Journeys come to fruition.

Greetings all ! Warm Salutations.

The cat and I have made it safely to Colorado. It is gorgeous up here. My eyes have been as large as Mr. Pickles the last few days. All this scenery is intense. The snowy caps of Pikes Peak or the meandering highway through the mountains.

It was a long trip since Saturday. Season ended. Got the car. Drove the six hours to Michigan. Ended up staying a few days but then figured I should just bite the bullet. It ended up taking us just two days. We were out of Ann Arbor by 4pm. Over-nighted in Iowa city, IA around midnight. Spent the next morning sharing breakfast at Ihop with my aunt. It was nice. I rarely get a chance to see much extended family. Finally made it to my destination in Colorado by midnight on Tuesday.

Ended up just sleeping at a Truck stop.

The next morning was a rush of returning the Uhaul. Happily of course. I'm not one for driving 14 foot vehicles. (Maybe practice for a tiny house on wheels?? ) Nice bit is when you one-way, they give you a free month storage rental. That was lovely as well... That is, having to pack it up from the Truck.... Second story, no elevator, and just me lifting all these large tvs, coffee table, and power equipment!

Next time I purchase TVs, they will be light ones!

Kiki and I have been tenting at a campsite in this mountain town. The cat is so happy to be done with the car and enjoy the tent, the scenery, and sleeping/hiding in the sleeping bag again.

The last few days I have been driving all over these windy roads looking at land postings. (It was so windy when I came in on Tuesday that my phone sent me a tornado warning. I was fighting the wind on the freeway. Even saw a semi turned over. I parked on the side of the road to go help but when I was close, a service vehicle already arrived. ) Some interesting. Some so forested that I would feel horrible to chop it all down in order to use Solar Power. :)

Yesterday I managed to find a really neat piece of property that is nearly 3 acres in size. (2.88) It would be more than needed. It is all paved road/highway access. Good for the upcoming winter. It even has a seasonal creek/spring on it. How kewl is that. Mountain and forest views all around. Clear skies to the south. Best part is it used to be ranch land so it is more accepting of eventual gardening. A lot of the plots up here are basically forested desert lands. Lots of pebbles. Red earth.

The cost is a little high for me. $10,000. However, it has been on the market for years. The last time it was dropped to 10k from 22K was over a year ago. The owner also lives out of state. I'm believing it bodes well for me to put in a low offer to take it off their hands. ;) Actually, I will see a broker tomorrow at 3pm to go over the details and put in an offer.

It is getting close to putting an order in for 2000 Watts of photovoltaics and all the connected equipment. Should closing take roughly two weeks, if they accept, I will be needing to have the solar setup for the build. :)

I know, I know. I am smiling a lot these days. Certainly this posting. What can I say. The scenery is getting to me. I'm free. I am happy. I feel at peace inside coming back to the mountains. It has been far too long.

It makes me little inner Ojibwa very happy, indeed.

Take care every one! Please Enjoy the following photos. - Cloud

The 14 Footer in Benton Harbor, MI

Prospective land - South View

Prospective Land - West View

Prospective Land - East View - Awesome Huge Rocks

Prospective Land - North West View

Prospective Land - South East View

Prospective Land - North View

View from Walgreens in this Mountain Town. Pikes Peak

Enjoyed Viewings - Inspiration

A while ago there was a posting about how people have happily over leveraged themselves. We of course are quite comfortable with this in most societies. It even has a perfectly acceptable term. Mortgages. It is a way that everyone can have instant gratification. Instead of saving up to purchase land or a home etc we take out massive loans and leverage our future time against it to pay them off.

These last few years owning our home (My first, V's Second) has allowed me to develop my understanding on the whole concept of what is a home. What defines it. What do we personally need as individuals, as a couple, and even an eventual family (I would say the cat and Us comprises a family already. ;) ) in order to be happy. Secure.

I've spent plenty of time scouring the internet and youtube on the subject. One of my favorites, although I enjoy each one we are subscribed to, is Jane's "Hardwork Homestead" blog. It is because of the spirit behind it. Working towards self sufficiency. Although I would boil it down to simply security. A feeling or intuition that makes a dwelling a home.

While we have not 'over' leveraged ourselves with a massive mortgage payment over the next year or so I would like to move towards that goal. Purchasing an acre. Building a 'Tool shed' with the accompanied solar array and rain catchment. The secret hidden bunker underneath to house the potatoes. ;) Paid outright.

I'm learning that it really isn't about how much you make in a year. It is about the margins of disposable income. The meaning of this is simple. If you can reduce your over head to its absolute minimum, then even with modest income, you'll find that you have the disposable income of a higher wage earner.

If your 'home' is paid off. The land is yours. You harnest the power of the sun for your energy needs. A bountiful veggie garden view out the window. What do you truly have left other than taxes? ;)

One could travel the world at that point based on savings from minimal wage positions. Now please do not misquote me on this aspect. I still wish to remain a plane flying career, veggie eating, cat petting, all around cool dude. The idea is to bring life back to what it was.

I am fairly certain that nature did not develop the human being simply to spend the majority of their days working to get by. Personally it seems a shame that we have switched ourselves from the majority of our time gathering food, storing it, creating textiles etc to one of working forever to pay off your 'over leveraged future time'.

On that note should you be so inclined, feel free to watch a documentary that hits all the little nerves inside my skull. :) Oh, yes. I want a tool shed as is seen about 50 minutes in.

Thank you!