Scotty's Nomadic Motorcycling Life: Overcoming Fear, Finding Home

The unknown is often the root of fear. For a long time, Scotty lived within a "triangle of safety": his home, workplace, and social spots. Venturing outside this comfort zone meant confronting fear, a battle with no middle ground where one side must win. Fear would present doubts—lack of money, bike breakdowns, bad weather—all designed to keep him stagnant, even when it was time to move on. Initially, these excursions were terrifying, but after a few hours on the road, the fear would dissipate as the unknown became known.

A Nomadic Life

Scotty is a nomad, a drifter who hasn't stayed in one place for more than two months in 22 years. His travels span the entire United States, Canada, and Mexico, following the birds north in summer and south in winter, effectively avoiding winter for many years.

His nomadic journey began when he was in the roofing business. He harbored a fear that upon his death, his life would flash before his eyes, revealing only endless miles of roofs. One day, he packed his bike with tools and clothes, rode away from his house, and has been on the road ever since.

Finding a Home on the Road

Initially, the first two years of his nomadic life involved staying in many uncomfortable places, leading to disturbed sleep and anxiety. This experience taught him the importance of a good "home" on the road. He now seeks out completely private spots where he can feel secure and uninhibited. He hasn't paid for lodging in 22 years and doubts he could ever adjust to it again. His ideal spot offers privacy, proximity to town, and good wind and dew blockage, in addition to being beautiful.

The Philosophy of the Ride

Scotty's approach to travel is centered on maximizing pleasure from the journey. He prioritizes stopping whenever anyone desires, staying as long as they wish, and only moving on when the feeling strikes. This philosophy contrasts with the typical urge to "make time" and "burn up the road."

He describes his lifestyle as akin to "Quantum Leap," jumping into other people's realities. He settles into towns, makes himself a home, gets to know people, makes friends, and stays until he feels the urge to travel again. He becomes a visitor in their worlds before moving on to the next.

Motorcycling as Therapy

For Scotty, motorcycling is a form of therapy. On long rides, the sustained exposure to passing scenery often leads to a quiet mind, a state akin to meditation. His current bike, with over half a million miles on it, has been his constant companion through countless adventures, from the jungles to Devil's Tower and the Grand Canyon.

He recounts meeting a waitress in Canada who took him home, leading to his first Easy Rider magazine story and a month-long stay. Another memorable encounter was with Kat in Prescott, Arizona, with whom he rode 17 miles naked in first gear, a journey that took over an hour. These experiences—the interesting people, places, and adventures—made it impossible for him to return to a conventional life of work and bills.

The Calling of Writing and Wanderlust

His adventures sparked a desire to share his stories, leading him to discover a natural talent for writing. His aim is to inspire others to pursue their own desires, emphasizing that it would have been a tragedy had he remained a roofing contractor, confined to his safety net, and never found his true calling.

Scotty experiences depression if he stays in one place for too long, a feeling he calls "itchy feet" or the "natural wanderlust bug." He constantly feels the need to move on and see what lies beyond the next hill.

Reflections on Life and Mortality

During a visit to New Orleans, he observed the unique above-ground cemeteries where people are buried in tombs due to the high water table. He describes seeing broken graves with disintegrated caskets, revealing only skeletons. Holding a thigh bone from one of these graves, he reflected on the person who had been dead for perhaps twice as long as they were alive. This experience, combined with a past fantasy of building an empire and reaching a plateau of happiness, led him to realize that such a "plateau" was a delusion. The reality of life, he understood, would not be worse than the fantasy, but it would certainly be different from what was imagined.

He often observes abandoned houses across the country, sometimes as many as six per mile in certain areas. Exploring one such house, he found women's clothes, a toothbrush, Old Spice soap, and a lipstick, all relatively modern. He pondered how long the house had been abandoned, recognizing it as a former family home where life, including Christmases, had unfolded. Now, with the people gone, Mother Nature was reclaiming the space, dismantling it, and turning everything back into dirt, highlighting the transient nature of material possessions.

Initially, when he left California, he felt a pull to return home in the winter. Over time, this feeling faded, and now he feels drawn to no particular place. For him, "home is wherever I am."

Overcoming Obstacles and Embracing Life

The nomadic life presents real obstacles that can drive many people back to a conventional existence. These include being in unfamiliar towns, sleeping under picnic tables in rainstorms, uncertainty about where to shower, and being rousted by police. However, Scotty emphasizes the brevity of life: "You live a while and then you die. So if there's anything you want to do, you best do it." He believes that "every dog has his day, yours and mine is right now."

What began as a soul-searching journey has evolved into a way of life. Despite doing it for a long time, Scotty remains enthusiastic, often feeling immense joy and gratitude for his unique existence.