Also - while the Tada does have a separate bed and seating area, it only seats two. The bed can not convert to a table! At least in the small Tab, we can have guests over with four around the table! Clearly the Tada is not a good fit.

Airstream: Airstream has an undeniably classic look. And there are models (new and old) that are small enough for us to tow. The so-called "Design Within Reach" model though really illustrates how Airstream has evolved to be style over substance - with more focus on a designer "ball wall clock" and a "Tom Dixon Designer Coat Rack" than on practical features. The Airstream Basecamp actually requires you to crawl over the bed to get to the kitchen, but it sure looks cool from outside.

Egads - I can't believe I just read this on the Airstream Ocean Breeze page: "Even when you're parked in the Black Rock desert, experiencing your first "Burning Man," you'll swear you can still faintly hear the surf pounding and smell a little salt on the breeze." *groan*

And of course, you pay through the nose for all those cheesy designer "ocean breeze" touches... No thank you.

Small Trailers: There are some very cleverly designed ultra-lightweight travel trailers on the market, but most of them are not enough of an upgrade from our Tab Clamshell. Great for a weekend getaway, but not much more. There are however several larger and amazingly well designed Lightweight Fiberglass RV's on the market, and these have always impressed me whenever I have seen them on the road. The 17' size seems like the sweet spot. Large enough to live in, but small enough and light enough to take anywhere. Most of these fiberglass RV's have proven to be amazingly durable as well, with plenty of them surviving a decade or more of regular use. Some popular fiberglass models include The Escape, Scamp, and Trillium. But in my opinion, two stand out above the rest...

Casita: When we first saw a Casita while touring the factory last year, we immediately began to imagine that a 17' Casita Spirit Deluxe would be our next home. The floorplan is great, and the Casita's are incredibly well built (compared with most other RV's we have seen). Everyone who owns a Casita loves it, there is a vibrant online community, and there are many awesome tweaks and upgrades and modifications to eventually implement. I find it to be an incredibly encouraging sign that even ten year old Casita's are selling used for nearly the price they sold new.

The Oliver Travel Trailer:
But then a few weeks ago I ran across the Oliver while starting to shop around for used Casita's online. The Oliver has the exact same floorplan as the Casista Spirit Deluxe, but it has been upgraded in almost every possible way. Sure, it costs more. But this is going to be our full time home, so it seems silly to skimp and then immediately need to dive into upgrades and projects to get a Casita even halfway to the level of an Oliver. The only downside of the Oliver is that the design is unproven -- it has only been on the market for a few months, and the factory is still tweaking things as they go. The Casita design has been proven (and mostly unchanged) for decades now.

But I really don't mind being a beta tester - particularly since the Oliver factory seems to be taking great care of all their early customers. As a current Casita owner wrote to me in the Oliver Forums: "Casita owners entertain themselves at night planning their next "mods"! If there had been an Oliver on the market when I bought my Casita..... well.... I wouldn't be camping in this Casita!"


I think we've considered all our options, and after seeing the Oliver in person this week - it just feels like the right choice for us.

Now it is time to spec out the electrical system and all the various upgrades we will want. Fun!!

The Oliver factory put us in touch with a couple over in Clearwater that had a trailer we could look at, and we drove over this afternoon to meet Paul and Sherry and to hang out in their Oliver.

Wow.

First off - their hospitality was amazing. We didn't expect so much cold beer and warm conversation!

And the Oliver itself... I think we may have found our new home. It just feels right.


We are actually sitting here right now as I post this, on WiFi in their driveway!


The kitchen is well thought out, and easy to work with. And Sherry has done an inspiring job with suction cups and storage bins to make it even better.


The bed is a bit larger than the Tab's, so I have a few inches more of headroom. And when in table mode, we will easily have space for four.


It is hard to believe that the Oliver is technically only a foot longer than Tab...

I've seen a LOT of RV's over the years, and the attention to detail and well thought out design of the Oliver has me really blown away. I expected to be impressed, and my expectations were exceeded.

*grin*

Often people are amazed that serolynne and I can manage to live so well together in a 16' long trailer.

It really isn't that hard.

These folks on the otherhand - egads!

Imagine having and raising NINE kids while traveling (and surfing) full time in a 24' motorhome. Talk about a lack of space!

This documentary (entitled Surfwise) about the life and adventures of the disturbingly unconventional Paskowitz family looks absolutely fascinating. I can't wait to see it.

serolynne and I have decided that rather than joining up with another group, this year at Burning Man we are going to organize a theme camp of our own - Camp Nomadia.

Our vision is to bring together as many other cool nomadic spirits as we can to share stories, resources, passion, and community. And we'll be giving back to the Black Rock City by hosting a Nomadic Happy Hour (or something similar) where other nomads and wanna-be nomads can converge and connect.

This camp is open to current nomads, future nomads, wanna-be nomads, part time nomads, domestic nomads, international nomads, technomads, lowtechnomads, former nomads, land nomads, rail nomads, backpacking nomads, open water cruising nomads, friends of nomads, or folks who just want to be around nomads.

If you know any of the above, please spread the word, and invite them to join us.

We have to submit our first application for space to Burning Man by the end of May, so if you are at all interested in joining us in building Camp Nomadia, let us know ASAP so we can start to gauge the size of the plot of land we'll need. I imagine that this first year, Camp Nomadia will likely start out rather small.

There is no need to commit 100% now - we'll certainly be making changes to our roster right up until the end.



So - who wants to play out in the dust with us??? *grin*

This one is a bit bigger than the Oliver, but it does have a few nice perks. The marble floors and hideaway plasma TV are just the start.

Be sure to watch until the end, and check out what is stored in the basement.

Now that would be handy! :-)

Cherie and I were amazingly compatible living together in my 16' clamshell Tab for seven months last summer, but we have on occasion craved a bit more space. Now that we are ramping up to hit the road again soon, it is time to consider - should we upgrade to a larger house??


Our clamshell Tab, looking gorgeous in the setting sun alongside Lake Meredith in the Texas Panhandle.

Last summer we stopped in to see the Casita factory, and we were extremely impressed by the design. The 17' Casita is not all that much bigger or heavier than a Tab, but it has a very compelling floor plan and it seems to be very well built.

Ever since, we've been contemplating an upgrade to a Casita. It would be a slightly larger and heavier trailer, but it would give us a LOT more indoor plumbing, and (perhaps more importantly) the ability to keep the bed set up separate from the table. The clamshell Tab is an absolutely brilliant design, but sometimes it is a bit awkward for two people who have offset sleep schedules...


The Casita is only a foot longer than the Tab, but is has vastly more interior space, including a bathroom and a shower...

One of the biggest things holding me back in getting a Casita has been fearing starting from scratch needing to do the customization and solar work to upgrade a Casita to fit our needs.

But a few weeks ago I started researching the relatively new Oliver Travel Trailer, and I just got the brochure in the mail a few days ago.

The Oliver has a very similar floor plan to the Casita, though it seems to be even more ingeniously designed. They have clearly put a lot of thought into building the ultimate small camper.

The most impressive thing though is that Oliver seems to be incredibly flexible in working with customers to customize and tweak their standard design, including doing the solar work for us. They will even mount cell phone signal boosters, as many power outlets as we want, and much much more.

I think I am starting to imagine an Oliver in our future...

Check out some awesome interior photos here.
And some exterior shots here.

To buy a new house or not, that is the question....

This weekend Fritz is moving into a rented room up in Titusville. The money he will be saving on commute costs and vehicle wear (not to mention hours of his life gained) certainly justify this switch. He'll still be our housemate on weekends, until the house sells that is. But this arrangement should work out great for everyone involved.

With Fritz gone during the week, it no longer makes sense for us all to be splitting the costs for premium cable TV / and high speed Internet. So rather than dropping back to basic service, serolynne and I are contemplating cutting the cable entirely.

I just switched our half of the house network to use our Sprint Novatel Merlin EX720 and CradlePoint CTR-350 Router as our upstream connection, instead of the cable modem.

And we really can't notice any performance difference whatsoever.

Music and videos stream just fine, and the net feels just as fast as it ever has on BrightHouse Cable.

Since last year, it looks as if Sprint has upgraded the local wireless to a full EVDO revA signal. And that rocks.

According to the DSL Reports Speed Test, this is the performance we are currently getting via wireless:

Download Speed: 1199 Kb/s
Upload Speed: 240 Kb/s
Latency: 94ms

The cable modem tests out much faster (6033 Kb/s, 464 Kb/s, 62ms) - but in day to day use, it hardly seems noticeable. We'll be keeping our eye out for any hiccups - but very likely by this time next week we will be cutting off cable entirely.

This setup works amazing well. And the best part? We can take it with us (almost) anywhere!! *grin*

This video of a trailer dragging an overwhelmed car downhill is both funny and horrifying:

Yet another reason to love small trailers like our Tab....

I love my Tab, but if the Verdier Light Caravan actually existed I'd switch to it in a heartbeat. My jaw was on the floor after watching the video - that seat turning into stairs and the swing-out indoor / outdoor kitchen in particular blew me away.

Here are some of the other drool-worthy features:

The Verdier Solar Power model offers several innovations such as:

- A system of intelligent solar panels called " SUN TRACKER ". This system makes it possible to provide electricity to the on-board accessories while the vehicle is in a stationary position. An on-board computer and a GPS (Global Positioning System) calculate the optimal position for the SUN TRACKER.

- A pneumatic suspension, which lowers the vehicle and sets its structure on the tires for improved comfort and a better stabilization in a stationary position.

- The sliding half-door on the passenger side has an integrated folding staircase, which makes the second stage area accessible from outside the vehicle.

- The passenger seat is transformed mechanically into stairs, so that the second stage area can be easily reached from inside.

- A swivel cooking range makes it possible to cook outside as well as inside.

- In the second stage area, a dividing wall with a sliding door and multiple windows is made of a thick and expandable fabric.

- And of course, a multi-media computer with a wireless Internet connection is also useful where the communication technology is available.

I want one. Maybe for Christmas next year... *grin*

After an all-night drive, serolynne and I landed back in Florida early Tuesday morning, roughly seven months after hitting the road last spring.

It feels odd to come to a halt after so long in motion.

Though it feels good to move into a big and comfortable space that will serve as a great base for us, there is also some sadness that comes from emptying out Tab and shifting into a less nomadic style of life.

We have a lot to handle before we will be technomadic again. A house to sell, health issues to deal with, finances to manage, a business to get off the ground (and another to help keep from hitting it), and on top of all that we've got some family crises to do our best and support.

At the very least, we'll be wintering in Florida. We may be hanging out here even longer, depending on the housing market and how other things go.

There is no rush. We can use some time in one place to digest the lessons of the past year, and to work on building better and more sustainable systems to help carry us through our next adventure.

But still - it feels odd to know that the view out the window is going to stop changing ever day. It is going to take a while to get used to that...

When we left Rapid City a week ago, the intention was to head quickly across the state towards friends and a fun gaming weekend in Minneapolis.

We never made it.

We had decided to route through Madison, SD - home of (literally) My Dakota Address - the mail forwarding service that provides me a virtual home in this state. The plan was to pick up my mail, meet the office staff, camp for the night, and head on Friday morning.

But fate intervened, and Thursday afternoon about an hour outside of Madison - Jeep's check engine light popped on. Fortunately there happens to be a Jeep dealer in Madison, one we've discovered to be the polar opposite of the awful experience we had with Great Valley Jeep in Sacramento.

Postrollo Jeep has been fabulous. They made time to check over our Jeep late on a Thursday, found a transmission problem (under warranty), and when they realized our trip would be delayed - they bent over backwards to make us feel taken care of, giving us a courtesy car and even calling around to help us find camping.

And so we've been chilling out on the shore at Lake Herman State Park right outside of Madison, enjoying the beautiful fall colors and this friendly small town. I even picked up a library card and some books on CD.



We had hoped to be on the road again tomorrow morning, but Postrollo called (they actually called us?!?) this afternoon to let us know that the parts had come in and they had completed the repair, but after an eight-mile test drive (they tested it?!?) they had found evidence of a potential bigger transmission problem lurking that needs to be dealt with.

So it might be a few more days - but they want to do it right.

I never expected to be spending so much time in South Dakota. But I like it.

And I love having the flexibility in life to just go with the flow and to enjoy the unexpected twists and turns and even roadblocks that show up in our path.

A few more days camped on a beautiful lake shore while the best Jeep mechanics in the state make sure things are handled right on our vehicle? Sure - no problem!

Steve Roberts is the original Technomad, and meeting him and reading his book Computing Across America while I was in college planted deep seeds of possibility in me. He is one of my chief inspirations, and I also now consider him a good friend.

Over the years though, Steve has grown rather stuck and mossy - buried deep in his lab focusing too much on trivialities.

But I think he's at last found the vehicle that will carry him forward. Steve blogged about his first outing in his new boat yesterday, and I am thrilled for him.

A quote he posted along with this blog entry also left me feeling abuzz with inspiration:

"I've always wanted to sail to the South Seas, but can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine—and before we know it our lives are gone.

What does a man need—really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in—and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all—in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it the tomb is sealed.

Where, then lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"

- Sterling Hayden

Indeed.

I've been a South Dakotan for nearly three months now, but this afternoon I crossed into my new "home" state for the first time:



We are staying this week at a great wooded RV park in the Black Hills with WiFi, hot showers, and great off-season rates. I'm looking forward to stopping in one place for a while - we'll probably be here at least a week catching up on life.

Tomorrow I'll be heading into Rapid City to find a DMV to get my South Dakota driver's license. *grin*