There were terrible wind storms last night and torrential rains. I used a new blow up mattress and it leaked the air out, it was really uncomfortable. I wasn’t able to get any good sleep at night. I did a video at 1:00 in the morning showing the storm battering my tent. Luckily the tent and A-frame survived with no issues. I was awake early, I tried to sleep until 8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. I began working on editing and uploading videos to YouTube. I also worked on the blog and I did a video. When I went outside it was a beautiful day. Most of the snow had melted.
10:00 a.m. I hiked out of the camp and I drove over to where Mike is camped near downtown Salem in the woods. I carry a tent out to Cryin Mike’s Camp Site and when I get there I check on Mike who’s tent is still intact. I can hear Mike mumbling something when I call his name into the tent. I let him know that I’m setting up my camp so he won’t be alone anymore.
10:30 a.m. The tent goes up pretty easily it’s a really well made Ozark trail tent, and I get it situated between some trees so that I can create an A-frame to protect it from snow.
11:30 a.m. I hiked out of the camp and I let Mike know that I’ll be back later. My tent is set up and I’m ready to keep Mike company and help him get through the winter, as he will be a help for me too. I drive over to Danvers where I’ll be waiting for my girlfriend to get done with work so we can go and get her new car, or should I say new 20-year-old used car so she no longer has to get ripped off by Zipcar.
12:10 p.m. I worked on writing blogs and getting caught up on work, although I’m unemployed, homeless 366 is a full-time job, along with my personal life endeavors. Regardless, I’m grateful for this journey. It has enhanced my life in more ways than I can count.
2:00 p.m. I drive with my girl over to the mechanic who has fixed her car, by replacing the front break calipers and a leaky fuel line. The bill is $600, money she will pay me back. I checked the hood latch which I’d asked the mechanic to fix, and it’s still not latching properly. I tell my girlfriend that she can go do her thing, and the mechanic and I worked together on fixing the hood latch. He has a screwdriver and penetrating spray and I keep pulling the latch inside the car as he sprays and tries to loosen it up. The mechanic put two new front calipers on the vehicle as well as fixed the fuel lines.
2:30 p.m. I drove over to talk to a welder about doing a welding job on the frame of the car. The welder is in Essex, and when I arrive he’s working on a truck. He said he is busy but to give him a call in a couple days. I also ask the man if he has any work, since I have experience welding.
3:15 p.m. I drive My girl’s new car back to Danvers. The next couple hours are a fiasco trying to figure out where we’re going to park the car for a few days while she gets it registered. Eventually I come up with a plan. I drive the car to my friend Topher’s house and I park it in his driveway. I hang out at Topher’s house for a while with his family, and then Topher gives me a ride back to my truck. Recently Topher’s son who is now I believe 18 recently crashed the Nissan Xterra that was inherited to him by his grandmother. There is severe damage to the vehicle and Topher has been pretty upset about that lately.
3:45 p.m. I stopped by another friend’s house and took a shower and washed my clothes. I make a few phone calls and I talk to some friends while I’m waiting around for my clothes to wash. The plan is to have my girlfriend spend the night with me in my new camp next to Cryin Mike.
5:00 p.m. Everything is clean and ready to go, I ride my truck over to Salem and stop at a grocery store and get Reese’s peanut butter cups, vanilla wafer cookies, a symphony chocolate bar, and some orange juice. My girlfriend has a real sweet tooth.
6:00 p.m. I parked my car near the camp. I hiked up to the site with some more equipment and I spent some time moving the tent around to position the door in front of one of the trees that the A-frame will be strung on. I also unpack all the blankets that I had compiled for the megacamp and I set them up in this new tent. I unraveled the blow up mattress and I spend about 15 minutes blowing up both sides. And now I have a functioning living space.
7:30 My girl arrives, I meet her in the parking lot, and we make our way back up to the camp. We settle in for some conversation and some romance. It’s really not that cold out so we leave the door open to the tent, Cryin Mike is sleeping. All in all it was a nice night and we go to bed around 9:00 p.m.
HINDSIGHT: 10/22/2025
I was quite happy camping next to Cryin Mike. Not only did I have company, but it was closer to downtown Salem. I used my skills to improve Cryin Mike’s Camp. I felt very stable in Salem at this point. I had a routine. A couple places to sleep, and I was enjoying the company of my girlfriend. One thing I had to learn over and over again about homeless life is stability is an illusion, and your life can change in any moment.