sigh not gonna lie, the nomad route is becoming more and more enticing lately. The part that sucks is that RVs designed for long-term use are expensive as fuck and you still have to pay for hook-ups. The alternative is living out of a car or large passenger van, which, while not terrible, means the amount of space you have is almost non-existent.
Yeah, I have a few too many things I consider irreplaceable for a true hobo lifestyle though. However, if I were to lose it all in a fire or natural disaster then I'd probably consider becoming a "true hobo".
You don't necessarily have to pay for hook ups anymore. I'd argue solar and some LiFe batteries are more than enough to power someone living a modest lifestyle. For water/sewage there's plenty of places to fill up/drop off like at some interstate rest stops.
Hobos do participate in the labor pool. They were migrant workers, and the union they formed was to help fight against anti-homeless/ worker legislation.
People don't realize Hobos aren't 100% synonymous with homeless.
There is still an ongoing Hobo Convention that elects a King of the Hobos. I found this out after meeting a past King as he was feeding stray cats in Seattle. Ironically he had worked for the railroad