The Hobo Handbook: A Field Guide to Living by Your Own Rules

328 Pages·2011·1.32 MB·English

by  Josh Mack

THE HOBO
HANDBOOK
A Field
Guide
TO Living
BY Your
Own Rules
JOSH MACK
Copyright © 2011 by F+W Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the
publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
Published by
Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com
ISBN 10: 1-4405-1227-2
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-1227-8
eISBN 10: 1-4405-2619-2
eISBN 13: 978-1-44052619-0
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mack, Josh.
The hobo handbook / Josh Mack.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-4405-1227-8
1. Tramps—United States. I. Title.
HV4505.M33 2011
HV4505.M33 2011
305.5’68—dc22
2011010229
Certain sections of the book deal with activities that may result in serious bodily harm or even
death. The authors, Adams Media, and F+W Media, Inc. do not accept liability for any injury,
loss, legal consequence, or incidental or consequential damage incurred by reliance on the
information or advice provided in this book. The information in this book is for entertainment
purposes only.
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their product are
claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was
aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.
Interior illustrations by Kurt Dolber
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.
For Joanne
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To all those who had the vision and fortitude to forge their own
way, often by necessity, and who have helped to foster and
maintain a sense of creative spontaneity and personal freedom in a
world increasingly driven by logarithms. Your impact, though so
rarely acknowledged, cannot be overestimated. Personally, I am
indebted to Brendan O’Neill and Wendy Simard for their endless
patience, skill, and attention. Thanks for that. And finally to Alyssa,
a homesteader in skill and at heart, you are the engine in my life.
Bless you.
CONTENTS
HOBO APTITUDE TEST
WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A HOBO? (IF IT’S FOR THE FAME AND FORTUNE, YOU’RE
OUT OF LUCK)
INTRODUCTION
THE NEW HOBO CODE
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started
THE HOBO EVOLUTION
CHAPTER 2: Getting Ready
TRAVELING LIGHT OR HEAVY
CHAPTER 3: Getting Going
WHERE ARE YOU GOING AND HOW WILL YOU GET THERE?
CHAPTER 4: Getting Settled
FINDING A BED FOR THE NIGHT AND, IDEALLY, A MEAL
CHAPTER 5: Getting By
“REAL”-WORLD: CONSIDERATIONS
CHAPTER 6: Getting Going (Again)
A WISE HOBO IS A HAPPY HOBO
CHAPTER 7: Getting Out of a Jam
WAIT, WHAT? I’M ARRESTED? AND OTHER STICKY SITUATIONS
CONCLUSION
REMEMBERING WHERE YOU’VE BEEN
APPENDIX A
TIPS FOR THE MODERN-DAY HOBO
APPENDIX B
THE HOBO COOKBOOK
APPENDIX C
ESSENTIAL MACGYVER SKILLS
NOTE
RESOURCES
INDEX
Hobo Aptitude Test
WHY DO YOU WANT
TO BE A HOBO?
(IF IT’S FOR THE FAME AND
FORTUNE, YOU’RE OUT OF LUCK)
In order to gauge your potential readiness to tackle some of what
lies ahead, whether it’s eating nothing but bulgur wheat for three
days in the winter while waiting for a train out of Deadwater,
Maine, or scrubbing latrines for a few bucks at a national park in
Colorado, take a few minutes and plumb the depths of your
resilience by answering the questions below.
It can’t be stressed enough how dangerous hopping freight
trains can be. Accidents can result in amputations and are
often fatal.
You’re thinking:
1. Never thought it would be otherwise. I’m like a cat. No worries.
2. I thought that might be the case. I’ll check it out, talk to some
people that have done it, and take it from there. If it’s too
crazy, I’ll find another mode of transportation.
3. Whoa, that doesn’t sound so good. I was hoping for something
different. Don’t think I’ll be trying this.
4. Of course it is dangerous! What nutjob would think otherwise? I
like my life the way it is.
Despite what many might think, hopping freight trains and
living a hair outside of society’s reach isn’t a constant fast rush
of excitement, bouncing from one place to another. There’s a
lot of waiting, for hours and even sometimes days.
You’re thinking:
1. Whatever, I’m awesome at making the most of the time that I
have. I can entertain myself for hours.
2. I kinda figured that. No biggie as long as I have a good book.
3. That sucks, but what’re you gonna do? Can’t control life.
4. There’s nothing I hate more than waiting. I lose my mind just
waiting in line for a cup of coffee. I think I’ll find another way
to get around.
A lot of the people you’ll be meeting are a bit more “out there”
than the people you met at the poetry slam who you thought
were “out there.” Most folks are good, but like anywhere—now
even more so—people can be . . . “challenging.”
You’re thinking:
1. That’s just what I’m looking for.