I have hit one of life's big moments of transition and I need to destress from the past and plan my future.

I would recommend Northern Ontario but it is getting cold there now and is very costly to get to unless you are driving. Still it's killer beautiful this time of year.

Do you mind listing a price range? There are places in/near the Sierra that I could recommend, if I knew what "cheap" meant. Also, necessary amenities?

As for price, I get disability from Social Security, so dirt cheap, but I don't want much.

Amenities, I need a ride in and a ride out. Hand-pumped water would be nice or I could just haul it in. Electric is not necessary. A woodstove would be handy, but I'll settle for a fire pit outside. Think hunting shack -- the roof probably leaks.

I once read a story of John Sebastian needing to get away from shit after leaving Strawberry Alarm Clock. He pitched a tent out on Jerry Garcia's ranch for a few weeks with just his guitar, fruit, vegetables and water. I used to do that when I was a kid, and now I want to do it again, not necessarily in a tent but I haven't ruled that out either.

All I plan to do is play guitar and write for a month. No internet, tv, radio, phones or newspapers.

a_h: My family went somewhere near Sudbury three summers in a row for fishing. The lakes there are so pure. I don't think I can afford to make that trip right now, but yeah, otherwise that would be perfect.

For how long? It sounds like Kerouac in a fire look out, which i hear was not good for him.

Gee, there were these cute little cabins in or near Oxford, Ohio, of all places, for about $200 a month, with heat, electricity, running water (of course, that was fifteen years ago; who knows, it could be a mall now). But I used to fantasize about hiding out there for awhile. I just tried googling, though, and I couldn't pinpoint it. It's a lovely little college town, Oxford, Ohio, where Miami University of Ohio's located. Brick buildings, lawns, long stretches of road through corn fields. Not that you'd necessarily want to go that far. Even further, though, Vermont and New Hampshire are beautiful, with the leaves, this time of year, but alas, I don't know anyplace specific.

Course, driving through the desert from Vegas to the Grand Canyon, I had similar fantasies about living for a year in one of those trailers I saw along the way. I wonder if something like that's available. Alone in a camper, in the desert, under the stars for a month or so could be lovely. (And a lot closer.)

You've brought out my inner Walden.

I lived in an isolated house on a lake north of Montreal for a year. Amazingly wonderful and beautiful. It was a light winter that year, though. It was in Saint Anne Du Lac, in the Laurentians. I can't find much about it online. I paid, like $800 a month for a three bedroom, ten years ago.

A++++++, would hermit again!!!!!

I found a place through family connections, and I am moving out there tomorrow after a doctor's appointment. Thanks, all.

Can you just camp? Backpack in someplace and hang out for awhile. Even if you only pack in 1 mile you've ditched the majority of humanity. There are great places here in California. And probably Oregon, too. Where are you?

Full on isolation in the coming cold and winter? Won't the cold and winter add a level of isolation on its own to a slightly less removed set up?
Be safe.
No, seriously.
Take care to have emergency means and contingency supplies in tact. Please.
Seriously.