I wanted to ask this question later on but given my needs to set my tour schedule for this year, I thought I would post this now. So you can marinate this thought, and get back to me later.

Given the public's need to keep our wings clipped combined with 3 strikes (even 1-2 suck lol) here in Cali, I may at some point want to dissapear and go underground. F*ck flying below radar, I would go off grid. Those who know me know that I would like nothing better than to fly fish for my dinner, and ridehorseback to town. No car, no gas bill (solar power), property in a young relative's name = no paper trail. German Shepard, pick-up, and a shotgun. Satellite phone.

Suggestions for land areas where the water is clean, land is nuke free, and where townpeople aren't nosey? I have heard Jacksonhole, WY., Tempe, AZ., Montana.

Tempe is way too urban for you.  Try northern Maine or New Hampshire.  Your only neighbors will be woodland crittles and very large moose.  Just watch out when you drive.  You can also try mid-atantic states along coastal areas.  Anyone can get lost in New York City, but I would not try riding a horse there if I were you.

-- Modified on 2/29/2004 5:09:01 PM

Wyoming, Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, N. Minnesota have a LOT of wide open country

Michelle,

Stay clear of Jackson Hole...beautiful country, but it's been "discovered" by the wealthy elite, to the point that folks who live and work there can't afford to buy property there.  

That said...Wyoming is a big state inhabited by more antelope than people, and the people tend to respect each other's privacy.  I recommend Thermopolis, Cody or Buffalo to start.  For a REALLY small town, try Pinedale.  With a dog, a pickup and a shotgun, you'd fit right in.

Yoda

You can't go wrong with land west of Malibu.

I am not sure if you want to remain in the lower 48, but Alaska fits the bill. Also I noticed most people responded with northern climes. But if you want to really be out there, and remain in a southern and warmer climate, try far West Texas, like Alpine TX, in Brewster County. No fly fishing, but solar power is certainly possible.

TET

Jackson Hole is full of rich yuppie wanna be cowboys.
Try the Hill Country of Texas.  Few know it, but there is a decent tailwater fishery in the Guadelupe.  Most of the Creeks have
"Lupe Bass"--they are small but fun--like Brookies.  Shotguns and pickups are in in Texas.  Despite what everyone thinks--it is a mind your own business state.  Austin and San Antonio are close, but not too close and I'll bet you can find some good ol' boys to take you quail hunting.You might have to get a Heeler instead of a German Shepard but what the hell.

I went on the same search 15 yrs ago. Found a small farm in Northern NH. Expect to spend 85K-150K for approx 75 acres and a farmhouse. I love it.
  Oh yes, taxes; NH has no state earned income tax and no state sales tax.

-- Modified on 2/29/2004 4:46:57 PM

It was my first time in Texas, and yes, everything is big! I was impressed with the roads and highways, and the airport, and loved the 'wide open spaces', but the people...

Would've loved to have visited Austin or San Antonio, both were more 'open' thinking. Now Alpine, I've never heard of so I'll have fun looking at that.

The one piece of homework I forgot to do (and I had a Realtor lined up) was the property taxes - holy sh*t! That turned me off altogether! But then, I'd made up my mind anyway..

Try Southeastern New Mexico. Much of it is nuke free and the spaces are so wide open you can see the curvature of the earth. Don't worry about town 'cause they're ain't to many. Perfect atmospherics for a sat phone.

What are the property taxes like?

All I can say is that I'm living it allready. Check out the north Ga mountains.Property values ars still reasonable and climbing.Land is beautiful and the city and it's culture is within reasonable driving distance.Great natural water supplies and moderate climate.These mountains are much older and not as steep but they have their own way of winning one over.Not to mention the southern hospitality.

Property taxes in the cities (Manchester, Concord, Claremont) can be a bit stiff (4 NH). However, On my small farm (approx 75 acres) property taxes are approx $3250/yr. This is approx 1/4 of what my brother pays for 1.5 acres in NJ.

No nukes in SE New Mexico?

hehe  the First A bomb ever detonated was at the Trinity site in SE New Mexico..

TET

Michelle,
   I come home and check how my baby is doing and  I find out you want live in the wilderness  What am I supposed to do without you??  The back of my house has a beautiful little stream where you can fish(doubt there are any fish though, never been nuked as far as I know, very few townfolk in the vicinity, a guesthouse right next to the swimmingpool, and a Ghazebo where we can meet every night and gaze at the stars(well not in the winter bc its too f@#$%^& cold).  
   I was giving you all that for free and now I find out you are announcing to the world you seek solitude, and you didn't even mention me
   What did I do to deserve this??  Why do you wish to leave me

Try Taos, NM & the surrounding mountains.

-- Modified on 2/29/2004 6:34:28 PM

Try $10000 for a $500,000 townhouse on S. Padre Island. Can you say bend over and grab your ankles?

Some radioactive decay has taken place so the sand is not as hot as it was during the Manhattan project days.  Maybe a physicist can tell us when the old A-bomb sites will be safe enough to allow local residents to slather on something other than 100+ rated sunscreen.

{Valley girl drawl, throaty and gutteral}

"Its just not working out, I mean you never pick up the phone and call, I mean, really you could at least text message my ass. Hey, man, its me not you, and I think you could do so much better. I'm not the gazebo kinda gal. I need action not words. And where the hell were you all weekend?"

Ball is flying into your court. Better duck.

I see(tone of a man who realizes he has been dumped in a nice way

To be read in dramatic Hollywod style(how appropriate for tonight

  You say I could do much better, but I know in my heart of hearts you deserve much more than I can give you.  I can hold you but not touch you in a way that sends chills down your spine.  When I look at you I don't see the spark and fireworks in your eyes that say you are the passion of my world.  When you talk to me you are distant in your thoughts, lost in the splendor of that man who has captured your heart.  I can no longer hold you back, though my heart simply doesn't want to let you go and my arms want to  hold you forever.  
  The man who has defeated me in the fight for you love, the man who will love you, make you laugh, free your spirit, and light your life the  way I never could is Sdstud
  If you must know I was at a friends home all weekend since I'm temporarily crippled and didn't just want to stay in bed all alone all weekend.  But now I know you were in the arms of Sdstud and I don't have the strength to write anymore knowing how I have been betrayed by you and Sdstud

If I can make a suggestion to the middle of nowhere. How about the upper peninnsula of Michigan, say the Keewana. It does get a bit of snow in the winter. You know its bad when they measure average snowfall in feet and not inches.

(I thought you two were together!)
No, my dance card was, {deep sigh} empty.

E.V., nice try honey, but you can't hijack my post! Post your own post, and profess thy love, if you are man enough.....Hey, just ask me out on a real date. It won't kill ya.

I was recently in a place so remote you needed a float plane to get there. The sky was so clear you could see stars all the way to the horizon. the loons gentle call lulled you to sleep every night. The water in the lake is so deep and pure you can drink straight from it. The granite stone that the island is made up of is so old that it pre-dates memory. I was told that it may be some of the oldest rock on the planet.

My heart aches to be back there amongst the magic of the place. Thank you Michelle for bringing me back to the circle of my memories. Keep calling for your place, it will find you.

or Afghanistan

posted 3-1-04
01:03 a.m.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&e=4&u=/nm/odd_germany_sex_dc


posted 3-1-2004
01:42 EST

Property taxes are high cause there is NO income tax.
Alpine is in the Davis Mtns. A small mountain range surrounded by
desert north of Big Bend.  Because of the altitude, the has lots of
cedar (think juniper) and evergreens like in New Mexico.
Also, deer, antelope and recently bear and lions.

Everybody has got it wrong.  If you are looking for that kind of solitude, Canada is the place for you.  

If you go west say BC and Alberta, you can watch the setting sun over the Rocky Mountains, lots of horses and lots of snow, just watch out for the Grizzlies.  

The Praires (Sask, Manit) offers you wide expanses of grain fields and quite solitude, just watch our for the occassional lonely farmer.

Northern Ontario offers you an abundance of clear, quiet lakes, wildlife, only a 12 hour drive to the edge of civilation, just make sure you stay in your house in April and May as the bugs will eat you a live.

Quebec, is alot like Ontario, but has the added bonus that you may get lucky and have a country all of your own.

The east coast is beautiful, the surf of the the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the coast makes for a dream home, just be aware you sometimes get 3 feet of snow in one snow fall.

As I said at the beginning Canada's the place for you.  Don't have to worry about the nukes we don't have any, and why would anyone nuke Canada and kill all the moose.  The shotgun could be a problem, we could probably get you a BB gun, but you'd have to register it.

And the best reason of all .... I'm here.

Taxes there sound steep. Bend over and grab my ankles?? I haven't seen my feet in years!

Interesting. Thanks, Sedona.

Hugs,
Ciara

The 'Home Power' magazine (about off-the-grid living, solar/hydro power) regularly has advertizements from people selling their way-off-the-grid homes - it's on the web at http://www.homepower.com.  Good stuff.  (I favor the far Northeast, myself)

Raised there and let me tell you there aint no more of a remote place..