A number of you have requested the recipe for the peppered eggs that I mentioned I dined on last week with a transient named Bread. I found Bread early yesterday afternoon rolling dice out behind the post office, and he was kind enough to transcribe the recipe for me on a Five Guys Burger wrapper.
Peppered Eggs
Ingredients:
Chicken (8-10) or Robin's (12-15) eggs, not too old
Large gallon size Zip-Loc bag
Crushed black pepper
Cooking pot (any size)
Pair of sticks
Stream water
Crack eggs (shells optional) into Zip-Loc bag. Add black pepper, as much as you can spare ("There can never be too much!" says Bread). Get your fire nice and hot and bring your stream water to a boil. Submerge the bag of eggs completely in the hot water, boil vigorously for at least 30 minutes. Use the pair of sticks to retrieve the bag, allow to cool slightly so that bag can be handled. Depending on how you like your eggs, mash them up to desired consistency. Add fresh pepper and serve directly from bag.
Note: Single serving (1 chicken egg, 2 robin's eggs) can be prepared for light eaters. A sandwich-size Zip-Loc bag or a CLEAN prophylactic can stand in for the full size bag.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Blog Title Card
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Shoes
I want to talk about a very serious issue for a moment today, and that is proper feet attire as these cold months set upon us. It's not even December yet and already I am sick of being chilled. Most vagrants tend to head south, but with my leg problems I am going to just need to buckle down this winter and bear through it. I know many of the rest of you are in a similar spot, and we all need to remind ourselves from time to time to be careful, be smart, and respect Old Man Winter and his unforgiving ways.
I've heard that a significant portion of heat is lost through the head, and that's why head coverings are so important. Equally as important--no, make that MORE important--is the foot coverings we wear. Our feet, unlike our heads, are constantly touching the earth. Heat can get sucked out from a warm foot very easily when walking on a cold road or sitting somewhere with no fire. Heed my words, friends, let's keep our feet warm and ourselves healthy this winter!
Usually around this time of year, in cold weather areas at least, it becomes very difficult to find warm shoes at the local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. There's just too high a demand for them. If your current pair of shoes aren't up to par, consider tarring them to add to the insulation.
TIP: Tarring up a pair of old shoes
All you really need is a hot and steady heat source and a bucket of old tar. I prefer to coat the with a paint brush, focusing on the worn or holey areas, instead of the "dip" method. But do whatever works for you. Just make sure to get a nice seal and an even coat. And unless the soles of the shoes are in bad shape, try to avoid getting any tar on the bottoms (another reason I don't like the "dip" method). You'll never get a completely flat surface on the bottom, and it will cause you to walk funny. At the very least this is going to fatigue you, and at worst you could trip on your own shoe-tar and hurt yourself.
Also, make sure you're not wearing the shoes when you apply the hot tar. Allow them to cool completely before putting them back on. For very rough pairs it might take multiple coats.
Stay warm, friends. It's getting cold out there.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
I've heard that a significant portion of heat is lost through the head, and that's why head coverings are so important. Equally as important--no, make that MORE important--is the foot coverings we wear. Our feet, unlike our heads, are constantly touching the earth. Heat can get sucked out from a warm foot very easily when walking on a cold road or sitting somewhere with no fire. Heed my words, friends, let's keep our feet warm and ourselves healthy this winter!
Usually around this time of year, in cold weather areas at least, it becomes very difficult to find warm shoes at the local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. There's just too high a demand for them. If your current pair of shoes aren't up to par, consider tarring them to add to the insulation.
TIP: Tarring up a pair of old shoes
All you really need is a hot and steady heat source and a bucket of old tar. I prefer to coat the with a paint brush, focusing on the worn or holey areas, instead of the "dip" method. But do whatever works for you. Just make sure to get a nice seal and an even coat. And unless the soles of the shoes are in bad shape, try to avoid getting any tar on the bottoms (another reason I don't like the "dip" method). You'll never get a completely flat surface on the bottom, and it will cause you to walk funny. At the very least this is going to fatigue you, and at worst you could trip on your own shoe-tar and hurt yourself.
Also, make sure you're not wearing the shoes when you apply the hot tar. Allow them to cool completely before putting them back on. For very rough pairs it might take multiple coats.
Stay warm, friends. It's getting cold out there.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Foodstuffs
Thanksgiving dinner was GREAT! Nearly twenty of us showed up at the old Hull building on Flanders Avenue. I spent Thanksgiving '06 there the last time I was in this neck of the woods and it was nice to catch up with old vagrant friends and meet lots of new ones. The Hull building is wonderful because it's nestled in an old industrial complex, so there is little chance of disturbance, and the ceiling is very high. We could have built a bonfire in there with no worries. Our flame was a little more modest, but it really warmed the vast space up nicely (great insulation in the old warehouse, apparently) and more than half of us bunked up for the night right around the fire in the center of the room.
Since none of us could scrounge up a proper turkey, our dinner had a 'turkey theme' to it, and I believe nearly everyone brought at least one ingredient. I brought a half a can of olives and a half a jar of turkey gravy. We couldn't decide if they should be called Olirkeys or Tolives!
A wonderful evening. A man from Stockton named Banjo appropriately brought a banjo with him and we sang old tramp songs long into the night.
A question came up recently, not from a reader of this blog but from someone whom I socialize with on a message board elsewhere, and I promised him I would address the topic here today. That is the question of foodstuffs. Where do vagrants get their food if we have no money?
Let me answer that first by saying that it's not so much that we don't have money. As I mentioned in an earlier update, the vast majority of us find ways to earn some sort of cash money wage through labor or other means. A good 70% of our transactions consist of bartering, we'd much rather trade for a good or service than pay for it with coin. But the fact remains that sometimes you just need to lay down a few quarters to get something you want, and there is nothing wrong with that.
I certainly can't speak for every vagrant, but let me use myself as an illustration. On me right now I have $2.14. I expect that to last me through the weekend.
Just as valuable in my possession are items to trade. I have a nice faux gold band, some marbles, a quarter of a pack of cigarillos, a pornographic audio tape, some Christmas wrapping paper, a brand new pair of gloves, some matches, a small knife, an envelope of hot cocoa mix, a gold tooth, a fake ice cube with a spider in it, a padlock, a deck of playing cards, two oranges, a can of french cut green beans and a clean tampon. These items are in addition to my personal items that are not available for trade.
So how does this currency ensure I get food in my belly tonight? It really depends on how the next few hours go. Right now it's about 2:30 PM, and I am scheduled to meet some other vagrants down on Vine street around 6:00 for supper. We're going to cook up a nice pot of hobo soup.
Planning has a lot to do with surviving in this lifestyle. I know what my plan is for supper tonight and supper tomorrow night, as I will be meeting with others and we will all bring ingredients to share. The day after that I might need to provide for myself. By having an idea of what's in front of me a few days in advance I can ration my items for trade and make sure what I do acquire/purchase is appropriate.
The only thing I have on me right now that could contribute to the hobo soup are the green beans, but I'm hoping to do one step better. There is a Rite Mart a few blocks from here that I know gets new shipments of meat on Saturdays. I'm going to bet that there will be some cut of week old unsold meat that is on the verge of being thrown out. I might be able to get them to grind me up some beef hock that is on the verge of turning, and get a half pound for 50 cents. Or less. Again, it's all about planning. If the boys at the Rite Mart aren't cooperative, or that 50 cent piece is a little hard to come by this week, just check the bin out back after sunset. I bet there's all kinds of good stuff in there, just thrown out. I guarantee you won't taste a lick of difference between filet mignon and slightly fermented ass meat after you boil the bejesus out of them.
Canned food is no different, it's all about planning ahead. Can you get a discount at certain stores for dinged up cans? Many stores are obligated to throw out canned food after their "expiration", but really, do you think that stuff ever actually expires? I've eaten 8 year old canned peaches that tasted like they were picked yesterday.
And don't forget foraging! You can create a bountiful salad the hippies would pay $30 for simply by picking plants found growing within a 30 foot radius of yourself. Fresh greens, lovely color and textured vegetation. If you aren't a prude about picking through a trash can, you'll be ever-amazed at what people throw away. Plenty for this old vagrant to live off of, that's for sure!
Next time you see a recipe posted here, some things as-listed would probably need to come off a store shelf. But the beauty of a tramp recipe is that everything is exchangeable. Nothing is set in stone. Don't have a quarter pound of beef available? Find a recently-dispatched squirrel on the side of the road, clean it well and boil the piss out of him. Don't have apple sauce? Find a tree and get smashin! Get out there, enjoy the sunshine and make do with what is around you. If there's nothing good there than move on. That, my friends, is the very definition of transience.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Since none of us could scrounge up a proper turkey, our dinner had a 'turkey theme' to it, and I believe nearly everyone brought at least one ingredient. I brought a half a can of olives and a half a jar of turkey gravy. We couldn't decide if they should be called Olirkeys or Tolives!
A wonderful evening. A man from Stockton named Banjo appropriately brought a banjo with him and we sang old tramp songs long into the night.
A question came up recently, not from a reader of this blog but from someone whom I socialize with on a message board elsewhere, and I promised him I would address the topic here today. That is the question of foodstuffs. Where do vagrants get their food if we have no money?
Let me answer that first by saying that it's not so much that we don't have money. As I mentioned in an earlier update, the vast majority of us find ways to earn some sort of cash money wage through labor or other means. A good 70% of our transactions consist of bartering, we'd much rather trade for a good or service than pay for it with coin. But the fact remains that sometimes you just need to lay down a few quarters to get something you want, and there is nothing wrong with that.
I certainly can't speak for every vagrant, but let me use myself as an illustration. On me right now I have $2.14. I expect that to last me through the weekend.
Just as valuable in my possession are items to trade. I have a nice faux gold band, some marbles, a quarter of a pack of cigarillos, a pornographic audio tape, some Christmas wrapping paper, a brand new pair of gloves, some matches, a small knife, an envelope of hot cocoa mix, a gold tooth, a fake ice cube with a spider in it, a padlock, a deck of playing cards, two oranges, a can of french cut green beans and a clean tampon. These items are in addition to my personal items that are not available for trade.
So how does this currency ensure I get food in my belly tonight? It really depends on how the next few hours go. Right now it's about 2:30 PM, and I am scheduled to meet some other vagrants down on Vine street around 6:00 for supper. We're going to cook up a nice pot of hobo soup.
Planning has a lot to do with surviving in this lifestyle. I know what my plan is for supper tonight and supper tomorrow night, as I will be meeting with others and we will all bring ingredients to share. The day after that I might need to provide for myself. By having an idea of what's in front of me a few days in advance I can ration my items for trade and make sure what I do acquire/purchase is appropriate.
The only thing I have on me right now that could contribute to the hobo soup are the green beans, but I'm hoping to do one step better. There is a Rite Mart a few blocks from here that I know gets new shipments of meat on Saturdays. I'm going to bet that there will be some cut of week old unsold meat that is on the verge of being thrown out. I might be able to get them to grind me up some beef hock that is on the verge of turning, and get a half pound for 50 cents. Or less. Again, it's all about planning. If the boys at the Rite Mart aren't cooperative, or that 50 cent piece is a little hard to come by this week, just check the bin out back after sunset. I bet there's all kinds of good stuff in there, just thrown out. I guarantee you won't taste a lick of difference between filet mignon and slightly fermented ass meat after you boil the bejesus out of them.
Canned food is no different, it's all about planning ahead. Can you get a discount at certain stores for dinged up cans? Many stores are obligated to throw out canned food after their "expiration", but really, do you think that stuff ever actually expires? I've eaten 8 year old canned peaches that tasted like they were picked yesterday.
And don't forget foraging! You can create a bountiful salad the hippies would pay $30 for simply by picking plants found growing within a 30 foot radius of yourself. Fresh greens, lovely color and textured vegetation. If you aren't a prude about picking through a trash can, you'll be ever-amazed at what people throw away. Plenty for this old vagrant to live off of, that's for sure!
Next time you see a recipe posted here, some things as-listed would probably need to come off a store shelf. But the beauty of a tramp recipe is that everything is exchangeable. Nothing is set in stone. Don't have a quarter pound of beef available? Find a recently-dispatched squirrel on the side of the road, clean it well and boil the piss out of him. Don't have apple sauce? Find a tree and get smashin! Get out there, enjoy the sunshine and make do with what is around you. If there's nothing good there than move on. That, my friends, is the very definition of transience.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Turkey Day!
Well friends, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the Library will be closed. I wasn't even going to stop in today, I still have to pick up a few things for my own feast with a group of vagrants tomorrow. Still, I thought maybe I'd try to contribute to your festivities by posting our first recipe. Thanksgiving-themed, of course!
Simple Hobo Thanksgiving Dinner
Ingredients:
Four or five slices of turkey ham
Chicken broth (canned or fresh made)
Oil
Black pepper
Old bread
Stream water
Cooking pot (no smaller than a large tin can, no larger than a very small trash bin)
Wire strain
Spoon or short stick
Get your stream water nice and hot in your cooking pot over an open flame. DO NOT BOIL. Separate turkey ham into nice quarter-sized clumps and add to the pot. When the meat is warmed, strain the water out but leave the meat in the bottom. Add oil, chicken broth and black pepper. Sop up the liquid and a couple good pieces of meat with your bread. Enjoy!
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Simple Hobo Thanksgiving Dinner
Ingredients:
Four or five slices of turkey ham
Chicken broth (canned or fresh made)
Oil
Black pepper
Old bread
Stream water
Cooking pot (no smaller than a large tin can, no larger than a very small trash bin)
Wire strain
Spoon or short stick
Get your stream water nice and hot in your cooking pot over an open flame. DO NOT BOIL. Separate turkey ham into nice quarter-sized clumps and add to the pot. When the meat is warmed, strain the water out but leave the meat in the bottom. Add oil, chicken broth and black pepper. Sop up the liquid and a couple good pieces of meat with your bread. Enjoy!
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Transients vs Homeless
I had dinner with a fine gentleman named Bread last night, under the 14th Street bridge. Ironically, our three course meal had no bread in it! We had rice served in dutch paper, some chicken hock and a sack of peppered eggs. Delicious!
Talking deep into the night, Bread and I had some great discussions, most of which centered around this blog and what I hoped it might accomplish. The topic that kept recurring was the fact that I ought to kick off the discussion with a little bit of insight as to the different types of vagrants, and what makes a man transient and what doesn't.
The transients reading this can probably snooze through this part, as the audience for this post is going to be the average carpet-walking layman.
I have nothing against 'homeless people', but that being the case I want to make a point to say that I am not homeless. I do not have a proper address, no, but my home is everywhere. My home is the earth. I am not in this situation because of unfortunate circumstance...this is how I choose to live. That is the postmodern definition of a vagrant, especially one who lives a transient lifestyle.
Webster's defines transient first as an adjective, in being "not lasting, enduring or permanent; transitory", and as a noun in being "a person or thing that is transient, especially a temporary guest, boarder, laborer or the like". I fully subscribe both of these definitions.
As a rule, a homeless person is there by circumstance. The loss of a job or other means of income, perhaps a mental or physical health issue. Again, not to sound callous, simply to differentiate: We transients are not homeless men. We simply live a life between front doors instead of behind them.
It's a beautiful lifestyle and I hope through these writings those of you unfamiliar with the term will grow a deeper appreciation for what we are discussing here.
A transient man will not sit on the street corner begging for money. Rather, he will come into town for a short time, find some sort of seasonal or other sort of gainful employment, will live off the land, will sleep under the stars, will share stories and songs and music with others like him, and then will be on his way to the next town. We vagrants are not afraid of work, our hands are calloused for a reason. We may be "poor" in a sense, but many of us are skilled laborers who do earn money. That money may be spent collectively ('hobo feast') or on one's own makeshift meal.
We are foragers, urban gatherers. You wouldn't believe the delicious meal you can make at no charge simply by skimming through an average city block. We live off the land. We don't earn a lot of money because we don't need a lot of money. Nearly everything we need to survive can be found or traded for.
So please, know a true vagrant from a homeless person. Give the homeless man your change, your compassion...they're the ones that need it. We vagrants just appreciate a warm smile and maybe a can of beans if you have it to spare, so we can make a nice pot of chili to share with our brothers.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Purpose of this Blog
I'm not going to give a whole lot of background info on myself. Part of the appeal of this lifestyle is our ability to escape certain paths in life and make a 'clean break'. We transients, as a rule, are always looking ever forward, not back.
I touched on this earlier, but I wanted to formally state what the intended purpose of this blog is. The content will vary widely, but will hopefully revolve around three key notions:
1.) First and foremost, this is a place for transients, by transients. Others are welcome and encouraged to view and even participate, but let's be clear and respectful of the intended audience. Ideally we will have here a place to share tips, tricks, advice, weather reports, recipes, gathering notices and other useful information that can be appreciated and utilized by those of a common mindset. I am one of you, and our order has a lot of pride and history to it. Let's always keep that in front of us.
2.) This is also a place for sharing our heritage with people unfamiliar with our ways. Through discussion, the recounting of experiences, collaboration and other efforts, we can share a positive message with those who may not have otherwise given us a second thought. In addition to sharing exclusively with the 'in' crowd, I hope to pepper in some useful information for the carpet-walkers out there. Every once in a while we'll discuss the history of the transient lifestyle, define certain terms, how to interact with a vagrant and other sorts of knowledge-gathering activities. This is a friendly place for all, and all shall feel welcome.
3.) Last but not least, this should simply be a fun and relaxing place for general perusal, regardless of your background. I'm not saying I'll be the next Face Space, but I want to keep the topic material light and fresh. That will mostly be on my shoulders, but I encourage participation by all.
You may contact me by electronic mail any time, day or night. The address is TrainTomOtt@Gmail.com.
You may contact me by electronic mail any time, day or night. The address is TrainTomOtt@Gmail.com.
Let's keep things clean, respectful and insightful. Let's follow the Five Pillars. This has the potential to be a really good thing.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
Breaking in the new Blog!
I guess it's now or never! I've been thinking about creating a blog dedicated to the vagrant lifestyle for a couple of years. The problem had been that my only access to the Internet comes from time spent at a public library, and with my wayward travels it was impossible to keep trying to register for new library cards in every city. Due to a problem with my leg I don't expect to be quite so mobile for a good amount of time, so I figured I'd make the best of the situation!
My name is Tom Ott, friends call me Train Tom. I have been a card-carrying vagrant for a dozen years or so and have never looked back. I love the lifestyle, and one of the purposes of this blog is to not only provide a safe place for Internet-savvy transients to socialize, but also to introduce this alternative lifestyle to others in a concise way. There will be more on the purpose and outreach that I hope to provide with this blog in the next update.
For now, I just want to say "welcome" and ask for you to sit back and settle in. I'm limited to one hour per day on the Internet here at the local public, but I intend to make the most of my available time in making this place everything it ought to be. This sort of resource is long overdue.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
My name is Tom Ott, friends call me Train Tom. I have been a card-carrying vagrant for a dozen years or so and have never looked back. I love the lifestyle, and one of the purposes of this blog is to not only provide a safe place for Internet-savvy transients to socialize, but also to introduce this alternative lifestyle to others in a concise way. There will be more on the purpose and outreach that I hope to provide with this blog in the next update.
For now, I just want to say "welcome" and ask for you to sit back and settle in. I'm limited to one hour per day on the Internet here at the local public, but I intend to make the most of my available time in making this place everything it ought to be. This sort of resource is long overdue.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
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