The Beginnings - how it all happened

In early 2015 we started planning for this adventure. Since we have done this before we knew it was possible and definitely not as scary. The scary part is quitting your jobs, moving out of your home, leaving your family and friends and all the "what if's". First thing we did was pick a time frame for departure, without a goal it's hard to work for. We then made a financial goal and started to make a budget. Ples and I lived off of my income and his went into savings, within less than a year we made our financial goal. The past year we still did trips, including a big 2 week trip to Switzerland. When we came back from Switzerland it was game time, picking up shifts and saving money. With doubt I kept chugging along trusting Ples and our plan. Making choices "do I really need this?" "How would this fit into our new life/truck?" Once you start living this way it becomes your lifestyle and it's just what you do. Things we bought needed to be multi-use and serve a purpose.  We took another 2 week trip in November and after that we buckled down. We turned down ice climbing trips and bike trips and instead picked up another grueling over time shift. Ples and I didn't see much of each other working opposite schedules and we didn't take our usual 4 days trips, some weeks were rough but we had a goal in mind and kept working towards it. On a warm 4 day in December Ples and I started building our new home. We gutted the inside of the truck and started rebuilding. Ples researched, drew out plans and put a lot of thought into our new layout of the camper. This is how our old set up looked:

After 4 days of hard work we produced this beauty:

 We bought a National Luna Refrigerator and made the look more organized and clean looking. Ples bought me a stainless steal counter top and drawers that pull out. Extra bonus was that I painted the interior PURPLE!!! We actually have a lot more space and a comfortable living space.

For my birthday we took a quick trip to Bootleg Canyon in Vegas to race and test out our new system. We came home with a few changes in mind and then we started thinking where we were going to put everything. As time went by we started purging things and compiling a pile of "must go's". We started selling items and buying new things with the money we made.

Ples and I were in a really good place in our work environments, with promotions, raises and offers we had to let down. In all, money and being successful is important to us but not as much as living our lives to the fullest and doing what we really want to do. We are both gypsies and have the drive for adventure and travel. We see it everyday how people save and work themselves to death, literally. How many people do you know that are about to retire to live out their dreams when either themselves or their spouse gets sick or dies. Both of our parents are at an age where they will need our support in the near future, it is now our time to take care of ourselves and do the things we want to do. The what if's are still there but muffled by "live in the moment" "be present" because now is the only moment we have. Many people don't understand why and how but many people do and have been inspired by our lifestyle.

As time came close to departure we finalized last minute details, built a shed for storage and spent as much time possible with our friends and family. Our to do list was getting smaller and on April 20th we moved out of our apartment. We really loved our apartment, location and neighbors and it was sad to say goodbye. We also had to say goodbye to two really good jobs, we had great employers and co-workers. Oh yeah and then there is saying good bye to our friends. We made some really good friends in the past year; we know that we will stay in contact and continue to share our lives together.

 After some delay with the tune up on the truck we left on Sunday April 24th. Truck and trailer loaded to the brim. 2 trail bikes, 2 downhill bikes and a paddle board. I fit 2 years of clothes in 1 and a half bags (cubes from Mountain Smith). My bathroom supplies fit in a small tackle box. Trailer consists of bike supplies, sleeping bags, paddle board and snorkeling supplies and odds and ends.

We drove to Fruita to meet our bike shop friends for a few days of riding. Feeling like just another trip, it didn't feel real that we were homeless and jobless.

Dan continued on with us and we went to Moab to ride with more of our friends. The weather was rainy a few days but we made the best of it. Jeff made it out and we rode with him for a few days. Curtis rode with us one day and we hung out with Adam and Meegan at camp. My bestie Carissa came out and surprised me and we rode 2 days together. We had a great time with our friends before we hit the open road. We also went to vendor night at cruise moab, got our geek on and checked out all the cool trucks.

Now it was starting to feel real. 1 week into it and we needed to take care of some business. Like most importantantly, a shower! It was too cold to set up our shower so we opted for a shower at a campground. End of week 2 everyone left and it was time to move on from Moab. We opted for the campground in town in order to use their electricity to plug in all our devices, use their water and once again the glorious shower. We had a few unexpected expenses: a few bike parts from crushing it in Moab and one of the welded hinges on the trailer broke. We ended up finding a great aluminum welder in town and got it fixed in less than an hour. With several days of riding under our belt it felt good to sit in the truck and drive. That night we stayed in the San Rafael Swells near Goblin Valley state park.

We hiked Little Wild Horse Bell Canyon. It was my first slot canyon, pretty impressive.

 We then drove through Glen Canyon Rec area to Lake Powell at Halls Crossing. There we decided to buy an annual parks pass, totally makes sense for us to have one. It was $80, 1 day at Lake Powell state park was $25. Ples and I paddled our SUP through the calm green waters and tall canyon walls. First day on the SUP is always a little intimidating, got that out of our system!!!
Spent an amazing night at the entrance of the hole in the rock trail. 360 degrees of nothing but mountains, buttes, plateaus and desert. We were completely isolated, it felt great after 3 weeks of crowded camping.
We played frisbee in the warm, quiet, still of the night and slept like babies.

Long drive through Navajo Nation to get to Flagstaff.

Then 7 months passed and I haven't written since. But now I am writing a trail guide to cooking while on the road, it should be good!