Six stories that will inspire you to escape the rat race | Huck
Huck
Outdoors

Six stories that will inspire you to escape the rat race

The best of Huck — Tired of office life? Want a fresh start? From skate utopias in the frozen wilderness of Finland, to radical micro-societies in rural France: we look into the Huck archive to find the best, most inspiring stories on off-the-grid living.

The hobo inspiring a new generation of restless spirits

After leaving his small town as a teen, ‘Huck’ hit the road to hitchhike, hop trains and live by his own rules. Now he’s helping other vagabonds navigate a society they see no future in.

huck2-958x559

A Finnish skateboarder’s snow-covered sanctuary

In the frozen heartland of Finland, Jaakko Saavalainen’s do-it-yourself skatepark proves anywhere can become a skate utopia – if you’re willing to put in the work.

Jaakko-1

How to build your own completely sustainable utopia

Since 2010, Kalu Yala has been encouraging people from all over the world to build a new kind of village. We speak to founder Jimmy Stice about the challenges he’s faced so far.

Kalu-Yala-Rancho-Model-958x559

Life inside Europe’s biggest alternative-living community

The ZAD is a micro-society in rural France where activists, farmers and free-spirits live in harmony. Photographer Kevin Faingnaert tried to find out why.

new-ban

A surfer’s life-changing road trip from Brazil to California

Years after her father and friends travelled across Latin America with just surfboards and a van, Antonia Wallig is reliving that journey with her own gang of four. Only this time, instead of riding waves just for the thrill of it, these surfers are determined to make a positive social impact along the way.

IMG_6524-EDIT-958x559

When getting back to nature becomes a movement…

After hitting the road as a directionless teen, photographer Antoine Bruy discovered a radical community living off-the-grid: a wave of people flocking to the wild, leaving the rat race behind.

scrublands-banner-958x559

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


You might like

The rise of the outdoor’s punks

Future is unwritten — As demand for the outdoors has grown, so has the codification of its rules and styles. Phil Young searches for those adventuring against the mainstream and asks if the industry is about to get its own record label moment?

  • Sport
  • Phil Young

Danny León pulls huge aerial in line with the solar eclipse

Totality — Combined with a board grab, the Spanish skateboarder performed the trick just as the moon’s path had completely covered the sun.

  • Sport
  • Isaac Muk
Scene from Parasol Peak

The art of paying attention: How Austria’s Alps reward slowing down

Lebensgefühl — With a growing movement of art and music rooted in the area’s mountains, trees and waterfalls, the region is showcasing the importance of the human relationship to nature.

  • Culture
  • Sophie Lou Wilson
© Aiyush Pachnada

Rab’s adventures on film at Love Trails Festival

Adventure Film Night — Taking place between July 2-6, Rab are screening six documentaries at the festival that explore the remarkable world of the adventure sport community.

  • Sport
  • Roxana Diba

In Syria’s mountains, climbers are pitching new lines to a freer future

Vertical rebirth — Assad’s fall has opened up huge, previously untouched mountain areas for people to explore. Bushra Alzoubi meets a trio of sibling rock climbers who are building a scene from scratch.

  • Huck 83: Life Is A Journey Issue
  • Bushra Alzoubi

6 years on from George Floyd, how much more accessible is the outdoors for People of Colour?

Second Nature — A new report by The Mix Global highlights continued barriers that marginalised folks face when exploring nature, despite attempts at greater representation. Phil Young takes stock of how far we’ve come.

  • Activism
  • Phil Young
You've read articles this month Thanks for reading

Join Club Huck — it's free!

Valued Huck reader, thank you for engaging with our journalism and taking an interest in our dispatches from the sharp edge of culture, sport, music and rebellion.

We want to offer you the chance to join Club Huck [it's free!] where you will receive exclusive newsletters, including personal takes on the state of pop culture and media from columnist Emma Garland, culture recommendations, interviews and dispatches straight to your inbox.

You'll also get priority access to Huck events, merch discounts, and more fun surprises.

Already part of the club? Enter your email above and we'll get you logged in.