
In a Remote Part of Utah, Life Alone in a Hangar (2012) - cpncrunch
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/garden/in-a-remote-part-of-utah-life-alone-in-a-hangar.html
======
gravypod
>Having being denied an exit visa, Mr Zdarsky decided to take matters into his
own hands and built his own plane; a hang glider with an engine from a car.

> On August 1984, he set off at 3am and made good his escape to Vienna where
> he requested political asylum.

That's one of the most impressive achievements I've ever heard in my life
time. It's like I've just read RMS' portfolio again. That's a huge stunt,
probably done on a budget, and it worked!

~~~
flohofwoe
Here's another story of a family escaping from Eastern Germany via a home-made
hot air balloon:
[https://www.ballonflucht.de/html/englisch.html](https://www.ballonflucht.de/html/englisch.html)

~~~
peckrob
This was also made into a movie called Night Crossing [0]. It's available for
streaming from a few places [1].

[0]
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Crossing](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Crossing)

[1]
[http://www.canistream.it/search/movie/Night%20crossing](http://www.canistream.it/search/movie/Night%20crossing)

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criddell
This reminds me of Peter Heller's "The Dog Stars". The setting is America
after some type of virus destroys civilization. The protagonist has a Cessna
and a dog and lives in a hangar. It's probably my favorite book that I read
last year. I think about it all the time.

~~~
teh_klev
Thanks for the recommendation, just ordered a copy.

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chrissnell
I've driven through Lucin a few times on my cross-country offroad adventures.
Here are some pictures of the area if you're interested:

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9047700186/in/album...](https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9047700186/in/album-72157634923143210/)

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9105660682/in/album...](https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9105660682/in/album-72157634923143210/)

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9045451327/in/album...](https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9045451327/in/album-72157634923143210/)

This one is quite sad. A pioneer baby died on 2 March 1878 and his parents
died the next day. Cholera?

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9047695750/in/album...](https://www.flickr.com/photos/defender90/9047695750/in/album-72157634923143210/)

~~~
Piskvorrr
Any of the host of easily-transmissible diseases, but probably cholera, yes.
"You have died of dysentery" didn't become _the_ meme of Oregon Trail for
nothing.

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michaelbuckbee
There are more pictures (though it looks like the same article syndicated) at:

[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123200/The-
ultimate...](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123200/The-ultimate-man-
cave-Stunning-aircraft-hangar-middle-Utah-desert-plane-designer-lives-plane--
guns.html)

~~~
laktak
actually there is a link in the story:

[http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/03/29/garden/20120329-...](http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/03/29/garden/20120329-UTAH.html)

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conjectures
I'm happy that there's still space for people like this in the world. I
wouldn't want to live his life, but I'm glad he's living it.

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pontifier
I live in Utah, and was just recently looking at land out there. I'm kind of
sick of the struggle for some breathing room to do anything interesting here
in Provo without having to ask permission from the city, and pay through the
nose for real estate... I'm probably just bitter about my recent interactions
with the mayor and zoning and the council, and whatnot...

I'd like to not have to care what my neighbors think about the things I'm
doing.

~~~
fizgig
When I lived in Utah, I owned some land. If you want cheap desert and
sagebrush, Iron / Millard / Box Elder Counties are good options. For treed,
remote, secluded parcels, check out Hamlin Valley if you have a sturdy 4x4.
Cheap desert can be be had in lots of places, like Modena and Delta.

Your limiting factor will be procuring water rights.

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irrational
I would think that he needs some insulation. Those thin metal walls can't do
much to keep out the cold in the winter.

~~~
gravypod
Being as far out as he is, he should just become a ham. Trust me, it gets
rather.... "warm" working next to some of the larger repeaters.

Don't warm your house! Warm you!

But yea, he probably did install some insulation. It would bake you alive on a
hot day if you sat in there with nothing.

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pmlnr
The title reminded me of Slick Henry from 'Mona Lisa Overdrive'.

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1024core
If you want to get an overhead view:
[https://goo.gl/maps/i3qrnhjnhoo](https://goo.gl/maps/i3qrnhjnhoo)

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percept
"There is a shotgun if the badgers get too close."

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elmar
Vertical take off planes, looks like the "Holy Grail" off personal flight,
everyone is after it.

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madengr
I like this guy.

