Welcome to my new blog, Life without Asphalt. I am spending a winter in McCarthy, Alaska, a remote town situated 60 miles from the nearest paved road. I'm living without a grocery store, running water, and indoor plumbing. No sweat for many, especially for the intelligent, resilient, and innovative folks that make their home in this tiny community. But for me, this lifestyle is new, exciting, and challenging.
I grew up in a small town in Missouri and have wandered my way through several countries and across the United States. Through careful thought and self-reflection, I realized that the standard image of life in small town America could never bring me the happiness and fulfillment that we all seek. Here I find myself much closer to my basic needs, with a concrete understanding of the cause and effect of my own consumption and footprint. This space will tell of my triumphs and challenges as I learn about life without asphalt and so many other things we've come to depend on in the households of America. I also want to share step-by-step instructions for recipes and preserving techniques, interior and exterior projects, and small manners of organizing and thriving in tiny spaces. Interwoven, you will find some of the stories and characteristics that dust the McCarthy community with a thin layer of magic. Maybe you don't have the time, resources, or flexibility (although it takes less than you may think) to move to the middle-of-nowhere and reach toward an older, more basic way of life. That's okay. Listen to my story to see what it's like, or borrow pieces of my projects and dialogue to integrate with your daily life, wherever you may find yourself. Thanks for listening. Erin
5 Comments
Jodi Hebbert
11/11/2015 09:26:22 pm
You are one of the most amazing people I have met. You can do this lady. I look forward to your story.
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Roseanne Siebert
11/12/2015 10:31:32 am
Thanks, Erin, for sharing this experience. I am in total admiration of you and your desire to lead a simpler life style. I look forward to reading your posts. Love you, Aunt Roseanne
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Kimberly Gavin Anderson
11/19/2015 09:06:11 pm
Erin, you are a courageous, evolving young lady. I admire you "much" . . . warm hugs to you - (initially through cyberspace . . . but in the quiet of your slumber, you and I will visit in spirit).
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Meet ErinJournalist, adventurer, writer, musician, dancer, linguist, and cook, ready to tell you about her ridiculous attempts to live in the Alaskan wilderness without running water and live beyond the woods Archives
April 2016
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