When Times are Tough. Part 1, Where do I Eat?

Hello Readers,
   I'm gonna start this one off with a bit of personal info I am a HUGE Star Wars geek, there I said it, its on the net, no taking it back now. OK now that that's outta the way (you will understand very soon) lets talk about lines that shouldn't be crossed, the light side and the dark side if you will. Today's topic is a line I've recently crossed and never thought I would. OK enough build up, today were going to talk about dumpster diving. If you were raised anything like us you were taught that "civilized people don't do that" well this is about survival when your down and out and REALLY hungry, not being civil. We decided to cross that line after we hadn't eaten in 4 days, that being said let me explain to you the SAFE way to do this. To start we camp predominately at truck stops that serve hot food for the simple fact that if were broke and hungry its an easy way to get a meal. Another good place to check (for now) is 7/11 as they are currently offering subs and they get rid of them EVERY NIGHT! Now I've talked to many a seasoned traveler about this and let me tell you NEVER CLIMB INTO A DUMPSTER it is not safe as some containers also compress garbage and in some places if your caught you run the risk of catching a charge of  "molestation of a refuse container" laugh if you want but its true (look it up). If there is a lock on the container or fence do not enter it you don't need a criminal trespass charge either. My general rule is to ask first, if you explain to an employee that you haven't eaten in a few days they will most likely have the heart to let you take what you want before it goes into the dumpster itself. On the rare occasion that you run into a heartless bastard that values their job (there are cooperate rules against giving homeless people food because of lawsuits) more than your life take caution when approaching the dumpster and make sure NO ONE is watching, open the top or side door and only take what is wrapped in plastic, this will make it a little safer as far as food poisoning goes. I think it goes without saying that this should only be done at night. One more thing I should mention about this type of "hunting and gathering" is if you are gathering for multiple stomach's as I do, if you run across a tiny amount of food in one container take it with you and store it somewhere offsite from your next container. Why you might ask? The reason for this is, if a employee catches you and calls the authorities they will make you put EVERYTHING in the dumpster, better to have a little than nothing right?


This will be an ongoing series not covered in our "Futurecast" post and the reason I am teaching you this is its easy to get into this situation but red tape makes for a hellofa spider web to get yourself out of it.

                                          "Keep the faith and provide the peace"
                                                                            -Mr. Fix

Building the perfect pantry

Hello everyone!  Todays post is about the most efficient way to store a staple stockpile of food for traveling.  It will cover how to store it, what to include and what NOT to keep.  So, lets begin with storage.  If you have a little bit of money to invest before you set off, and I cannot stress enough, do not start off with nothing like we did, lol its terrible to try to aquire items while rollin.  Plastic totes with lids are great,  they are airtight and the perfect size to fit under seats freeing up more storage space.  Having said that, our no money solution to it was oversize milk crates.  They dont slide, and stack together, locking them into place if packed correctly ( canned goods and other heavy items on the bottom). Unfortunately, they are not airtight, so tupperware of some sort is a must with them for perishables, but the upside is that the open top makes for easy access while youre driving.  Fumbling with lids for a snack is just a few steps away from texting and driving, in my opinion.  Now, what to put in your pantry...Canned goods are a MUST!  Try and pack full meal items such as hearty soups, stews and chilis; no refrigeration needed, full servings of at least 3 food groups and can be eaten right out of the can if you dont have access to a microwave or other cooking device.  Crackers are a great alternative to bread as they do not mold nearly as easily and if you have access to meat will still be able to work like bread, only smaller.  Embrace the grownup lunchable people.  You can never have too much peanut butter,  its a great substitute for protein when you cant find fresh meat,or have no way of storing it, it almost never goes bad, and I dare you to find a food bank that doesnt give it away.  Added bonus, you can pair it with almost anything for any meal, get creative.  Example: donated box of plain melba toast = tastes like cardboard, paired with thick layer of p.b.= nice breakfast sandwich, + jelly = delicious breakfast and covers three food groups!  Cheap trail mix of any kind, normally expensive in most stores, but not at Dollar Tree!  Get to know that store well.  Everything and I mean EVERYTHING for just a dollar.  Try and keep something salty and something sweet at all times cause I guarantee if you dont have it, you Will crave it.  A cooler works well for fresh produce even if you dont have ice, but try and eat that stuff asap, or just go with canned, its easier to keep without having to keep it cold.  Keep a bag with every kind of gas station, truckstop and fast food condiment known to man!  Theyre free to take, dont need to be refrigerated, and can be used for a variety of things.  Dont forget salt and pepper, and if you can get it, powdered garlic, apart from it being a seasoning it is also a natural tick and mosquito repellant.   Do not try and store anything fresh for more than a few days,  If you cant eat it or store it properly, give it away!  Trust us, food poisoning while traveling is not only uncomfortable, and terrible but also VERY dangerous.  Always keep a stockpile of water obviously, but for those of you who NEED some flavor to your beverages,  powdered mixes are great, inexpensive ( thanks again Dollar Tree!) and easy to store.  Above all, never be afraid to try new things!  whether you are in a region that you are unfamiliar with, or just never liked it before, throw away those misconceptions.  Going hungry for a few days will definately change a picky eater.  Above all, be thankful for what you have, or what someones willing to give, it may save your life, and if you keep an open mind, you might just try the most delicious things you would have never even dreamed of eating.  I know I did.

                                                                    - Thanks for reading!

                                                                                        -Mr. FiX and LaDy DyMe

Comments, Views and other such things

Hello Readers,

     That's right you get a double post today! A little over a month ago my wife and I started this blog and I figured by now someone would want to comment on it. About a week ago I think I figured out why, so I have turned on anonymous comments. Do not be afraid to speak your mind here; good, bad or otherwise. We want to hear some feedback from you our world, we know your out there, heck I check the stats at least every other day lol. On to views, I still consider this blog in its infancy being a little over a month old, and I'm proud to say this lil guy has almost 200 page views in four countries (thank you France, Poland and Ireland) I gotta say I'm pretty impressed! So check it out I have taken a back seat to posting as of late, so trust me readers I will be posting more hints and tips to living this "road life" so as to balance this blog out and not just have it be a personal diary of sorts. But hey if that's why you keep coming back let us know that too! Alright folks that's all for tonight I'm gonna get me some of that KFC DyMe talked about in the last post.


                                                      "Keep the faith and provide the peace"
                                                             -Mr. Fix

Hallelujah!

Greetings ya'll!  Did we or did we not tell you that you will be given all the tools you need if you remain positive and have faith?  For  us, it was in the form of an actual pastor, who wishes to remain anonymous.  But he definitely went above and beyond, both in helping his fellow man and meeting our needs.  We tried to go through the proper channels making an appointment to meet with a salvation army representative and requesting the local number for traveler aid, and was given an appointment time at their local outreach office, located in aforementioned church.  Well, we showed up, the rep, well...not so much.  The church secretary was kind enough to get her on the phone with us, and after an almost hour long rigmarole to get us the proper paperwork, she proceeded to tell us that she couldn't help us until we were employed, and failed to give us any more reference numbers we requested.  Through all this, unbeknownst to us, the pastor was listening to all the goings on.  After we left to wait for the food pantry, he sent someone to request a moment of our time.  He asked us what it was that we were trying to accomplish by contacting the S.A.  We told him we were stranded in ( name of town deleted). and were trying to get back to a nearby town for a few job interviews we had set up.  Long story short, NOT ONLY did he donate a little gas for us, he completely FILLED our tank!  Not a cheap thing to do at all.  On top of that, he donated to us personal care items, filled our dry pantry and best of all, rented us a hotel room for the night so we could sleep in a big REAL bed, have air conditioning ( a must have here) and be able to get a good nights sleep and clean up to be presentable for our interviews tomorrow.  ON TOP OF ALL THAT,  the amazing workers at a nearby KFC ( mmm!) donated us a meal after we politely asked, but wait there's more...after one of the coworkers overheard our story, she said, and I quote " aww, go on and throw em an 8 piece, its on me" ( which miraculously turned into a 12 piece btw). " that way they don't have to worry where their next meals coming from either."  Now, ya'll, I'm the first person to preach god helps those who help themselves and have faith and all that...but the pure generosity of complete strangers today had me on the verge of tears and thanks more times than I can count today.  Once again, you never know what one simple kindness you can do can affect someones life in profound and immeasurable ways.  Oh, and they even donated another meal to our furry little demons too, who are soaking up the air and happier than pigs in shit right now!  Giant smiles all around tonight!  God Bless every one of you!  We'll be back on track tomorrow with the normal schedule, I promise, thanks for going with the flow of the road and bearing with us, loyal followers

                                           

"gonna get by with a little help from my friends" ( or complete and total strangers, you never know)

                                                                            -Mr. FiX and LaDy DyMe

Our foray into respectable life

So,  we've found a chill spot where we would like to stay for awhile,  pretty scenery, nice people, abundant jobs ( more on that in a sec.) NO resources readily available for the indigent without a lot of bureaucratic red tape, so...back to a 9-5 and a steady paycheck til we get the van and ourselves, not to mention the 4 legged ones back into fighting shape.  Rock on to the fact that we've covered a third of the country in two months, but you gotta know when to relax a little, and save up some hard earned cash.  Now, about that, Lady DyMe, being the dynamic soul that she is, managed to score three interviews in one day, the following Monday, for jobs that want her to start immediately in the city we want to reside in; the problem:  were stuck 60 miles away with no gas or money, because we were taken advantage of by the people we were here to help.  No shame in their game, we were played and it sucks, but you know what?  DO NOT let life get you down people, Have Faith, and stay quick in your mind and on your feet,  If ( insert deity here) is providing this job opportunity, and the chance for a whole lot more because of it, were going to do EVERYTHING in our power to help him/her along.  The world works in mysterious ways, and be sure to stay reading to find out what works for us this time...any tips or advice would also be graciously received and passed on to fellow readers...But for now, stay safe and live life to the fullest!          

                                                               -Mr. FiX and LaDy DyMe                                                                                  

The Importance of Mondays

Hello world!  First of all, today will be a double post because we didn't realize the last one didn't post successfully, sorry!  Anyways, the importance of Mondays ( and old friends)  Every now and then, its definitely a good idea to get off the road for a lil R&R.  This can be accomplished two ways.  Money and good, old friends.  If you have money, spurge on a hotel room or b. and b. from time to time.  Be sure to plan ahead, and make reservations, so you're not s.o.l. when you get there.  But... if cash is in short supply, friends that haven't seen you in a while are a great resource.  Remember, Facebook is your friend people!  Try and keep track of where you'll be in the near future when a rest would be a good idea, keep track of those old friends (they tend to move around the older you get) and again, call or message ahead.  Most of the time they will be delighted to see you and actually look forward to it!  It's a great feeling to pull up and see old friends with big, welcoming smiles on their faces as opposed to a polite but impersonal greeting from a desk clerk.  Sitting around reminiscing over old times and catching up on their, and your lives sure beats staring at four walls, or HBO.  An added bonus, you probably have some great road stories to share and they will have some knowledge of local resources you can utilize.  Always remember though, the importance of being a good guest.  Be sure to help pitch in around their house or apartment.  Help with chores or projects they are working on, mind your manners, respect their rules and lifestyle no matter how odd it may be for you.  Always try and leave every place you go a little better than it was before you got there, with hard work and a positive attitude, and you will no doubt be welcome back.  Last thing, old adage, fish and house guests yadda yadda...you know the saying.  Do not overstay your welcome!

            *note: Please check in with us periodically for we may have some guest posts fairly soon!

                                                         - Mr. FiX and Lady DyMe

Rollin Iron

Hello Readers,

Almost made it through the first leg of our journey.  Sorry about not posting more, we tore up about 700 miles of asphalt on no cash and the kindness of strangers.  Time for some Wednesday Wisdom.  Do a kindness for a stranger everyday, please.  Just one might change someone's life in ways you can't even imagine.  Having said that, also be aware that others who do not share in this value are sometimes quick to be self righteous in what they perceive is going on.  Case in point:  were sitting in a rest area in North Carolina minding our own; the stuck sign is out, but we haven't approached anyone, in fact, we haven't even left our vehicle.  We noticed a hipster couple drive up having car problems. Now, we don't have any money, but FiX does have a fair bit of car knowledge.  Long story short, the wife or girlfriend and I shared a conversation while the guys worked on the car.  They were going to a wedding, had been on the road since 2:30 am that morning, ect. ect.  Long story short,  Fix gave them an on-the-road solution, directions to the nearest truck stop with a mechanic available, and made sure that they could make it there.  They were, obviously, delighted, because it was going to be an easy fix, they could still make good time and make it to the wedding.  Being generous and grateful, they insisted we take a little gas money, of which, was VERRY needed.  I was just headed into the restroom, before heading onto the road again because now all of our needs were taken care of and we are not greedy people, when FiX was flagged down by an attendant and a very rude middle aged white woman.  They said we had to go, which was the plan in the first place, but then the woman took it upon herself to whip out her cellphone, take pictures of our licence plate, and let us know that she had informed the highway patrol that we were panhandling.  Thanks, momjeans.  First of all, know your laws, we had not approached or asked anyone for money,  Second, helping fix a car is not against the law, especially since we would have done it for free, it's just good karma.  So, take it from us, dont try to police the world, mind your own.  No good deed goes unpunished, but for us,the feeling of helping someone was well worth it,  and the thought of the officer who received that call had a funny story to tell at home that day.  We think it goes a lil something like this...

Officer: whats the problem ma'am?

Momjeans:  These people are panhandling.

Officer: did they approach you and ask you for money?

Momjeans: no, they fixed someone else's car and then drove away...

Officer: Ma'am, what exactly do you think I should do?

The moral of the story is "look at life and laugh but don't be a fool".


                                                       Be kind to all you meet on the road
                                                             -Mr. FiX & Lady DyMe