Happy Nomad New Year
Firstly last year’s Happy Nomad New Year was down on the Arizona Mexico Border. I was alone. This year there will be lots of community and friendship. Learn more in Happy-Nomad-New-Year-Bob Davis Podcast 1034.
Long Time Friends
Secondly I am joined in this podcast by long time friend John Holland.
Considering The Nomad Life
These days there’s a lot of people considering the nomad life.
Certainly John is not alone in this interest.
New Year’s
So he rented a van, threw his gear in the back and headed out to the desert to join us for New Year’s.
Above all that’s a great opportunity for a podcast and we didn’t miss it.
Quartzsite Everybody
Therefore in Happy-Nomad-New-Year-Bob Davis Podcast 1034 we talk about John’s tour of Quartzsite Arizona.
2022 Desert Hang Out
During this podcast I realize I’ve been talking a lot recently about where I am hanging out right now.
Appreciate Where I Am
Most importantly as I reevaluate what I am doing and make plans for the second year of the nomad experience I certainly have come to appreciate where I am.
Partial To The Quirky
That is to say I am partial to what some might call quirky and dusty desert towns like this one.
Details
But we also share quite a lot of details about what first timers deal with on the road.
Fun
And have some fun in the process.
Nomad Mecca
Consequently it ended up being a fun audio tour of what has become the nomad mecca.
Serving The Nomads
Further we talk about many of the small businesses here that do such a great job serving nomads of all stripes and walks of life.
For example the Coyote Market and Road Runner markets and my personal favorite the MAGA Campground.
Yes there is a MAGA campground.
Desert Rats
Even more John and I believe we have discovered a tremendous business opportunity in ridding campers of the scourge of desert rats!
But you’ll have to listen to the end for that.
To sum up I probably won’t be in this spot forever but I am having a blast for the time being.
Grateful
And very grateful for the community, friendship and fun.
Happy Nomad New Year
Sponsored by Be You Enterprises
Happy-Nomad-New-Year-Bob Davis Podcast 1034
 

Happy-Nomad-New-Year-Bob Davis Podcast 1034

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Documentary

Wisconsin Time Warp
Firstly after the recent sun storms I feel like I am in a Wisconsin Time Warp and that is the starting point for a free wheeling discussion in Bob Davis Podcast 1137. Something about the Auroras seems to have bent time in the dream life. Details in Wisconsin-Time-Warp-Bob Davis Podcast 1137.
60 Days
Secondly after 60 days on the road and six thousand miles of nomad travel I was due for a rest.
High Energy Auroras
However something about the auroras jacked me up!
Subsequently I looked up and realized I had not done a podcast for awhile.
Previously the plan had been to do a podcast summing up my sixty days of travel.
And of course Wisconsin-Time-Warp-Bob Davis Podcast 1137 does include some conclusions.
Rest
Equally important to me are observations post rest.
Living In A Dream
Correspondingly I delve into the persistent feeling that I am living a dream.
For instance the glass smooth surface of the lake.
Or the waxing moon.
To say nothing of an endless wood supply fueling fantastic fires every night.
Nightly Ritual
Equally important is my nightly ritual of dinner on the fire…
After that sitting and taking in the night.
In effect witnessing the dream.
Deserted Lake
In the third place the lake is almost deserted these early days of spring.
On this occasion a few people come up to open up their cabins for the season.
Steward Of A Dream World
Afterward they head back to the city leaving me as the steward of this dreamworld.
Even more it has been utterly still here…
in the wake of the crackling energy of the auroras.
Contemplate The Night
All things considered a perfect time for me and the owls to contemplate the night.
In any case I have just come off an incredible journey.
Dream Or Reality
All in all sometimes I prefer the dream to the so called ‘reality’.
By and large a world where people seem to be obsessed with trying to predict the future…
…and nothing seems to get resolved.
What’s Real?
Not only this but also creating a world that seems fake when you’re on the shores of a placid lake…
Or traveling sixty days through rural America on two-lane roads.
I prefer the dream, thank you.
Sponsored by Garden Gurus MN
Wisconsin-Time-Warp-Bob Davis Podcast 1137
 
 

Wisconsin-Time-Warp-Bob Davis Podcast 1137

Six Thousand Miles of Back Roads Part2
Above all traveling six thousand miles on backroads across 15 states in sixty days is a mega trip and I’ll tell you all about it in Part 2 of this series. Details in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136.
Florida
Firstly we’ll start in Florida.
Where the most compelling evidence for over crowding and over development is getting kicked out of a state park…
Of course not to mention the traffic…
And expense of the so called Sunshine State.
Secondly take Florida off your travel list in season.
Undoubtedly Florida is overdeveloped.
However there are less populated and more quaint parts of Florida worth visiting and spending time.
Georgia
Hence we move on to Georgia
Certainly the Saint Simons Cumberland national seashores are beautiful.
For example Jekyll Island, Saint Simons, and the rest of the Georgia Coast has a lot of history.
South Carolina
Then in South Carolina I discovered some great dusty beach towns.
But I am not going to name those towns because I don’t want to see them ruined.
Otherwise they are there.
North Carolina
Subsequently the North Carolina coastline was fantastic
For example highway 179…
and Ocean Isle Beach, Oak Island on out to the Carolina Beach.
Finally the Ferries are low cost and so much fun.
Thereafter-Emerald Island, Atlantic Beach and the rest of the Outer Banks.
Ocracoke Island
Especially Ocracoke Island.
In due time you get on Route 12 which goes all the way up to Kill Devil Hills.
All in all The national Seashores keep these areas from being over developed.
The Old Dominion
Afterward I headed to Virginia on some personal business.
Most importantly here is the fact that I lived in the Old Dominion State for ten years at one point.
And Virginia has some great back roads.
Eventually I left Richmond headed up 460 to Bristol, Virginia.
Tennessee
Presently I left Bristol for Tennessee. Details again in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136
By all means the best of the latter parts of this trip was the navigation.
Using GPS Doesn’t Make A Road Trip
It must be remembered that most people enter a location on their GPS.
Eventually hitting start and driving on the Interstate until the GPS tells them they have arrived.
All things considered using GPS on the Interstates just isn’t any way to travel for me.
Maps
To this end I love maps.
And navigating with maps.
Nashville
In short I navigated to the Nashville area without all the traffic.
Because Nashville is booming.
Civil War History
<a href="https://www.nps.

Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136

Six Thousand Miles Backroads Part 1 Of A Series
I’ve traveled six thousand miles on the Backroads since I left Arizona in February. More than eleven states and many experiences. Details in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part1-Bob Davis Podcast-1135.
Arizona to Wisconsin
Firstly I talk about the routes I’ve taken from Arizona to Wisconsin by way of several states.
From the Southwest
Secondly it all started in Quartzsite Arizona.
To clarify I spend my winters in the Southwest.
To The South East
So a spring wedding scheduled for March 15th in Sarasota Florida was a great motivator and trip goal.
Therefore on about February 26th, 2024 I left Quartzsite to begin what would turn out to be a six thousand mile trip.
Experiences
Above all in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part1-Bob Davis Podcast-1135 I detail the routes and experiences along the way.
Backroads
In the same fashion I explain my motivation in staying to America’s BackRoads.
However every now and then I have to take an interstate.
But I try to keep that to a minimum.
Accordingly I headed out East along Interstate 8 in Southwestern Arizona.
Routes and Takeaways
Additionally I detail some takeaways from each state I traversed on my way to Florida.
One For The Books
All in all this trip through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and eventually Florida is one for the books.
Desert Border
For one thing the whole trip was either along the US-Mexico border…
Gulf Coast
Or the Gulf Coast.
Including at length beach towns and shores along the Gulf Coast.
Series
In contrast this journey is a series because of my experiences in Florida and on up the East Coast.
Truck Stops To Parking Lots
From potential campgrounds to truck stops and parking lots it’s been quite an experience.
Overall deserts, mountains, beaches and swamps.
Small Towns
And some undeniably wonderful small towns along the way.
Low And Slow Travel
One of the points overlooked by many thinking about the nomad lifestyle is the fact that we travel low and slow.
That is to say that travel does not have to be compressed into a short period of time.
The Vast Nation
Even more the opportunity to observe and catalog vast swaths of the country seen from its back roads is key.
Media Disconnect
Most important is the country one sees from the back roads is not the country the media shows us.
Positive
In the positive side I saw a lot of development and activity this trip.
Negative
In a similar fashion I did not see mayhem on the US Border.
Conclusion
In conclusion aside from in season traffic and too much development in Florida…
There’s nothing like a long trip on the back roads.

Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part1-Bob Davis Podcast-1135

Birthplace Of Country Music Museum
Firstly this podcast is about music and specifically the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Bristol Virginia earned that title way back in 1927. Learn more in Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134
Walk and Talk
Secondly we’ll walk and talk through the Birthplace Of Country Music Museum.
Musical and Historical
Most importantly much of the museum is musical and historical.
And it is focused primarily on audio.
Featured Sounds Headphones On
So those sounds are featured in this podcast.
How Did Bristol Earn The Birthplace Of Country Music?
Undoubtedly Bristol earned this title in the summer of 1927 when record producer Ralph Peer arrived in town to record 19 artists from Appalachia.
Greater Impact
Equally important is the fact that the so called Bristol Sessions had an impact far greater than anyone could have predicted in 1927
This Museum Is A Gem
Thirdly my listeners know I like to roll through places rather than stop. But I made an exception for this. Above all this Smithsonian museum in Bristol is a gem.
Influential Recordings
Because recording what was called Hillbilly music then has proven influential in so many music genres today.
Arrived Through The Mist Of Time
Another key point is how this music made its way to these hills.
And the songs go back to the Lowlands of Scotland, Wales and England.
Bristol Boom
Significantly Bristol was booming back in 1927
It was unquestionably a very active town of railroads, new industry, agriculture, retail commerce and logging.
Big Bang
Scholars call the Bristol Sessions analogous to the Big Bang.
Johnny Cash
Accordingly Johnny Cash called the Bristol sessions the single most important event in the history of country music.
Resonates
With this mind this subject resonates with me because music, history, and radio are brought together here.
Carter Family
From the Carter family with their photographic memories and in effect revolutionary style of playing..
All The Original Stars Of Country
To the already reigning stars of the genre in 1927 such as Earnest Stoneman.
Radio History Too
Of course by 1927 The Big Barn Dance was already on WLS from Chicago…
And the Grand Old Opry on WSM aired regularly on WSM in Nashville.
Therefore a brand new radio and record industry were just beginning to change American Culture forever.
Time Changes Everything
Finally the small towns have become cities the enclaves have become suburbs.
On The Crooked Highway The Past Is Present
But every now and then the traveler can still see places that people back in 1927 might have called home.
Up to the present time the best place to see it is The Crooked Highway.
That is to say Highway 58 Virginia which takes the traveler to Bristol, Virginia…
But, we’re all lucky they made the trip in 1927.
Sponsored by 36LYN The Independently Owned and Operated Refueling Station and Convenience Store
Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134
 
 
 

Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134

Unhappy #Vanlifers Doing It Wrong
Are unhappy #Vanlifers really doing it wrong? A recent Wall Street Journal post about the hash tag Van Life again points out the obvious. Details in Unhappy-#Vanlifers-Doing-It-Wrong-Bob Davis Podcast 1133.
Nomad Coverage
Firstly I have rarely seen positive coverage of the nomad experience.
Hard Life
Secondly the recent Wall Street Journal piece reports on a few #vanlife people complain about how hard the life is.
Instagram
And say Instagram has it all wrong.
As a result I’ll ask again whether anyone actually believes anything they see on social media?
Best Foot
Of course we put our best foot forward.
Or show our best face to the world.
In other words analogous to cleaning your house before guests arrive.
But there’s more.
Negative Experience
Because the article in question illustrates a number of negative experiences for the vanlifers interviewed.
For example, no place to sleep.
And not being able to take showers.
Or being lonely because the dating life out here sucks.
Finally the unexpected costs of mechanical problems and fuel.
As I have said many times in many different podcasts…
Not A Bowl Of Cherries
In general life is not always a bowl of cherries.
Overcome
In fact part of the experience in #nomadlife is overcoming setbacks and solving problems.
Won’t Quit
To sum up the article on a positive note all of the van life people interviewed said they won’t quit.
Great Potential
All in all I believe there’s great potential in nomad life.
And as I have noted as the infrastructure for digital nomads gets better…
In time more may choose this lifestyle.
Establishment Media Hates Nomads
However I don’t think the establishment back home or the establishment media will give our lifestyle a break.
Presently reporters and editors seem to love the idea that social media is ‘lying’ about living on the road.
Don’t Dream
In essence don’t dream of a different life.
It’s too dangerous.
Stay Back In The World
Meanwhile keep paying ridiculous amount of rent and commuting four hours a day.
By and large living in huge expensive cities and stepping over homeless people to get to the subway.
Of course doing a digital job and being required to work in an office…
When even in the present time you can work from anywhere.
Just In Case
Just in case you’re thinking about buying a van and dumping your absurdly expensive efficiency in said large city…
Take a look at these poor idiots in this Wall Street Journal story without delay.
After that you’ll accept your life as it is.
Reality
In reality over time nomad life can be easy and satisfying.
Lots To Learn
Of course there is a lot to learn.
Yes You Can
But if you can do it and you want to try.
Go for it.
Sponsored by 36 LYN The Independently Owned And Operated Refueling Station
Unhappy-#Vanlifers-Doing-It-Wrong-Bob Davis Podcast 1133
 
 

Happy-Nomad-New-Year-Bob Davis Podcast 1034

Download our free app to listen on your phone