The Bob Davis Podcasts

Bob Davis
  • 4.6 (125)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
The Bob Davis Podcasts

Nomad and Adventure Travel and society. A unique approach to sound and content creation.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Hella-Truck-Stop-Nation-Bob Davis Podcast 1153

    Hella Truck Stop Nation It’s a Hella Truck Stop Nation. In this case “Hella” is used in the negative sense. Get the full scoop in Hella-Truck-Stop-Nation-Bob Davis Podcast 1153. Las Vegas Firstly I am supposed to be enjoying a perfect Southwestern sunset in front of a warm campfire. Instead I am in Las Vegas waiting for a heater I’ve ordered to arrive at Camping World. And dealing with a strange noise and potential mechanical problem with Mobile Podcast Command. Therefore I am rotating around Las Vegas. Truck Stops From time to time visiting various truck stops both in the city and in surrounding areas along the freeway. Long Time Traveler More importantly I have been doing this for a long time. That is to say traveling around the country visiting towns and cities. Certainly spending most of my time on the back roads and avoiding the major cities. Shiny Hotels Of Las Vegas All things considered when most people come to Las Vegas they come to the shining hotels. In essence to gamble, enjoy an expensive and delicious dinner and see a show. Miss The Back Streets Under those circumstances visitors never see the back streets of this city. Desperation In particular the in town truck stops. At the present time I don’t think I have seen this many desperate people. And not just here in Las Vegas. But all over the Southwest. Fool No One To explain we’re talking about people sleeping in cars and converted vans and utility trucks that fool no one. Or the free campgrounds in the desert. Digging A Little Deeper This Time Therefore I certainly could have recorded a breezy and fun podcasts about how much I love truck stops. On the other hand I decided to dig a little deeper and push a little harder. Haves And Have Nots There’s nothing like a trip to Vegas to emphasize the gap between the haves and the have nots, The Abyss As well as the unfortunates who have fallen off the last rung of the economic ladder…into the abyss. And sure there’s jobs for those with certain skills. And of course there are those who I describe as useless. Sharecroppers Thirdly about 90 years ago hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma Sharecroppers headed west. Grapes of Wrath For the purposes of illustrating our current situation I spend some time discussing “The Grapes of Wrath”. There Is No Plan Finally the difference between today’s desperate and the Okies is a plan. In conclusion there is no plan. Word To The Wise In fact if you’re a nomad or want to be one you have to be able to identify this situation and the places you don’t want to stay. Sponsored by 36 LYN Hella-Truck-Stop-Nation-Bob Davis Podcast 1153

    32 min

  2. DEC 9

    Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152

    Freezing My Ass In Big Bear California Freezing my ass in Big Bear California. Not really. From Los Angeles to Big Bear in Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152. It’s a little cooler at seven thousand feet than it is down in the desert. Oil Change Firstly after trying several mechanics in LA I discovered no one wants to take the big old ambulance on for an oil change.. Forget LA Secondly I called in an audible. As a matter of fact my Brother and Sister in Law have a place in Big Bear. We came up last week after Thanksgiving. And we planned to come back up this weekend anyway. Welcome To Big Bear Country So I decided to take a chance and find someone to do an oil change up at Big Bear. Family and Fun By the same token it is not only fun but really good for me to spend some time with family up here. Furthermore the mooch-docking continues. Basically what’s not to like. Big Bear History To begin with Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152 takes a very surface look at the history of this area. From Native Americans to Miners and later Settlers. And Grizzlies. The American West In fact I am fascinated these days with the history of the American West. Real History Even more one of my conclusions is that the history of the settlement of the American West is in many ways the real history of the United States. Tests That is to say that the real test of the legal institutions of the new country back in the day was the push west starting with the Ohio River Valley. People Led The Way Significantly I think it’s fair too suggest that the people led the way during the decades before the Continental United States became a reality. Controversy Of course controversy is and has always been a factor in this part of the country. Therefore I am not taking a position on any of these historical realities. Natural Beauty In addition California continues to amaze me with its natural beauty. The Drive Up Accordingly the drive up to Big Bear from LA starts with the usual traffic jams. Mountain Views Giving way to breathtaking mountain views afterward. New Podcast All in all there is a lot to talk about in this podcast. Future Plans in like manner I take a little time to talk about future plans. Fly Over Equally impressive was the experience of getting buzzed by my pilot nephew and the audio I was able to capture. Short Distance Travel To sum up being able to travel short distances and have a complete change of point of view is just what the doctor ordered for this nomad. Details in Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152. Sponsored by 36LYN Now With Healthy Snacks Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152

    33 min

  3. NOV 30

    MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151

    MoochDocking Thanksgiving In LA MoochDocking Thanksgiving in LA has been a lot of fun. When we hang out at someone’s house and use their electric we call it ‘Moochdocking‘. Details in MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151. Not Home For The Holidays Firstly most of the time we nomads don’t go home for the holidays. Certainly distance is usually an issue. Secondly for many family is also an issue. 100 Miles Away However I was 100 miles away from my brother in law’s house in LA. So what the hell. Driveway With Hook Ups Accordingly the driveway with an electric hookup is a far cry from the dry lake bed at Joshua Tree… Or Joshua Tree National Park. Judgements Another key point is the fact that we nomads have judgements about life “back in the world”. Longer Equals Less Judgement Although the longer I do this the less judgmental I become. After all some people prefer a house and a car… and some people prefer the road. Raising Kids Finally I have come to appreciate how difficult it is for people to raise three kids and keep it together in the suburbs or anywhere else. Big Screen TV All in all it has been great to see my nieces and watch TV on a big screen. Group Cooking Effort By all means the group effort Thanksgiving Dinner was also a hit. Pure Luxury In addition I must say having electricity 24/7 is pure luxury. Difficult Nomad Life All of this is a tremendous contrast to the unquestionably difficult experience nomad life can sometimes be. Lessons Learned To begin with when I hit the road I did not realize the lessons I would learn in the next four years. Harsh Judgements But sometimes I think we judge too harshly when it comes to life ‘back in the world’. Not Going Back While this may be true I certainly am not about to go back to my old life. Choose The Road Up against one or the other I would choose the road for sure. For example I don’t think too much about the day of the week. And am therefore free to spend as much time as I want in a place like Joshua Tree National Park … The Gift We Give Ourselves To enumerate this is the gift we nomads give ourselves when we take the plunge. Appreciate As a result as I begin the fifth year of this adventure I have learned to appreciate my friends and family ‘back in the world’. Not Running A Campground While that may be true I also don’t lean as much on friends and family across the country to stay in their driveways. After all they aren’t running campgrounds, However when I do it is a great glimpse at another life. MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151 is a free wheeling podcast about the differences between nomad life and so called ‘normal’ life. Sponsored by 36/LYN MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151

    27 min

  4. NOV 22

    Joshua-Tree-National-Park-Bob Davis Podcast 1150

    Joshua Tree National Park Joshua Tree National Park is certainly one of the best National Parks in the US. Some rate it the best. I am live from Joshua Tree in Joshua-Tree-National-Park-Bob Davis Podcast 1150. Dry Lake Bed It Is Not Of course it is a far dry from the dry lake bed I’ve been staying at for over a month. Although the dry lake bed has its charms. Loving National Parks Equally important is the fact that I am growing partial to National Parks. Grand Canyon and now Joshua Tree Of course getting stuck for a month in the Grand Canyon is pretty great. Listen to the Grand Canyon Podcast here. Bureau of Land Management It’s important to realize the difference between the Bureau Of Land Management ‘camp’ sites… Other Options For Nomads As well as the National Forests, State Parks and of course the National Parks. Although you have to pay in a national park…and most forests and of course state parks. And you have a fourteen day limited stay… Worth It Altogether it’s worth it. Discounts and Passes Especially if you take the time to investigate various discount passes you can get. BLM Stewardship Is Not Like The National Parks In addition I spend a little time in this podcast talking about recent issues with the Bureau of Land Management’s stewardship of the land. Never Pay Camp Fees? In the same fashion while I know many nomads consider it a badge of honor of they never pay camp fees. Free Is Good To be sure free is good. Condition of Free However balanced against the state of some ‘free’ campgrounds I wonder whether ‘free’ is actually worth it. Vibe Furthermore Joshua Tree National Park has a special vibe. For one thing two deserts come together in the park. Therefore one part of a stay in the park might be completely different from another part. Equally important are the hiking options throughout the park. No Travel Tips Though Finally I don’t really do travel tips and I talk about this a fair amount in this podcast. Presently there are plenty of travel tip and advice videos available on YouTube. Travel Is A Personal Discovery But I think the real juice of travel is discovering it on our own. Now I have certainly gotten myself into more than one mess with this attitude, On the other hand in the end, it has been worth it. Grateful for the sponsorship of 36/LYN Joshua-Tree-National-Park-Bob Davis Podcast 1150

  5. NOV 11

    Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149

    Values and Principles are All In The Family Firstly this is a personal and heartfelt podcast about Values and Principles and It’s All In The Family. Details in Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149. Suggested By A YouTube Viewer Secondly the idea for this podcast came from a YouTube viewer. Principles To begin with this viewer suggested I talk about the principles of Mountain Men and how I have adopted them. Of course I don’t follow someone else’s principles. I follow my own. Source But where do they come from. Great Idea So that’s a great idea for a podcast. My Family Accordingly I delve deeply into my own family for clues. Personal Therefore this became a rather personal and heartfelt podcast. Four Generations Because I went back four generations sharing what I know about my ancestors and what they were like. That is to say what they might have believed in when it came to principles… And how they lived their lives. Where Did You Find These Stories Because I’m going so far back you might wonder about the source. With this is mind much of the stories come from my Grandfather. All in all my mom as well. Not only these… But my own memories too. Confuse Values and Principles Above all I think people confuse values with principles. Of course principles can come from values. On the other hand I find principles more like hard and fast rules… And values to be more flexible. Hard To Adopt Principles Given these points it’s difficult to see how this nomad could have adapted or adopted the principles of an historical figure. Channeling In spite of the feeling you might get from watching a movie about some figure or character that results in a feeling like you can almost channel the them… Eventually you’re left with your own history and family story. Everyone Has A Different Story Lastly of course these are different for everyone. Certainly some of us would rather not follow principles of certain family members. Nevertheless we learn our family’s principles in early childhoods. Accordingly that makes Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149 a very personal and emotional podcast. Follow Along In conclusion it’s my hope the listener will follow along as I tell my story. Think About Your Own Family and Principles And accordingly remember your own childhood for ideas that apply. Sponsored by 36 LYN Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149

    36 min

  6. OCT 29

    Four-Years-On-The-Road-The-Bob Davis Podcast 1148

    Four Years On The Road Four years on the road full time as a nomad is pretty hard for me to believe. Details in Four-Years-On-The-Road-The-Bob Davis Podcast 1148. Halloween Four Years ago on Halloween I left my emptied duplex in Minnesota for a life on the road. Full Time In nomad and RV parlance it’s called ‘full time’. Travel I certainly put my time in as a part time nomad from 2015 until 2020. But full time is something else again. No Big Thank You’s By all means I am grateful for the support friends, family, listeners and subscribers have given me. However there won’t be a lot of thank you’s in this podcast because I usually save that for New Year’s Eve. Change Additionally this fourth year was a year of change. Beneath The Surface In fact I did not know my ideas about nomad life were changing at the same time Nomad Life in general was changing. Goodbye Quartzsite For one thing while I love Quartzsite and have enjoyed at least two years there in the winter. There has been a change in the air and I feel it is time to seek out new adventures. I’ll explain in Four-Years-On-The-Road-The-Bob Davis Podcast 1148. Adventure Equally important to me is the idea of new adventure. Now, adventure means different things to different people. Instead of climbing mountains and jumping out of airplanes just the idea of movement and seeing new places is adventure for me. Joshua Tree For example following my departure from Quartzsite this fall I am now in Joshua Tree. Although by the time you read this I might be somewhere else in the Southwest. Travelogue All in all one of the great things about these Halloween Anniversary podcasts is a chance to do a little travelogue. Nomads Are In A Different Timeline First thing to remember about nomad life is we’re on a different timeline. Given that we travel around a lot sometimes it’s hard to remember where we were and when we were in one place or another. After all life is about the experience. Not always the dates and times. Podcasts As a result I often have to go back and consult the list at The Bob Davis Podcasts to see where I was and when I was! You can do the same thing by clicking here. Fifth Year Henceforth we begin the fifth year. What Do I Want At this point it’s all about figuring out just want I want from this experience. Freedom One thing’s for sure. I don’t think I could ever go back to the old life. Sponsored By 36th LYN The Independent Refueling Station Four-Years-On-The-Road-The-Bob Davis Podcast 1148

    33 min

  7. OCT 25

    Las Vegas-Joshua Tree-Bob Davis Podcast 1147

    Las Vegas To Joshua Tree Firstly Las Vegas-Joshua Tree-Bob Davis Podcast 1147 is about a computer meltdown forcing the nomad back on the road. Secondly I am not mad about it. Thinking About More Travel Most importantly I have been thinking about traveling more lately. Roll With The Punches Altogether sometimes you just have to roll with the punches. Water and PC’s Don’t Mix Although this may be true when you spill water on your PC unexpectedly it stirs the pot to say the least. But if we’re speaking the truth… Done With Quartzsite For Now With this in mind I was about done with Quartzsite Arizona anyway. YouTube Certainly I had just finished a YouTube video about how we can’t predict the future. Changes In Mecca And in that video I talked a little about how the experience in the so called nomad Mecca has changed over the past few years. New Adventure Therefore I have been looking for a new adventure. Rather than just sit there and be unhappy I took the opportunity to do something new. As much as I love my friends in Quartzsite during the winter months. Bloom Is Off The Rose While this may be true the bloom is off the rose. Heading North To Las Vegas Even though goodbyes are difficult it was great to get back on 95 and head up to Havasu City, Searchlight Nevada and ultimately Las Vegas. Afterward while I am not a gambler and have not been a fan of Las Vegas lately… Surprisingly Easy Navigating to Town Square Mall and the Apple Store was surprisingly easy. New Mac Straightaway I was negotiating for new Mac Pro. All in all this is an opportunity to finally have the IT juice to do some video editing as well as improved quality for the podcast. Learning Curve However there will be a bit of a learning curve since I can’t access all the data on the old Mac Pro currently. And you have to learn all new ins and outs of updated software, so no music in this podcast. Solving Problems At any rate the thing about problems is you get to solve them. Searchlight To I-40 Lastly coming back the way I came through Searchlight I happened upon on of my reference points in my travels. Truck Stop Time In other words a cluster of truck stops at I-40 and 95. Coupled with a new digital lease on life I had a chance to chill out to the sound of semis and reset my plans. In conclusion some of these plans are discussed in this podcast. More About This Next Podcast But I’ll talk more about the journey in my next podcast to celebrate four years as a nomad full time and start out the fifth year of travel. Sponsored by 36/Lyn The Independent Refueling Station Las Vegas-Joshua Tree-Bob Davis Podcast 1147

    27 min

  8. SEP 22

    Quartzsite-Bullseye-Bob Davis Podcast 1146

    Quartzsite Bullseye What’s a Quartzsite Bullseye. Check out Quartzsite-Bullseye-Bob Davis Podcast 1146 for all the details. But I’ll fill you in. Content Creators To begin with content creators thrive on active audiences that watch and listen to their content… And subscribe. Grateful Above all we are grateful for the listens, views and subscriptions. We’ll Take The Help In short anything that can help our fledgling channels grow. Active Audiences Significantly every now and then we stumble onto a small and active demographic which for some unknown reason our content “was made for”. Thousands Of Views The result can often be tens of thousands of views and a boon to all the other platforms we’re on. This just happened to me and if you want to see the video click here. This happened to me here in Quartzsite, Arizona this fall. Phenomenon So my code word for this phenomenon is “Quartzsite Bullseye”. Gangbusters On the other hand fleeting success suddenly changes to gangbusters. Surprising the content creator. The The Chase Begin Hence he or she begins to chase something called an algorithm. After that known as the carrot. Painting Oneself Into A Corner All of the sudden our content creator is sucked into painting himself into a corner… In the final analysis, with the same content over and over. Small Overall Audiences Because that kind of content gets views, shares, likes and subscriptions. All in all is this good for the content creator? No Thank You I’ll take the views. But in the long term I refuse to fall into that trap. Controversy In The Grand Canyon State In detail I’m down here in Arizona. Where in fact there is quite a controversy underway about a proposed fee increase of over 300 percent for seasonal fees to use Bureau Of Land Management Long Term Visitor Areas. Comments Furthermore as I watch this situation unfold let’s say I have fielded hundreds of comments as well, most of which haven’t been very enlightening. By all means this is discussed in Quartzsite-Bullseye-Bob Davis Podcast 1146. Nomad Life’s Deteriorating Condition Afterward we’ll talk about the state of nomad life. Sponsored by 36LYN Quartzsite-Bullseye-Bob Davis Podcast 1146

    36 min
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4.6
out of 5
125 Ratings

About

Nomad and Adventure Travel and society. A unique approach to sound and content creation.

Information

  • Creator
    Bob Davis
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2024
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2020 The Bob Davis Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Bob Davis Podcasts

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