20. Has anybody else ever joined you?
Yes, a few have traveled or camped with me for periods of time, agreeing not to use any money. But none who have traveled or camped with me, so far, have actually given up all their money, with the exception of one, Jose, who camped & traveled with me for a few weeks without any money to his name.
The moneyless tribe
I first started traveling moneyless down the east coast 8 years ago with a Canadian named Lorelei. I probably wouldn't have had the courage to start living this way without her. She taught me how to dumpster dive, something I hadn't had the courage to try before. Now I can't imagine what I was afraid of. Lorelei also introduced me to Peace Pilgrim (who lived moneyless for nearly 30 years).
Lorelei & I had visions of becoming a moneyless migratory tribe, and another young woman, Ann, got infected with our vision and joined us. Later, an Englishman named Dom joined us. We traveled for a few months together. It was mostly bliss, though we had our ups & downs, of course. Our moneyless tribe eventually fizzled away as everything in the universe does.
Satya
A couple years later I encountered a wandering, houseless ordained Zen priest named Satya in Portland, Oregon when I was doing forest-defense work. We hit it off right away. It's not often you find somebody so devoted to a religious tradition that they actually practice it. Some time later, Satya and I hooked up again at a Zen hermitage in Marin County, California and then camped out together for a few months in the woods. Satya is still on his path, living houseless in Portland, though he no longer calls himself a Zen priest. He doesn't like to call himself anything, now. He teaches meditation, and often tai chi, for free in public parks. Not only does he offer his teachings for free, but he also cooks food at borrowed houses and serves it to his students after his classes, for free.
[Update: Satya and our mutual friends, Sara, Vlad, Prema, as well as Memo & Lindsay (whom I don't really know) started up a "temple" house in Portland. Read about it at Touching Earth Sangha]
Michael
I have an old friend Michael, who is now a nateuropathic physician, who has joined me off and on over the years. He stayed in a cave way up the canyon from mine for a full month (one moon phase to the next) & meditated. The last time he joined me was a couple years ago. We stayed in the desert south of Sedona, Arizona and ate mostly wild edibles for a couple weeks, and we meditated. We got damned thirsty for a stint, too. It was so much fun.
The Jesus Christians
In spring 2008, a group of 3 Christian kids (part of a movement called "Jesus Christians"), named Jesse, Grace, and Simon, joined me in Santa Cruz. At first, I was a bit wary hooking up with them, because my Christian ideas are universalist and I kept thinking they would be narrow-minded like most every "Christian" group I've dealt with. But I was happy to find that they were open-minded, willing to listen to and see the truth in all religions. In fact, listening to others is a central tenet of their practice. (This confirmed a hunch I've had, that any Christian who actually practices the teachings of Jesus cannot help but see the truth of other religions. Open-mindedness, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, is the very heart of Jesus' life & teachings, and without this heart there is no life. What passes for religion in the world has no heart).
They had a U-Haul-converted-to-an-RV they were traveling with, but were willing to ditch it for a while in San Jose to join me. I decided to ditch my backpack & sleepingbag, too, and we left on what they call a "faith walk", bringing only jackets. This is the first time I had ever traveled without a backpack. We walked, hitch-hiked, and mostly train-hopped from the Bay area to Portland, Oregon. We always found blankets & tarps, and of course food, when we needed them. When we reached Portland, we camped in the woods near the Willamette River. I felt extrememly happy and at home with them.
The bicycle caravan
In June 2008, I bicycled from Portland to western Wyoming to the Rainbow Gathering with 5 friends, Satya, Sara, Vlad, Peter, and Jose (Satya is the one I already mentioned, who camped with me in Marin County). My friends went virtually moneyless. I think Satya & Sara had bought a little grain from health food stores, and Peter might have bought something for his bike. This is when Jose told me by this time he had no money to his name. This was my first real long-distance bicycle trip, ever.
Renee & Zach
A handsome young couple, Renee and Zach, decided to join me in the woods by the Willamette River in Portland. They had zero money and stayed a night with me, but decided they were not ready. I think they were hoping to leave the city and go with me to the desert, but that wasn't going to happen for a good long time. I know just how they felt.
Julian
After I returned to Portland at the end of summer 2008, I met a young dude named Julian with anarchist leanings. Julian and I bicycled to Seattle & back to Portland. Then we bicycled from Portland to Arcata, California. Julian didn't use a cent of money our whole trip. We ate lots of nuts, wild shrubbery and delicious roadkill (squirrels & deer), as well as the usual dumpster dining.
James
James joined me for a couple weeks in the Summer of 2009 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He started teaching me Tai Chi in the forest by the Rio Grande and opened my eyes to some of its deep mysteries. We then hitch-hiked to Las Cruces.
Cody
Cody hitch-hiked into Moab and stayed with me a couple weeks, camping in both in the canyon and in the woods near town, as well as staying over at friends' houses. I must admit I fell crazy in love with Cody, but he was already taken.
Yolanda
Yolanda came up from the south and stayed with me a while in the winter of 2010, house-sitting with me a while, talking about the philosophy of living moneyless and the spiritual path, & getting to know my circle of friends. I sort of felt like I had acquired a daughter in her.
Braedyn
Braedyn came down from Canada and stayed with me for just a week or so at a house-sit, and had to return due to a family emergency.
Roy
Roy probably has been the most hard-core. He came from Los Angeles and stayed with me off and on for a couple months. In between times, he decided to go on his own on a solo hitch-hiking adventure to the east coast and back, completely without money.