I'm ready to exit my current life, which isn't that bad.

[PeppermintPatty]

Oh, Patty! Alright, alright... I'll have to come clean and not let you stand alone here... when I saw the "no ID" thing, I wondered about things like that, too. I'd probably get into all kinds of trouble without an ID! @PeppermintPatty

With no ID, how do you get any service ?
Television, telephone, internet, municipal water, emergency, medical , library cards, money cards, electricity?

I don’t understand trying to hide away like you don’t exist. You do exist. Soak up everything while you can.

 

[Lara]

As others have said, I don't know if there's any livable place where you wouldn't need all 3: a car or phone or ID. About the closest you can come is a place where you wouldn't need a car to get around and that almost always means a large, dense enough city. Other countries still have some walkable communities but the U.S. not so much.

Oh, yes everyone "should be required" to have an ID, though many are without due to open borders and no vetting. Soon, at the current rate, half the country will be without ID and never caught unless they speed...but no car? Btw, I have an ID and use it all the time for online purchases, driving, and voting (some states don't require an ID to vote...that better change quickly)

The only time I leave the island (by choice) is to pick up and return guests to the airport and go to my bank which is not necessary the way technology is now. However, I'm getting ready to make appointments to establish myself with mainland doctors since our one and only urgent care doc is not good in my opinion. I rarely need a doc though....genetics....but I'm aging.

@Gary O' lived off the grid for awhile and he loved it.

@PeppermintPatty "Television, telephone, internet, municipal water, emergency, medical , library cards, money cards, electricity" are all not required for survival.

 

[CallMeKate]

I don’t understand trying to hide away like you don’t exist. You do exist. Soak up everything while you can.

In witness protection, the U.S. Marshals take care of a totally new identification including paperwork for ya... but it's still an ID. Now how's that for today's bit of useless fluff?

 

[PeppermintPatty]

@PeppermintPatty "Television, telephone, internet, municipal water, emergency, medical , library cards, money cards, electricity" are all not required for survival.

@Lara- I’m well aware that the above arent required for survival. They ARE required if you want electricity. Unless you are renting, and those services are already connected, you need ID. The company needs to know who to send the bill to. With no electricity you have no water, no oven or stove. With no ID you can’t get services.

Wasn’t Gary partially off grid?

He had internet etc…..
Sure it can be done but it’s not easy, especially in the senior years. I’m quite sure Gary has credit cards.

 

[Timewise 60+]

Is there an echo in here?

My comment is meant to be a question. In Post #13 you said "that kind of power must be removed? It's growing dangerously today."

I don't understand what you are writing about. Please explain your view of what specifically leads you make this comment...

 

[Gary O']

Wasn’t Gary partially off grid?

He had internet etc…..

Funny, that was a running debate with my off grid friends

We had a cell tower up the mountain two miles from our cabin

Wonderful reception

Had to use Verizon and their little 'Jet Pack'
But
It gave us cell phone and internet
Had to fire up the Genny to keep the batteries up and lights on at night

No grid (power line hook up)

 

[gruntlabor]

My comment is meant to be a question. In Post #13 you said "that kind of power must be removed? It's growing dangerously today."

I don't understand what you are writing about. Please explain your view of what specifically leads you make this comment...

I was thinking of any belligerent powers that be that could lead us into WW3. We could start with *honest* judges regarding land disputes (I was not thinking of Russia. I had Turkey, China, Iran and others in mind).

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Funny, that was a running debate with my off grid friends

We had a cell tower up the mountain two miles from our cabin

Wonderful reception

Had to use Verizon and their little 'Jet Pack'
But
It gave us cell phone and internet
Had to fire up the Genny to keep the batteries up and lights on at night

No grid (power line hook up)

I thought you had a generator. We do for here also. You had all you needed and loved it. Less IS best yet we are all taught to strive for more = better. There’s plenty of rich miserable folks competing with the Jones’s. lol.
Simple is sweet.

 

[VisualBrian]

WOW! I never expected so much feedback. Thank you all so much for your thoughts and welcomes. I'll touch on a few things you mentioned.

1. No, I am not an escaped convict. (LOL) The ID thing may have been a bit of overkill, but I was trying to make the point that I want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and its rules and regulations, which leads to ...
2. I would gladly have a dozen phones before I would consider living in NYC.
3. Yes, I am bored and looking for the next adventure.
4. Canada is freezing and just seems like the U.S with a better accent, eh?

Looking forward to reading more here. Thanks again.

Oh, and that island thing sounds interesting.

 

[Gary O']

I thought you had a generator.

Actually, we had four up there
Honda 2000 for the cabin, phone, internet
Ryobi 2000 for the shop lights and small tools...and cabin backup
6500 watt genny for the big shop saws
3500 watt genny for the well pump

Less IS best

As a rule
The other rule, when living off grid in the mountains, is 'best to have back up'

Two chain saws
Six sharp chains
Six 5 gal cans of fuel (kept full, rotated)
and...14 cord of seasoned wood
20 5-gal propane tanks

and cases of batteries
cases of ammo

other things
the list is long

Bottom line......survival in winter
'snowed in' can be months (weeks are tough enough)

The OP mentioned no car
Not up in the mountains
and better be 4wd

No ID?
Best have it for body identification

No phone?
You gotta be kiddin'

 

[Murrmurr]

"I can't think of anywhere in the U.S. where [I don't need a car, phone, or ID]."

@VisualBrian - have you considered places like remote areas in Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, or mountain forest areas like the Sierras or the Appalachians?

You will need some form of ID to get into places outside the US. Without it, you'll likely be detained, maybe for weeks or even months. That's likely anyway if you don't have the right form of ID, which is whatever form of ID they'll ask you for. You're inviting a huge headache there.

Plus, how would you access your money? Someone's definitely going to ask you for some somewhere along the way to Panama or wherever. You gotta plan for that.

 

[CallMeKate]

1. No, I am not an escaped convict. (LOL) The ID thing may have been a bit of overkill, but I was trying to make the point that I want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and its rules and regulations, which leads to ...

I knew what ya meant... or at least I hope I did, because if you'd been on the lam and announcing it to the whole world via the forum, we would have had to have a talk! hehe

 

[VisualBrian]

@Murrmurr
Yeah, I'm not really concerned about the ID thing. I can't remember the last time I showed mine to anyone.
And I'm not talking about living deep in the woods. Just a small town where the basic amenities are withing walking distance and the houses aren't within farting distance. I don't carry money anymore. I use a debit card and my bank pays my utilities. I'm just talking about simplifying things.

have you considered places like remote areas in Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma

I'll have a look into that, but not in the mountains or forests.
Thanks.

 

[Knight]

I highly recommend these for your consideration. You won't need a car or a phone money for food or shelter. You might in the beginning need an ID.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Actually, we had four up there
Honda 2000 for the cabin, phone, internet
Ryobi 2000 for the shop lights and small tools...and cabin backup
6500 watt genny for the big shop saws
3500 watt genny for the well pump

As a rule
The other rule, when living off grid in the mountains, is 'best to have back up'

Two chain saws
Six sharp chains
Six 5 gal cans of fuel (kept full, rotated)
and...14 cord of seasoned wood
20 5-gal propane tanks

and cases of batteries
cases of ammo

other things
the list is long

Bottom line......survival in winter
'snowed in' can be months (weeks are tough enough)

The OP mentioned no car
Not up in the mountains
and better be 4wd

No ID?
Best have it for body identification

No phone?
You gotta be kiddin'

Four generators? Nice.
We only have one big generator 7500 with pony panel wired into our system - is consistently filled with fuel when not in use
( my man starts it every once in a while to make sure )


We have 3 chainsaws
With 8 extra chains ( sharpened )
8 chords of seasoned wood
4 - 6 chords of unseasoned wood
Lots of dry kindling

We have 40 litres of fresh gasoline
Not including stuff in our generator
Both vehicles are full of gas
We have mega loads of batteries
Flashlights
Candles
Kerosene lamps and heaters
Camping cook stove

We have a large wood stove which is super energy efficient

Our heat pump is automatically hooked up as well as our water pump, and L.E.D. under cabinet lights. ( we just got them )

We also have enough food to last quite a while

With the right power source, …. going off grid can be wonderful

The people who built our house had it off grid. They had many solar panels windmills and the generator. They apparently lived happily and comfortably.

Our power has only gone out twice. Once was for 2 hours
Once was for 2 days

Gary, you remind me a lot of my guy. Everything is planned that’s important. The rest is played by ear.

Agreed. No phone. WHAT???

 

[VisualBrian]

I highly recommend these for your consideration. You won't need a car or a phone money for food or shelter. You might in the beginning need an ID.

Thanks?

 

[Meanderer]

You can always sign up to move to Mars. Maybe you will reconsider and find a better plan. Good luck to you Brian.

 

[Gary O']

With the right power source going off grid can be wonderful

Yeah, it was always entertaining when our friends, 20 mi down toward town, would call us asking if we had power

Theirs was out for days
We never knew

 

[Gary O']

Gary, you remind me a lot of my guy. Everything is planned that’s important. The rest is played by ear.

Rule #1 when living in the mountains;
Prepare

Rule #2
Prepare

Rule #3
Prepare

It all gives you a chance

Known a few folks that didn't
They didn't last the first winter

 

[Gary O']

We have 3 chainsaws
With 8 extra chains ( sharpened )
8 chords of seasoned wood
4 - 6 chords of unseasoned wood
Lots of dry kindling

We have 40 litres of fresh gasoline
Not including stuff in our generator
Both vehicles are full of gas
We have mega loads of batteries
Flashlights
Candles
Kerosene lamps and heaters
Camping cook stove

N-I-C-E

 

[Gary O']

We have a large wood stove

Big essential

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Big essential

Huge! And a super sweet deal when you have free wood all around you. We don’t feel bad cutting them down. The trees on our property are over crowding each other so it’s necessity.

Another big please is having big snow blower and having a powerful ATV. I’m not sure what your snow level is like but over the last week we couldn’t have gotten ourselves out if we didn’t have both. Lots of folks were stuck in.
Our basement windows are blocked with snow.

 

[Gary O']

I’m not sure what your snow level is like

Typical 4-6 feet and 8-10 foot drifts

Not this year

Couple feet

Not gonna be a good summer

One spark.....WHOOSH!

 

[Murrmurr]

"I can't think of anywhere in the U.S. where [I don't need a car, phone, or ID]."

@VisualBrian - have you considered places like remote areas in Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, or mountain forest areas like the Sierras or the Appalachians?

You will need some form of ID to get into places outside the US. Without it, you'll likely be detained, maybe for weeks or even months. That's likely anyway if you don't have the right form of ID, which is whatever form of ID they'll ask you for. You're inviting a huge headache there.

Plus, how would you access your money? Someone's definitely going to ask you for some somewhere along the way to Panama or wherever. You gotta plan for that.

A long-time friend of my sons lived in Idaho for a year or two. He didn't like it there because it had everything you're looking for.

He and his wife were all excited when they found a 5-bedroom house for only $40K...and then he remembered it's in Idaho.

 

[fancicoffee13]

Although I'm already retired, I'm not where I want to be, and I don't so much mean my location as I do my situation. I want to be somewhere I don't need a car or a phone or even an ID to survive. I can't think of anywhere in the U.S. where that's possible. I've been thinking about Panama, perhaps Boquete, but keeping my options open. Is there such a place?

VisualBrian

I don't know right away where that would be. But, hang in there, someone might have a suggestion. Good luck.