DougG

Coming out of the library the other evening, I saw one of those real cycle-bum looking guys pedaling up on his rig. I see riders like this occasionally, but never this close up. He was pedaling slowly, looking down at the ground as if it took all his effort to keep moving. Then when he dismounted, he pushed the bike up onto the sidewalk like it weighed a ton – and maybe it did.

He looked the typical part with a beat-up old helmet, long, bushy gray beard, and very used-looking clothes. He was on a MTB-style bike and was towing a trailer that had originally toted someone’s kids, but now was stacked up to the max with all his belongings: boxes, bulging plastic bags, an old cooler or two, all held onto the trailer with bungee cords, rope, and duct tape.

My wife called him a “homeless person”, which I’m sure he was, but not in the sense of the homeless bums that you see hanging around a downtown. At least he was on the move, and I guess I’d call him more of a “vagabond” or a throwback to what we used to call a tramp or hobo, but traveling by bicycle instead of riding the rails.

I’m sure he was stopping at the library mainly because it’s a public place with air-conditioning, soft chairs, and clean restrooms (actually a common problem for urban libraries). If I hadn’t been with my wife I might have tried to converse with him to find out where he’d come from and where he was going, but his life is obviously so far removed from mine that I don’t know how much common ground we could have for even a simple conversation.

Anyone else seen these vagabond cyclists on the roads and wondered who they are and what their stories are?

Rick@OCRR

Great question and yes, I will try a conversation the next time I meet one of these guys (always seem to be men, never women in these situations).

I see them fairly often actually, and the description in your post seems to fit the vast majority of these folks. They always seem to travel alone too; I've never seen a few of them together on the road!

Rick / OCRR

cyclinfool

I see one or two a month, I always suspected they are picking up recyclables & cashing in returns to get a few bucks for food. I would think that on a bike the cops wouldn't bother them as much as they figure they aren't staying long or in one place. Never seen one with a trailer - generally a big basket on the back.

Merfman

Perhaps a velo-variant of the "Into the Wild" guy?

The Weak Link

They are truly anticonsumerism antimaterialistic, shunning our crass society and living simply, without attachments. They generate almost no carbon footpirint, they are ecofriendly, and they harbor nothing but peace in their hearts.

Of course, they also depend on the public largesse for free library/restroom/air conditioning and internet access, and for free ER healthcare when they choose to show up for methadone or whatever maintains their equilibrium. Virtually none vote Republican.

I think it's a good lifestyle, and I'd do it myself if Starbucks had a free-coffee program.

maddmaxx 

They are just well enough off to substitute a bicycle for a shopping cart. Pay close attention, our economy is headed that way.

Beware of the conversation however as many of these people were very close to just like you and I untill some personal disaster. (like catastrophic illness of a spouse beyond the insurance cap) It can be quite an eye opening revelation to realize how close to the edge those of us in normal civilization are.

Spokes man

I've seen these guys, but I've never one wearing a helmet.

Did he have gloves?

Clipless?

Jersey with a sponsor?

DiabloScott

Somebody here, maybe it was Road or NorCal forums, wrote a long story about meeting one of these guys at a small airport. They sat in a field for a long time and discussed his story - he could have afforded a cheap apartment in a bad part of town but instead lived two weeks a month in a decent residential motel and lived in the streets the rest of the time. It was an interesting post.

Not all of them are peaceful and warm-hearted though.

CACycling

I worked with a guy who loved to talk to these guys. Most of them seemed to have some level of mental problems that might have caused their homlessness or might have been a result of living that way for a long time. Most were quite happy to talk and my coworker had a way of asking totally inappropriate questions (like what they had for their last meal - the answer was not for those with weak stomachs) in a way that didn't offend them. Few, if any, of the pack-rat types are "normal" people who lost their jobs and ended up on the streets. Their situation seemed to stem from mental problems or alcohol/drug abuse. They seemed to be resigned to the fact that this was their lot in life.

My father worked in a bank decades ago and knew several of the local guys. They had bank accounts with enough money and income to live a "normal" life but, for whatever reason, they lived on the streets.

Unfortunately, these are often the face of homelessness in most communities. Most people don't realize there are far larger numbers of homeless who, like maddmaxx mentioned, ended up there by situations in their life. Loss of a job, divorce, abandonment, medical problems, abuse, etc. People homeless due to those situations tend to be much more private about their situation and do their best to not be noticed.

BSLeVan

My wife was involved in a census of homeless people here in SE Pennsylvania several years ago. I don't remember the exact number, but in our particular county the estimate was over 1000+ folks who used to be in a mental health treatment program or facility and because of funding shortages no longer were. Over time they all ended up on the streets. Most are truly powerless to change their lives. It's not a matter of personal character, they don't know how to or can't "pull themselves up by their own boot straps."

Artkansas 

When I lived near Palm Desert, there was one fellow with a huge trailer, large enough for him to sleep in I suspect. It was hand-made. I think he was in his 30s. I saw him all over the Coachella Valley. Riding slowly, and it looked like his bike had unusually low gears. I saw him in all kinds of weather, no heat too hot. I really have to respect him. Never got to talk to him though.

There may be some in Little Rock, but the hilly terrain keeps them out of west Litttle Rock where I live.

sacrifice

We have a few of these folks up here. Many times they have bikes that are fully loaded with stuff in plastic milk crates and panniers and a few with trailers. What amazes my wife and I is that homeless people come to Juneau and stay here. This is a rainy, cold, snowy place, where living in the forest in tents (which many homeless do here) or on the streets year-round is not all that comfortable. Then again, we do have a nice homeless shelter that serves some decent food.

As mentioned above regarding finances, some of the homeless people have rather large amounts of money - but they live on the streets for various reasons (mental health or alcohol related )- (my son worked downtown and knew many of the homeless - some interesting stories).

Pax

I recently changed careers but before that spent the last twelve years working with mentally ill homeless adults. As your wife saw, the numbers of formerly institutionalized people can be staggering. The brief history of the precipitating event...

In the 1970's deplorable conditions were been exposed in many long term State hospitals; activists and social service professionals worked to have those facilitates shut down by showing that large numbers of MI people would be better off if returned to their communities and offered Community Mental Health services. The money being spent on institutionalizing people would be shifted to these local agencies so people seeking treatment could remain a part of their community with access to all levels of assistance.

This worked well for about five minutes, then the money started getting cut, restrictions were placed on agencies to prove they were creating "measurable outcomes" (not currently possible with severe organic mental illness), and funding began switching over to "fee for service" from block grants (the chunk of money formerly spent on the State facility). This put agencies in the position of only being able to provide service to people who met the States criteria (poor enough, homeless enough, sick enough) and it left all the people on the margins out in the cold.

Additionally, the criteria of "at risk of harm to self or others" became the gold standard for admitting people against their wishes to the few beds left for long term psychiatric care. All of this adds up to huge numbers of mentally ill homeless adults on the streets, in prisons, and living in sub standard situations (sleeping in cars etc.).

The Weak Link

This is really really freaky.

I went to the Starbucks about 1PM to get some coffee (go figure). They were brewing a fresh pot so I had to wait about 4 minutes. When they gave me my cup they said it was for free because I had to "wait so long".

It's a sign, I tell you.

I wasn't planning on voting Republican anyway.

Litespeed

My sister in law is a nurse in Northern California and told us of a story of a homeless guy who was brought in for a severe rash all over his body. When they ask him what he thinks the rash was caused by, he said it was probably the Lysol he put on himself to keep the bugs off. Turns out when they did a little further investigation on the guy, he was a millionaire but preferred to live as a homeless person.

TromboneAl

I'm not sure the assumption that they are on the move is a valid one. I talked with one of these guys recently, and finally realized that he never leaves town.

The Smokester

Most people instinctively want to help others. If you want to strike up a conversation, start by asking for directions on how to get somewhere (easy). That's what I do and it is somehow a way of leveling the playing field.