Adventures of an Imperfect Man In Search of a Handmade Life
This is a pretty good setup for any outdoorsman (our outdoors woman for that matter). By 1925, the scouts had worked out a pretty good uniform and gear setup based on many old experts not the least of which was the US Army. If there's a bit of a paramilitary look to the scouts it … Continue reading Boy Scout Gear from 1925
Despite how much I like this photo, I have held off posting this image here because I couldn't find any attribution or further information about this gentleman and his fine bicycle. I came across it several years ago and stuck it in my image files until I could find out more; alas, I have not. … Continue reading Bike Trekker – Allen Hastings Fry
Some interesting Victorian thoughts and speculations about the "new woman" that bicycling and all its implications would bring.
A somewhat dilapidated or damaged vardo in France 1920s - 1930s. People with no fixed address have always drawn suspicion while simultaneously their lifestyle is romanticized.
In Britain and Ireland, the Romany Gypsys and the Traveller community are often associated with low-skilled work such as scrap dealers, horse traders, musical entertainers, or more nefarious activities outside the societal norms. However, there were plenty of skilled craftsmen and craftswomen providing goods and services to people around the country. Below is an image … Continue reading The World is Your Workshop
Nomads are not loners. In fact, humans do not do well alone in any setting. We have always been communal people, depending upon one another for help and support. Many hands make light work and it is essential to be near others you can depend on. I have been collecting images of Traveller communities for … Continue reading Community of Wanderers
I love finding old images like this. They show that we never really change yet are on a continuum of adaptation. The bows that support the canvas top on this (I believe aftermarket) truck bed are reminiscent of much earlier wagons of the Old West. Space was extremely limited in the cab of these old … Continue reading Early Car Camping
An early tiny house on wheels... and a family selfie. The Library of Congress has some pretty amazing stuff. I rarely find what I came for but I always find something pretty spectacular. This house (click to enlarge) is quite a piece of woodworking. Shingle siding all glass door, sturdy balcony, beautiful windows, under storage, … Continue reading A 1926 Home Built Camper Truck
A mid-40s couple restores a tiny canned-ham trailer, leaves their mundane careers, and takes off on a journey across the continent. Sounds pretty good to me. When it comes to making enough money to get by, the two have a unique system. “In our ideal setting,” Hutchison explains, “is four months of working somewhere, [or] … Continue reading Hamlet, A Tale of the Road Less Traveled
I'm always keeping an eye out on the web for interesting living vehicles, rolling homes, and related Traveller - Modern Nomad stuff. The right key words and a little luck on historic image sites land a lot of photos, but often with little real information about the vehicle in question. As I was rummaging through … Continue reading A few more Vardos (sort of) from Around the Web
They are everywhere right now. He must get some rain down that stove pipe.
A Tumblr follower spotted my interest in sheep wagons and other classic mobile lifestyles. They sent me this excellent link to a short (20 minute) documentary from faircompanies.com. It's a nice overview of sheep wagon design old and new by a couple making and selling old-fashioned Sheep Camps. https://youtu.be/I0m6MpjFvS8 And here are a few older … Continue reading Even More About Sheep Wagons!
Here are a few interesting trailers from the Golden Age. I hesitated to post these some time ago as I could not rediscover the website they came from. I try my best to attribute images to their source. Tools like Pinterest and Tumblr are great but the data is easily stripped away. This is interesting … Continue reading 1930s Caravans in America
Are you aware, gentle reader, that the bicycle is closely associated with women's liberation, the suffragettes, and other forms of late 19th century promiscuity and other offensive behaviors among the fair sex? Or that a truly rideable modern velocipede machine post-dates practical flying machines? Warning - a little tasteful nudity ahead. Bicycling was the final … Continue reading Have a Look at the Racy “Waverley Belle” Velocipede
Wow. I would have loved that top kit, even in my twenties!
The perfect gift for the craftsperson in your life. You could go a long way with a selection of tools like this.
John Harris-Stone, M.A. on the road in Britain ca.1910s. Living the idyllic life. Mr. Harris-Stone and dog setting up camp. Chimney, removed for travel, in the lower left foreground.
From the New York Public Library Collections. Access like this is what makes the internet truly great. Click the image to browse the collections.
Some advice from 1890... How things change.
A ridiculous, yet somehow attractive machine. Slightly less ridiculous for the average person than a unicycle.
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 