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00:00Do you trust me?
00:01Do you trust me?
00:02And we're off.
00:04Imagine starting your life all over again.
00:06Where is Ben?
00:08I'm needed.
00:08Ben, you're needed.
00:10Leaving behind everything you know.
00:12Just a bicycle, suitcase, no money.
00:15That's all I had.
00:16For something completely different.
00:18Number nine, let me take this off.
00:20Number nine, number nine, number nine.
00:22I'm Ben Fogel, and over the next few weeks,
00:25I'm going to live with the incredible people who've done just that.
00:29I'm a born fighter, and that's what I do get a kick out of.
00:33For a long time, I thought I was stupid.
00:36But I'm a good salesperson, and I'm selling this mountain hard.
00:40In some of the most remote places on Earth.
00:43There is no restaurants, there is no bars, there is no nothing.
00:47You know, we didn't think that we were going to come up here
00:49and not see humans for three to four months at a time.
00:52And see what it takes to live a new life in the wild.
01:00That is a quick way to take down a tree.
01:08This week, I'm meeting Randalin.
01:10Do you love animals?
01:12Yes, my boy.
01:13An intriguing wild woman on a perpetual journey across America.
01:17I am charting unknown territories.
01:20This will be the first time on my wild adventures
01:23that I'll be walking the open road myself.
01:25Good boy.
01:27Where I'll learn how Randalin has tailor-made her bespoke nomadic life.
01:30So this is green living quarters.
01:32And I sleep in here.
01:34Wow.
01:35While also experiencing the perils that come with it.
01:39You know, I've done some dangerous stuff.
01:42This is ridiculous.
01:50I'm venturing nearly 4,500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean
01:55to the landlocked state of Missouri.
02:00Like many of its neighbours, Missouri is a land of striking contrasts,
02:05bustling cities set against vast wilderness.
02:11It's a big state, roughly the size of England and Wales combined.
02:15But while those countries pack in around 1,000 people to every square mile,
02:20here it's closer to 90 per square mile,
02:24leaving plenty of space to live as you like.
02:31This is the moment at which I start to get a little bit nervous
02:34because I'm just on the cusp, on the boundary of entering her world.
02:39I know very little about Randalin.
02:41All I know is that she lives a nomadic life.
02:45Over the years, I've visited people that live in camper vans,
02:48cars, lorries, buses, canal boats.
02:52So I'm anticipating her to have some mode of transport.
02:57But what that is, I have no idea.
03:02Expect the unexpected.
03:04That's what I've learnt.
03:06My instructions are to follow this road
03:09and then onto a path that leads into a woodland
03:13where Randalin is parked up.
03:21This has to be her.
03:24Randalin?
03:26Hello.
03:29Wow.
03:31Hi, Randalin.
03:32Hello.
03:33I'm Ben. So nice to meet you.
03:34Nice to meet you.
03:35Who's this?
03:36This is Pandora.
03:38Hi, Pandora.
03:38She's kind of the welcome committee around here.
03:41Wow.
03:42I don't really know where to be.
03:43There's no one.
03:43Who's this?
03:44So this is Roadhouse.
03:46He gets friendlier the more you touch him.
03:49Before you know it, he'll be following you around.
03:51Oh, so sweet.
03:52Can I have a little look around your camp?
03:54Yes, yes, sir.
03:5940-year-old Randalin grew up in suburban Missouri.
04:03After college, she worked in a number of jobs
04:06while raising her three children.
04:08But when they eventually flew the nest,
04:11Randalin felt lost.
04:12Unsure of what came next,
04:15she decided to simply walk.
04:17Across the country,
04:18with no fixed destination in mind.
04:21Five years on from that life-changing decision,
04:23she's still on the move,
04:25but with a donkey-pulled wagon.
04:27Among other things...
04:34This is quite something.
04:36So, Helen, have we got pigeons in here?
04:38Yes, there's pigeons all over, really.
04:42Friends?
04:43Friends and food.
04:44Friends and food.
04:47So, you've talked me through all of this.
04:49This is amazing.
04:49It's so colorful.
04:50It's a little bit messy today.
04:51We've had a lot of rain this week.
04:53Yeah.
04:53But I actually sleep in here.
04:56Everything goes in here while we're moving.
04:59This is kind of how I've started to give myself
05:01a little freedom away from debt
05:03and, you know, the crazy world
05:06that everybody's living in.
05:09It might be crazy out there,
05:11but right now,
05:12I'm trying to make sense of this reality.
05:15Dogs, chickens, pigeons, donkeys.
05:21So, this is your main...
05:23Main living quarters, too.
05:24Oh, there's another dog in here.
05:26Yeah, I have six dogs.
05:27Six dogs.
05:28Who's guarding your bed right now?
05:30This is Blessin.
05:30She's a little shy,
05:31but she's the wagon guardian.
05:33She was born to the wagon life.
05:35She keeps anybody out of the way.
05:37And we have another little chihuahua there.
05:39He loves everyone.
05:40That's Emilio.
05:41Yeah.
05:42Wood-burning stove,
05:43is that where you cook?
05:44Yes.
05:44Or is that just for heating?
05:45For heating, it's for cooking.
05:47I also have a grill and things like that.
05:50A little outdoor camp.
05:51Yes, sir.
05:52So, I can see kitchen, bedroom, storage, bathroom.
05:57It kind of depends.
05:59Sometimes...
06:01Or just putting a tarp around the base of the wagon,
06:04going under there.
06:05You just got to get creative.
06:09Randalin lives with very few modern conveniences,
06:12except for a mobile phone
06:14and a solar charger that keep her connected.
06:18How would you describe this and your lifestyle?
06:22Basically, a modern-day pioneer, I'd say.
06:25Very simple living and charting unknown territories
06:28and seeing what's out there.
06:35Wow.
06:39I have so many questions,
06:42but it's more about logistics, really,
06:46because I've never really seen this kind of setup.
06:49It's kind of a cross between a pioneer
06:51and a gypsy lifestyle in the UK.
06:56And what I can't even begin to imagine
06:59is how she moves all of this
07:03on sometimes a daily basis.
07:10You obviously love animals.
07:12Yes, yes.
07:13He's my boy.
07:15See, I do all the work.
07:16I couldn't do it without me.
07:18I carry all this stuff.
07:19He's loving that.
07:21I know you don't ever have a particular plan,
07:23so I'm always wary of being that person
07:26who says, what are we going to do now?
07:28Well, so we've got to do dinner tonight.
07:31Yeah.
07:32And that involves, unfortunately, pigeons.
07:34Mm-hmm.
07:35I think I might leave you to the dispatching yourself.
07:38Oh, I understand.
07:39While I still eat meat,
07:40I think it's more ethical
07:41than just going to the grocery store.
07:44And yeah, you never have to look at it
07:46and you don't have to face it,
07:47but are you putting other things through a hard life
07:51so that you can feel better about something?
07:54That's where I'm at with it.
07:55So I try to make sure I'm aware of what I'm eating
07:59and how it's living, if I can.
08:03I don't eat much meat these days,
08:06but I admire how Randalline takes responsibility
08:09for the animals she consumes,
08:11while also sourcing birds that have been raised outdoors.
08:15OK.
08:17Hi, baby.
08:18Who taught you how to dispatch of a pigeon?
08:21No one.
08:21I learned 13 years ago
08:24how to butcher a chicken from YouTube.
08:30And so I've found the fastest way
08:33is usually to just cut their heads off.
08:36It's a lot less suffering.
08:38I don't want them to suffer is my main thing.
08:42Do you remember the first time you did it?
08:45Yeah, you remember every time you do it.
08:53I would offer to help,
08:55but I think I'll be more of a hindrance.
08:56You're making fast work of these birds.
08:59Yeah, they're not too hard to process.
09:02I'm beginning to understand
09:03by dragging the little carts with your pigeons,
09:08that's your form of refrigeration,
09:10keeping them alive.
09:11Yes.
09:12And just dispatching them when you need them.
09:16Yes.
09:20It's good.
09:22The older I get,
09:24the more squeamish I've become about killing animals.
09:27But there's an undeniably organic feel
09:30to the lifestyle Randalline has created.
09:34There you go.
09:37Pandora, can I sit on your seat for a little bit?
09:40This looks incredible.
09:43Smell is amazing.
09:52Wow.
09:54It's really good.
09:57Is cooking something you actually enjoy?
09:59Yes, I do.
10:00I like to cook for people especially.
10:02Honestly, when it's just me,
10:03I eat snack foods a lot.
10:06Or I cook a meal,
10:07but it lasts me like three days.
10:09As much as I'm busy,
10:11especially when I move every day,
10:14but I've tried to make a system
10:15to where I can kind of enjoy
10:16a little bit of time.
10:20Because the whole point of this lifestyle
10:22is to slow down.
10:30This is definitely not what I was anticipating.
10:36She's very philosophical and thoughtful,
10:40and she is a very chilled individual
10:44that I feel really comfortable around.
10:46But I don't think anything can quite prepare you
10:49for how unusual her choice of lifestyle is.
11:06It's my first morning
11:08in the woodlands of Missouri.
11:10Morning, donkeys.
11:12Hello.
11:13I'm here with Randall Lynn,
11:15a self-professed modern-day pioneer.
11:17Good morning.
11:18Who roams the country
11:19with an assortment of wagons and animals.
11:22Hi, Randall Lynn.
11:25Hello.
11:25Oh, look at that.
11:27How many dogs have you got in there with you?
11:29Oh, the puppies.
11:30Say hi, Amelia.
11:32Would you like some coffee?
11:33I'd love some coffee.
11:34Awesome.
11:35So cool.
11:36I love this.
11:37It's kind of like from a children's book, almost.
11:41It's kind of picture-
11:42Oh, look at this.
11:43Randall Lynn.
11:44I love you.
11:45This is amazing.
11:48We're packing up and moving on today,
11:50but before any of that,
11:52it's feeding time.
11:55They say they're ready to eat, too.
11:57Yeah, everyone's ready to eat.
12:01Chickens, I'm not sure that that is your food.
12:05This is for the puppies.
12:07Hello.
12:08Hello.
12:09Good morning.
12:10Come and have that over there.
12:11There you go.
12:11In the morning, it's pretty much a ruckus.
12:16This is one of your big expenses, is it?
12:19Yeah, my biggest expenses are feed and phone.
12:22Probably $60 to $70 a month for dog food
12:27and maybe $40 for the chicken food and pigeon food.
12:31Randall Lynn pays for this and any other costs
12:34by making leather goods, which she sells on her travels.
12:38Do you enjoy the responsibility of looking after so many animals?
12:42Most of the time.
12:43When does it get on top of you?
12:46In the winter, I worry a little more, you know,
12:48with weather and temperatures.
12:49Even people in houses lose animals, you know.
12:52It often drops well below freezing in this part of America.
12:55Three contented donkeys.
12:57So it's easy to see how caring for the animals
12:59she relies on for company and sustenance
13:01could weigh on Randall Lynn's mind.
13:05It makes me curious about why she chose to live like this
13:08in the first place.
13:11So have you ever had a kind of conventional job?
13:14Yeah, I spent my early years as a house person.
13:23I've been a veterinary technician, machine operator
13:27and an aircraft mechanic.
13:29So when you say veterinary technician, I see that.
13:32You love animals.
13:33Yeah.
13:34But an aircraft technician, highly sophisticated, complex work?
13:40Yes.
13:41I find that hard to see you in that environment.
13:44It was a different life.
13:47And in an aircraft industry, it was mainly,
13:50I was always skilled with my hands and figuring things out.
13:53So it was a stark contrast.
13:55But I've used that lifestyle a lot
13:58to help make this lifestyle possible.
14:01It's what gave me the ability to, like, build wagons, for instance.
14:04But despite the fact that I was excelling in my job,
14:07I struggled a lot with the pressures of, you know, providing for children,
14:12not being home as much as I'd been when they were really little,
14:16and just not feeling like I was giving, you know, my children and my farm adequate time.
14:24And I decided in late 2014, I just didn't want to keep chasing the rat race.
14:32My son had moved out.
14:34He had come to age and wanted to go out and be a man.
14:37And you have to kind of step back and let them do that as a parent.
14:42As much as I wasn't really fond of it, you know, you can't hold them back.
14:47So empty nest syndrome kind of got me.
14:51I'm not quite there yet, but my kids are just a few years away,
14:55and I'm already dreading it.
14:57Yeah, it's hard.
14:59That's kind of part of what sent me into travelling.
15:03You know, when your kids come of age,
15:05and your entire world's been kind of centred on them
15:08and trying to make a life for them,
15:11and then you're like, wait, who am I?
15:14What have I been doing for the last 20 years?
15:16Do I even know anymore?
15:18And I woke up one morning,
15:22and I just, I couldn't handle it anymore.
15:26So that's kind of the day that I decided I was going to do this.
15:31I didn't really have a plan at all.
15:34And got dropped off in a Walmart parking lot,
15:38about 30 miles from where I was,
15:40with my dogs and a garden cart.
15:44I didn't even have a tent, just a couple tarps and a sleeping bag.
15:48And the world was an open place,
15:51and I had nothing left behind me.
15:54And you kind of just look forward to what can happen.
15:57How far did you make it on that first day?
16:00Two, maybe three miles.
16:02And where did you stay?
16:04In a ditch, between the highway and a sawmill.
16:08Literally in a ditch?
16:09Yeah.
16:12You know, one of my family was trying to figure out, what are you doing?
16:14One of my aunts just asked, you know,
16:17when was the last time you did something for yourself?
16:19And I was like, when I was six, in my stick fort.
16:25This camp, this is your stick fort.
16:29This is my stick fort.
16:33She's such a complex individual.
16:38So kind of thoughtful and philosophical and full of surprises.
16:43I always try not to judge a book by its cover,
16:46but she surprised me that she worked as an aircraft mechanic.
16:52The empty nest syndrome was obviously huge,
16:55but I think it's all about how you cope with the pressures of modern life
17:00that distinguish us one from the other.
17:03And I've met a number of people who have tried to kind of cure
17:09or treat a period of confusion with nomadism,
17:15and she was able to embrace this extraordinary lifestyle.
17:19Oh, good boy.
17:24Randalin visits her three adult children whenever she can.
17:28But with winter fast approaching,
17:30she's eager to head south.
17:33It's a bit different to packing up the car
17:36with my children and dogs and things.
17:38Everything must slot into these wagons.
17:41Just set it right here on top of that feed there.
17:43Make sure I get all the kitchen beds.
17:45Somehow.
17:46You can get the puppies.
17:51And can you go inside?
17:52Oh, will you come out?
17:53Come on.
17:58Yes.
17:59So we've got one donkey at the front.
18:01Uh-huh.
18:02Where are the other two donkeys at the side?
18:03The next donkey's going to go here.
18:04Yeah.
18:05And the next donkey's going to go back here.
18:07Yeah.
18:07And then we're going to have a dog back here, and then the other dog runs loose, and then
18:15the little ones all go inside.
18:17You're giving me heart palpitations.
18:20What about the rocking chair?
18:21Should I bring it over?
18:22Yes.
18:24We're going to slip these two under here.
18:26Like that?
18:27Yeah.
18:28Yes.
18:29There we go.
18:29You don't sit on this, do you?
18:30No.
18:33All the animals are in place.
18:36And suddenly, it clicks.
18:40It's an impressive set-up, but there's still one piece of the jigsaw missing.
18:45That looks like everything but the pigeon coop.
18:49Yes.
18:50I'm going to have to have you probably help me with that one.
18:53OK.
18:54It's a new addition and going down a steep hill.
18:56Am I being a donkey?
18:57Yeah.
18:59Everybody works around here.
19:01I'm very happy to do that, but if I wasn't with you, what would you do?
19:03I'd wait until somebody would come to help me.
19:05Oh, would you really?
19:06Yeah.
19:06You just got to humble yourself sometimes.
19:08I haven't seen many people passing through here.
19:10That could be a long wait.
19:11Yeah.
19:12It could.
19:13I might call somebody I know in the area.
19:15I meet people.
19:16You'd be surprised.
19:18There are lots of people in the UK that dislike donkeys being used for any sort of manual work.
19:25Yeah.
19:26Everybody's different.
19:27Not, say, all donkeys like to work, but this particular donkey likes his job.
19:32And I know what signs to look for when something's too much.
19:36I wouldn't want to put him through anything I wouldn't want to go through.
19:40We about ready?
19:42OK.
19:43Wagons loaded.
19:45Animals attached.
19:47Pigeon coo puller in place.
19:49Forward.
19:49Forward.
19:49Let's roll.
19:51It's time to hit the open road.
19:55Good boy.
20:00Good.
20:01Donk, donk, donk, donk, donk.
20:06Easy forward.
20:08Come on.
20:10Trot, trot.
20:12Come on.
20:14Come on.
20:15You got this, bud.
20:16Come on.
20:24It's quite something.
20:26Cars coming past, slightly incredulous.
20:30They know quite what has hit them.
20:33I think I've seen a vision of my next few days pulling pigeons.
20:40Who'd have thought that, eh?
20:43But Randalin's kind of reading the road.
20:46And it feels like we're kind of getting into a bit of a zone.
20:55We'll be off these back roads soon, buddy.
20:59It's like crossing Antarctica, but with pigeons.
21:05Good job.
21:07You got it.
21:08You got it.
21:10The longer we walk, the more I settle into the rhythm.
21:14I've always found walking meditative.
21:18I've just never done it quite like this before.
21:28We've been walking along quiet back roads for about two hours.
21:32Easy.
21:33But the traffic is starting to pick up.
21:37So many things going through my mind right now.
21:40One of which is that I didn't have pulling a cast of pigeons on my bingo card today.
21:46Good boy, Rhodey.
21:47I don't really like eating pigeons.
21:49Penny, back up.
21:49I don't like petting pigeons.
21:51I don't like killing pigeons.
21:54No.
21:55And yet I'm dragging them up a US highway behind a little caravan of donkeys and dogs.
22:03Wow.
22:07Don't do this at home, boys and girls.
22:09Come on, man.
22:11Come on, man.
22:11But just when I thought nothing could surprise me...
22:14Thanks.
22:15...Randalin turns to go onto the actual highway.
22:19I can't stop the convoy in the middle of the road to question the route.
22:22So I'm just following and trusting Randalin.
22:28So this is the slipway onto the highway.
22:32Cars behind us.
22:34Trucks going.
22:36Just when I thought I'd seen it all.
22:40We're going to go until I find somewhere wide enough to pull off.
22:43OK.
22:44Forward.
22:46Penny, back up. Come here.
22:47Mom needs you.
22:48Oh, Randalin.
22:52Randalin!
22:53One of the dogs is off.
22:55Whoa!
22:57Hey, whoa, Stan.
22:58Hey, Freda.
22:59Freda, come.
23:01I see. Yeah, her clip broke.
23:03You take this and I'll go get it.
23:06OK.
23:08So we're on a slipway.
23:13There's a big truck coming.
23:16All right.
23:17You good?
23:18Yeah.
23:19Big truck coming.
23:27I can't quite believe how calm Randalin and animals are.
23:32Penny, come on.
23:33I have a friend who was struck and nearly killed on the side of an American highway.
23:39Come on.
23:40So for me, the danger just feels uncomfortably close.
23:48You know, I've done some dangerous stuff.
23:51This is ridiculous.
23:54Along a highway.
23:58I'm really torn because I really admire what she's doing.
24:02But this just seems ridiculous.
24:07And then I suppose the thing about Randalin is that she's trying to live in the past or in the
24:16future.
24:18And, uh, wow.
24:26For one of the first times in my life, it feels a bit too much, really.
24:33Ben, it's closing in fast.
24:35I'm just going to try to pull over here soon.
24:38To this next exit.
24:40OK.
24:41The next exit is about half a mile away.
24:46But before we can even reach it, we're stopped.
24:54Stand!
25:13Not your typical, uh, early morning camping view.
25:18I've just spent the night in a tent outside a gas station in Missouri.
25:27Last night was nuts.
25:29Walking along the highway.
25:31Rush hour.
25:33Trucks whooshing past just feet from us.
25:37And then a police car came along.
25:40I thought that was it.
25:41I was going to end up in a cell.
25:43And a big cheery face went,
25:45Is everything OK?
25:47Can I help?
25:48Do you need anything?
25:49And he basically just offered just to keep an eye on us just while we walked that final distance.
25:55Until we got off the highway.
25:58It's just bizarre.
25:59That's the only way to describe this life.
26:01Because yesterday I saw the very wild side of, uh, Randalin's life.
26:08In that slightly idyllic setting.
26:10Now I am in a drainage ditch not probably dissimilar to where she spent her first night.
26:17I thought I'd seen it all till last night, that's for sure.
26:22Morning, Randalin.
26:25Knock, knock.
26:26Good morning.
26:27Hey, how you doing?
26:28I'm doing all right.
26:29Is it nice and warm in there?
26:31Yeah.
26:34I'm fascinated by our interaction with the police, because I'm not going to lie, I saw a police cell.
26:41No, I've never been arrested. I've been doing this five years. So that's, no, typically they're there to help.
26:47So what's your legal right with a...
26:49Well, so the U.S. Constitution kind of protects the right for equine travel, that's kind of how this country
26:56was founded.
26:57But you go 15 miles that way, there's quite a heavy Amish population.
27:02So generally people kind of know how to drive around wagons in this area.
27:07It felt quite vulnerable out there.
27:10Well, if you're not used to it, you know, sometimes perspective is just something that's different for different people.
27:18To me, vehicles aren't all that safe of an answer either.
27:22But I'm kind of going two miles an hour in something that people don't see every day.
27:27So they're a little more aware of me on the road, because not only is it a wagon, but this
27:33is a very bright one.
27:34So what's the plan today? More highway?
27:36Yeah, we're going to be just going down a stretch of highway, probably find somewhere to park off the side
27:41of it.
27:41Let's get going.
27:43Yeah, it'll help us warm up.
27:44Yeah.
27:47There's a lot less to pack up this morning.
27:50And it isn't long before we're back on the road.
27:55Today we're doing about nine miles along here.
27:59It's not quite the rush hour of yesterday.
28:03But it's noisy, bits of gravel get flicked up.
28:09And we've got cars and trucks travelling at the national speed limit out here.
28:16I don't think I'll ever shake the inherent danger of travelling like this.
28:20But the longer we keep going, the more a kind of pace and momentum settles in.
28:27As Randalin said, maybe I just need to get used to it.
28:35And yet, it doesn't take long before I'm brought sharply back to earth with a bump.
28:43We've now got a car on the hard shoulder just ahead of us.
28:46I don't know what Randalin's going to do.
28:47Whether she's just going to edge out into the road or try to get the car to move.
28:54These are the really, really dangerous moments.
29:02The car is abandoned, so we've no choice.
29:06We have to go into the road and around it.
29:09Ready? Let's roll!
29:11Let's roll!
29:15Oh, my God.
29:17My heart is racing.
29:22Wow. It's dangerous.
29:26Incredibly foolhardy.
29:28But this is what Randalin does.
29:32We stop for a break.
29:34And a moment for me to settle myself.
29:37Is this a typical, typical day?
29:40Yeah, pretty much.
29:42You don't get scared?
29:43No.
29:45I find it quite nerve-wracking, but I'm trusting you.
29:48I don't trust the drivers, though.
29:51I do? It's a good point.
29:54It is a good point.
29:57Randalin, you're challenging me and testing me today.
30:03We carry on.
30:06Shoveling roadkill out of the way as we go.
30:09Until we finally reach a stretch with enough space for all the animals and wagons to pull aside.
30:16The process of unpacking and feeding starts all over again.
30:20But thankfully, Randalin seems happy to stay put here for the next couple of days.
30:25What percentage of your movement is on highways like this?
30:29For this season, it's going to be a lot because we're trying to get south and we're trying to get
30:35there quick.
30:35I still find it difficult to find enjoyment as big trucks and lorries are going past.
30:43Yeah.
30:44I've gotten to where I kind of zone out all this.
30:48It's kind of like when you live in the city and you've got to get used to all the noise.
30:52This is the only city I live in.
30:55Randalin has compared this way of life to the Amish, who live nearby.
31:00But while they're part of a community, she's doing this entirely on her own.
31:06Having spent a little bit of time walking with you, it feels like this would be easier with someone else.
31:12It would definitely be easier with someone else. It's a lot of work by myself.
31:18Do you enjoy the company of others?
31:20I do. When I originally got started, I was much more of an introvert.
31:27Why is it, do you think, that you felt introverted or shy?
31:32Um, I had had some things happen in my childhood.
31:39And, uh, it was, you know, something that had happened while I was in childcare.
31:45One of those things, you know, that we all wished never to happen to our children.
31:52I'm sorry.
31:55I'm sorry that happened to you.
31:58Do you, do you talk about it? Have you talked about it?
32:01You know, I've talked to quite a few people about it over the years.
32:04But when I travel, it's, you know, I'm sometimes kind of a therapy for people.
32:10They'll tell me things they don't tell other people, you know.
32:18Sorry.
32:19Don't worry. Why, is that the emotion, the emotion?
32:22The emotion attached with another person being hurt almost hurts me more sometimes
32:26thinking about the things people go through.
32:28Does that make it worth it for you, knowing that they can open up to you?
32:33Well, and a lot of people really feel they can open up, and so it gives them a shoulder to
32:39cry on.
32:41A big part of my journey has become being there for a lot of people.
32:46I'm just there to give them a hug and have somebody to listen to them.
32:50I try not to give too much advice.
32:54Do I get a roadside hug?
32:56Yes.
33:01Perpetual movement is one of the great healers.
33:05Not many people are talking about it, because it's quite a complicated way to choose to live.
33:12Most of us need bricks and mortar. We need stability in our lives.
33:17But there are plenty of people here in the United States and all around the world who have been able
33:23to escape,
33:25break the manacles of an unhappy life and find happiness.
33:33I think what's really beautiful about Randalin's story is that what started as necessity has now become pure lifestyle.
33:44I've got a pretty good idea there might be some over here looking at some of these trees.
33:50These things?
33:51Yeah. Yeah, actually that's exactly what it is.
33:54So these are hickory nuts here, and these are a really sweet nut that have a lot of different uses.
34:00Somewhat like a walnut.
34:02Is foraging a big part of your life?
34:05I'd say over the years I've gotten maybe a little more wild, or some people say feral.
34:10It's hard to go back to some societal norms when you've spent this much time just kind of living in
34:18your own authenticity.
34:20I'd say you are pretty wild. Is there another level to go though?
34:23Definitely. I'd like to see this go more primitive a little bit.
34:27That's the optimal goal.
34:38They're small pieces but they're really tasty and it doesn't take much to add to many meals.
34:44Yeah.
34:45Do you like thinking back to how people once lived and did stuff?
34:49I really do because I think it's important to like who we are as humans to go back sometimes
34:56because with so much convenience we forget how to use our brains and do things.
35:02You know, this like teaches me how to go slower.
35:07To slow down, to not just bust through everything, you know, and just focus.
35:14People do a lot of things and they're just reactionary.
35:18They're not really paying attention.
35:21Taking it all in.
35:24I'm wondering about your lifestyle though generally.
35:27Are you a prisoner to this lifestyle now? Is there any way back?
35:32Well, I could sell all these things and probably buy a really nice car.
35:37Maybe get into an apartment.
35:40But...
35:42I don't see that happening anytime soon.
35:45Could you stop travelling and talking to people that easily?
35:49It'd be really hard to just go home and sit in an office, wouldn't it?
35:54It's a very...
35:55You'd be like, nah.
36:04So do you think maybe you're kind of starting to get an understanding of why I choose to do this?
36:10Randalyn, I guess almost every aspect of your lifestyle.
36:15I think the thing I still find quite hard is that almost everything you do is like dream lifestyle in
36:24my book.
36:24The only thing that I'm still struggling with is this, that we're on the side of a highway.
36:31But what I do understand is that it's a means to an end.
36:35That if you want to live this lifestyle and be able to find land to graze your animals, you're limited
36:40to the land on which you are permitted.
36:44Public or I'm permitted.
36:45So I do get it, but I still...
36:49I'm still going to worry about you. Sorry.
36:51I've got a lot of moms all over the country.
36:54A lot of little old ladies worried about me.
36:57Well, you can now add a 52-year-old Brit on the worry list.
37:02We'll all be back at our homes worrying about you, but maybe the karma of all that worry will keep
37:07you safe.
37:19I'm in Missouri, learning how Randalyn does everyday tasks, while parked up on the side of a highway.
37:28I put the water on the boil like you asked. What are we cooking this time?
37:34We're not cooking. You kind of look like you need to wash up, honestly.
37:38Well, this is bent night clay.
37:40Yeah.
37:41I don't use shampoo or any of those things. They're bad for the environment and people.
37:45You use clay.
37:46Yes. It's a powderized clay.
37:48So you're just going to dust this in your hair while it's dry.
37:52And then you're just going to simply rinse it out. And that's all.
37:55This is how, like, native and indigenous tribes have been doing it for thousands of years.
37:59They take clay, wash their hair. It's a normal thing.
38:03I imagine they weren't doing it on the side of a highway with tons of cars streaming past.
38:08You got to get the experience.
38:09Yeah, this is. So if you have to actually wash, would you say that's one of the hardest things about
38:15being on the road?
38:16Yes and no. Honestly, there's a lot of friendly people. And, you know, if I just say I don't want
38:22to be a dirty person, most people are happy to have me not smell, I think.
38:25Are you saying people will invite you to use their bathrooms, their showers?
38:30Yes. Yes, I've actually been in thousands of bathrooms across the country.
38:33That really shows the generosity of people.
38:36Yeah.
38:38I've found Randalyn to be very softly spoken at times.
38:41Are you going to do the honours?
38:42Yes, sir.
38:43But being welcomed into so many people's homes tells me she's a lot more outgoing than her reserved nature might
38:49suggest.
38:51So that's clay.
38:52Ooh, there's loads of it.
38:54Powder, it's not really a lot. That was less than a teaspoon. It's just very, very fine.
38:59Yeah, and you'll just rinse your hair off.
39:01Just rinse it off?
39:02Mm-hmm.
39:04Just rinse it out.
39:05Is the clay not going to set in my hair?
39:07No, that's why you're going to rinse it.
39:09It's a little too cold to strip off for a full wash.
39:12Not that I'd want to in a place this exposed.
39:22Even making leather pouches to sell is something Randalyn has to do under the gaze of passing drivers.
39:29I carry some of these dyes and things. That's what I made the little flower with here.
39:34That's clever. So you just push that onto the leather.
39:36You take it and you'll just...
39:38That's clever.
39:38Hammer it.
39:39And you've got to make sure you hammer it real good around because this kind of wiggles.
39:43With so much of her life on show, I can't help wondering what her family think of all this.
39:49I'm curious to know a little bit more about your children.
39:54What do they make of your lifestyle?
39:58Well, mom is eccentric, they'd probably say.
40:02What's your relationship with them now?
40:05Um, I'm pretty close with them.
40:08What did the kids think when you first moved away five years ago?
40:12Were they resentful?
40:14They weren't really too upset because anytime they wanted me to come back, I come back.
40:19They know they can call on me.
40:21They come to me with their things they can't tell everyone else, you know.
40:25Could you ever imagine a time when any of your kids might embrace a lifestyle like yours now?
40:32Um, well, not too long ago, my youngest daughter actually asked me how much a tiny home would cost to
40:38build.
40:38And then my middle daughter has been more cautious of what she's eating and what she's taking in.
40:45And so I'd say they've definitely had a lot of good things come from it.
40:49It's just, in the day and age we live in, things like that are kind of ostracized and people don't
40:55understand it.
40:56And so it's just taken a while for everybody to see that I wasn't going to kill myself.
41:04I wasn't going to, you know, they imagined me being eaten in the woods by a bear or, you know,
41:09when I first started traveling the highway.
41:12I didn't come from a farm background. I was a girl from the suburbs.
41:18So when I first said I was getting driving horses and donkeys and different things, they were like,
41:26what are you doing?
41:27But I've not had any big incidents.
41:32Whether or not people agree with the risks Randalyn takes, I do know there are very few who could continually
41:39do what she does.
41:42Myself included.
41:44Verdicts? They're all a bit wonky, but I've done that on purpose.
41:47It looks great. Yeah?
41:51And I've no doubt that there's still a lot more to discover about my nomadic friend.
41:57After all, I've only walked a few miles on the highway of her remarkable life.
42:05This is a one-off.
42:07And it's an extraordinary world to spend a bit of time in because everything's going on around us.
42:14But for these few days, I've been in Randalyn's world.
42:20It's all about the journey. There is no destination.
42:24She's just trying to make the most of every single step that she and her animals take.
42:32And there's something really admirable about that.
42:37This is not for everyone.
42:39But there are other people who may have experienced some of the same things that Randalyn has experienced.
42:47Maybe other people that have experienced the empty nest syndrome who are feeling that their lives are a little bit
42:54empty.
42:56I might not recommend you take to the motorways, but maybe you just want to shake up your life a
43:03little bit like Randalyn.
43:08Randalyn is calling in a friend to help haul the spare wagon until her other donkey's trained up.
43:14Goodbye, my loves. Look after yourselves. Stay safe.
43:18Which means, for now, my days of dragging pigeons across Missouri have come to an end.
43:24Oh, Pandora. Goodbye. Look after yourself.
43:30Randalyn.
43:32So nice to meet you then.
43:34I'm not going to be forgetting this in a rush.
43:36Yeah, I don't imagine so.
43:38This has been an unforgettable experience.
43:41Look after yourself. I don't need to say that, so I hope that doesn't sound condescending.
43:45And keep doing what you're doing. You are an inspiring individual.
43:50Maybe I'll bump into you on some highway in the future, yeah?
43:54I'll look out for the legendary Randalyn.
43:56It'd be nice. I'd like to see you again someday.
43:59Something tells me this is not the last time we'll meet.
44:02Is Emilio there?
44:03Yes. Emilio!
44:05Bye, Emilio. Keep an eye on her.
44:10Take care.
44:11Bye.
44:20A place of pilgrimage for nomads on this side of the pond is Stonehenge,
44:25and we've Secrets of the New Stone, brand new, next Tuesday at 9.
44:29And there's more off-grid adventures from all over the planet.
44:33Pick anywhere on a map and stream Ben Fogel New Lives in the Wild now on 5.
44:37Drama next as The Curfew continues.
44:40.
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