WELCOME TO OUR JOURNAL OF MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES DURING OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY, ALONG WITH A PEEK INTO SOME OF OUR PASSION PROJECTS AND GROWING LIST OF HOBBIES, AND MAYBE EVEN SOME MINDFUL THOUGHTS FOR US ALL TO PONDER.
AFTER WE WRAPPED OUR “50 STATES” PROJECT IN AUSTIN, WE HAD SOME TIME BEFORE WE NEEDED TO GET TO NEW MEXICO, SO WE DETOURED SOUTHWEST TO ONE OF THE LEAST VISITED NATIONAL PARKS IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S.
WE FOUND OUT THAT THE REASON IT’S NOT FREQUENTED AS MUCH IS NOT BECAUSE IT’S NOT BREATHTAKING, , BUT RATHER, IT’S WAYYYY OUT OF THE WAY TO GET TO SINCE IT’S NESTLED ALONG THE RIO GRANDE RIVER WITH MEXICO JUST A SKIP AWAY.
Read MoreKEY WEST WAS A BIT TOO FAR FOR A DAY TRIP, SO WE MADE IT HALFWAY DOWN THE KEYS TO ISLAMORADA, HOPING TO KAYAK AT CERTAIN RENTAL PLACE. WHEN THE GPS THOUGHT WE ARRIVED, WE SAW NOTHING.
AFTER WALKING AROUND FOR A FEW MINUTES, WE NOTICED A SEVERELY DAMAGED SIGN WITH THE RENTAL COMPANY LOGO ON IT, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE IN SIGHT. THAT’S WHEN WE WE REALIZED HURRICANE IRMA GOT TO IT A FEW FIVE MONTHS BEFORE WE DID…
Read MoreYES, OUT-OF-TOWN TOURISTS (INCLUDING US) ARE PARTAKING IN THE SORT OF BIZARRE ACTIVITY OF WALKING BY MANSIONS IN AWE, PEERING THROUGH THE GATES AND WONDERING, “WHAT THE HELL IS IT LIKE TO LIVE IN THERE?"
A FEW OLDER MANSIONS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS MUSEUMS, CHARGING PEOPLE TO FIND OUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LIVE AS A RICH PERSON. BEING ON THE TIGHTEST OF BUDGETS IMAGINABLE, WE DIDN’T EXACTLY PAY TO GET IN…
Read MoreAFTER OVER A YEAR OF PLANNING, COUNTLESS EMAILS, PITCHES, GRANT APPLICATIONS, CONFERENCE CALLS, AND MEETINGS, THE DAY TO HOOK UP THE AIRSTREAM AND HIT THE ROAD FINALLY ARRIVED.
LIKE ANYTHING EXTENSIVE YOU PLAN FOR, YOU’RE STILL NOT READY WHEN THE DAY COMES. KNOWING WE HAD SOME BUFFER BUILT IN BEFORE OUR FIRST STATE PROJECT DAYS IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT, WE PUSHED BACK OUT LAUNCH DATE A COUPLE MORE DAYS. IN RETROSPECT, THE DAYS LEADING UP TO OUR DEPARTURE SEEM LIKE A TOTAL BLUR…
Read MorePLANNING AND EXECUTING A FIFTY STATE TOUR DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THIS CONCEPT WAS BREWING FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS AND REQUIRED A HANDFUL OF LIFE CHANGES TO PREPARE FOR THIS DRAMATIC LIFESTYLE CHANGE. AND EVEN THEN, IT CAME TOGETHER LAST MINUTE WITH A FEW MIRACLES AND A HANDFUL OF INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE ALONG THE WAY.
KENDRA AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ASKED SINCE WE FIRST SHARED OUR IDEA TO TRAVEL THE COUNTRY: “HOW? WHY? WHEN, AND FOR HOW LONG?”…
Read More
