A Scientific Article on Dirtbaggius Maxiums

Exhibit A

I'd like to introduce you to a little known a species of vandwellers (people living a mobile lifestyle, see www.cheaprvliving.com), Dirtbaggius Maximus. They are in the Vandwellius family. They are also in the Fulltimerius genus sometimes workamping as they go. Dirtbaggius Maximus is usually so involved with his/her climbing, that they don't even realize other Vandwellius family members exist out there. I'd like to try to close that gap and help the poor Dirtbaggius Maximus learn some tricks from the more social Vandwellius family members. I'm sure the Vandwellius family could use a brush up on the peculiarities of Dirtbaggius Maximus too. (This will be done in layman's terms for simplicity sake)(I have been both a dirtbag and a vandweller and consider myself an expert on the subject :-) )


Dirtbag: (From UrbanDictionary.com)

A person who is committed to a given (usually extreme) lifestyle to the point of abandoning employment and other societal norms in order to pursue said lifestyle. Dirtbags can be distinguished from hippies by the fact that dirtbags have a specific reason for their living communally and generally non-hygienically; dirtbags are seeking to spend all of their moments pursuing their lifestyle

The best examples of dirtbags and dirtbagging are the communities of climbers that can be found in any of the major climbing areas of North America--Squamish, BC; Yosemite, CA; Joshua Tree, CA; etc. 

Many of us vandwellers don't do it out of necessity, we do it because we want to. We want to have freedom from the societal norms that are pushed on us from birth. We do what WE want to do. Dirtbags don't do it because they have to, they do it because they can. They become vandwellers out of necessity. They live frugally. With the changing seasons and distances to different pieces of rock, they need to be mobile also.

Dirtbags come in quite a few shapes and forms. There is the backcountry dirtbag (Dirtbaggius Ruralus)(Exhibit C) who needs 4x4 to get into the wild parts of the country to reach rocks that are seldom touched, possibly putting up a first ascent. There is also the front country dirtbag (Dirtbaggius Urbanus)(Exhibit D) who can drive on the pavement of Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Red River Gorge, etc, and they might be more interested in a van or class C. There have been rumors of a hybrid (Dirtbaggius Versatilius)(no known photo exists) who have a topper for backcountry adventures and a TT for front country "plush" living.

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

The problem with trying to "enlighten" the dirtbag is in his/her lack of connection to the internet. Most would rather do away with the smartphones and laptops for more gear and less work. The goal is to try to get the wanna-be dirtbags to get on websites like cheaprvliving so they can transition smoothly to the Vandwellius family. I will try to inform through climbing websites, but I believe the current dirtbags are beyond our help for the most part. Maybe dropping pamphlets in major dirtbag hubs (listed above) with photos of www.cheaprvlivingforum.com members ingenious rigs will entice them to hitchhike to the nearest library to do more research!

I'd like to leave you with a professional short video (8 min)(Exhibit E) of an older dirtbag living out in the desert. Gorgeous shots and captivating story. This might help visually bridge the gap between dirtbags and vandwellers for some of you. (For slow connections or you folks with bandwidth limits, turn off HD in lower right corner)

Links to the lifestyle of Dirtbaggius Maximus
http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/american-dirtbag?A=SearchResult&SearchID=1826264&ObjectID=4026953&ObjectType=35
http://legacy.climbing.com/exclusive/otw2/volume4/dirtbagging/
http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/how-to-live-like-a-dirtbag-climber-redux-t51267.html