Living off the grid

No Worries · 12-18-2011, 12:25 AM

I have the chance to buy a small (800 sq. ft.) cabin in the mountains very cheap. Only an hour from my house, the cabin was well built in the 1940's, and is surrounded by National Forest. There's a plowed road and a full-time stream nearby. It has a fireplace and propane heater. The problem is that there is no running water, no electricity, and no phone lines anywhere nearby. Does anyone have a summer or winter cabin like this?

Porkchop · 12-18-2011, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Worries

I have the chance to buy a small (800 sq. ft.) cabin in the mountains very cheap. Only an hour from my house, the cabin was well built in the 1940's, and is surrounded by National Forest. There's a plowed road and a full-time stream nearby. It has a fireplace and propane heater. The problem is that there is no running water, no electricity, and no phone lines anywhere nearby. Does anyone have a summer or winter cabin like this?

I could get by with the no electricity and phone line thing. But the no running water thing sucks...

Tmall · 12-18-2011, 07:02 AM

That's the reason you buy a cabin!

A generator can power the place easily. Drinking and cooking takes very little water. It's sanitation and waste that uses the majority of it. If you're roughing it, you'll get a bit funky from time to time, then you break out the wash basin. You'll realize you can get clean with a few liters of water.

Living on canned goods will further reduce your water consumption. Chunky soup for a week straight can wear thin, but again... you're camping.

Word to the wise, it's never a good idea to cook Kraft dinner with beer when you run out of water. It's one of those things that sounds better in theory.

fujimoh · 12-18-2011, 07:25 AM

Buy a composting toilet. If you have a generator, you can pump water into a storage tank from the stream, set the tank high enough and gravity will provide the pressure to "run" the water. I have trailer at my hunt camp set up this way.

Mr Lefty · 12-18-2011, 08:31 AM

I love the idea... though I don't know how long I'd be able to do it by choice... as a weekend/vacation spot though it'd be fuck'n awesome.

KSGregman · 12-18-2011, 12:05 PM

Do it...in a heart beat. And skip the generator...defeats the purpose altogether IMO. One trip to the library would yield everything you need to know to thrive in that environment. I'm jealous just THINKING about the opportunity.

Rangerscott · 12-18-2011, 12:46 PM

Does Rangerscott take a shit in the woods? You bet.

Thats how it was for us when we went hunting as a kid. Just an old run down house/cabin on the land. It did have electricity but tye only thing I remember running off of it was tye one hanging bulb in the livivng room. For some strange reason I dont remember washing my hands that much.

Get a 5 gallon bucket, cut a hole on the bottom, then glue on a toilet seat. I remember one time I got a real bad stomach ache and went behind the house and shat out a creamy milkshake. We had NO toilet paper and I had to wipe with a paper grocery sack. Just thought Id share that. That was the weirdest shit I ever made. It was like new born shit and man was I cramped up. Leaning up against the tree didnt help much. I still nearly fell down.

So the moral if that story is .......bring a toothbrush.

Lamnidae · 12-18-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tmall

Word to the wise, it's never a good idea to cook Kraft dinner with beer when you run out of water. It's one of those things that sounds better in theory.

hah.

njchopper87 · 12-18-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tmall

Word to the wise, it's never a good idea to cook Kraft dinner with beer when you run out of water. It's one of those things that sounds better in theory.

Hmm.. nope.. still tasted great. At least I think it did.. don't remember much from that night.

Oh, and I'd do the cabin thing. I don't think I could stay out there longer then a couple weeks w/o going crazy from boredom, but it is fun.

Kaneman · 12-18-2011, 07:42 PM

Congrats bro, you're now officially considered a low-level terrorist threat to the U.S. Government. Smile.

12-18-2011, 12:25 AM	#1
No Worries Keyboard Racer Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mile High City Moto: Old Superbikes Posts: 1,016	Living off the grid I have the chance to buy a small (800 sq. ft.) cabin in the mountains very cheap. Only an hour from my house, the cabin was well built in the 1940's, and is surrounded by National Forest. There's a plowed road and a full-time stream nearby. It has a fireplace and propane heater. The problem is that there is no running water, no electricity, and no phone lines anywhere nearby. Does anyone have a summer or winter cabin like this?

12-18-2011, 07:42 PM	#10
Kaneman AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Odessa, TX Moto: 2000 Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird Posts: 4,931	Congrats bro, you're now officially considered a low-level terrorist threat to the U.S. Government. Smile. __________________ 1982 Honda XR80 - blown motor, 1993 Kawasaki ZX6D - sold, 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200S - sold, 1984 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200R - blown motor, 2007 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom - totalled, 2003 Yamaha FZ1 - sold, 1994 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Honda CBR600F4i - sold, 1998 Suzuki DR350 - stolen, 1989 Honda Super Magna - sold, 2007 Yamaha Stratoliner, 2000 Honda CBR 1100XX Blackbird

12-18-2011, 07:02 AM	#3
Tmall Aspiring Rapper Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Halifax, NS Moto: '12 CB1000R Posts: 3,569	That's the reason you buy a cabin! A generator can power the place easily. Drinking and cooking takes very little water. It's sanitation and waste that uses the majority of it. If you're roughing it, you'll get a bit funky from time to time, then you break out the wash basin. You'll realize you can get clean with a few liters of water. Living on canned goods will further reduce your water consumption. Chunky soup for a week straight can wear thin, but again... you're camping. Word to the wise, it's never a good idea to cook Kraft dinner with beer when you run out of water. It's one of those things that sounds better in theory.

12-18-2011, 07:25 AM	#4
fujimoh Kneedragger Join Date: May 2011 Location: Florida Moto: CBR 1000RR Posts: 230	Buy a composting toilet. If you have a generator, you can pump water into a storage tank from the stream, set the tank high enough and gravity will provide the pressure to "run" the water. I have trailer at my hunt camp set up this way.

12-18-2011, 08:31 AM	#5
Mr Lefty TWFix Legend Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Denver CO Moto: 01 BMW F650GS Dakar Posts: 15,677	I love the idea... though I don't know how long I'd be able to do it by choice... as a weekend/vacation spot though it'd be fuck'n awesome.

12-18-2011, 12:05 PM	#6
KSGregman Get Fit...or Get OUT Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: KS Moto: 07 M109-R Posts: 1,993	Do it...in a heart beat. And skip the generator...defeats the purpose altogether IMO. One trip to the library would yield everything you need to know to thrive in that environment. I'm jealous just THINKING about the opportunity.

12-18-2011, 12:46 PM	#7
Rangerscott Viff6N Mutated Warrior Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Moto: '01 Honda VFR 800 & '09 ER-6N Posts: 8,704	Does Rangerscott take a shit in the woods? You bet. Thats how it was for us when we went hunting as a kid. Just an old run down house/cabin on the land. It did have electricity but tye only thing I remember running off of it was tye one hanging bulb in the livivng room. For some strange reason I dont remember washing my hands that much. Get a 5 gallon bucket, cut a hole on the bottom, then glue on a toilet seat. I remember one time I got a real bad stomach ache and went behind the house and shat out a creamy milkshake. We had NO toilet paper and I had to wipe with a paper grocery sack. Just thought Id share that. That was the weirdest shit I ever made. It was like new born shit and man was I cramped up. Leaning up against the tree didnt help much. I still nearly fell down. So the moral if that story is .......bring a toothbrush.