Monday, July 14, 2008
Funny, I would have thought this would be made by an American company
Despite the title “Living In A Garbage Truck” (link via L. M. Orchard), it's not—it's a Unicat (a VXL 16HD to be exact), a highly mobile home on wheels (whose gas consumption is measured in “gallons per mile”) that has a bit more oomph than your traditional Winnegago (if you are viewing the pictures on the garbage truck page and wondering where the windows are in the exterior shots—the top folds down when driving).
I especially like the EX70-HD / MAN TGA 6x6, which includes a small four-wheeled bike stored in the back of the vehicle.
The desert does strange things to the mind …
And speaking of living on the road …
Of course, I am not truly “homeless” in the purest sense. I have a car (currently a rental), and I have the resources to rent some storage units in town. I have a basic medical plan. I shower at a health club, and if I am overwhelmed with hunger, I can always check into one of our fine casino buffets. I have a cell phone and wireless internet access.
I am not without resources, only without a dedicated place to spend the night. I am not an alcoholic or drug addict and have no known mental health issues. I don't stand at freeway off-ramps with a sign, “Please help.” I do not believe I smell too bad, at least as far as I can smell myself.
My only luxury is a rental car, which is a relatively cheap commodity in Las Vegas. Since my own car blew up, I have seen no need to buy a new one. Now, I get a nearly new car every two weeks, use it intensely, get it quite messy, then turn it in for another. The cost compares favorably to the payments on a new car, but without any obligations. There are also no maintenance or insurances costs. (Insurance is covered by my credit card for rentals of up to 15 days, hence my two-week cycle.) Having a car for only two weeks forces me to “clean house” periodically, which I otherwise might not do.
Las Vegas has the ideal climate for homelessness. The temperature rarely falls below freezing and rain is uncommon. Contrary to what you might think, summer is the most comfortable season. Highs of 110° in the day translate into nighttime lows in the 80s, at least outside the city. I sleep out in the open in the Mojave desert. I use an air mattress but rarely a tent. In the desert, there are almost no insects except after a rain. In the summer, it is like sleeping in a nice comfortable bath, looking up at the stars.
He certainly has an interesting idea about car ownership; it might be interesting to actually look into perpetually renting a car to see how it works out financially, although in his case, it's probably a moot point since his car (for various values of “his”) is his home, so he comes out ahead financially anyway.
The person in question is Glenn Campbell, not to be confused with Glen Campbell, the
country singer, and I first became aware of Glenn-not-the-singer while
researching Area
51. He
and Bob
Lazar did more to
bring Area
51 to the forefront of our culture in the 90s than just about any one
else.
He ran the Area 51 Research Center out in Rachel, Nevada. By the time Hoade and I visited Rachel, the place was only open on the weekends (so we missed meeting him by two days). Today, the place doesn't even exist anymore.
