I am a teardrop owner for 5 years now. I am a part timer. But I have been out up to a month before. It's not always great. But I do enjoy. When I first got out I had fears but soon got over them. It is a challenge at times. But I've learned I am a boondocker. I don't like camp grounds. My journey started after my husband died. I cried for days. One morning I got up and I was ok. I am so happy I did it. Good luck to you.
me either i don’t do established camp grounds much. i prefer open public/dispersed land to get away from people and the noise sounds like your journey is obviously a personal one. it’s amazing to hear you’ve found a “happy place” in your troubled times. the comfort of nature can be a nurturing place. good luck in all your ventures!!
It probably took a month before l adjusted mentally and physically to the idea that l was essentially homeless! My first night was at a rest area off the Ohio Turnpike. I finally camped in a beautiful campground in Wyoming for $10/night in my tent. A lot of the time I slept in my Jeep With my Jeep and my trailer l found it easy out west to just pull over and sleep. I picked up my trailer in Grand Junction, Colorado and drove a week to my job at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. It was an awesome trip going down US 50 and across California and then up the Oregon coast. I stopped at actual campgrounds twice. The rest of the time l just pulled over and slept. No one bothered me. During COVID l was laid off and took the opportunity to drive and explore. All the campgrounds and parks were closed but l drove down scenic back roads and pulled over where l wanted and had a fantastic time. It took awhile to get used to this life. I have slept on top of mountains, next to rivers and even in semi enclosed car washes! It was pretty damn awesome.
@@ajf5823 oh a car wash! lol. that’s a good idea. it most def is an adjustment. different from my old life. but it’s one i feel much more comfortable in now. you’re right- out West is soooo much easier to just pull over and sleep. i’m east side now. and it’s much much more difficult. i’m literally sleeping behind a closed Allstate Insurance company building tonight. and last night- i was just on the side of the road with semis and cars blowing past all night. it was loud. thanks for sharing your story!
@@EscapingNormalLife well for both of you, I have found sleeping behind the Cracker Barrel restaurants to be pretty safe... they don't mind either, b/c if most people are like me I try to eat dinner or breakfast or both while I'm there.. also use the bathroom in the AM and brush my teeth.. usually other campers there as well... also it's a win/win for them again b/c there are eyes on their establishment at night...and most CB's are near interstates so good when on the road b4 reaching your final destinations...
New sub! I made a cross country trip in a tiny 1991 Ford Festiva GL hatchback when I was 62. My brother had passed, my job at a newspaper ended when the paper (over 100 years old) was forced to close and my daughter was leaving for New York to fulfill her dreams of becoming a film editor. The car was already old and me, too. I drove it to LA first from Seattle. I stayed in Walmart parking lots. Grabbed a few hours in rest stops. I left behind everything that couldn't go into a storage unit. So technically and realistically I was homeless. I was offered a place to stay Hawaii. Didn't see that coming. I went to Big Island and stayed there for 7 months in the Ohana of a friend that used to work at the same newspaper. Both artists, I had some studio space. But I felt terribly alone and I missed my daughter. So I went back to Seattle and was asked if I wanted to see some old friends in Los Angeles. That was the first long trip in that tiny car. I had a feather blanket for the passenger seat and it kept me warm when I slept at night. The car developed a oil leak by the time I got close to Los Angeles. I remember using a flashlight to try to add oil at the top of a mountain at a Frozen rest stop in the middle of the night. But I kept going. I stayed in Los Angeles with some friends for 2 months. All right didn't feel like a freeloader because I sold $3,000 worth of vintage toys belonging to my friends on eBay. Then I got an opportunity to get to the East Coast which was my goal. Seattle is 1500 miles and the east coast twice that far. I found a oil treatment that stopped the oil problem. But now I was facing thousands of miles in that tiny little car. I saw some of the most amazing scenery and places along the way and was lucky to have met some great people when I had a flat tire on a highway and had to leave my car parked on the side of the road in order to go get another tire. Someone stopped to give me a ride and the people at the tire place brought me back to the car and nothing was stolen. I learned that rest stops have coupon books for some great deals on a motel when I needed to bathe and sleep on a real bed. But most of the time it was boondocking and putting the miles under those 12 inch wheels. I ended up in South Carolina where things were so much cheaper than the West Coast and found that I could rent a condo right on the beach with five pools, a cafe and tennis courts and everything at Myrtle Beach Resort for $600 because private owners rented out their units full time. I lived there for over 10 years. You get free wifi and cable doing this, My electric bill was $32 in WINTER. Visited my daughter often in New York where she has become a professional film editor and has taken films to the Cannes Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival and is taking a film that she produced and co-wrote to Sundance next January. She has worked with Robert Pattinson and Vanessa Kirby and others. Works for independent filmmakers and name brand companies like HBO and Netfix. Funny thing, at the age of 73 I have moved back to the Seattle area. I'm still a bit of a nomad. But I can hop on a plane and go see my daughter and be at her doorstep within 7 hours. I still have that little Ford Festiva ...
hearing these kind of stories truly has been the icing on the cake when it comes to youtube. i just love hearing others travel stories! thank you for sharing and i will continue to share more if you guys share more!! thanks for the support and great read
David, this was a great story, I’m 62 now and ready to go travel the US with my dog. I live on the East coast , feeling like I belong somewhere else. There’s just so much I want to see in this country before my time is up.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I spent several years of my life on the road full time with my parents and younger brother. One day my dad sat my brother and I down to tell us he had put our house up for sale laying out this plan that we were taking our music ministry on the road. (At that time, we had been singing as a family part time at churches, and community events.) Our father’s dream was to take us all over the country singing and sharing our ministry with others. My brother and myself were home schooled during those years in the early to mid eighties. My mom wrote her own curriculum and was an amazing teacher for us. Being exposed to the world at an early age, I can honestly say those were the best years of my life. Our parents gave us the priceless gift of a legacy of making memories instead of amassing material possessions. We met so many amazing and wonderful people along our travels. It wasn’t easy but it was worth every minute of struggle that came along our journey. I learned determination and perseverance which has guided me throughout my life to this day. And I’m so grateful! Good job on sticking with your decision to take the bold step to test yourself while learning new things and meeting new people. As a result, we grow gaining wisdom and strength.
this is just awesome to hear! l agree that you’ll absolutely get more of an education- by getting out into the world and experiencing things through truly living them. you’re always growing and able to learn more yourself and really just how the world is. you never get stuck in your bubble or get complacent. thanks for sharing. that’s a good one to hear!
@@EscapingNormalLife Absolutely! Your story of choosing to quit your job for this lifestyle inspired me to once again dream about traveling and sharing my music with others. Keep putting your content out there sharing your personal journey. You are making a positive difference! 🙌
Ami what a fantastic journey and the family ministry let’s face it many are called few answer it. Your father made a great decision to follow Jesus the faith gained by depending on God must have made you guys incredibly strong. Truly with him when one door closes another one opens.
This story reminds me of the way I felt in basic training. Thought I'd made a huge mistake. I hadn't and it turned out great but sure didn't feel that way at first.
maybe but i feel like there’s still so much more to see! thank you for your continued support. it’s what keeps me out here and making content. thank you!!
I believe the town name came first. Vidalia onions are grown there. "A Vidalia onion is one of several varieties of sweet onion grown in a production area defined by law of the U.S. state of Georgia since 1986 and the United States Code of Federal Regulations."
I just found your channel thanks to SUV RVing! I have a 2010 Forester! Im gonna drive the Pan American Highway in it! Your story really speaks to me, Ive been planning my trip for over a year now and today I just got a raise at work and they were hinting at promoting me. I wonder if I am making a mistake by quitting in 7-8 months. I feel like I have to do this though. YOLO, right? Im 38 and Im not getting any younger...
it took me over 20years to just “go for it”. but in the end- you’ll most likely be upset with yourself if you DONT go. the job will always be there when you get back. your opportunities may not be. take advantage of the time you’re given in life and pursue what you can.
Great story I love it thank you so much for sharing. It’s wonderful to hear that a normal person could make it happen and you survived the initiation of being struck over the head with reality once you got on the road. I am so glad you kept going and I’m really happy you started to share your life. I love your videos- I hope you keep going and I would love it if your RUclips channel would takeoff and you could make all of your money just making videos!
I know exactly how you felt. I packed up my car with my cat and left Washington DC for Baja California not for a year, but four months. Have had to sleep in my car when accommodation plans fell through, and the uneasiness of not having a secure place to call home can be quite unsettling. But as you said, as time passes, and are faced daily with uncertainty, you begin to morph into nature’s patterns and become so much better with going with the flow, right!?
Erik- One valuable aspect of traveling the USA, is having the option of considering what state you want to live in. There are parts of Florida I like and it sounds like your family lives there. I opted to live in New Hampshire, partly because it is my home state, but also because we rarely get hurricanes and the like. I have a question Erik, have you ever read TRAVELS WITH CHARLIE by John Steinbeck? Steinbeck bought one of the first truck campers. He packed up his dog Charlie and left Maine in the autumn. He camped from Maine to CA and wrote about all the states and the folks he met along the way. One of my favorite books! Your journey reminds me of that book. Congrats on marking one year on the road! This sure looks like you have turned a major corner. ~ Diane
Erik- Thanks for responding. Hope you are safely home by now. Somehow I think you are going to be blown away when you read Travels with Charlie. John would pull up at a campground, just before supper time and turn his full size Standard Poodle, Charlie, loose. Charlie would make a friendly bee line to the first campfire where a family was grilling hamburgers. John would walk over to say hi and retrieve Charlie, apologizing for the intrusion. The family would invite John to join them and he would politely refuse. But they " insisted". and he said ok, thanks. Afterwards John settled in for the night and proceeded to write about the new friends has just met. I was an English /Art major. Steinbeck is famous for writings like GRAPES OF WRATH, EAST OF EDEN, OF MICE AND MEN, THE CANNERY, THE PEARL and more. One of my favorite American authors.
@@EscapingNormalLife jumping in on this convo.. I am currently reading this book now and it's amazing to consider he lived this lifestyle decades ago... also another book along the same line is Blue Highway... by William Least Heat-Moon... told much the same as Steinbeck... both make you realize how really amazing people all over the country really are...
@@EscapingNormalLife Another wonderful book about a nomadic lifestyle along a road less traveled is 'A Walk Across America' by Peter Jenkins. His stories about his relationships with the people he met on his journey are precious.
great story that you seldom hear and a great friend you have!! i commend you for running from fear and doubt to stepping out of the box and living your dream.
thank you. it was definitely an eye opening moment. but one that i almost feel that i HAD to experience, just in order to fully appreciate the magnitude of traveling like this and leaving everything behind. thank you for watching and your support!
haha yeah, i thought for sure i was ready- but it is a different scenario when you change to such a radically diff way of life. thanks for your continued support!!
I imagine allot of people have the same realization and question "am I crazy", you're giving up all your security for the unknown. But tomorrow is never guaranteed so if your desire is to see the country, I say go for it, a job and apartment will always be there. I'm 60 and will start my journey July 2024 that's when I can start collecting social security, so I don't have to scramble for money but in my current trade I can get a job anywhere.
Thanks for sharing. I think, in some ways, we all can be related to “what have I done” moments. It can be a scary experience or a regret for some/most of us. I still like to camp at a paid campground occasionally but wouldn’t embark on a long journey like your unless it is promoted by most people because being a nomad is considered to be the most minimalist and environmentalist due to their low carbon footprints.
thanks! the minimalist aspect of this journey is on one of the parts that intrigues me the most about this lifestyle. i enjoy just having what i need to survive and that’s about it. when i think back about the items i put in storage, i rarely think of just one item in there. instead, i think of ALL of the items and how it’s just something that’s costing me $93/month to keep there. and i don’t really miss or need any of it. so i’m planning on selling all that stuff in the next month or 2. but we all travel and live in diff ways. that’s just how i like to do it.
Oh my god! I'm 45 years old I quit my job and I live in my car and I slept in a parking lot last night!! LOL I know exactly what you mean. I retired early a year ago and I've had Exactly that same moment of terror. Now that I know I'm still ok financially, I'm enjoying it.
Oh My God, indeed. When I go on long camping roadtrips I often marvel at how families WALKED across the country. And just imagine what our families said as they were on the ships heading to America, especially in the colonial days!
you’re are correct! i’ve met people traversing the PCT, the Continental Divide Trail and even a few people who travel the country on bicycles! i’ve been to some historical places, in my journeys and one of them was Ellis Island (Statue of Liberty). to hear the stories of strangers from another country who had nothing and crossed an ocean on nothing more than a hope and a dream is where the TRUE Nomads were.
Oh gosh that is scary, giving up an apt and job and actually doing it. Great to have good friends to encourage you onward. It definitely takes adjusting. I felt like it was 90% suck and 10% amazing just because what you said about ALL THE WORKNIN BETWEEN!!! But yes, totally worth seeing this gorgeous country! The high from visiting a really cool place is very addictive. My little dopamine cells couldn't wait for that next amazing place. So its definitely great you adapted to it! Been great to follow you.
i think like any life- it has its good days and bad days- but overall it’s become a lifestyle that i’m comfortable with and feel “at home” in thank you for your continued support. it’s what keeps me out here and making content. thank you!!
I hit the road after selling my business and most of my stuff in 2016 and lived for 6 months out of my Jeep Wrangler and a tent and traveled all over California and the Southwest after crossing the country from the east coast. I put everything l had left in storage. In 2017 l returned and got what l had in storage and headed to a seasonal job in Colorado and bought a trailer to live in and worked seasonally for 3 years. With COVID, rising gas prices and an uncertain economy l sold my trailer in 2021 and got a job with reduced rent in an apartment complex in the same town my kids live in. I don’t even have to commute so am saving a lot on gas and wear and tear on my Jeep. I’ve been here 15 months and like my job, like being near my kids and yes, am enjoying the creature comforts of my apartment but l really miss traveling and being able to explore and take breaks between jobs. Half my income literally goes to my rent but I am saving up for an off road teardrop to live in full time. I can retire in 2 years and plan to supplement my social security with part time work. I miss traveling and camping and weekends aren’t doing it for me (interspersed with an occasional long weekend via my PTO). I can’t stand actual campgrounds and want to boondock and get away from people (hence the off road trailer). It wasn’t an easy decision to “settle down “ and with the current state of the economy it was a wise decision but life is short and l miss the freedom l had . You can’t have it all so it’s about figuring out what you can have and going for it. I’m definitely looking forward to starting another chapter in my life with a trailer more suitable for my lifestyle and needs and hopefully will have money saved up! One thing l have learned after settling down is that l love to travel and the nomadic life is what l want. It gets into you and is hard to give up.
wow! thanks for sharing i miss sitting on my couch with my shoes off in a climate controlled environment. lol. that’s what i miss. but the luxury of being in a new place all the time is more appealing. i don’t want to go back to city life, but if financially it made sense, then of course i would probably. thanks for your story and support!
Wow! I love Tristan you tube channel love to see you been interviewed by him. His videos are awesome Nd he us a very gentle and easy going man! Congratulations 🎊
thank you! yeah, I've been watching his channel for years. when I had the opportunity to meet him in person, I had to take it! he was awesome to meet and glad he got to see my little home
was her name Kelly? a woman named Kelly saw me there yesterday. i’m working on my next videos before heading out. loving the area! thanks for the support!
That feeling of being seen as a homeless person kind of sucks…. Until you get to the first awesome vistas and great dispersed camping site. Wish I could leave life for more than a month!
You're my hero and you like the dead ❤️ I saw your interview on SUV RVing .... I was so excited because I have a Subaru and I want to pull a pop up but I've been watching those and I like this idea of the teardrop .... Thank you for sharing your story and I also want to get doing but I'm a hair stylist and I need a remote job... Have you found anything???
oh cool! no, i’m not working… but then again… i’m not trying to find a job. i quit to travel for one whole year. and i knew that if i started working, it would take away from my sightseeing capabilities. so i’ll be picking up a remote job in about a month, when i return to FL to see family. i met a woman who did hair on the road. she didn’t make as much as when she was at a salon, but it gave her some $
@@EscapingNormalLife lol didn't know how to reply haha... Was hitting thumbs up and down 🤣 No I'm just knew that you quit your job at any one of your videos. You said you were going to maybe start working remote... What do you plan on doing?... I'm sure she didn't make as much as when she was in the salon.... So she just did her own people she met?
@@lisamiller6848 yeah, i haven’t narrowed down EXACTLY what i want to do- but i know it has to be something creative. i love video editing. so i’m talking to my brother (who owns his own company making soccer gloves) and we may do some work together. but i’ll probably get online and just start looking for ‘whatever catches my eye’ to be my full job. no- she didn’t make nearly as much. she said she used to work in LA and had some “high profile clients”. she does haircuts for other nomads when on the road
@@EscapingNormalLife That's what I'm trying to do... I figure I can always cut hair on the road but I need something more reliable.... I'm not sure you could do normal priced haircuts either.... I thought about going to school for graphic design. That way I could do something creative on the road working from my laptop.
Sitting here at my local library and elementary school in Elkton MD. Looking at your vehicle as we speak.... LOL you're not in it but I thought it was pretty cool and I'm checking out your videos now
I'm in the black and lime green taxi that says key lime taxi on the side.... If you happen to come to your car, while I'm still sitting here, there's no way you can miss me LOL
@@EscapingNormalLife sweet! I actually got a call right after I made that comment so I had to leave but I want to wish you best of luck on your next journey 😁
@@donnafarley3274 oh cool. yeah, he does have some good scenery on his channel. i actually have a whole playlist devoted to those kind of videos. And i’m working on a longer video that shows my entire year on the road. just full of beautiful images from all over the country. ruclips.net/p/PLLgytSOs0A3d7YjddFr5uVNT4Tn2kEu11
A teardrop with no ac and heat I would quit. Need to get a nice teardrop with a restroom and ac. Have to pay to play $. Forrest roads are great for small rigs btw.
hi! i have heat. but i didn’t want AC. i didn’t need it much. i was up north most the summer. i bought the teardrop mostly cause it’s what my car would pull. and my car was paid off. so i didn’t want to buy a new car, just so i could buy a bigger trailer. unfortunately that just wasn’t in my budget. i did lots of forest roads in my venture. but the trees are not great for my solar. if you’re interested- i share more on why i got the teardrop in this video: ruclips.net/video/ACBSsm55vIk/видео.html
Have you thought about seasonal jobs or part time work like Doordash? There are other Utubers that have 3 month seasonal jobs that sustain them through the rest of the year. AdventureVanMan is a good example. Good luck.
I am a teardrop owner for 5 years now. I am a part timer. But I have been out up to a month before. It's not always great. But I do enjoy. When I first got out I had fears but soon got over them. It is a challenge at times. But I've learned I am a boondocker. I don't like camp grounds. My journey started after my husband died. I cried for days. One morning I got up and I was ok. I am so happy I did it. Good luck to you.
me either
i don’t do established camp grounds much. i prefer open public/dispersed land to get away from people and the noise
sounds like your journey is obviously a personal one. it’s amazing to hear you’ve found a “happy place” in your troubled times. the comfort of nature can be a nurturing place. good luck in all your ventures!!
It probably took a month before l adjusted mentally and physically to the idea that l was essentially homeless! My first night was at a rest area off the Ohio Turnpike. I finally camped in a beautiful campground in Wyoming for $10/night in my tent. A lot of the time I slept in my Jeep
With my Jeep and my trailer l found it easy out west to just pull over and sleep. I picked up my trailer in Grand Junction, Colorado and drove a week to my job at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. It was an awesome trip going down US 50 and across California and then up the Oregon coast. I stopped at actual campgrounds twice. The rest of the time l just pulled over and slept. No one bothered me.
During COVID l was laid off and took the opportunity to drive and explore. All the campgrounds and parks were closed but l drove down scenic back roads and pulled over where l wanted and had a fantastic time.
It took awhile to get used to this life. I have slept on top of mountains, next to rivers and even in semi enclosed car washes! It was pretty damn awesome.
@@ajf5823 oh a car wash! lol. that’s a good idea. it most def is an adjustment. different from my old life. but it’s one i feel much more comfortable in now. you’re right- out West is soooo much easier to just pull over and sleep. i’m east side now. and it’s much much more difficult. i’m literally sleeping behind a closed Allstate Insurance company building tonight. and last night- i was just on the side of the road with semis and cars blowing past all night. it was loud.
thanks for sharing your story!
@@EscapingNormalLife well for both of you, I have found sleeping behind the Cracker Barrel restaurants to be pretty safe... they don't mind either, b/c if most people are like me I try to eat dinner or breakfast or both while I'm there.. also use the bathroom in the AM and brush my teeth.. usually other campers there as well... also it's a win/win for them again b/c there are eyes on their establishment at night...and most CB's are near interstates so good when on the road b4 reaching your final destinations...
@@bikingal4283 that’s true- while i didn’t stay at any Cracker Barrel’s - it is an option. thanks for reminding me/anyone reading this!
New sub! I made a cross country trip in a tiny 1991 Ford Festiva GL hatchback when I was 62. My brother had passed, my job at a newspaper ended when the paper (over 100 years old) was forced to close and my daughter was leaving for New York to fulfill her dreams of becoming a film editor. The car was already old and me, too. I drove it to LA first from Seattle. I stayed in Walmart parking lots. Grabbed a few hours in rest stops. I left behind everything that couldn't go into a storage unit. So technically and realistically I was homeless. I was offered a place to stay Hawaii. Didn't see that coming. I went to Big Island and stayed there for 7 months in the Ohana of a friend that used to work at the same newspaper. Both artists, I had some studio space. But I felt terribly alone and I missed my daughter. So I went back to Seattle and was asked if I wanted to see some old friends in Los Angeles. That was the first long trip in that tiny car. I had a feather blanket for the passenger seat and it kept me warm when I slept at night. The car developed a oil leak by the time I got close to Los Angeles. I remember using a flashlight to try to add oil at the top of a mountain at a Frozen rest stop in the middle of the night. But I kept going. I stayed in Los Angeles with some friends for 2 months. All right didn't feel like a freeloader because I sold $3,000 worth of vintage toys belonging to my friends on eBay. Then I got an opportunity to get to the East Coast which was my goal. Seattle is 1500 miles and the east coast twice that far. I found a oil treatment that stopped the oil problem. But now I was facing thousands of miles in that tiny little car. I saw some of the most amazing scenery and places along the way and was lucky to have met some great people when I had a flat tire on a highway and had to leave my car parked on the side of the road in order to go get another tire. Someone stopped to give me a ride and the people at the tire place brought me back to the car and nothing was stolen. I learned that rest stops have coupon books for some great deals on a motel when I needed to bathe and sleep on a real bed. But most of the time it was boondocking and putting the miles under those 12 inch wheels. I ended up in South Carolina where things were so much cheaper than the West Coast and found that I could rent a condo right on the beach with five pools, a cafe and tennis courts and everything at Myrtle Beach Resort for $600 because private owners rented out their units full time. I lived there for over 10 years. You get free wifi and cable doing this, My electric bill was $32 in WINTER. Visited my daughter often in New York where she has become a professional film editor and has taken films to the Cannes Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival and is taking a film that she produced and co-wrote to Sundance next January. She has worked with Robert Pattinson and Vanessa Kirby and others. Works for independent filmmakers and name brand companies like HBO and Netfix. Funny thing, at the age of 73 I have moved back to the Seattle area. I'm still a bit of a nomad. But I can hop on a plane and go see my daughter and be at her doorstep within 7 hours. I still have that little Ford Festiva ...
hearing these kind of stories truly has been the icing on the cake when it comes to youtube. i just love hearing others travel stories! thank you for sharing and i will continue to share more if you guys share more!! thanks for the support and great read
David, this was a great story, I’m 62 now and ready to go travel the US with my dog. I live on the East coast , feeling like I belong somewhere else. There’s just so much I want to see in this country before my time is up.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I spent several years of my life on the road full time with my parents and younger brother. One day my dad sat my brother and I down to tell us he had put our house up for sale laying out this plan that we were taking our music ministry on the road. (At that time, we had been singing as a family part time at churches, and community events.) Our father’s dream was to take us all over the country singing and sharing our ministry with others. My brother and myself were home schooled during those years in the early to mid eighties. My mom wrote her own curriculum and was an amazing teacher for us.
Being exposed to the world at an early age, I can honestly say those were the best years of my life. Our parents gave us the priceless gift of a legacy of making memories instead of amassing material possessions. We met so many amazing and wonderful people along our travels. It wasn’t easy but it was worth every minute of struggle that came along our journey. I learned determination and perseverance which has guided me throughout my life to this day. And I’m so grateful!
Good job on sticking with your decision to take the bold step to test yourself while learning new things and meeting new people. As a result, we grow gaining wisdom and strength.
this is just awesome to hear!
l agree that you’ll absolutely get more of an education- by getting out into the world and experiencing things through truly living them. you’re always growing and able to learn more yourself and really just how the world is. you never get stuck in your bubble or get complacent. thanks for sharing. that’s a good one to hear!
@@EscapingNormalLife Absolutely! Your story of choosing to quit your job for this lifestyle inspired me to once again dream about traveling and sharing my music with others. Keep putting your content out there sharing your personal journey. You are making a positive difference! 🙌
@@amischair oh wow! that’s awaken to hear. hearing that and your story makes this journey just that much better. thanks again!!
@@EscapingNormalLife That’s so good to know. I always remind myself that we don’t really fail, we only learn. I wish you all the best on your journey!
Ami what a fantastic journey and the family ministry let’s face it many are called few answer it. Your father made a great decision to follow Jesus the faith gained by depending on God must have made you guys incredibly strong. Truly with him when one door closes another one opens.
This story reminds me of the way I felt in basic training. Thought I'd made a huge mistake. I hadn't and it turned out great but sure didn't feel that way at first.
oh wow- i bet! joining the military must be a complete culture shock at first. but one that also is intensely gratifying
I’m glad you stuck with it! You’ve seen more then ten people will see in a lifetime!
maybe
but i feel like there’s still so much more to see!
thank you for your continued support. it’s what keeps me out here and making content. thank you!!
I believe the town name came first. Vidalia onions are grown there. "A Vidalia onion is one of several varieties of sweet onion grown in a production area defined by law of the U.S. state of Georgia since 1986 and the United States Code of Federal Regulations."
Congrats Erik, love your video mate hope you keep posting, it is very inspiring. Thanks
thank so much!
I just found your channel thanks to SUV RVing! I have a 2010 Forester! Im gonna drive the Pan American Highway in it! Your story really speaks to me, Ive been planning my trip for over a year now and today I just got a raise at work and they were hinting at promoting me. I wonder if I am making a mistake by quitting in 7-8 months. I feel like I have to do this though. YOLO, right? Im 38 and Im not getting any younger...
it took me over 20years to just “go for it”. but in the end- you’ll most likely be upset with yourself if you DONT go. the job will always be there when you get back. your opportunities may not be. take advantage of the time you’re given in life and pursue what you can.
DO IT !
Great story I love it thank you so much for sharing. It’s wonderful to hear that a normal person could make it happen and you survived the initiation of being struck over the head with reality once you got on the road. I am so glad you kept going and I’m really happy you started to share your life. I love your videos- I hope you keep going and I would love it if your RUclips channel would takeoff and you could make all of your money just making videos!
ha! that makes two of us!!
thank you for your continued support.
it’s what keeps me out here and sharing content. thank you!!
Great experience, taught you early on that things aren’t always what we expect. I’m sure this journey taught you all kinds of life lessons 🙃
it most def did!
You’re doing great. Excellent story and content. Congrats
thank you. more content on the way....
I know exactly how you felt. I packed up my car with my cat and left Washington DC for Baja California not for a year, but four months. Have had to sleep in my car when accommodation plans fell through, and the uneasiness of not having a secure place to call home can be quite unsettling. But as you said, as time passes, and are faced daily with uncertainty, you begin to morph into nature’s patterns and become so much better with going with the flow, right!?
correct!
Erik- One valuable aspect of traveling the USA, is having the option of considering what state you want to live in. There are parts of Florida I like and it sounds like your family lives there. I opted to live in New Hampshire, partly because it is my home state, but also because we rarely get hurricanes and the like. I have a question Erik, have you ever read TRAVELS WITH CHARLIE by John Steinbeck? Steinbeck bought one of the first truck campers. He packed up his dog Charlie and left Maine in the autumn. He camped from Maine to CA and wrote about all the states and the folks he met along the way. One of my favorite books! Your journey reminds me of that book.
Congrats on marking one year on the road! This sure looks like you have turned a major corner. ~ Diane
oh wow- no i’m not familiar with it. but now i’m going to check it out! thank you so much for you comment and support!!
Erik- Thanks for responding. Hope you are safely home by now. Somehow I think you are going to be blown away when you read Travels with Charlie. John would pull up at a campground, just before supper time and turn his full size Standard Poodle, Charlie, loose. Charlie would make a friendly bee line to the first campfire where a family was grilling hamburgers. John would walk over to say hi and retrieve Charlie, apologizing for the intrusion. The family would invite John to join them and he would politely refuse. But they " insisted". and he said ok, thanks. Afterwards John settled in for the night and proceeded to write about the new friends has just met. I was an English /Art major. Steinbeck is famous for writings like GRAPES OF WRATH, EAST OF EDEN, OF MICE AND MEN, THE CANNERY, THE PEARL and more. One of my favorite American authors.
@@EscapingNormalLife jumping in on this convo.. I am currently reading this book now and it's amazing to consider he lived this lifestyle decades ago... also another book along the same line is Blue Highway... by William Least Heat-Moon... told much the same as Steinbeck... both make you realize how really amazing people all over the country really are...
@@bikingal4283 thanks
i need to do more reading and these are great starts
thanks for the support and comment!
@@EscapingNormalLife Another wonderful book about a nomadic lifestyle along a road less traveled is 'A Walk Across America' by Peter Jenkins. His stories about his relationships with the people he met on his journey are precious.
Fascinating, it really was courageous of you to do this and I wish you all the best for continuing as long as you can.
thank you!
it has been a challenge on some days that’s for sure, but it’s a lifestyle that fits me.
thank you for your support!!
Never gets old!
Glad I ran into you. I’m a Tristan follower and a Subaru Forrester owner. I love my Forrester. Glad I ran into your channel.
hey! thanks
welcome and thank you for your support!
great story that you seldom hear and a great friend you have!! i commend you for running from fear and doubt to stepping out of the box and living your dream.
thank you. it was definitely an eye opening moment. but one that i almost feel that i HAD to experience, just in order to fully appreciate the magnitude of traveling like this and leaving everything behind.
thank you for watching and your support!
Your story is so relatable to the people that did not have a camping background. It is a learn as a you go journey lol.
oh my gosh yes
that’s how i learned to camp too!
Love your story and couldn't help to laugh when you realized what your done! Great you to finished your goal! Keep having fun! 👏👏👏👏
haha
yeah, i thought for sure i was ready- but it is a different scenario when you change to such a radically diff way of life. thanks for your continued support!!
I imagine allot of people have the same realization and question "am I crazy", you're giving up all your security for the unknown. But tomorrow is never guaranteed so if your desire is to see the country, I say go for it, a job and apartment will always be there. I'm 60 and will start my journey July 2024 that's when I can start collecting social security, so I don't have to scramble for money but in my current trade I can get a job anywhere.
that’s what i told myself. “i can always go back”
that’s awesome to hear!! hope to see you out there!!
thanks for watching and your support!
Thanks for sharing. I think, in some ways, we all can be related to “what have I done” moments. It can be a scary experience or a regret for some/most of us. I still like to camp at a paid campground occasionally but wouldn’t embark on a long journey like your unless it is promoted by most people because being a nomad is considered to be the most minimalist and environmentalist due to their low carbon footprints.
thanks!
the minimalist aspect of this journey is on one of the parts that intrigues me the most about this lifestyle. i enjoy just having what i need to survive and that’s about it. when i think back about the items i put in storage, i rarely think of just one item in there. instead, i think of ALL of the items and how it’s just something that’s costing me $93/month to keep there. and i don’t really miss or need any of it. so i’m planning on selling all that stuff in the next month or 2. but we all travel and live in diff ways. that’s just how i like to do it.
Oh my god! I'm 45 years old I quit my job and I live in my car and I slept in a parking lot last night!!
LOL I know exactly what you mean. I retired early a year ago and I've had Exactly that same moment of terror.
Now that I know I'm still ok financially, I'm enjoying it.
sounds just like my story!
Oh My God, indeed. When I go on long camping roadtrips I often marvel at how families WALKED across the country. And
just imagine what our families said as they were on the ships heading to America, especially in the colonial days!
you’re are correct! i’ve met people traversing the PCT, the Continental Divide Trail and even a few people who travel the country on bicycles! i’ve been to some historical places, in my journeys and one of them was Ellis Island (Statue of Liberty). to hear the stories of strangers from another country who had nothing and crossed an ocean on nothing more than a hope and a dream is where the TRUE Nomads were.
Oh gosh that is scary, giving up an apt and job and actually doing it. Great to have good friends to encourage you onward. It definitely takes adjusting. I felt like it was 90% suck and 10% amazing just because what you said about ALL THE WORKNIN BETWEEN!!! But yes, totally worth seeing this gorgeous country! The high from visiting a really cool place is very addictive. My little dopamine cells couldn't wait for that next amazing place. So its definitely great you adapted to it! Been great to follow you.
i think like any life- it has its good days and bad days- but overall it’s become a lifestyle that i’m comfortable with and feel “at home” in
thank you for your continued support. it’s what keeps me out here and making content. thank you!!
I hit the road after selling my business and most of my stuff in 2016 and lived for 6 months out of my Jeep Wrangler and a tent and traveled all
over California and the Southwest after crossing the country from the east coast. I put everything l had left in storage.
In 2017 l returned and got what l had in storage and headed to a seasonal job in Colorado and bought a trailer to live in and worked seasonally for 3 years.
With COVID, rising gas prices and an uncertain economy l sold my trailer in 2021 and got a job with reduced rent in an apartment complex in the same town my kids live in. I don’t even have to commute so am saving a lot on gas and wear and tear on my Jeep.
I’ve been here 15 months and like my job, like being near my kids and yes, am enjoying the creature comforts of my apartment but l really miss traveling and being able to explore and take breaks between jobs. Half my income literally goes to my rent but I am saving up for an off road teardrop to live in full time.
I can retire in 2 years and plan to supplement my social security with part time work. I miss traveling and camping and weekends aren’t doing it for me (interspersed with an occasional long weekend via my PTO).
I can’t stand actual campgrounds and want to boondock and get away from people (hence the off road trailer).
It wasn’t an easy decision to “settle down “ and with the current state of the economy it was a wise decision but life is short and l miss the freedom l had .
You can’t have it all so it’s about figuring out what you can have and going for it.
I’m definitely looking forward to starting another chapter in my life with a trailer more suitable for my lifestyle and needs and hopefully will have money saved up!
One thing l have learned after settling down is that l love to travel and the nomadic life is what l want. It gets into you and is hard to give up.
wow! thanks for sharing
i miss sitting on my couch with my shoes off in a climate controlled environment. lol. that’s what i miss. but the luxury of being in a new place all the time is more appealing. i don’t want to go back to city life, but if financially it made sense, then of course i would probably.
thanks for your story and support!
Wow! I love Tristan you tube channel love to see you been interviewed by him. His videos are awesome Nd he us a very gentle and easy going man! Congratulations 🎊
thank you! yeah, I've been watching his channel for years. when I had the opportunity to meet him in person, I had to take it! he was awesome to meet and glad he got to see my little home
So happy you didnt give up!
Friend of mine spotted you at the local library yesterday! Safe travels!
was her name Kelly? a woman named Kelly saw me there yesterday. i’m working on my next videos before heading out. loving the area! thanks for the support!
Its just my opnion but with anything there is a period of adjustment. only you knows for sure what is right for YOU.
You have a good friend there.
yes i do!
We just bought a motorhome and plan to start snowbirding next year.:) StarLink will allow me to work from the road.:)
sweet! starlink is on my xmas list. but it will be a while till i get it. you can really REALLY off-grid with it
You missed a good site at crooked river state park just outside of Jacksonville in kingsland,Ga I live in Jacksonville North Florida is awesome.
That feeling of being seen as a homeless person kind of sucks…. Until you get to the first awesome vistas and great dispersed camping site. Wish I could leave life for more than a month!
the views are what make it out here!
thanks... I needed to hear this today.
it’s a bigger mental challenge than it seems
Thank you for this!
of course! i wanted to show what i was really thinking and going through
thanks for watching!
You're my hero and you like the dead ❤️ I saw your interview on SUV RVing
.... I was so excited because I have a Subaru and I want to pull a pop up but I've been watching those and I like this idea of the teardrop
.... Thank you for sharing your story and I also want to get doing but I'm a hair stylist and I need a remote job... Have you found anything???
oh cool!
no, i’m not working… but then again… i’m not trying to find a job. i quit to travel for one whole year. and i knew that if i started working, it would take away from my sightseeing capabilities. so i’ll be picking up a remote job in about a month, when i return to FL to see family.
i met a woman who did hair on the road. she didn’t make as much as when she was at a salon, but it gave her some $
@@EscapingNormalLife lol didn't know how to reply haha... Was hitting thumbs up and down 🤣 No I'm just knew that you quit your job at any one of your videos. You said you were going to maybe start working remote... What do you plan on doing?... I'm sure she didn't make as much as when she was in the salon.... So she just did her own people she met?
@@lisamiller6848 yeah, i haven’t narrowed down EXACTLY what i want to do- but i know it has to be something creative. i love video editing. so i’m talking to my brother (who owns his own company making soccer gloves) and we may do some work together. but i’ll probably get online and just start looking for ‘whatever catches my eye’ to be my full job.
no- she didn’t make nearly as much. she said she used to work in LA and had some “high profile clients”. she does haircuts for other nomads when on the road
@@EscapingNormalLife That's what I'm trying to do... I figure I can always cut hair on the road but I need something more reliable.... I'm not sure you could do normal priced haircuts either.... I thought about going to school for graphic design. That way I could do something creative on the road working from my laptop.
Do you like Donna the Buffalo? I'm going to see them next Saturday.... I just saw dopapod and chalk dinosaur Wednesday.
Sitting here at my local library and elementary school in Elkton MD. Looking at your vehicle as we speak.... LOL you're not in it but I thought it was pretty cool and I'm checking out your videos now
I'm in the black and lime green taxi that says key lime taxi on the side.... If you happen to come to your car, while I'm still sitting here, there's no way you can miss me LOL
ha! well, I'm actually in the library editing my next video
@@EscapingNormalLife sweet! I actually got a call right after I made that comment so I had to leave but I want to wish you best of luck on your next journey 😁
@@kelsur50 thank you! I'm liking this area a lot. hope to see you around again!
@@EscapingNormalLife definitely lots of camping/boating areas in Cecil county. I'll be looking out for the teardrop
This was so appreciated
always good to share the mental thoughts
Great story and I totally understand. You just needed to get your routine down.
nice story !!
thank you and thanks for your support!
Just watched your story from “SUV RVing”.
oh cool!
yeah, meeting tristan was awesome. i’ve been watching his channel for years
@@EscapingNormalLife I like to watch his videos for the scenery. I will watch yours if you do a lot of the same as Tristan. Look forward to watching.
@@donnafarley3274 oh cool. yeah, he does have some good scenery on his channel. i actually have a whole playlist devoted to those kind of videos. And i’m working on a longer video that shows my entire year on the road. just full of beautiful images from all over the country.
ruclips.net/p/PLLgytSOs0A3d7YjddFr5uVNT4Tn2kEu11
A teardrop with no ac and heat I would quit. Need to get a nice teardrop with a restroom and ac. Have to pay to play $. Forrest roads are great for small rigs btw.
hi!
i have heat. but i didn’t want AC. i didn’t need it much. i was up north most the summer. i bought the teardrop mostly cause it’s what my car would pull. and my car was paid off. so i didn’t want to buy a new car, just so i could buy a bigger trailer. unfortunately that just wasn’t in my budget. i did lots of forest roads in my venture. but the trees are not great for my solar. if you’re interested- i share more on why i got the teardrop in this video: ruclips.net/video/ACBSsm55vIk/видео.html
Have you thought about seasonal jobs or part time work like Doordash? There are other Utubers that have 3 month seasonal jobs that sustain them through the rest of the year. AdventureVanMan is a good example. Good luck.
i have actually
but i wanted a full year just for myself to explore and see the country.
How do you afford it, I saw you at oak openings in swanton ohio
i’m using stock money for the year i’m traveling and not working. however, i’m looking for a remote job soon- so i can continue traveling.
what do you use to shot and edit all your videos?
just my iphone. edit with Final Cut Pro. but up to about 4 months ago- i was using iMovie