DRIFTERS

The Gila is a region of southwestern New Mexico, millions of acres, mountains, big rivers, hot springs, a ton of food, no one around, a mild climate, most of it wilderness. If you want to escape from "civilization", and not briefly, to recuperate, but permanently, as a lifestyle - this is the place.

For years we kept going back to the Gila, often for several months at a time, searching for just the spot to build and stay forever. Along the way we delivered our baby in a motel, blew the engine of our jeep fording a river, suffered blizzards, ran into bears, and rattlesnakes, got robbed by raccoons, met the craziest and toughest and most inspired people, lived off hot springs, gathered edible plants, sold mushrooms, picked desert willow seed for weeks at third world wages - camped in one spot for two months with a 60 mile view, a mile from the nearest trail, and started a hogan - we valued freedom and experience above everything else.