Mountain person

[KarlMars]

I've seen the Waltons and the Beverly Hillbillies, but I came across an area in the Shenandoah area of Virginia, up near the West Virginia border that was almost as bad as the movie Wrong Turn. I'm not much of a traveler or a country person at all, but my ex boyfriend lived up near there and his family were hicks. My life was threatened by these people and I got stranded for awhile.

So suppose there was no one as deranged as those horror movies, would you chose to be a mountain person?

[KathyLauren]

So, what exactly is a mountain person?  My first thought was of a hiker/scrambler/backpacker, and I thought sure, I love that stuff.  Then I read your post and realized you were talking about hillbillies.  Or maybe you are excluding hillbillies.  So I don't know how to answer.

[KarlMars]

So, what exactly is a mountain person?  My first thought was of a hiker/scrambler/backpacker, and I thought sure, I love that stuff.  Then I read your post and realized you were talking about hillbillies.  Or maybe you are excluding hillbillies.  So I don't know how to answer.

People literally living off the land in an isolated mountain area.

[Deborah]

My grandmother really was a mountain person.  She was from Harlan County, Kentucky.


Sapere Aude

[FTMax]

Sure would. Most of my family is from a very rural section of VA (Bland and Wythe County), and if I could find a job that paid enough to cover my bills, I'd be down there in a heartbeat. My roommate and I are currently looking at property in WV to build a weekend hunting cabin on.

But I like the quiet, I like those sorts of outdoor activities, and I like self sufficiency. I grew up in a very rural part of Maryland (more river-y than mountain-y, but still full of hillbillies) and for me, that's just an ideal lifestyle in an ideal environment. I'd gladly give up the ease of access I currently have in DC for some genuine solitude and the ability to do whatever I want on my property within reason.

[Kylo]

Yep. I like wilderness and dislike urban sprawl.

I live in a farmland area. It's not wilderness but close as can be for about 400 miles, excluding the moors.

[KarlMars]

My grandmother really was a mountain person.  She was from Harlan County, Kentucky.


Sapere Aude

Were you fascinating with her lifestyle? Would you live that way?

[KarlMars]

Sure would. Most of my family is from a very rural section of VA (Bland and Wythe County), and if I could find a job that paid enough to cover my bills, I'd be down there in a heartbeat. My roommate and I are currently looking at property in WV to build a weekend hunting cabin on.

But I like the quiet, I like those sorts of outdoor activities, and I like self sufficiency. I grew up in a very rural part of Maryland (more river-y than mountain-y, but still full of hillbillies) and for me, that's just an ideal lifestyle in an ideal environment. I'd gladly give up the ease of access I currently have in DC for some genuine solitude and the ability to do whatever I want on my property within reason.

I grew up sort of out in the country in a small town, but prefer the city as an adult and feel cut off in rural areas and get very depressed.

[FTMax]

Sure would. Most of my family is from a very rural section of VA (Bland and Wythe County), and if I could find a job that paid enough to cover my bills, I'd be down there in a heartbeat. My roommate and I are currently looking at property in WV to build a weekend hunting cabin on.

But I like the quiet, I like those sorts of outdoor activities, and I like self sufficiency. I grew up in a very rural part of Maryland (more river-y than mountain-y, but still full of hillbillies) and for me, that's just an ideal lifestyle in an ideal environment. I'd gladly give up the ease of access I currently have in DC for some genuine solitude and the ability to do whatever I want on my property within reason.

I grew up sort of out in the country in a small town, but prefer the city as an adult and feel cut off in rural areas and get very depressed.

I live in a city now and I like the conveniences like 24-hour shopping, public transportation, and the like. I think the only thing I'd be concerned about in moving to a rural place as a trans person is finding a good healthcare provider. So for now, my ventures into the mountains will be on the weekends only

[Deborah]

Were you fascinating with her lifestyle? Would you live that way?

My ideal would be to live in an isolated place in Alaska (but near a road).  I did live there for four years and it was my ideal.  With the right clothes even the weather isn't really unpleasant until it gets below around -30F.

[KathyLauren]

I lived on an island for eight years.  Because of exorbitant ferry fares, we learned to limit our trips off-island to once every three weeks.  We grew a lot of our own fruit and veggies, supplemented by organic produce bought from on-island growers.

We learned to keep a good supply of food on hand, and were well equipped to suvive week-long power failures.  We weren't off-grid, but we had neighbours who were.  The same neighbours lived in a 140 square foot house that they built themselves, before "tiny houses" were trendy.  They were building a "big" house when we left: 400 square feet.

There was a surprising amount of stuff to do for an isolated community of 1100 people.  It had the highest percentage of PHD holders of any community in Canada, believe it or not.  Lots of interesting people.  The local electrician had a PHD in marine biology, and there was a potter with a PHD in social sciences.

The best years of my life (so far) were there.  The 1960s were alive and well there.

[Kylo]

My ideal would be to live in an isolated place in Alaska (but near a road).  I did live there for four years and it was my ideal.  With the right clothes even the weather isn't really unpleasant until it gets below around -30F.

I would love to live in Alaska.

[KarlMars]

My ideal would be to live in an isolated place in Alaska (but near a road).  I did live there for four years and it was my ideal.  With the right clothes even the weather isn't really unpleasant until it gets below around -30F.

I have dreamed of living in a snowy wasteland like Alaska, but not sure I have the courage. Other dream vacations would include Iceland, Russia, Germany.

The only thing that scares me is my body temperature having to adjust to a person who as lived there all their lives. I'm a native Virginian.

Would you be interested in sharing any memories with me about what it was like to live in Alaska?

[KarlMars]

I lived on an island for eight years.  Because of exorbitant ferry fares, we learned to limit our trips off-island to once every three weeks.  We grew a lot of our own fruit and veggies, supplemented by organic produce bought from on-island growers.

We learned to keep a good supply of food on hand, and were well equipped to suvive week-long power failures.  We weren't off-grid, but we had neighbours who were.  The same neighbours lived in a 140 square foot house that they built themselves, before "tiny houses" were trendy.  They were building a "big" house when we left: 400 square feet.

There was a surprising amount of stuff to do for an isolated community of 1100 people.  It had the highest percentage of PHD holders of any community in Canada, believe it or not.  Lots of interesting people.  The local electrician had a PHD in marine biology, and there was a potter with a PHD in social sciences.

The best years of my life (so far) were there.  The 1960s were alive and well there.

That sounds great. Thank you for sharing the memory. I'm sure you would have to have your house as small as possible to keep warm and afford the heat.

[Stevie]

 I currently live 12 miles from the nearest town, not off grid but on the frayed edges of it.  Been living here 20 years, good things and bad things about living so isolated.
One good thing is I can crank up my amp till I get that glorious power tube distortion and full body immersion where your body literally resonates with the sound that you can only get at high volume.
Bad is that it is not the best environment for raising children that have not only inherited your gender dysphoria, but social anxiety and predisposition for depression as well.
 

[FreyasRedemption]

I'm a lakeside forest person. Haven't ever even seen a mountain, since there aren't any in my homeland.

[KarlMars]

I'm a lakeside forest person. Haven't ever even seen a mountain, since there aren't any in my homeland.

You sound so interesting. Where are you from, Miss?

[FreyasRedemption]

You sound so interesting. Where are you from, Miss?

Finland, the land of lakes, forests, and lakeside forests.

[schwarzwalderkirschtort]

Erm, I live on a mountain and although my whole paternal family pretty much live around here, I'm pretty damn far from an inbred if that's your first thought of my kind...

[KarlMars]

Finland, the land of lakes, forests, and lakeside forests.

Sounds beautiful.Is it cold much of the year?