October 4 - Our 5th Anniversary of Starting an Off-Grid Journey

October 4, 2026

Day 1,831 of the Adventure

www.thecampfiretrail.com

Subscribe to our YouTube channel Here!

Last Tuesday, we reached a significant milestone at The Campfire Trail. It was our 5th anniversary of purchasing the property. I suppose that the driving force behind this decision isn't a single thought as much as an accumulation of events. All of which point to the idea of gaining more control over the direction of life. Or perhaps, the "outcome" of life. The constant scramble to keep up with the costs of life was probably enough of a reason. The direction of "modern life" was probably more of the catalyst. The term "simple" has long left our vocabularies. It feels like nearly everything requires a "paid subscription" anymore from entertainment to features being built into our appliances, phones and even vehicles. The ability to work on or fix anything is becoming a thing of the past. To add to that, the lifespan of significant purchases has reached such a low that I'm beginning to search out older, more reliable forms of everything to replace the modern anything. What is the answer to all of it? For us, the answer is, simplify. 

Does that mean "simple" in all respects. No, not necessarily. Because simple does not always equate to easy, and "easy" is probably the line in the sand for many of us. In life, almost everything has elements of hardship. Like the old saying goes, "You must choose your 'hard'". I'm of the age that the outcomes of life dictate the amount of effort I wish to invest. For example, I like a good coffee, but am I willing to exchange a significant amount of my time for the ability to purchase a $7 gourmet coffee in a coffee shop? Not much anymore. A good black coffee with a shot of rich cream while sitting by a campfire in the woods provides all of the delectable experience I could want or need. I'm completely ready to exchange the simplicity of the high-tech electronics in my vehicles for the simplicity of the good old-fashion analog control systems of a vintage automobile. I know that would be a stretch for many, but I can tune, maintain and drive them without digital diagnostic tools and a PhD in electronic schematics. Not to mention the proprietary technology that is ever increasingly making that completely impossible. 

Okay, the rant is over. I've reached the point of tolerance in all of that to just want my own systems that I know and trust. All of that has alternatives from mainstream life and I'm increasingly "all in" for it. We are now five years into the building of these lower-tech, yet reliable systems. The genesis of them, at times, is challenging, but the reliability, simplicity and comfort that they provide is priceless. My new mantra of life is "Buy Land and Build Systems". Systems that are beneficial and serve our personal interests. Not systems designed to squeeze every ounce of freedom and finance out of us. 

Carry On

Adventure Quote: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” ― Bernard M. Baruch

Resources

Make sure to visit our website regularly to see new products and resources.

www.thecampfiretrail.com

YouTube Channel: The Campfire Trail

Our Books

Treasures of Life - Daily Devotionals by Shelley

Treasures of Life 2 - Daily Devotionals by Shelley

Treasures of Life 3 - Daily Devotionals by Shelley

Back to the Land - Planning your Back to the Land Roadmap by Martin

Wealth Creation - Principles of Wealth Creation by Martin

Please Consider Subscribing to our newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.