When I was a teenager, two of my friends and I decided to go swimming in a river not far from my home. It had been raining for days, and with the sunshine back and summer in full swing, we decided to get in the water.

The South Canadian River is a place we knew well. We had partied there hundreds of times in the summer, climbing to the top of the old bridge at night while being drunk, or noodling for catfish along the banks during the day. It was a place to escape and get high with friends, but it was also very dangerous for many reasons. Only we were young and believed the rules didn’t apply to us.

It almost cost us our lives.

Despite the quicksand and the fast-moving river, and the adults standing there telling us we shouldn’t attempt to swim, we ignored all the warnings. Within minutes, the calmer waters turned into an unstoppable force, dragging us to the deeper water under the bridge. We were good swimmers, but nothing could have prepared us for the moment we were violently taken under and forced against the loads of debris trapped around the bases of the bridge support columns.

It felt like being hit by a truck while being stabbed by dozens of sharp branches. I was trapped, almost out of breath, and it was then that I realized I was going to die. The only thing that saved me was remembering to stay calm.

So I felt my way around in the murky and strong currents, navigating a relentless patchwork of trees and garbage, while pulling myself upwards towards the top, and finally, before I lost the last bit of air in my body, I surfaced.

As I climbed to the top of the pile of debris smashed against the huge concrete base, I noticed that both my friends were stuck on other bridge columns. We were spent and scared as hell, but we were alive.

But the battle was far from over; we still had to make it back to shore.

After waiting what seemed like an eternity to regain our strength and composure, we figured out our best shot at survival was to pick a landing spot downriver and jump out into the raging water at a 45-degree angle while holding onto driftwood like a life preserver, hoping the current would carry us to our destination back on land. The three of us summoned the courage and leaped out in faith.

We cheated death and lived to talk about it.

…

When I think about how many times I’ve needlessly put myself in danger, it’s amazing I’m still alive, and as stupid as those decisions were - many I’d never choose to make again - those moments have also led me in overcoming some of the greatest challenges of my life. They’ve also left me with some very memorable stories!

Isn’t that the point of adventure, though? To experience those moments where we embrace the unknown, setting aside our fears to try something many people think is stupid, and hoping we don’t die in the process.

It seems foolish now to put ourselves in harm’s way to achieve something we’ve set our minds to, but then what would life be like without ever taking any risks?

Jeanne Baret. Ernest Shackleton. Amelia Earhart. Jacques Cousteau. Jenny Tough. Felix Baumgartner. Gerline Kaltenbrunner. Alex Honnold.

These are just a handful of courageous people, past and present, who set aside their fears to attempt the impossible for the sake of adventure and who have cemented their legacies in history. I admire them all for their daring feats, and I’d argue that without their accomplishments, we’d never believe the impossible is possible.

Still. I don’t have the guts to attempt the kinds of things they did.

I have no desire to push myself in that way anymore because I love life too much to take that kind of risk and I’m OK with that. However, I can still take other kinds of risks that make for great adventures and stories.

You can too!

…

As we age, we tend to make smarter decisions based on our life experiences, and more often than not, we’ll go out of our way to reduce our risk, which is understandable given how much we’ve learned since our youth. Yet I also believe doing so robs us of the adventures our hearts continue to seek and the stories we could be telling today. It often feels tragic that our “best days” are behind us.

Here’s my case in point.

In my conversations with older people from all walks of life, I rarely hear exciting tales of modern adventure. There’s no discussion about them doing something dangerous yesterday, unless it was forgetting to take a medication, nor is there any mention of them doing something exciting on the road less traveled. I can see no spark within their eyes as they strive to remain comfortable.

Then, when I ask them about their past, these same people will spend hours telling me about the harrowing adventure stories of their youth with such passion and energy that it’s intoxicating. The spark is reignited as they remember those days when they faced crazy challenges or came close to dying. They felt alive again.

It’s both funny and sad. Interesting really.

We spend our earliest days doing stupid things that are scary, yet exciting to the soul, but as we get older, we stop taking any risks, while our souls cry for more adventure.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

…

In The Dark Side of Van Life, I shared a bit of the drama we’ve experienced lately in our little world of travel. It really resonated with readers, which surprised me, and it was amazing to receive all the comments and advice! Interestingly, the responses that really stood out were from people who didn’t think it was worth the adventure.

I totally get it.

The thought of traveling in a wind-blown box all day, every day, with your significant other can seem a bit self-abusive, especially with the added stress of driving into a city under government siege or wondering if all the crazy ass drivers in Florida are going to kill you before the humidity does. It sounds risky, right? Of course, our challenges are nothing compared to the real dangers the adventurers mentioned above faced, but hey, we could still die.

However, how would we know if van life is worth it without ever trying it?

The same could be said for when we started our full-time travel adventure in 2020, when, despite all the warnings and dangers around us, we decided to go for it. People shook their heads, said we were stupid or irresponsible for going out in a pandemic, and feared it could potentially kill us or others.

In both instances, the risks were absolutely worth it.

Our road life adventure has been far from perfect, but we’ve faced some of the greatest challenges of our lives while making new, exciting memories almost every day, and rather than sitting around thinking about the past, we’re focused on the future. We’re still creating sparks. That’s a huge difference!

Now let’s talk about you.

I believe some of you are constantly dreaming about adventure and your soul is crying out to experience it, but you’ve convinced yourself that it’s not worth the risk and that it’s better to be safe than sorry. You’re letting fear control every decision about moving forward with your own story.

Here’s the irony in it all.

You can do everything possible to avoid the shitty consequences in life and still end up in a shitty situation. All the planning, preparation, and precautions won't guarantee you’ll be safe, and it certainly won’t keep you from dying eventually. So why not take those risks and enjoy this life to the fullest?

Here’s one thing you should also know.

Adventure doesn’t require you to be dangerous.

We often romanticize the idea that real adventure involves summiting the tallest mountains, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, or rafting down a raging river, and though they are inspiring feats, you don’t have to put your life in harm’s way to make it count.

Adventure is what you make of it. The important thing to remember is to challenge yourself by doing something uncomfortable or difficult, or by achieving a goal you didn’t think was possible. That’s what matters and makes for a good story.

Now for the big question.

Maybe it’s finally time for you to take some risks before it’s too late.

With so many problems in our country right now that could prevent us from pursuing our dreams in the future, and with life getting shorter every day, it could be a great time to let go of the fears holding you back so you can experience the joy your soul longs for. And rather than thinking about all the bad things that could happen, start focusing on the good things that are likely to happen.

Going for it could will change your life. You owe it to yourself to try.

For me, living out the rest of my days just trying to be comfortable in the safe zone sounds boring, and I’d rather die pushing the limits of what I think is possible, rather than allow fear to keep me from experiencing more adventures. I want more incredible stories to tell. I hope you do, too.

Remember, the best days are not behind us if we don’t want them to be.

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Last week, I spent time thinking about all things writing, especially in relation to the growing discourse on AI use and the ongoing degradation of travel writing. When I came across this article from Between the Dots, it made me question the purpose and future of publications like Road Life Adventure.

The author discusses how the internet and the rise of travel influencers have changed the way we travel, as well as the demise of great resources like Lonely Planet. One quote in particular that really stood out to me was this:

Without a doubt, I have noticed a trend towards professionally curated and edited images, often accompanied by AI-generated writing that feels more like an inauthentic marketing message than heartfelt stories about adventure. It has become more about capturing likes than captivating an audience.

I have detested the standard kind of articles that many travel publications and writers have produced for years, the type of commoditized posts that simply reduce travel to a top ten list of places to see and check off, while pandering to the algorithms and search engine gods in order to be noticed. Sadly, I have also been guilty of these kinds of practices in the past, but I am fighting hard against them today.

During my time of contemplation, I fixated on whether travel writing in the future has any hope of sustainability or if it will be killed off by mass-produced content mostly created by machines, or destroyed by the dopamine hits provided by video. And there’s no denying that video killed the radio star!

It’s far easier for people these days to consume reels and shorts than to read a lengthy article, which is evidenced by the billions of views for travel-related videos and the insanely exponential growth of YouTube or TikTok. Humans are more inclined to be entertained by good-looking influencers on screen than to engage in the critical thinking required of diving into a good book, guide, or publication. This is not a slam on those who prefer video to reading, but a testament to how culture has changed since the internet’s inception.

Ultimately, this is why Donetta and I attempted to complement our writing endeavors and gain traction with our YouTube channel.

Yet as we tried to plan, film, edit, and publish our videos, it became quite overwhelming, and honestly, felt inauthentic because the focus was on entertaining viewers rather than inspiring them to step away from the screen to seek their own adventure. It also kept us from being present in the moment. So we put it on pause.

The same can be said for Instagram. We deleted our Road Life Adventure account because it was a stagnant recollection of mostly curated images designed to get likes.

Thankfully, millions of people love to read, which is good news, because we truly love writing about and sharing our experiences with you. Still, this leads me to ask an important question and to seek your input.

What compels you to want to read about travel?

I’m very curious as to what draws you in the most and makes you want to learn more, in addition to subscribing to any travel publication on Substack or other platforms.

Of course, it can be all of these, a combination, or none, but this poll feature doesn’t give me enough options, so I’ll concentrate on one thing. If you have additional input, I sincerely appreciate it if you drop it in the comments section below.

When I consider the enshitification of the travel and hospitality industry as a whole, paired with the demise of great writing and the increase of AI-produced content, it is extremely valuable to gather feedback. Donetta and I dream of building a future here and someday earning a living from travel writing and our Road Life Adventure brand, but we also don’t want it to become like every other curated experience online, either.

Is there a future in travel writing? Please tell us what you think.

Every person who responds and shares their input will be entered into a drawing for a free gift from our online store, which will also be getting a facelift, new products, and hand-drawn artwork made by yours truly soon.

Thank you for reading!

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I was scrolling through Substack recently when I came across a great note by Brandi Wiatrak. It had some great discussion in the comments as well and it really started me thinking. She was saying she doesn’t like sharing her article links on Facebook for the people she knows in real life - that it’s easier to write for strangers on the internet, basically.

I can 100% relate to that. I’m a fairly private person and I don’t necessarily want to bare my soul to people I know in real life. But sharing with people who don’t know me is much easier! I told her I used to have a blog many, many years ago, and not only did I name it something else, but I also didn’t put my real name anywhere on it. I wanted it to remain anonymous so that nobody could search and find my writings. I felt like it was easier to write about the things on my mind and be truly authentic if I didn’t have to worry about what people I knew were thinking of my words.

So what does this have to do with travel and why am I sharing this here?

I discovered early on in our travels that that’s one of the things I love about our lifestyle. Being able to go to a new place where nobody knows us and we don’t have to live up to any expectations, act a certain way, dress a certain way, or anything like that is so freeing. I kind of felt like I could truly be myself and even reinvent myself if I wanted to.

It was an amazing feeling. One that I didn’t even know I was missing.

While community is great and it’s amazing to be around friends, I think we sometimes end up in a rut and just do what’s expected of us, without bringing any sense of adventure or spontaneity. I love that our travels allow us to do just that. It’s not like I’m out there being a completely different person and I’m totally inauthentic when I’m around people I know, but the pressure to follow the status quo disappears when you’re around people you don’t know and will probably never see again. I feel like it truly opens your eyes to things you may not have seen or experienced before, when you don’t have to worry about what others think of you.

Do you feel that way as well? Whether it be with your writing or while you’re out exploring the world, do you get a sense that you can truly be yourself and feel a little freer when you’re writing for strangers, or when you’re in a place where nobody knows you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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When I published my frustrations with van life earlier this year, I never expected it to resonate with so many people!

The responses we received were insightful and deeply appreciated, but we also we feel like we connected with a group of adventure travelers we’d love to meet in person someday as we continue our journey. There is so much we can learn from each other and having a community of kindred spirits is priceless. So thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts so far.

…

As a writer, I used to struggle with the idea of being real because so often in society, we are taught to only share the good life with our readers. Afterall, the feel good stuff is what sells whether it’s about business, health, wealth, or travel. The idea is to make people believe in the fantasy and get them to buy into it. That just isn’t me.

While I never want to come across as pessimistic or negative, there is a reality of life where things don’t always go as planned, contrary to what those beautiful, glossy magazines or Instagram photos lead us to believe, and having traveled full-time for almost six years now, I can say the good life isn’t always so good.

Therefore, when we get the opportunity to share our experiences with you, we certainly want it to be honest and real because you deserve the truth, which is why I think this article did as well as it did.

But I don’t want the conversation to end there either.

In thinking about our overall experience so far, as well as some of the comments from readers, I don’t want it to come across as in I hate traveling because that’s not the truth either. I absolutely love being a digital nomad couple and having the freedom to explore no matter what the mode of transportation might be, even in times it feels uncomfortable or stressful, or when I’d really prefer a hybrid approach1 instead.

However, there are great benefits of van life, too.

In February for example, we visited Navarre Beach, Florida, while boondocking in a guy’s backyard only five minutes from the beach. We’d get up in the morning and drive over to the mostly empty parking lot to spend the day overlooking the ocean, while working from the comfort from the van. Aside from the gas and food we paid for anyway, this was all free. A hotel there would’ve easily cost $150 per night or more.

Thanks to Harvest Host, (affiliate link) we’ve crashed at breweries, farms, a military museum, and a church parking lot, mostly for free or from purchasing beer or food that we’d buy anyway. They haven’t all been epic experiences with great views or perks, most of those moments have been memorable and fun.

Along our routes, we’ve also camped at several state and national parks, all for less than $30 per night for full hookups and facilities, while being very close to beautiful places to explore. The most memorable ones this year so far were Quartz Mountain State Park in Oklahoma, E.G. Simmons Conservation Park in Florida, and Padre Island National Seashore in Texas. And that’s only a few.

So there is a huge benefit to van life in this way because you can easily find free or cheap places to stay that are close to epic destinations.

Aside from the angry and impatient drivers on the road, or the high winds blowing us around like paper and making my butthole pucker, traveling in the camper van has been mostly easy.

Unlike the bigger rigs or trailers, we can park in a standard parking spot, and when we figure out where we want to stop, the most difficult thing we do is getting the van level and plugging into shore power if we need it. It’s just that simple.

I certainly don’t miss having to shimmy myself under a hardshell tonneau cover and rooftop tent on the truck for what we need or lugging in a full rolling cart of supplies like we did while staying in hotels.

Living in the camper van has made my life a hell of a lot better in that respect, especially now that we’ve figured out what we need and where to store it.

I’m also very thankful for our van despite those challenges I wrote about before because without it, we probably would’ve had to settle down and live a conventional life, and I can’t even begin to think about how much that would suck!

When we started our journey, we lived in hotels and resorts, which were a lot cheaper then. Now, the standard rate in a fairly decent hotel is $100 per night, but if you want a better experience, those rates are a lot higher without any added benefits. Even our Hilton Vacation Club points don’t bring us the crazy value we used to get, which saved us thousands of dollars and earned us weeks of free stays between 2021-2024.

With the cost of everything rising and income fluctuating, the van provides a solid living option. Even if we couldn’t continue to drive around the United States full-time, we could park it at an RV resort like Southern Aire, and manage to survive in a nice community. Additionally, we could also rent out the van for income to offset the costs.

All that being said, there are bright sides to van life, and I don’t want everyone to think it’s horrible, because it’s not. It’s nowhere near perfect (nothing ever is) and there are those things I wish could be different, but I’m mostly glad that we took this leap of faith. We would’ve never known what van life was like if we didn’t do it, plus it gives us more content to write about and share. LOL!

In conclusion, I’d like to give you this advice if you’re thinking about going this route as a solo traveler or as a couple.

Spend the money and rent a camper van for at least a week or a month if you’re able. Take it somewhere where there are hills and wind, and do it without much planning in advance. Drive it on the highways and backroads. Cook in it and poop in it, preferably not at the same time. Park in a secluded place and close to railroad tracks. Pack only what you need and don’t take a shower for days. Then, you will have a small taste of what van life is like. Maybe this will be better in helping you decide.

As for us, we will continue on. We’ll get more comfortable with it and learn how to adapt as we go. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Thanks for reading! 🚐

While most of our travels have been within the United States, we have also traveled outside the country and have really enjoyed our international trips. We’ve visited seven different countries since we started our nomadic journey: Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Luxembourg. This brings our total country count to 20 overall.

We’d love to do this more, but international trips are a little more expensive than wandering around the US in our van, and we just haven’t jumped into that as much. We have discussed visiting different cities or countries and renting an Airbnb for a month or so in places where it’s affordable. Maybe we’ll try in 2027! Who knows! haha!

Canada is an easy international travel destination and we’ve enjoyed our visits there. We drove up into Quebec, stayed in Quebec City for a few days, then drove through part of Ontario and really enjoyed it. We also visited the other side of the country - Vancouver, British Columbia. We did an Alaskan cruise that ended there so it made for an ideal time to check it out. We spent a couple of days in the city before traveling back to the states and really enjoyed it!

Mexico is a place we’ve visited numerous times before our nomadic journey began but only once since we started. We visited Cozumel while on a cruise, though we chose to spend most of the day on the mostly empty ship since we’d been there before. 😉 Now, with all that’s in the news about the country, we definitely don’t plan to head there anytime soon.

Europe is definitely one of our favorite destinations and we’ve VERY much enjoyed spending time there. We’ve been several times, but on our last visit, we got to spend a couple of months there and loved every minute of it. We have several family members in the Netherlands who are so gracious to take us in and also show us around so we can enjoy amazing things in their area. (James is a 1st-generation American on his mom’s side, so there’s still plenty of family there.) We love spending time with them and are so anxious to get back for another visit. Hopefully, this economy will improve soon so we can afford to get back overseas.

While in the Netherlands, we also took the train to France and spent a couple of weeks touring Normandy and staying in Paris. That was definitely amazing and something we will always treasure.

There are SO many things I could pick as favorite international spots, but I would say these were definitely some of the highlights - all from our last trip to Europe:

📍 Normandy D-Day Experience Tour (with Gold Beach Company) - France

📍 North Caves Maastricht Underground - Netherlands

📍 Aachen & Monschau - both in Germany

📍 Vianden Castle - Luxembourg

📍 Going to the top of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France

It’s so hard to pick just a few but those are the ones that really stand out in my mind.

One of these days, we hope to explore even more countries and see other amazing things around the world. There’s so much to learn from experiencing other cultures. Those are the kind of experiences we truly treasure.

~

Have you traveled internationally? What’s been one of your favorite cities/landmarks/destinations?

A couple of weeks ago, we stopped in Thonotosassa, a town that I cannot easily spell or pronounce even on my best of days. We had left the beauty of the Florida Keys and the excitement of Everglades National Park to make our way back to Oklahoma, where we are preparing to support my loving 86-year-old mother through her third battle with cancer. More on that later.

As Passport America members, we often find RV properties in their network when we need shore power and a hot shower because we get great discounts. And when you’ve spent time in Florida during the snowbird season, you know everything is expensive, so those discounts are critical. Which brings me to their new slogan: Florida. If the humidity or drivers don’t kill you, the rates definitely will!

Anyways.

We’ve stayed at several RV parks in Florida, three alone in the Wilder RV Resorts 55+ Community portfolio, but none had the magic of Southern Aire.

What makes Southern Aire so great?

The first Wilder RV resorts we visited seemed more like Margaritavilles. Large complexes filled with hundreds of fancy rigs and motorcoaches, selling the Jimmy Buffett vibe, along with higher-end amenities and services for their guests. These resorts are where wealthier, older people come to escape the shitty weather elsewhere in the United States and Canada, while enjoying an endless party in the sun.

Overall, both parks were good experiences, despite the awkwardness of being the youngest people in the crowd and the only ones in a camper van; yet it also felt too commercial and cramped for my style. These are places you go to hang out for a season, but not to settle down. They were fun to visit, but fine to leave.

After we made our way to the Keys and back up towards Tampa, we were tired of driving and needed a couple of days to sit and relax. So we found the Southern Aire RV Resort in the Passport America app and decided to book it.

When we first drove up to Southern Aire, I noticed there were older travel trailers and motorhomes, and it wasn’t the shiny commercial version we'd seen at the others we visited. In fact, I wondered whether we had plugged in the wrong address into our GPS. It wasn’t bad, just different.

After we checked in and were shown our camping spot, we decided to take a walk around the complex to get some exercise, and this changed everything!

I can’t easily put into words what we experienced, but it felt like home.

The vibe was eclectic because there was a mixture of RV homes and styles. Some were fancier, others were more permanent and decorated, and a few were just ordinary and average. It was like a melting pot of residents. The more we walked, the more we encountered some of the most welcoming and friendliest people ever. We didn’t feel less than, regardless of our age or what we drove.

Later in the evening, we attended their Super Bowl party in the community center, where 40 or so residents gathered to enjoy a meal together. Even some of the 75+ crowd brought booze and were sipping on bourbon or whiskey. It was a jovial time filled with laughter and fun. There was no drama, no arguments, no politics. I absolutely loved it — especially when their oldest resident, a cute 96-year-old woman, made an appearance in her community of friends as she lovingly carried a stuffed gnome dressed like a New England Patriot. She really warmed my heart with a smile!

I also met Tony LaMarca, the resort's activity director.

Tony is an older gentleman with a youthful and rebellious spirit! He doesn’t typically drink beer, yet enjoys a couple of shots of bourbon, likes to joke around and tell stories, and prefers to keep busy by serving his community at Southern Aire. He worked very hard to ensure everyone had fun and was fed, doing all the cooking and most of the cleaning, and never accepted my offers to help. I truly enjoyed visiting with him and wish he were part of my family!

Of course, I cannot forget the ladies who invited me to play cards with them and take my money, or to join them for water aerobics the next day. Besides these memorable moments, everyone around us, including their staff, was absolutely incredible.

Southern Aire felt like a true community, someplace special where people actually care for their neighbors, even if they don’t know them that well. And I’m not ashamed to admit the day we left, a part of me cried. I was not happy to leave.

Thank you to everyone who made us feel at home. We will come back and see you.

Thoughts about aging and community.

Having spent the last couple of months visiting places with a larger population of people over 70 and hearing their wonderful stories, I must address something that is really on my heart.

There have been many interesting discussions with older people about what to expect when I reach their age, how my health will decline, and how traveling will affect my body, as well as the constant need to be closer to doctors or age-related services.

While I don’t disagree with or look forward to these circumstances, one aspect I believe that often gets missed in the discussion is true community, as I mentioned about Southern Aire earlier. I think it’s extremely valuable in quality of life.

My mother is facing another battle with cancer and we won’t know the scope of it for another couple of weeks. During this time, we are staying closer to Oklahoma City so we, along with my two sisters, can provide support and help as needed to ensure the best care possible. She deserves it!

But here’s why it’s also important.

One thing I’ve learned from my mom over the years is that having a community of loving people and family to be there for you makes a huge difference, so much so that with the proper health care, it increases your rate of recovery or survival. When you’re surrounded by people who give you purpose, you fight harder to live. And when you’re over 75ish, having others to connect with in meaningful ways keeps you going.

As I watched residents from some of these RV resorts care for each other, it was beautiful and warming to my soul.

So often in society, “old people” are pushed into dreary prisons called retirement homes and forgotten. Yet most of them still have the opportunity to live to their fullest — if only given the chance. Imagine these people receiving the love and respect they deserve and living out their days with dignity, surrounded by a community that gives them purpose and joy.

This made me wonder why we don’t have more resorts like Southern Aire to provide for these needs! Maybe they already do. But it gave me a dream to pursue if I ever play and win the lottery, because I think more places like this should exist, rather than dingy and dark buildings that make them want to die.

As many of us in the GEN-X crowd begin to work towards this time in our lives, we also need to remember we’ll be there soon. Perhaps we should start planning for this kind of future while also figuring out how we might help bridge that gap today.

Something to think about!

Thank you for reading. ♥️

From the vibrant streets of Barcelona, Spain, to the scenic charm of Estes Park, Colorado, travelers from all over the world will visit incredible destination cities like these every year to make memories of a lifetime – and they will collectively spend billions of dollars to make it happen!

Without this steady flow of visitors and the money they bring, many popular tourist destinations would not survive. Local businesses would struggle to stay open, entire communities could face economic collapse, and once-vibrant places might eventually become ghost towns. Tourists are their lifeline.

So it’s perplexing why these places are starting to threaten their survival through the choices they make about the tourism industry as a whole.

If you travel full-time like us, you have likely experienced these seismic shifts, mostly in the form of asinine price increases or hatred towards tourists, but also in other ways, like restricted parking or entry to National Parks.

Understandably, some of these cities must rethink the challenges of tourism, such as overcrowding and disruptive visitor behavior. These unforeseen problems can cause a wide range of hardships for local communities long after our visit is over – something all travelers should be aware of.

But it’s the growing trend of greed and exclusion that’s most concerning.

Price gouging is becoming widespread.

With the average vacation cost now at $7,249, most Americans can no longer afford to travel, and for those who do, it often requires going into debt.

It’s easy to blame inflation for this problem, but the reality is that the tourism and hospitality industries have become extremely greedy, doing everything possible to squeeze every last dollar from your bank account.

Hotels are notorious for this.

Weekly rates are cheaper for the average room, while weekend rates are at least 50% higher. If there’s an event in town, these prices can soar to 300% more than the typical daily rate. Same room, same service.

But it doesn’t stop there.

In the most desirable locations, hotels are now charging extra for things that used to be included. Parking, breakfast, WiFi, and other amenities are being tacked on as ‘resort fees’, inflating the final price far beyond what was advertised. And that $2 can of Pringles in the lobby will cost $5. It’s not about inflation but about exploiting customers.

Tourist destinations are no different.

Walk into almost any shop or restaurant in a popular destination today, and you’ll feel it immediately. Everything is grossly overpriced! A beer that should cost $3 is now $10. A simple burger? $20. That t-shirt, which probably cost $7 to make, is marked up to $40. Except for Brownfield’s. They do it right.

You might even have to pay to park just for the privilege of spending more money.

As Americans continue to face economic struggles and income inequality grows, we hope the greedy tourism and hospitality companies will suffer long-lasting consequences for price-gouging their customers, because it’s uncalled for.

Of course, the capitalists who run these businesses probably don’t care.

Elitism and exclusivity are growing.

Take a good look around some of the country’s most popular tourist destinations today. You’ll notice a huge shift in demographics.

Towns like Lake Tahoe or Vail have become playgrounds for the wealthy, built to serve the elite few. The average American isn’t just being priced out; they’re being pushed out. Worse yet, this trend is spreading.

Cities and towns around the world are following their lead, turning once-accessible places into exclusive havens for those with money and status. Even our public lands, which were meant to belong to everyone, are no longer exempt.

Beaches along the coast now require special permits and expensive parking. Hiking trails that were once free and open to everyone now come with costly permits, if you can even get one. Mountain regions, scenic lakes, and wilderness areas that used to be accessible to all are being closed off in favor of the locals or those who can pay for the experience.

Can you imagine the day when Yellowstone National Park will only be available to the wealthiest people? The current administration would like it that way.

Bit by bit, access is being restricted, monetized, and taken away. And if we don’t speak up and push back, we may soon find that the natural beauty of this country and the right to enjoy it belong only to those who can afford it. There won’t be any space left for ordinary people to rest, explore, or belong.

Silence today means exclusion tomorrow.

How do we keep tourism alive for all?

We believe it begins with you. We need more travelers who are willing to push back by speaking out, choosing alternatives, and demanding that these unscrupulous practices change.

• Boycott hotels that price-gouge customers by charging resort-type fees.

• Stop supporting restaurants and breweries that overcharge customers.

• Write to the local government officials taking away access to our public lands.

• Avoid destinations that grossly exploit tourists.

• Tell others on social media about those who do all of these things.

No one should have to go into debt just to enjoy a weekend getaway or visit a National Park, nor should they be excluded from public lands that were once free and available to all.

Take a stand against these injustices!

Finally, there’s one more critical part of this conversation: we have to be better tourists.

In a culture increasingly defined by self-interest and entitlement, travelers themselves often contribute to the very problems we complain about. When we abuse public spaces, disrespect locals, mistreat hospitality workers, or act like the rules don’t apply to us, we become part of the reason access gets restricted and prices go up. When tourists behave poorly, communities respond—often by pushing people out, raising barriers, or limiting access entirely.

So please, travel with respect. Be mindful of where you are, how you behave, and the impact you leave behind. Because if we want these places to remain open and accessible, we have to earn the right to enjoy them.

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always had a sense of adventure. Whether it was exploring the old creek behind our house or gazing out the car window as we drove in the country, my spirit has always longed to explore the unknown.

I immersed myself in travel and adventure publications, envisioning one day becoming a vagabond, making my way around the world, discovering new cultures and experiences that would provide a lifetime of epic stories.

But I never believed it could really happen.

Everything I read about traveling painted an obvious picture. Unless you were on a family road trip or summer vacation, you had to be rich or a hippy to find your adventure. It just wasn’t possible for the middle-class American.

So I could only dream and hope for one day.

A renewed awakening.

Ten years ago, my passion for adventure and seeing the world was reawakened with a fervency I hadn’t felt since childhood. I had a thirst for travel that could not be quenched. I must live a life on the road.

It didn’t matter how it happened; I just knew it had to happen.

Like pouring gasoline on a flame, my dream was ignited, and there was no stopping the raging fire burning inside me.

The only things keeping me from achieving it all were convincing my wife to sell everything we owned to travel, and having the money to actually do it.

Making the dream a reality.

There was no need to hone my sales pitch for a life of adventure because Donetta was entirely on board for becoming a houseless wife in a pickup truck. Now all we had to do was figure out a plan.

We owned a house but were buried in debt. We were self-employed and without any savings. We lived paycheck to paycheck like many other Americans. So retirement felt like nothing more than a fantasy, and our running joke was, “We’ll be hustling until we fall over dead.” How the dream could ever come to pass was beyond us, but we did find a solution.

First, we had to eliminate our debt.

This was really hard because we had credit card debt and owed the IRS a hefty sum for accidentally filing our business taxes incorrectly. It was strangling us to death. But we fought our way out of it and put it all behind us.

Second, we decided to sell our home.

We wanted to sell our house for years, but the circumstances were never right–until 2020, when it was a seller’s market! Within a day of listing our property, we received a dozen offers. We were finally free from home ownership.

Third, we started selling everything else.

The road life affords you no space to take everything with you. No matter how you travel, you will be forced to become a minimalist. So we sold or gave away almost all our stuff, keeping and storing only the most essential things in our lives.

There’s a valuable lesson in all of this.

Choosing to follow your dream will require hard work and difficult decisions. There’s no way around it. And while it feels insurmountable to overcome all the things you must do to travel, once you have a plan, it’s not as difficult as you think.

Travel doesn’t require financial wealth.

It’s good to have some savings in the bank to rely on before you head out on the adventure, but being wealthy is not a prerequisite for traveling. You might have to adjust your expectations based on your budget, but you never have to give up the dream because of money. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

When we meet other digital nomads on the road, most often they’re ordinary people like us who don’t have an endless income stream. They live below their means, work from the road, make their own food, stretch their dollars, and often live like modern-day hippies. And rather than waste their money on stuff, they invest it in experiences.

It’s not always a glamorous lifestyle, but it definitely works.

Of course, there are the retired folks with discretionary income who own fancy trailers and can afford to enjoy steak and craft beers every night, but don’t let that discourage you from chasing your dream because traveling full-time does not require that level of standard to make it a reality.

Don’t believe me?

Right now, we earn about the average American salary from our business ventures, and we have a little savings in the bank. Our only debt is our camper van, and we have the typical monthly expenses, including vehicle insurance, food, gas, phones, and WiFi. We have no retirement funds, no investments, and no backup plan. There are times we can’t do everything we want, or when we have to sit still to save money, but we’re living our dream and seeing the world.

So if we can do it, so can you!

For ordinary, everyday people.

I recently watched a YouTube video by an amazing van-life couple I admire. They’ve been on the road for a while now and have amassed over four million subscribers by publishing their content online. They get invited to exotic places to do review videos and have monetized their brand with excellence. I think they’re doing quite well.

Anyway, a follower’s comment inspired me to write this post.

So what about the ordinary, every day people?

This sentiment was echoed many times in the comments, and it reminded me of how I felt years ago, when I believed adventure travel and exploring the world were only for other people.

Most people believe they will never enjoy the things this couple has done without lots of money, luck, and an elite influencer status. While some of this might be true — and to be fair, it took them years to reach this level — you don’t have to be like them to experience your own epic adventure.

It was at that moment that it occurred to me that most travel publications focus on the affluent crowd. They market to people with the means to enjoy fantastic destinations or experiences. This unattainable side of adventure is utterly meaningless, since most Americans cannot afford it. It’s depressing. And I hate it.

Road Life Adventure is about doing the attainable.

When we create content, we want it to feel real and tangible to most people. We want you to feel like living your dream IS possible, and that with some hard work and outside-the-box thinking, you’ll also be on the journey of a lifetime.

If your goal is to hit the open road in 2026 and beyond, we want to encourage you to go for it—and we want to offer ideas and advice to make it a reality—because the dream you have for traveling is within reach!

We look forward to sharing more with you in the days ahead. If you’re in the planning stages for next year, let us know. We’ll do what we can to help.

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¡Buenos Días! Guten Tag! Konnichiwa!

Today, I’d like to write about the experiences of meeting people from all over the world and from all walks of life because I believe it’s essential in our understanding of humanity, as well as separating facts from fiction.

So often, a family member or friend will tell us, “I wouldn’t go there,” or “that seems to be a dangerous place with those people,” and it always perplexes me. My response is always to ask them why they believe that.

“Well, haven’t you seen the news lately?”

At which point, there is a long explanation about whatever tragedy is happening in any particular city, country, or border at that moment, or how the people are rioting, protesting, robbing, or killing the visitors in their region. Even family members who were born in Europe will tell me what it’s like there now, even though they haven’t been back in decades.

I don’t blame them.

After all.

They watch the news.

While we genuinely appreciate everyone’s concern for our safety, and it means a lot that people care about our well-being, what they see from the media isn’t always the whole picture. Sometimes it’s not even reality.

In the past decade alone, we have been to numerous countries, including Mexico, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and many of the Caribbean Islands. We’ve crisscrossed the United States multiple times, as well as visited Hawaii and Alaska.

When I think back to all of the places we’ve been, I can count on one hand the times I’ve felt in danger or uncomfortable1.

This doesn’t mean criminal activity and dangerous circumstances don’t exist; it’s just that these things aren’t running rampant everywhere you go. Yes, you gotta be careful, but don’t be so scared that you miss amazing experiences.

Many of the people I’ve met along the way have been welcoming or friendly. Whether they were Afghan, Hindu, Palestinian, Colombian, Navajo (Diné), Portuguese, Mexican, Dutch, or Parisian, we’ve been treated well.

Here are a couple of examples.

A few years ago, I was walking around our hotel near Mexico when I came across a large group of men who were drinking cervezas and having a cookout. I simply waved and smiled. Within minutes, they motioned me to come over and join them. Only one person spoke English, yet we spent an hour drinking beer, trying to converse about LaLiga and Liga MX futbol. I was welcomed into their community.

A similar thing happened in Sweikhuizen, Netherlands. We would visit Cafe Meels several times a week, and every time, the Dutch noticed my American accent and engaged me in conversation about politics, travel, entertainment, guns, and whatever else came to mind. It was a great time, and even though I spoke horrible Dutch, the people were nice and respectful.

Friendliness has been a common theme on our adventures.

Maybe it’s because we personally respect others and their cultures, but it’s amazing how many beautiful moments we've shared with people unlike us.

I think the reason why many Americans often struggle and are fearful of others is that we’ve all been indoctrinated to believe the worst about those who are different. It doesn’t matter if it’s related to politics, race, gender, sexuality, or religion; we are taught to see the negative biases and then to act upon them with hate or ignorance. So we never get to know the good in the people around us.

While we might look different on the outside, we’re mostly the same on the inside.

We share the same hope for freedom and liberty. We desire to be loved unconditionally and to love others the same. We hope to keep more money and pay less taxes. We want to enjoy life and make great memories. We pray for peace and stand against war. We mistrust the government and those in power.

That’s what I’ve learned in my conversations with people around the world.

One of the best shows ever to highlight these kinds of experiences is the Long Way series with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. While I’ve not done the cool things these blokes have, the friendliness principle remains the same. Another great video series comes from Mike Okay, a YouTube creator who visits countries like Afghanistan and North Korea.

These are wonderful reminders about the beauty of humanity!

Of course, there are exceptions, and we’ve encountered the worst in humanity as well, but a majority of people we’ve met on the road have been fantastic, and we don’t see all the bullshit the media is telling us.

Do me a favor.

Next time you feel fearful of strangers you’ve never met, ask yourself why you feel that way. Are those feelings based on reality or personal experience? Or are they based on fiction or perceived biases? This is important.

Now I encourage you to get out there and meet people from all walks of life.

It will be rewarding to your soul.

I hardly feel qualified to write about van life, only after four months of this new lifestyle, but it’s been quite an experience!

We’ve spent years fantasizing about buying a camper van and living in one, probably because of all the amazing photos and videos we see about it, but I’m gonna tell you: the honeymoon is over. There are things to it that I never considered.

Don’t get me wrong.

We are fortunate to take our home with us now and park it in beautiful, welcoming places, but it’s not always that way. So please allow me to share the dark side of van life to put it in perspective.

Where in the hell do we go?

With great freedom comes great responsibility — along with the stress of deciding where to go next. I know, real-world problems. 🤷‍♂️

Since I’m happy to drive almost anywhere, Donetta often spends countless hours researching possibilities, discussing routes and ideas with me, and then plans out our trips. It’s an overwhelming task, for which she deserves much credit. But the reality is that just because you can go anywhere, it doesn't mean it will work out. Even the best travel plans can be easily thwarted by unforeseen circumstances.

Finding good, cheap campgrounds or RV parks is a pain in the ass. Staying in desirable places is chaotic and busy. And chasing great weather can be totally wrong.

Speaking of.

What happened to the great weather?

Our first month in the van took us to Ohio to see our amazing friends, Brent and Michelle. It was in October of last year, when we believed the fall temperatures would be amazing and the season would change slowly.

We. were. wrong.

In a matter of days, the winds shifted, the rain came, and the temperatures dropped over the course of a few weeks; it was a bipolar weather experience. By the start of November, we were forced to haul ass southward as winter approached and campgrounds were shutting down for the season. We were constantly moving.

After our holiday stop in Oklahoma, we made our way back to Big Bend National Park in Texas. Because, you know, it’s warm there in January and a great time to hike. Only it didn’t work that way because the temperatures dropped to above freezing, and our van almost caught on fire, which I’ll discuss soon.

After our van repair back in Oklahoma, we chose to go to Padre Island and Galveston. Lo and behold, an Arctic blast was on its way. Within a week’s time, we had to make the decision to drive long days to reach the warm beaches of Florida.

Only now, the record-breaking frigid temperatures have caught up to us in Tampa.

Nowhere seems safe.

I guess that’s karma after I gloated about our amazing decision to chase warm weather while poking fun at all the people suffering in the cold. Damn it!

Why are we doing maintenance already?

In the first month of camper van ownership, we broke a part of our bench because it wasn’t properly installed, and I drove over my extension cord while it was plugged in, breaking the shore power connection. We also had to replace TPS sensors on two tires, replace tag lights, and clear warning codes from the vehicle. It wasn’t the worst that could happen, yet, but we got it all fixed and were back on the road ASAP.

Then, a few weeks ago, as we tried to run from the cold and camped at Big Bend, the worst happened. 🔥 💨 😱

At approximately 0430 one morning, I was lying awake thinking about emergency preparedness and what we’d do in case of a fire in the van, and I don’t really think I can speak things into existence — if I could, I’d have a million dollars — but all of a sudden I smelled something burning and saw smoke. I immediately got us out of the van and unplugged the shore power. The smoke cleared, and we could see no clear evidence of a fire, but our nerves were frantic!

Hours later, after the same experience, we realized the Ardroit battery charger had failed and was overheating. Apparently, these things aren’t supposed to be hooked up and running 24/7, something we weren't told, and since we couldn’t use shore power anymore and no longer felt safe sleeping inside, we drove two long days back to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to have it replaced.

And as they say, when it rains, it pours!

Last week, we were staying at Galveston State Park when a torrential downpour hit, and water began seeping in beneath our refrigerator because the window was not properly sealed. Now we have to go back to Tulsa to have our van guy fix the issue and possibly replace the insulation and flooring. Seriously???

When you spend this much money on a camper van, you’d like to think it would take a while to have maintenance problems.

Next.

How will we survive living in a box?

Years ago, I wrote a post, How to Survive as a Travel Couple. At the time, we were living in hotels and resorts, and Donetta and I were no strangers to being around each other most of the time. But something about van life made it different.

When we’re in bed, someone has to climb over the other to get down. When we get on the dance floor (the walkway between the bed and the front seats), we have to shimmy past each other. When she’s cooking, I have to be in the passenger seat or on the bed. Plus, we’re constantly shifting things around in such a small space. It’s not that these things are horrible; they're just very annoying.

Van life rage exists and is very real! 😜

I’ve learned to pee sitting down on a plastic toilet and can manage living in the same clothes for a week without a shower, but living in a small box is a real adjustment.

It could be worse.

Right now, it feels wrong to complain about the dark side of van life when there is so much turmoil going on in this country. These hardships are insignificant compared to what’s happened in other places over the past several weeks, and it’s difficult to write about traveling or adventure when people have been murdered in cold blood. We are sickened and angry with our government. But I don’t want to dive into that here, as this is not the right place to discuss these tragedies.

That said, it could be a lot worse for us, and I’m grateful to just be alive and healthy.

In wrapping up, I just wanted you to know that van life is far from perfect, and that every day presents new challenges or frustrations. We don’t want to sell you on the idea that being digital nomads is always hunky dory, because it’s not, and it’s better to know the good and bad before embarking on a journey of a lifetime.

Still, there are no regrets, and that’s the important part.

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to our publication here. It’s free entertainment and advice, and it helps show us you like what we do. Thanks!

If you’ve ever followed any location-independent blog or Instagram account, you’ve seen those glorious photos of the freelancer happily working away while sitting by the Caribbean blue waters on a white sandy beach with an adult beverage in hand. #LifeIsGood 💕

What most people don’t realize is that a freedom lifestyle business rarely ends up like the fairytale stories sold by these content creators.

Sure, we get to work from anywhere while playing by our own rules. And yes, there are some days when building a digital business by the beach is possible.

But most of the time, you’re grinding it all out in your travel van or RV, in a motel, or by hanging out at coffee shops. #TheRealLife 💁

Don’t get me wrong.

It’s still an awesome way to live and work! I’d rather do that than spend hours in traffic going to a “real” job. It’s just that so many of the digital nomads sharing their lifestyle are really marketing a fantasy in exchange for your hard-earned dollars.

So I won’t bullshit you. Here’s the truth about it all.

The Pros of Working from Anywhere

The best aspect of running a digital business is the ability to travel and see the world at your own pace. But there are other benefits, such as improved mental wellness and greater freedom in your daily life.

These are some of the biggest reasons people choose to become digital nomads.

1. You can move to new locations each day or stay in place for weeks.

2. You can experience different cultures, cuisines, beverages, and landscapes.

3. You can build your life around new adventures or interests.

4. You can spend more time doing what you love and work less.

5. You can meet people and build relationships wherever you go.

6. You can enjoy the great outdoors and be more physically active.

As you can see, these are some strong points for being location-independent. It can certainly offer you a fantastic future of happiness.

The Cons of Working from Anywhere

In life, there are ups and downs. The worst aspect of becoming a digital entrepreneur is embracing the fear of the unknown. There will be times when things don’t go as planned, and you'll need to adapt.

Here are some of the most common drawbacks of working on the road.

1. You can’t get dependable WiFi everywhere, which will affect your work.

2. You can’t predict the flow of business so that it can be feast or famine.

3. You can’t budget every travel expense because rates change constantly.

4. You can’t trust that there will always be hotel rooms or RV spots available.

5. You can’t play ALL the time AND expect to make a living.

6. You can’t expect everything to go the way you envisioned.

These problems will require you to be flexible in your daily work routine while working from the road. It can be mentally draining and stressful at times.

Is it all worth it in the end?

Overall, your experience will depend on several factors, including how you travel, your current financial situation, where you will be staying, and your type of business.

But I can tell you we have enjoyed our life on the road.

Even though being a digital nomad and running online businesses has challenges, we wouldn’t have it any other way. We can’t imagine going back to a “normal life” in the foreseeable future.

Think about it like this.

No matter where you work, whether it’s a traditional business or an unconventional company, there will always be pros and cons for each.

Nothing is ever perfect. So why not explore the options?

The biggest question you have to answer is, do you believe it will make you happier to work from anywhere? If so, you need to do it.

You will never know how it works out until you try. It’s always possible you will hate it or fail at it, but the pain of regret will always hurt more.

Take a leap of faith. Go for it.

As a kid I always loved being outdoors. Staring at the sky for hours would unleash my creativity and imagination, while playing in the creek behind our house gave me a great sense of adventure. When I climbed the tallest trees in our neighborhood, it provided a sense of accomplishment, while allowing me to escape the world below.

Those days spent outside were always rewarding and over the years and I’ve missed that feeling, because when you disconnect from the comforts of being inside, it has a way of enriching your soul. It awakens your spirit in ways you can’t imagine. So my new love for hiking is not unexpected.

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir

When Donetta and I started traveling fulltime, we knew being outdoors would be a part of that lifestyle. Besides, you can’t drive by all the majestic scenery in the mountains without immersing yourself into its beauty. The wilderness must be experienced, and there’s no better way to do that than hiking.

So in our first couple of months on the road, we invested in expensive hiking boots and a couple backpacks, grabbed my survival gear, and we just started walking.

Now, I’m not an expert at hiking in the mountains, and even though I did plenty of wilderness activities as a teenager and in the Army, there is still a lot for me to learn, but I vividly remember what a Marine friend once told me. He said, “you can read everything you want about living a life from the road, but you won’t know shit or understand it, until you actually do it.”

Sometimes the best way to conquer your fears is just by doing it.

And we did.

“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
Sir Edmund Hillary

Choosing a path and walking into the woods is scary. You don’t know what lies ahead on the trail or in the forest. There could be an insurmountable elevation to climb or hungry black bear having a bad day. Yet traversing into the unknown is where your mind and body become one, and eventually you start to realize your life really is insignificant against the magnitude of nature. It is here where you begin to change, inside and out.

To many, it might seem foolish to just go for it, but facing danger or the unknown makes you stronger, and it will allow you to become more confident, while feeling fully alive.

We accepted the totality of it all and that is freeing.

Hiking has now become a spiritual and healing part of our lives, and it has transformed us, mentally and physically. It is a calling that must be answered and we’re always glad to do it.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

Henry David Thoreau

Our love for hiking grows every day, along with our insatiable thirst for new adventures. And for the first time in a very long time, I have rediscovered a peacefulness I thought would never return. Can taking a path into the unknow really make a difference? It absolutely can!

When we sold everything and took a minimalistic approach to life in order to pursue our adventure travel dreams, it was scary, but it’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made together. The freedom to explore has been exhilirating and hiking has elevated that experience we encounter every single day. Sometimes you have to venture into the unknown to find the happiness and joy you are seeking.

Despite the dangers the wilderness or a life on the road can offer, we will continue our journey because it’s better to live fully and die, than to die half full.

“To travel, to experience and learn: that is to live.”
Tenzing Norgay

As the end of 2025 arrives, it’s fun to look back over the year and see what it held for us. We had so many great adventures and we’re so thankful for them all!

As I look back over the things we did this year and the places we went, I’m amazed at all the incredible experiences we had. There were some challenges this year, but overall, we were incredibly blessed to have some great adventures.

We headed west at the beginning of 2025 and spent January and February in northern New Mexico, Arizona, and southern Colorado. This part of the country seems to draw us in over and over again, and we enjoy seeing new things every time we visit.

Some of our favorite things from this part of our adventures:

• Petrified Forest National Park

• Hiking in Sedona, Arizona

• Canyon de Chelly National Monument

• Enjoying Pagosa Springs in the snow

We made a quick trip “home” to Oklahoma for a visit, then headed to South Texas to explore the region in March. We enjoyed so many things in this area.

Some of the highlights were:

• Dinosaur Valley State Park

• Hiking to the top of Enchanted Rock in Enchanted Rock State Park

• Visiting the towns of Luckenbach, Fredericksburg, and Wimberly

• Camping on the beach at Padre Island National Seashore

• Visiting Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

• Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

• Waco Mammoth National Monument

Honestly, most of those stops really surprised us with how much we loved them. We didn’t expect to enjoy all those places as much as we did, but they were all amazing!

After that, we headed out west again on (what was supposed to be) a huge summer adventure. We were going to venture all the way to the West Coast and up into the Pacific Northwest, then work our way across the north to Minnesota. We spent May and June traveling around New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. It was the best time, but for a variety of reasons, we ditched that summer itinerary and made new plans.

Spoiler alert - one of those reasons was that we started the process for buying a camper van! 🥳 That ended up taking quite a bit of time, so we decided to change our plans and do something a little different to make that dream a reality.

While we were out this way, some of the things we did and absolutely loved were:

• Riding the train from Durango to Silverton in Colorado

• Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic & Historic Byway

• Colorado National Monument

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

• Valley of the Gods in Utah

• Monument Valley, Arizona

• Horseshoe Bend

• Antelope Canyon

The list for this area (northern Arizona and southern Utah) is so full of amazing things that it could go on and on. Needless to say, we absolutely LOVED this whole region. You could spend weeks in Page, Arizona, alone, to explore the surrounding area and never run out of places to see!

From there, we headed farther north into Utah and explored many other areas of the state. There is so much to see in Utah that you could spend months there and still not see it all. 😂

Some of the highlights from this part of our trip would be:

• The scenic drive on Highway 12 through Utah

• Capitol Reef National Park (Bryce Canyon and Zion are a must, too, but we’d done those before and didn’t take the time to see them again on this trip)

• The mountain pass between south Salt Lake City and Heber City, Utah

• The town of Vernal

• Dinosaur National Monument

• Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

Eventually, we made our way into Colorado, spending time in Loveland and Estes Park. Loveland has an amazing sculpture park that I absolutely loved exploring. Definitely recommend it if you’re in the area. And Estes Park is a place we never tire of returning to. We absolutely love it there. We love the people, we love the scenery, we love the town, we love Rocky Mountain National Park, we love the hiking trails - there is so much to love about that spot. ♥️

In July, it was off to Minnesota for a business trip, making stops along the way. We explored a bit of Kansas, stopped in Omaha to see the place where my family lived when I was born, and then visited some very dear friends in Iowa.

I attended my company’s annual convention in Minneapolis, where we rented an Airbnb with a bunch of friends and had the best time. Our convention is one of my favorite weeks of the year. I always look forward to spending that time with dear friends. Once the convention was over, we explored more of Minnesota and Wisconsin before working our way south.

Some highlights from this part of the country:

• Visiting the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum in Walnut Grove, Minnesota

• The Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in the Minneapolis area

• Stillwater, Minnesota, and the St. Croix River

We then headed back to Oklahoma to wait for our van to be delivered, but the first deal fell through, and we had to find another solution. Luckily, we discovered Next Chapter Camper Vans in Tulsa, and we purchased our new home. Woot woot!

This all took a bit of time, so we hung out with our daughter in OKC and visited family while we waited for it to be finished.

Once we got the van, we headed northeast and made stops in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

We loved exploring in our new van and the freedom it offered us. We stopped at campgrounds, stayed in parking lots through Harvest Hosts, and even hung out in Walmart parking lots occasionally to get some work done. Additionally, we made some new great friends at one of our stops in Illinois.

After arriving in Ohio, we stayed with amazing friends of ours in the Cleveland area and had so much fun catching up and hanging out at their house. They took us to see a handful of really cool places and we enjoyed staying in their peaceful oasis away from the city.

Some of our favorite places to visit in Ohio:

• Toledo Botanical Garden

• Cleveland’s West Side Market

• Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Even though it was only early November, winter was moving in fast. Temperatures were dropping overnight, and snow was in the forecast, so we bugged out to find better weather!

Heading south, we enjoyed visiting West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia—stopping at several National Parks along the way and having fun despite some areas in each park being closed because of the government shutdown. Our stops included Cuyahoga Valley National Park, New River Gorge National Park, and Congaree National Park. In case you hadn’t noticed, NPS sites are something we love. 😊

The new friends we made in Illinois invited us to meet up at Jekyll Island, Georgia, so we made our way there. We were introduced to a whole new group of friends thanks to them, and we had a wonderful time camping, exploring the island by car and bike, and hanging out with all of these great folks.

We finished up there in mid-November and began our way back to Oklahoma to spend the holidays with family, stopping in Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas before arriving home.

As you can see, it’s been a very adventurous year and we’ve had an absolutely great time exploring different areas of the country! We are so thankful for the opportunity to live the way we do and can’t wait to see what 2026 holds for us.

But before we end the year, we have to say how thankful we are for the old friends we've seen and the new friends we’ve made along the way. Here are just a few photos of the fun memories we made with them.

In wrapping up this long post — thank you so much for reading — I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year, as well as encourage you to get out and explore in 2026, if you can. This country is filled with incredible places to visit and make new memories.

And if you had the opportunity to travel this past year, let us know where you went, or if you’re planning a trip next year, let us know where you’re going. Maybe we can meet you along the way and have some fun.

See ya next year! 🎉 🥂

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When we started traveling full-time in 2020, we chose an unconventional approach to road life—living in hotels rather than buying an expensive travel van or a large RV.

Understandably, most people would choose the other route, yet there were several reasons we believed hotels and resorts would be a better fit, and what it really came down to was the following:

1. Not wanting to deal with maintenance issues. After 15 years of home ownership, we were ready to be free of these hassles and expenses.

2. Not wanting to haul anything behind us. The high stress of driving a big rig on mountain roads or in high winds would definitely kill us.

Avoiding these two problems would allow us to have a happier, safer experience as we explore the world. So, was it worth it?

The Hotel Living Experience

After a long day of traveling and exploring, it’s wonderful to walk into a hotel room, set down your gear, and unwind. There’s no setup or teardown, and depending on which hotel chain you choose, you can enjoy several great amenities like happy hour and breakfast at no extra charge.

We’ve been in some amazing places that provide more benefits than we could ever get or use at most RV parks, and because we racked up a ton of points and achieved the highest level for guest status, we’ve received some fantastic perks and many free stays.

Overall, we loved it, and it makes the adventure travel so easy.

But it’s far from perfect.

The post-pandemic revenge pricing and price gouging for hotel rooms in specific locations are totally absurd. You’ll pay more on weekends or three times the amount if you’re close to a National Park or other desirable venue.

Then there are the shitty hotel guests who think they’re the center of the universe and care nothing about other guests. Screaming children, partying neighbors, and door slammers can push you into a murderous rage.

Sometimes the WiFi and food sucks, or you get an occasional cockroach for a visit.

That said, we’ve had mostly good experiences, and I think this is a worthwhile solution for traveling full-time. Now that we live in a camper van, though, I believe this is the best way to go for anyone wanting to live on the road.

The Pros of Living in Hotels

• Less stress: Book the room, park your car, unload your belongings, walk in, and relax after a long day of driving or exploring. It’s that simple.

• Free perks: Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, coffee, breakfast, exercise rooms, swimming pools, and other amenities — but not always.

• Better safety: Rest easier knowing you can deadbolt your door, have some level of security and fire alarms, and also be safer from severe weather.

• Rewards programs: Earn extra rewards and free nights based on the hotel brand or services offered.

The Cons of Living in Hotels

• Stupid and rude guests: Dealing with jackasses who think they’re the center of the universe and don’t care about your feelings.

• Ridiculous pricing: Paying more than you should for what you get, especially on weekends or during special events in town.

• Lack of services: Losing out on amenities thanks to corporate greed or because there’s no workforce to offer them anymore.

What Advice Do We Have?

If you’re considering traveling full-time and feel like living in hotels is a better option for your lifestyle, here are some valuable tips for having the best experience possible.

1. Choose the top floor. You won’t have to listen to obnoxious people above you, and it seems there are fewer problems the higher you go.

2. Avoid rooms by the elevator. These areas are the noisiest in the hotel and can be constantly busy.

3. Get a room with a kitchen. In-room kitchens are rare these days, but if you can find one, you will save money by cooking in rather than going out.

4. Book rooms during the week. If you book your stay Monday through Thursday, the rate is better — even if you stay through the weekend.

5. Ask for a room with a view. Having a better view than concrete and plenty of sunlight will be great for your psyche.

6. Bring an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Roku. If you love watching your favorite shows, you’ll want to have one of these, but they don’t always work.

7. Consider a WiFi hotspot. Most hotels have free and consistent internet, but there are places like Sedona where it sucks. WiFi hotspots can help with this.

8. Negotiate on pricing in person. This isn’t as easy now due to online booking options, but it’s still worth trying, especially if you’re good at flirting.

9. Decorate your room. When we stay in a place for a week or more, we decorate with a few items to make the room feel a little more like home.

10. Check behind dressers or under the beds. This has less to do with finding yucky stuff, but sometimes you do find money.

11. Sign up for rewards programs. Most hotels offer horrible rewards programs, but some great ones make it worthwhile, like Choice Hotels.

12. Treat staff members with respect. Kindness goes a LONG way! Some of these people work really hard for little money. Being nice doesn’t take much effort and makes their day.

Of course, there are other things like packing light in case the elevator is broken or avoiding any motel in the middle of a cornfield, but these ideas will be a great start.

If you’re considering living in hotels and have any questions, let us know. We’d be glad to share more as we can!

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I’ve never been a cat person.

Felines have interesting and unique qualities that make them adorable in their own way, and I certainly don’t hate them; I prefer dogs because they’re typically more sociable, trainable, lovable, and reliable. Not to mention, I’m also allergic to cats.

So I never imagined in a million years I’d become the neighborhood cat guy, attached to a stray we’ve affectionately named Skittles.1

Skittles showed up at my daughter’s house over a year ago. He was a malnourished, starving kitten who didn’t trust humans but needed a good meal.

Usually, I wouldn’t feed a stray cat because I know it causes a lot of problems, and he might start hanging around and become dependent on my daughter or us. Since we travel full-time, I didn’t want to take on that responsibility for any of us.

But I couldn’t let an animal die or suffer like that!

When I said goodbye to my best friend Bandit in April 2020, I was absolutely devastated, and to be honest, I still haven’t recovered from that day. My heart was so broken, I promised myself I’d never get emotionally attached to an animal again.

Then the Cat Distribution System sent me a kitten. 🐈 🤷‍♂️

Since that first day Skittles showed up hungry, he has become something of a buddy when we’re in town visiting my daughter.

If we’re outside, he always finds us and asks for love and affection, while “talking” to us constantly. When we go inside, he’ll jump onto the window ledges to stare at us, looking like he wants to join the family. Sometimes when I’m working in the garage, he’ll jump onto the buckets to take a nap while listening to the Grateful Dead.

This cat and his behavior are rare to me. I’ve only ever met one other Feline who enjoys being loved and appreciated as much as he does. Not even our daughter’s cat wants that much to do with us! 😝

Several days ago, Skittles showed up injured.

I don’t know if he got into a fight or fell weird, but he wasn’t himself and just lay there with a non-committal attitude. That’s when I noticed his leg was messed up. He’s been limping and it doesn’t look right. Maybe it’s broken.

Because it was Friday and ALL the local veterinary places and the city shelters were closed, and because we don’t have the funds to take him to an expensive emergency room, Skittles has had to endure the injury. Believe me, I called 14 different places, begging for help, and no one would help.

All weekend, I’ve been dealing with severe anxiety and stress, and even cried at times, all for a feral neighborhood cat I never wanted or expected to like.

Apparently, I do have a heart!

Today, I found Bella SPCA, a nonprofit veterinary hospital in Oklahoma City, which said that if I bring him in, they can help for a fraction of what other veterinarians charge. Still, they don’t know what they can do until we get him in for an appointment, and we don’t really have the money for treatment.

Animal Welfare will come and get him, treat him if possible, and try to adopt him out, but there’s a great possibility he would be euthanized. I don’t think I can live with that decision, mainly because I believe Skittles would make a great family pet, and he deserves a chance to live.

Now I’m just hoping for the best.

We’re going to get a cat carrier, hopefully find him outside, and then convince him to go with us to Bella SPCA willingly.

I don’t know if we’ll have the money to give him proper care or if they can do anything for Skittles, and maybe the outcome isn’t what I want, but I also can’t watch this lovable cat suffer anymore. And if we didn’t live on the road and I wasn’t allergic to cats, he’d have a place with us, but unfortunately, that’s not an option.

That being said, I’m praying for a Christmas miracle.

I hope someone can help him, that his life will be saved, and that in the end, Skittles will find a home with someone who loves him as much as he loves them. ♥️

If you’re an animal lover, specifically cats, and you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know. I’ll be forever grateful!!!

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I know, I know. Just pick something and stick with it!

That’s the voice inside my head right now because it’s what I constantly hear from my lovely wife, Donetta. She’s right. At least I’m brave enough to admit it.

Yet, having been in the digital media space for several decades and knowing the complexities of publishing platforms, it’s not always easy to choose the right path for creating and sharing your content—especially when things are changing so quickly these days and AI is taking over the world! Not to mention the actual cost for it all.

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been busy buying a camper van, learning to live in one, working harder to grow our YouTube channel, and evaluating how we invest our time in Road Life Adventure going forward. And because we love what we do and want to make a living from it, we’ve had to ask ourselves some hard questions, like how we actually make it happen and where to focus our efforts. 🤔

Some of you know we originally started writing on our WordPress website before moving to Substack a few years ago. Then, amid ongoing controversies and problems with this platform, we moved everything to Ghost. Seemed logical, right? We wanted to protect our work and avoid the drama. Now we’re back.

Rather than giving you a deep dive now, I’d like to keep this short and sweet as to my reasons for returning to Substack.1

Why We’re Back to Substack

Money: Ghost is an excellent platform with features I love, but paying $300 per year for a website that’s not getting much traffic and doesn’t generate any income isn’t a wise investment when Substack is free.

Community: There’s a strong, active community here, something that Ghost currently lacks. It’s nice to be in a place where you can connect with other talented people and not feel completely alone.

Engagement: People enjoy a variety of content, and this platform is perfect for writing, videos, social media, and podcasting — all activities we do or enjoy. Why not create a mix of engaging, interactive content in one place?

Simplicity: Publishing is a lot of work, especially when you do it across multiple platforms. This increases our stress and cuts into our travel time. We’re simplifying the process and focusing our efforts.

Now comes the lengthy process of moving our content back here to Substack. I wish the import and export features made this easier, but alas, they do not — which is another frustrating reminder to pick something and stick with it. Yes, Donetta was right. LOL!

In the meantime, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who continues to follow us on this adventure and who has connected with us! 🙏

We don’t take your time for granted, and we appreciate your encouragement, advice, feedback, and recommendations. It really does mean the world to us and we’re thankful for every connection point we make with you. We’ve made new friends all over the world and that is priceless.

Additionally, if you previously unsubscribed and were inadvertently re-added to the list, we apologize for the error. This is one of the problems with moving again and the import feature. We’d love for you to reconsider, but you can unsubscribe again. Sorry!

We’ll publish some new material soon, but we want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a Happy New Year in advance. We hope you are doing great and staying healthy.

See ya soon. Thanks again!

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A couple of weeks ago, we decided to take our road life adventure through Battlefield, Missouri. Not only was it our first visit to this town, but it was also our first time using Harvest Host.

Our host for the evening was Wire Road Brewing, an amazing brewery located at 4453 S Timbercreek Avenue, along Old Wire Road, a trail first used by Native Americans for migration and hunting, which later became a major route for telegraph wires from St. Louis, Missouri, to Fort Smith, Arkansas, in 1860. It’s also a short distance from the historic Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.

Is Wire Road Brewing worth visiting?

During our five years of full-time travel, I’ve explored dozens of breweries and sampled hundreds of craft beers. Finding a hidden gem like Wire Road Brewing is a rare delight.

The atmosphere and vibe are inviting, so you’ll quickly feel at home, especially since the bartenders are friendly and helpful. We also enjoyed meeting several locals who were an absolute pleasure to talk with.

The brewery itself is lively, with enough indoor space for 90 people, but the outdoor area is incredible. You’re likely to experience live music, a diverse crowd, and a top-notch food truck – Yallternative Eats was superb, especially their fries. Wire Road is also working on creating an adults-only section on the property.

But the beer itself was absolutely fantastic!

I sampled Lingering Effect, a Belgian Dark Strong Ale at 9.2% ABV and 29 IBU, and found it delicious. I also tried Tres Chilles, a Pepper Pale Ale at 6% ABV and 36 IBU, which had enough heat to spice things up but not enough to spit fire. There were a few other samples I enjoyed as well.

Yet it was Gilligan’s Island, a fruited sour with 6% ABV and 22 IBU, that was my favorite. The blend of pineapple and coconut gave it a distinct piña colada flavor, making it easy to drink and evoking visions of the beach.

To round out the experience, we received a free T-shirt, a crowler, and some stickers as a “thank you” for our visit.

All of these wonderful things have put Wire Road Brewing in my Top 5 Breweries in the United States so far! 🍻

On July 3rd, 2025, after a horrible experience trying to buy a camper van from a company in Rifle, Colorado, we accidentally discovered a local van builder in Ramona, Oklahoma, during our desperate search for a new option.

And now that we’ve been living in our camper van for two weeks, it’s time for us to share our thoughts on the company that made our dream a reality.

Welcome to Next Chapter

Doug Smith, owner of Next Chapter Camper Vans, spent 20 years in Corporate America. The company he worked for was eventually sold, resulting in his termination. Rather than seek employment elsewhere or retire, he decided to take a leap of faith and build a business to help others live their traveling dreams.

When I first spoke with Doug by phone, I immediately sensed that his heart and soul were in this business. He focused on building camper vans that could operate off the grid while remaining affordable for people seeking their own adventure. Of course, this also meant cutting out all the extra fluff that many other van enthusiasts add to their products, which was perfectly fine with me.

He had me hooked!

We drove two hours to his shop to meet him in person and see if the actual product lived up to the online hype. We were not disappointed.

The 2023 Ram Promaster

Next Chapter only provides van customizations for the Ram ProMaster chassis. They will even find a used van for you for a great price.

We decided on the 2500 with a 159” wheel base, the most common model for van lifers because it’s 18 inches shorter than a 3500 series, making it easier to drive and park in tight spaces. It’s 19.6 feet from nose to tail and turns on a dime.

Switching from a Chevy Silverado 1500 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine to a high-roof commercial van with a 3.6L Pentastar V6 has been a significant change.

The power decrease is noticeable, especially when driving uphill, and the van sways a lot in strong winds. We’ve also seen a slight drop in MPG due to the extra weight we carry, but it’s not a big difference compared to our truck. Additionally, I wish Promasters offered AWD or 4WD, as I’m not entirely convinced about the FWD.

We had a desert-tan vehicle wrap installed, giving us a subtle military and outdoor vibe while allowing us to add custom graphics and advertising in the near future. The feedback from people has been very positive.

Unfortunately, the van purchased for our build had a faulty TPS monitor, a broken tag light, issues with the Uconnect and GPS, and was badly in need of an oil change and detailing. I wish these problems had been solved before we picked up the van at Next Chapter, but otherwise, we like it.

The Custom Build

Doug and his team did an excellent job on the build. Nearly everywhere we stop, people comment on how great it looks.

The cabinets are crafted from oak and high-quality materials to deliver durability and a luxurious look. They offer more storage than other camper vans, and the heavy-duty magnets keep your belongings secure, preventing accidental opening during travel.

We chose a semi-gloss black paint and brushed-nickel fixtures, along with white shiplap for the backsplash. The floors are real wood with a darker finish, and the ceiling is flat white with plenty of track lighting and dimmers.

The bed is very comfortable with 8” of memory foam, and even in an RV queen size, Donetta and I have plenty of space when we don’t want to snuggle. For private moments of fun, I highly recommend wearing a rubber helmet or being very aware of the low ceiling. Explaining those bumps and bruises all over your head might be very awkward. 🤭

Overall, we love the entire look and feel of our camper van. Our only complaints are minor cosmetic issues that are easy to fix.

The Features

I want to provide a breakdown of key features and explain why they differ from many other Class B Camper Vans on the market.

20 Gallon Water Tank and Heater

At first, I didn’t care much about this, especially since many RVers struggle with water tanks, and I have two nearly indestructible 5-gallon Scepter cans that keep water cold. But I really like what Next Chapter did here!

The 20 gallon tank is located on the rear driver's side and is easily accessible through the custom cabinets. It includes an outdoor shower sprayer, a simple hose connector, and a 2-gallon hot water tank that takes about 10 minutes to heat. It’s also very easy to winterize if we stop traveling in the colder climates. It’s easy to fill up and saves me from hauling water cans around.

At light use (washing dishes, wetting our hair, brushing our teeth), it takes us four days for the water to be halfway gone.

5 Gallon Porta-Potty

Having a toilet feels like a waste of space. Besides, who wants to drop a stinky in the place where they eat?

Regardless, our van came equipped with a portable SereneLife 5.2-gallon toilet that’s easy to fill, use, dump, and clean. It’s not fancy but does the job. And despite the awkwardness of learning to squat in a van to take a leak, it’s been handy for us, especially on those nights I’ve had too many beers and don’t leave the vehicle.

There are portable composting toilet upgrades to consider, and we might explore that option in the future, but for now, this one works and we’re glad we have it.

Bodega Cooler

Next Chapter Vans includes a smaller fridge in the buildout price, but because we travel full-time, we opted for a larger Bodega upgrade for $250. The downside is that there still isn’t enough space, and it doesn’t always perform well, so we’ve brought our BougeRV CRD Portable Dual Fridge for meat, ice cream, and extra beers.

Sink with 5 Gallon Tank

This was a required feature, no matter how basic it was.

In our build, the sink aspirator draws water from the 20-gallon tank, dispenses it through the faucet, and then drains it into a 5-gallon plastic jerry can below. We empty the drain water every couple of days to keep it from getting too heavy or smelly. It’s a hassle-free setup with minimal risk of issues. We can also cover the sink with the wood cutting board provided by Next Chapter.

I’ll also add that we love the countertop and the space. It’s perfect for food preparation or as a standing desk. Plus, there are under-the-counter track lights with a dimmer, making this a nice spot to display some decorations.

Microwave

This feature wasn’t a big deal for us, but it’s been useful the few times we’ve used it.

Power Source

This was the most critical aspect of our van build because having the ability to boondock or be off the grid is mandatory.

We have two Eco-Worthy Lithium Battery Bluetooths at 12V/280Ah/3,584Wh, along with a 450-watt solar panel to generate power. Our inverter is an Ardroit and our battery monitor is a Redarc. The batteries can be recharged while driving, via solar power, or via shore power. Truth be told, I don’t know much about these things, but it seems to be working great so far!

While boondocking, we lost only 15%-20% of our batteries on a 12-hour night run, including the air conditioner and two fridges. However, if we keep the heater running on cold nights, it will drop by 50% or more overnight.

12 Volt Air Conditioner and Heater

While we could suffer in cold or hot weather, we didn’t want to compromise on this feature, even if we used it sparingly.

Unfortunately, we don’t know the make or model, or how all the features work, but it does a great job — sometimes it’s so cold lying on the bed, that my nipples get so hard that they reach the ceiling. The downside is that the temperature is consistent around the bed area, but there can be a 10-20-degree difference at the front of the van.

That said, we are glad we have this, as in our first two months with the van, we encountered very hot and very cold weather.

The Price

Many people are hesitant to share what they paid for a high-end product, but it’s worth noting the price relative to other options. Not to mention, you can easily find prices on his website.

The investment price for our van and build was $85,000 USD.

At first glance, this may seem like a lot of money, and it is. Still, when you consider that other van companies are selling their converted vans for an average of $120,000 and up, Next Chapter is an incredible deal.

Could you source it and build it yourself at a lower cost? Absolutely. But this also requires upfront cash, tools, knowledge, and time — none of which we had. At our age, we decided to finance it so we could get going ASAP.

Customer Support

Here’s one more thing I really appreciate about Next Chapter Camper Vans ... their customer support.

We’ve had a few minor issues, but Doug fixed them immediately! He’s always responsive when we text or call, and I know he’s traveled to other customers on his own dime to help with their van problems, even when it had nothing to do with the actual build itself. This means everything!

In an industry where customer support sucks, Next Chapter has excelled. It’s not perfect, but it’s close. And we appreciate that.

Overall Experience and Feelings

If I were rating our experience and satisfaction with this purchase on a five-point scale, I’d give it 4.5 overall. We really do love our van!

While there were a few annoying things with the camper van build process and the finished product, we have absolutely zero regrets. Doug and his team did a fantastic job and we’re happy to have worked with them. The biggest drawback, in my opinion, was that I didn’t get to see the used van before it was purchased or have it inspected.

If you decide van life is for you and you’d like to know more, reach out to Doug Smith at Next Chapter Camper Vans. Please tell him Road Life Adventure sent you.

On September 26, 2025, Donetta and I entered into a brand new phase of our lives together, one that could test our resiliency as a digital nomad couple and the strength of our marriage.

We moved into a camper van.

Having spent the last five years of our road-life adventure living in hotels and a rooftop tent, it was finally time for the Next Chapter of our journey.

Van life has been a dream of ours for years. Whenever we saw someone passing by in a camper van, we always thought, “Those lucky bastards.” We believed that experiencing such freedom would significantly improve our lives.

So, has this lifestyle lived up to our expectations so far?

A resounding YES!

The stressful days of spending hours searching for a good and reasonably priced hotel, as well as the constant struggles to set up and tear down our overlanding gear at campsites, are finally over. Traveling is so much easier now.

I know our van life adventures are still in their infancy, but it has been a game-changer for two Generation Xers on a budget.

The camper van experience so far.

In full disclosure, I’d like to say living in a camper van has been far from perfect, and there have been a few times I’ve wanted to scream violently into a dark abyss.

Learning how to drive a new and tall vehicle has been tough, especially in high winds, and pissing people off because I’m moving so slowly has been stressful. Negotiating with my wife about how to organize or pack things has been even tougher. Learning to move around each other in tight spaces while constantly shifting our belongings to different sections in the vehicle has been maddening.

Van life has been an adjustment for me.

But I wouldn’t change it for anything! I know Donetta feels the same.

In the last week alone, we’ve camped next to the water at three beautiful lakes, a fantastic brewery, and a woodsy KOA at Lake of the Ozarks, and we’ve spent an average of $28.47 per night for 11 nights so far. That’s a hell of a lot cheaper than hotels, plus we’ve had a way better overall experience.

Additionally, we park in our spot, plug in when power is available, and settle in to work or relax. It’s been glorious.

I know it won’t always be this way and that there will be other challenges, but having our home self-contained and ready to roll at a moment’s notice has been worth it all so far.

Even as I write this, we’ve pulled into Three Story Coffee to work and get an Americanno. The van fits easily into a regular parking spot, and when I get tired, it’s a short walk to the bed for a nap. Living in a camper van is not a bad way to go!

If you want to see more about our van, here’s a video from our YouTube channel.

What’s Next?

I’m currently working on a full review of Next Chapter Camper Vans, including what we like and don’t like so far, as well as the rest of our camper van buying experience. I can’t wait to share that.

But I want to wrap up this article by asking you a couple of questions.

Have you ever lived in a camper van? What was your experience like? We’d really love to know. Please drop us a comment below. Thanks!

A couple of weeks ago, I celebrated my 55th birthday on this planet, which feels so crazy because my mind still thinks I’m in my early 20s. The years seem to pass much more quickly these days!

Regardless, every day is a gift, and I’m incredibly grateful for each moment I’ve been given, even as days grow shorter and the aging process sets in. And although I move more slowly and have more pain, life is good.

Yet things are changing, especially when it comes to travel.

I have always been drawn to the philosophy of taking the road less traveled and pursuing the dream of romantic adventure travel. Like many other brave adventurers, I yearn for the opportunity to explore the wilderness with reckless abandon and wonder, testing my abilities to overcome arduous challenges in the quest for self-sustaining and self-reliance.

So when we first began our adventure five years ago, I envisioned spending most of our time on remote wilderness roads, utilizing my survival skills, and boondocking in isolated spots, all while taking epic 15-mile hikes to explore the beautiful summits of mountains throughout the country.

Of course, the mass commercialization of the overlanding industry only helped fuel this dream. Watching the high-definition YouTube videos of off-road gurus, along with the brilliant advertising of outdoor brands, cemented the belief that I, too, could embark on an adventure of a lifetime.

I bought into it fully—hook, line, and sinker!

The billions of dollars spent on gear and vehicles confirm that we, as humans, are eager to discover a thrill that we will likely never experience again. The thirst for adventure speaks volumes to our souls, convincing us to be entirely in, no matter what the cost, because it is our destiny.

The story is so beautiful, so mesmerizing.

Only the stories told by marketing departments and brand influencers don’t tell you the whole truth: the epic journey can be challenging, especially for those of us over 50.

It’s been said that age is just a number, and for the most part, I would agree. With proper nutrition, strength training, and the benefits of modern science, we can prolong the effects of aging and enjoy more opportunities to pursue our desires. We’re not done until we are done.

But that only goes so far.

There are moments when our bodies can no longer withstand the physical demands of driving through rugged terrain, hiking steep grades, carrying heavy equipment, or sleeping on inadequate camping mats. There comes a time when the exchange between pain and adventure is no longer worth it.

Over the last several months, this has been my reality as I battle severe arthritis and nerve pain in my hips and legs, likely brought on by years of abuse in sports and the military. And while my youthful mind tells me I can still endure the extreme adventures, the truth is my body cannot.

It’s why we’re adapting our travel lifestyle and buying a camper van.

Accepting this fact has been difficult because I’m not ready to give up on the dream that those marketing campaigns sell me. I’m the Generation X guy who didn’t wear a helmet or seatbelt, who lived and breathed Red Dawn, and the self-trained ninja who jumped off roofs and out of trees. I did the crazy shit and lived to tell about it.

Unfortunately, those days are gone.

Yet all is not lost!

The truth is that I, and people like me, can still discover the thrill of adventure travel, even if it requires giving up living in a rooftop tent for more appropriate comfort, or not taking that 8-hour climb to the summit of Twin Sisters Peak and riding a bike around the lake instead.

When I consider our plans for the future, they're not focused on significant accomplishments like summiting Mount Hood or hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. Instead, I think about enjoying the activities I can do, like watching elk in Estes Park, taking an easy hike in Sedona, snorkeling in Aruba, or sharing beers with friends around a campfire at an RV park. That’s good enough for me.

So, the journey is what we make it.

My encouragement to those of us over 50 is to embrace our age and any limitations we may face, without feeling guilty or less than for not being the poster child for the extreme adventurer sold to the youth. It’s normal and acceptable to set aside those crazy dreams for simpler ones.

Perhaps there are still opportunities to push the limits, but it’s OK if there aren’t.

What do you think?

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