Our Four Year Travelversary!
Life is moving so fast we can't believe it's already been another year. WOW!
I can still remember the day we officially put our house on the market. Even though it was a sellerās market and there was a home-buying frenzy, it was hard to believe we had so many strong offers in just a few hours!
Donetta and I were giddy with excitement because weād been talking about selling our home to travel full-time for years. Almost every morning, we would go for a walk around the Route 66 Park in Yukon to discuss our dreams. Our running joke was always saying, āMaybe this will be the year,ā as we hoped that day would eventually come.
On July 14th, 2020, that moment finally arrived when we walked out of 901 Hyacinth Hollow Drive for the last time.
The next day, we were homeless and living in a hotel.
A crazy idea turned into reality.
Unless Interpol or a mafia boss wants you, most humans probably think itās insane to leave everything behind to pursue a new life in the unknown. Why anyone would choose to embrace daily uncertainty seems ludicrous to many.
Even after four years of adventure, some of our family and friends still donāt understand our unconventional lifestyle choice. Itās just not normal, but then, weāve never been normal anyway! š
Iād be lying if I said the road to traveling has been paved with gold.
Traveling for a vacation is entirely different from traveling as part of everyday life. It requires a different mindset when you know that at the end of your stay, thereās no place to go back to. Life from the road is a continual cycle of moving and adapting to the world around you.
Sometimes itās exhausting to pack up and go to a new place every day. Other times, itās stressful or filled with disappointment when plans fall through. Mass tourism and high prices have changed things, too.
Despite this craziness, weāve discovered a real sense of peace and happiness in it all.
When we take the time to drive slowly and explore America's backroads, it brings a huge smile to our faces. When we experience the regal majesty of the mountains or the beauty of the ocean waves, our souls feel connected to something greater than ourselves. Knowing weāre no longer living the American Dream and choosing our own is rewarding.
And not mowing lawns or doing home maintenance is still a blessing.
Some of our best memories so far.
Last year, we took a three-week trip to Alaska, something we had long dreamed of. The first two weeks were an incredible journey through the Alaskan wilderness, but our cruise was canceled the day we arrived due to engine failure. While we got to spend the weekend on the ship in port drinking free booze, it was devastating to end our dream by going āhomeā early.
The good news is we got our money back AND a free cruise - which we finally experienced in May for our 33rd wedding anniversary. It was epic! The opportunity to see humpbacks and orcas, along with sea otters, moose, eagles, and brown bears, with such breathtaking views, is one of our best memories so far. ā¤ļø š„ļø
Weāve spent two months in the Netherlands, hiked Twin Sisters Peak, watched the elk in Estes Park, driven the Road to Hana, paid respect to soldiers in Normandy, and visited a lot of National Parks.
Itās an endless list of magical moments I hope we never forget - though we'd better start writing faster, or we might forget as we get older. LOL!
Every day I am grateful for the life I lived. Donetta feels the same way, especially since weāve been able to do it all together.
The road to the future.
As we sit on theĀ Grandeur of the Seas,Ā enjoying a five-day cruise in the Gulf of Mexico right now, the only thing I can say with certainty is that there is none.
Iāve written numerous times about how short life is, and thereās no guarantee for tomorrow, and in the present moment in our country, we donāt have any safe bets or hopeful circumstances to really count on. So how can any of us really plan for the future? I mean, we can try, but weāre at the mercy of things beyond our control.
Besides, our travel lifestyle has already changed dramatically and diminished since we started, mostly due to rising costs and a struggling economy. Instead of being on the road full-time, weāve spent time in places for weeks or months. This wasnāt the plan, but here we are. š¤·āāļø
What I do know is this.
Donetta and I would love to turn this solo publication into an independent magazine, one that explores the totality of traveling, whether itās on a part-time or full-time basis, and without regard to the method of travel.
Currently, most publications cater to those who own RVs, motor homes, or expensive travel vans, who also have plenty of discretionary income to roam the earth in search of adventure. Rarely do we see anything created for working-class people with limited funds. It feels like theyāre selling a lifestyle thatās unattainable to many Americans and we want to show that itās not.
Additionally, weād love to involve other writers and content creators so we can incorporate their ideas, experiences, and advice, and finally offer some video entertainment to our readers.
Our passion for the traveling lifestyle has never waned, so we think itās an excellent idea to pursue.
There are some interesting digital nomad visa options in other countries, and weāve talked about spending extended time in Spain, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Some countries are incredibly affordable compared to the United States, so that we could get more bang for the buck. Perhaps thatās the goal in 2025-2026.
Overall, weāve been extremely fortunate, no matter how our future adventures turn out. We continue to work on new ideas and figure things out as we go, and hopefully, weāll be able to cruise the highways a lot longer. We canāt imagine sitting idle or stopping at this point - unless itās in Colorado. šļø
Until next time.