Pukeskywalker

Hey everybody, new to the forum but already getting some great info, thanks to everyone who posts here.

I'm planning on taking an indefinite cross-country bike tour after my apt lease runs out next year. I say indefinite because: I will be selling all of my stuff, I will be living like a vagrant (dumpster diving, bathing in streams, etc) and I will be continuing this trip until my saving account runs dry.

Sleep wise, I will be taking it to the woods in a bivy or finding somewhere to stay on couchsurfing.com, so room and board is not an issue.

Now, the main questions I'm concerned about:

- How much should I expect to spend on food a day?
- How much should I expect to spend on bike repairs/maintenance? (I know enough to change tires, replace chains, brakes, true wheels, etc.)

I have a million more questions about equipment, but for right now I'm just in the budgeting phase. Thanks!

Raiden

Do you intend to be on the move constantly? What part of the country are you aiming for? If you're sitting around out in the forest camping, you could probably live on a couple dollars a day. If you're near good fishing, a license is $50 and will feed you for a while....

But really, you should tell us

John Nelson

Food costs vary greatly depending on what country you are in. What country will you be in?

Food costs also vary greatly depending on whether you will be eating in restaurants or out of grocery stores, and whether you will have cooking equipment.

It can easily range (in US dollars) from $5 (or less in some countries) a day to $50 a day.

CCrew

Restaurant and grocery store dumpsters by the sounds of it.

John Nelson

Restaurants: $20 to $50 a day
Dumpsters: $0 a day

If you want your money to go farther, you'll be better off touring in a second or third world country.

Niles H.

If you put enough energy into saving money and living on the cheap, you can live on next to nothing. It isn't exactly free, though. It takes time and energy, and it is also a bit of an uninspiring way to live. It probably makes more sense to have a little extra money.

I once toured with absolute minimal spending for a month, and my gross expenditures came to 2.93. However, I found some change by the side of the road and actually came out ahead for the month.

Sounds great, but it isn't. I would rather have a bit of extra money and not have to spend so much time saving money. If you total up the time spent saving money, and then compare it with the money you could earn in the same time (even at or near minimum wage), it can make a lot more sense (depending on the person) to work enough to have the money.

You can learn to eat well on a lot less than most people, just by knowing what foods are most cost efficient, and buying those foods. You can buy good, nutritious food for less than you might think.

Or you can take a mixed and matched approach.

Watch out for dumpsters, though. I spoke with a nurse who has seen some very nasty infections on dumpster divers. All it takes is a little break in the skin (fingers, hands, toes, feet, elsewhere) and some of the new, more aggressive, and lately-more-prevalent strains of antibiotic-resistant ("MRSA"), bacteria and you've got some real trouble on your hands. Take a look at some of pictures of these infections on the internet, and the descriptions.

The food itself can also be problematic. It isn't always the freshest or most healthful stuff to be eating. Dumpster divers talk about getting sick repeatedly from minor or major bouts of food poisoning.

It doesn't seem worth risking your health, or risking being sick even for a few days. With the money you could earn in that time, you could buy good, fresh foods and be in cleaner environments.

Pukeskywalker

Thanks for all the fast responses!


I'm living in Philadelphia right now and am tentatively planning to bike south along the east coast, then west through texas and up the west coast. After that possibly back through the Midwest.

I really I have no idea how feasible that route is, but this is the pre-planning phase

The fishing idea is great! However, I'm guessing I would need a license in every state? I'm willing to bend the rules a bit if that is case. I'll definitely look into that.


I would not be eating in restaurants more than a few times a month.. and if then only to get something I might be lacking in my diet. Hopefully I won't be doing that at all. $5 a day would be ideal... do you have any tips for achieving this without suffering from malnutrition?

Niles H.

You can get a lot of protein by eating road kill. There is a Dirt Rag article about a guy who has done this, and there used to be (may still be) an interview with him on the internet. He describes the process of evaluating the ripeness of the road kill, and the process of carving up dead deer.

Road kill and dumpsters....

Why not learn a skill, or find some work that will bring in enough money to live like a human being?

John Nelson

Well, I'm no dietician. But it's clear you'll need to stay away from junk food--no beer, no candy, etc. And I'd become a vegetarian, getting your proteins from other sources. As much as possible, buy in bulk (of course this will increase the weight of your load). Consider cheap and filling food such as beans, couscous, peanut butter, etc.

Type "how to eat on a dollar a day" into google. There are quite a few web sites on that subject.

Gordon P

You could also use soup kitchens, drop in centres for the homeless and sleep in emergency shelters. Food banks will also give you handouts and if you want to go freelance - begging will help you reach your goal. Some social agencies will offer clothing, bus tickets etc... and bike co-ops may even repair your bike!

Niles H.

Great. Let's add begging to the list.

Now it's road kill, dumpsters, and begging....

Maybe there are some other things that can be added in?

Learning how to snare and cook rodents? How about cockroaches? They're supposed to be good if prepared properly.

Learning how to catch and eat various other types of insects and their larvae?

Maggots are good protein.

Flies can be lured into traps with some rotten meat or excrement. They are nutritious.

Fly larvae (maggots) were a staple for Mono Lake natives; and there are many other possibilities that can be gleaned from the diets of primitive peoples.

***

I'm tempted to say something about living with some dignity and self-respect. But too many people already have overblown self-respect, so there must be something else here.

Maybe it's just a respect for life in general, and for a decent way of living.

Maybe it's a matter of aesthetics. There is a certain element or aspect of aesthetics, in how a human being acts and lives (and eats). Some ways are a lot less aesthetic than others.

Who in their right mind would choose snuffling around in filthy, dented-up, germ-laden dumpsters for questionable food -- or eating some of these other things -- over getting fresh food from a clean store?

10 Wheels

What bicycle rider has a sound mind?

Gordon P

I’ve seen other cycle-tourists set up web blogs where they plead for donations to further their adventures.

Pukeskywalker

Haha Niles, your comments are getting progressively cranky-er.

I appreciate the warning about the dumpster diseases. I might scratch that off the list for now. I will be pre-paying for at least a year of health insurance, so I will have that for any other injuries/illnesses I encounter.

I won't resort to begging, especially because I'm a privileged white guy... I leave that for the people that need it. Once my funds get low, I'll head home to the girlfriend's place via bike or plane.

I'm also considering taking whatever work might come up... either seasonal jobs at a farm or finding somebody willing to trade meals for labor.

As for living with dignity, I think living free in abject poverty is more dignified than spending every day of my 20's in a job I'm not happy with, saving up a healthy 401k I can dive into when I'm too old to get out of bed... which is where I see my life heading at this point

Gordon P

wwoofing is another option if you do want to earn your crust.

https://www.wwoof.org/

Pukeskywalker

I've heard this mentioned before. I've also heard some punks say this is "cheating"

I'll check it out...

Niles H.

I agree with that. And I wanted to say that I don't mean to interfere with your departure from typical (deadly) lifestyles.

I should qualify that agreement, though: I agree in part. But it's not as if those are the only choices that are open -- there seem to be plenty of other alternatives as well. The mind tends to set up these very limited or heavily edited scenarios and choices.

There aren't just two choices -- mainstream mediocrity OR abject poverty. How about a multitude of other choices? Why leave those out of the equation?

If you want to step off the treadmill for a while and gain some perspective and breathing room, more power to you. You don't have to do it in an abject way, though. You're free to do it that way, or in a variety of other ways.

arctos

I have often frequented food co-ops while on tour to buy healthy bulk items such as lentils, rice, oatmeal, quinoa, amaranth black beans and other grains. A google search for food co-ps may produce a map and other listings along your route.

I suppose I should ask if you are planning to cook beyond just opening and heating a heavy can you carry on the bike. Buying and cooking bulk foods takes out the middleman canning part and you lose the weight of the water and can to carry.

Cyclebum

With extreme discipline, you can cross the country twice on peanut butter, oatmeal, bread, hard cheese, canned spinach, and an apple a day. Considering nutritional balance, cost, and calorie needs, that's probably the cheapest mix of basic food you can buy. Maybe $5/day for the 4 to 5 thousand cals you'll need to keep moving.

I have a friend who is spending a lot of time with homeless ppl getting his PhD in how to survive without money. Goal being to ride across the country for nothing as a personal challenge. Maybe you ought to take up with the experts for a while before you head out. You won't find them here.

Seeing as how you'll have access to funds, I predict that you'll average $10 a day for food alone, and $15/day total. It actually takes about $25/day to tour comfortably, mentally and physically, but I'm giving you the benefit of youth, ingenuity, enthusiasm. After a month on the road dumpster diving, literally or figuratively, you'll begin to understand why I'm making the prediction. Hope this encourages you to prove me wrong, you'll journal your adventure, and let us know where to find it.

Bacciagalupe

I would also advise against dumpster diving. You'll have no control over the quality of your diet. Whether you realize it or not, you will burn a significant number of calories every day. If you ride 6 hours a day at a casual pace, you will consume an additional 3000 calories per day. You'll need to eat while you are riding, otherwise a) you won't get the electrolytes you need and b) you are likely to bonk.

$5 a day might be a stretch but there are many ways to eat in a healthy and affordable manner. As aforementioned: dried beans, rice, vegetables, fruit, bulk items like nuts and granola.

It may be tough to pick up work along the way, with the economy the way it is right now, so I would try to put together as much money in advance as possible.

travelmama

I am lost here. What has this to do with anything? You want to tour cross country on the absolute cheap which means you will be like the rest who want to challenge themselves in the same fashion. I think you should do as someone previous posted by visiting the missions and shelters for a meal, shower or place to stay. If you want to make your trip more meaningful, give something back by volunteering your time and knowledge. It should not hurt you considering you are a privileged white guy.

kbabin

Cheating?? What was the context of this statment?

Kevin

enfilade

Puke, this will be a good read..

https://www.heinzstucke.com/

it's about a guy who's been touring constantly for over 40 years!

Pukeskywalker

Interesting. You just named all of my favorite foods... minus the canned spinach. Minus turkey sandwiches and misc fruits, that is basically my diet already (i'm not much of a chef)

As for earning my PhD in homelessness, I met a few crust punks last night and let them crash on my floor. They gave me a primer on dumpster diving and train hopping. Apparently they get a lot of free food from compassionate health-food and convenient stores

$15 a day is higher than I would like to be spending, but I'll see if I can budget for that much daily. If not I might not be able to tour for a full year, but that wouldn't be the end of the world

Pukeskywalker

The guy was an anarchist, and I think he was implying that WOOFFing was similar to "wage slavery" in certain ways, but to a lesser extent... obviously you're not participating in society in the same way as a 9-to-5 worker