Re: Cabin in the woods
My grandparents spent many summers at a cabin here. From 1964 to 1995 when they finally stopped going. Went up as soon as the road was open and stayed until the first snow. Gas everything, stove, water heater, frig and freezers even gas lights. One wood stove to heat the place. There is a spring for water. They tended a ½ acre garden and went to town once a week to shop and do laundry. About a 50 mile round trip. Granted there were other cabins in the area, but until 1990 they were weekend places only. During the week there might be only 6 or 8 people in the area. <br /><br />You would need everything you have now to keep your house in working order. Hand tools, Nails and screws and all the bits and pieces that go with having a home. It may be a cabin but it is also your home. Gardening tools things like that. If you really wanted to you could garden and can everything from the garden. They did and kept there 4 kids and their families in can goods most of the year. <br /><br />Fishing for dinner is fine, but most places have seasons for hunting, except for small game and such. <br /><br />Some way to contact someone outside is a must. My grandparents were well known to the forest service people up there and were checked on 3 or 4 times a week, even if it was just a drive by to wave at them. A radio is also a good idea so you know what might be coming your way. <br /><br />Some of the best times I had as a kid were spent there. If you achieve your dream, I would envy you. But there is a lot of work that goes into. I think having the cabin kept both of them young and alive well into their 90s.
My grandparents spent many summers at a cabin here. From 1964 to 1995 when they finally stopped going. Went up as soon as the road was open and stayed until the first snow. Gas everything, stove, water heater, frig and freezers even gas lights. One wood stove to heat the place. There is a spring for water. They tended a ½ acre garden and went to town once a week to shop and do laundry. About a 50 mile round trip. Granted there were other cabins in the area, but until 1990 they were weekend places only. During the week there might be only 6 or 8 people in the area. <br /><br />You would need everything you have now to keep your house in working order. Hand tools, Nails and screws and all the bits and pieces that go with having a home. It may be a cabin but it is also your home. Gardening tools things like that. If you really wanted to you could garden and can everything from the garden. They did and kept there 4 kids and their families in can goods most of the year. <br /><br />Fishing for dinner is fine, but most places have seasons for hunting, except for small game and such. <br /><br />Some way to contact someone outside is a must. My grandparents were well known to the forest service people up there and were checked on 3 or 4 times a week, even if it was just a drive by to wave at them. A radio is also a good idea so you know what might be coming your way. <br /><br />Some of the best times I had as a kid were spent there. If you achieve your dream, I would envy you. But there is a lot of work that goes into. I think having the cabin kept both of them young and alive well into their 90s.
... after retiring from the Naval Aviation at Patuxent River, MD I worked around the DC area for several years and lived in Northern VA from McClain to Leesburg and several places in between. I also miss it.<br /><br />Dunno if you've checked it out, but there is lots of undeveloped woodsy land available in Spotsylvania County that sounds like what you may be looking for. Streams and underground springs abound, so water wouldn't be a huge problem.An aquaintance recently bought 50 acres there very cheaply.<br /><br />I wish you well, Frog,<br /><br />Take care, do good and have fun ...