Welcome to our Journal of meaningful experiences during our journey, along with a peek into some of our passion projects and growing list of hobbies, and even some mindful thoughts for us all to ponder.
KENDRA AND I WERE RECENTLY ASKED TO BE PANELIST JUDGES FOR THE 2022 CAMPSPOT AWARDS , WHICH PROMPTED US TO LOOK BACK ON OUR YEARS OF TRAVELING TWICE NOW AROUND THE COUNTRY TO RELIVE SOME OF OUR FAVORITES (AND OUR NOT-SO-FAVORITES).
In 2017, we took a giant leap, sold everything, bought an Airstream, and left our careers in fashion to take our [HAS HEART] nonprofit mission across the country. So far, we’ve made it to 39/50 states to partner a Veteran with a graphic designer in each state to share their story through art and design. At the end of 2021, we opened a preview exhibit featuring the first 12 state projects at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts.
WHEN WE DECIDED TO SELL EVERYTHING TO LIVE/WORK ON THE ROAD FROM OUR AIRSTREAM, MY SHOE COLLECTION WENT FROM 100+ TO LESS THAN 10 PAIRS. HERE ARE THE 9 PAIRS OF SHOES I’VE PAIRED DOWN TO FOR OUR CREATIVE NOMADIC LIFE AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURES.
GETTING AWAY FROM THE DAY-TO-DAY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY MANY OF US GET OUT AND UNPLUG. BUT, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD LEAVE YOUR COFFEE BEHIND.
QUITE THE CONTRARY, MY FRIEND. CAMPING IS THE PERFECT TIME TO TAKE YOUR COFFEE MAKING TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND ENJOY THE PROCESS WHILE YOU’RE AT IT.
2020 WAS UNLIKE ANY THE MODERN WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
WHEN I CALLED MY GRANDMA AND ASKED HOW SHE AND MY GRANDPA WERE DOING EARLY ON DURING THE PANDEMIC LAST SPRING, HER RESPONSE STUCK WITH ME: “WE’RE TAKING IT ONE DAY AT A TIME,” SHE SAID..
FOR MONTHS HER SWEET, GENTLE VOICE REPLAYED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS A FORM OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO CONTINUE PUSHING FORWARD DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT, EVEN WHEN IT SEEMED LIKE THINGS WERE GOING NOWHERE AND TIME WAS STANDING STILL AS WE STAYED HOME IN SELF-QUARANTINE DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
PACKING FOR A WORK TRIP IS HARD. PACKING FOR A CAMPING TRIP IS HARD. PACKING FOR A DAY-TRIP IS EVEN HARD. TURNS OUT, PACKING FOR A WORK/CAMPING/ROAD TRIP IS ALSO DIFFICULT.
TO HELP US, AND MAYBE EVEN A FEW OTHERS, STRATEGICALLY PACK RATHER THAN JUST THROWING EVERYTHING IN THAT FITS, WE THOUGHT TO DOCUMENT EVERYTHING WE BROUGHT WITH US IN OUR AIRSTREAM AND NISSAN ARMADA TOW VEHICLE AS WE SET-OFF FROM MICHIGAN OUT INTO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
AT FIRST IT SEEMED LIKE IT’D BE A BIG FINANCIAL AND RESALE RISK TO RENOVATE A NEWER AIRSTREAM, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT WE’RE STILL PAYING OFF. BUT AFTER DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH AND PLANNING BEFORE WE STARTED WORKING ON IT, WE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT OF AN INVESTMENT THIS WOULD BE IN OURSELVES, OUR WORK, AND EVEN OUR HAPPINESS.
IT WASN’T EASY, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT. YOU’RE WELCOME TO COME INSIDE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.
EVERYONE AND THEIR SISTER HAVE ROMANCED ABOUT THE IDEA OF RENOVATING A VINTAGE AIRSTREAM, BUT CAN (AND SHOULD) YOU RENOVATE A NEWER AIRSTREAM?
WE WERE ON THE FENCE ABOUT TOUCHING OUR 2017 AIRSTREAM INTERNATIONAL THAT WE BOUGHT BRAND NEW A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT WE ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO MOVE BACK INTO IT TRAVELING AGAIN, THEN WE NEEDED TO UPDATE IT TO FIT OUR LIFE AND STYLE MORE.
THIS D.I.Y. PROJECT IS NOT FOR THE FATE-OF-HEART, BUT IF YOU’RE WILLING TO ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AND LEARN AS YOU GO, IT’S WELL WORTH THE TIME AND INVESTMENT TO MAKE IT YOUR OWN.
ONCE WE RESCUED OUR AIRSTREAM FROM BEING STORED UNDER THE FLORIDA SUN, WE HEADED UP TO ATLANTA TO MEET WITH AIRSTREAM’S CREATIVE AGENCY. AFTER A GREAT MEETING WITH THEIR TEAM, THEY RECOMMENDED VISITING THE HISTORIC OAKLAND CEMETERY ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH MAY SEEM LIKE AN ODD SUGGESTION FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT IT WAS RIGHT UP OUR ALLEY.
NOT ONLY WAS THIS ONE BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED WITH LUSH GREENERY AND GARDENS, BUT IT ALSO WAS A UNIQUE MELTING POT OF ATLANTA’S HISTORY DATING BACK THROUGH THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES.
THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE BY THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE IS A SOMBER, MEANINGFUL MEMORIAL SITE THAT ENABLES AMERICANS TO REFLECT UPON OUR OWN HISTORY OF SEVERE RACIAL INEQUALITY AND INJUSTICE.
IN ADDITION TO THIS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL MEMORIAL, THE LEGACY MUSEUM BRINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE ON HOW GENERATIONS OF SLAVERY, OPPRESSION, AND VIOLENCE ARE STILL ALL TOO PREVALENT WITHIN TODAY’S CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF SYSTEMATIC RACISM, MASS INCARCERATION, AND POLICE VIOLENCE.
WE WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO DO OUR HAWAI’I PROJECT (STATE #24) ALMOST A YEAR EARLIER WHILE WE WERE ON THE WEST COAST, BUT A RARE HURRICANE HITTING THE ISLANDS HAD OTHER PLANS. WE RESCHEDULED OUR FLIGHTS FOR LATER IN THE TOUR WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE MIDWEST SO WE COULD LEAVE OUR AIRSTREAM AND CAT NOEL AT HOME WITH KENDRA’S PARENTS IN GRAND RAPIDS.
LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT WE’D ALREADY BE BACK IN GRAND RAPIDS UNDER VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. WITH NO MORE [HAS HEART] FUNDING AVAILABLE AND OUR PERSONAL RESOURCES DEPLETED FROM TWO YEARS VOLUNTEERING ON THE ROAD, WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN.
AFTER WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS WITH OUR PARENTS IN FLORIDA, WE RECEIVED THE NEWS THAT THE FUNDING FOR THE [HAS HEART] TOUR WAS QUICKLY DRYING UP. WITHOUT ANY IMMEDIATE SUPPORT IN SIGHT, WE MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO PAUSE THE REMAINDER OF THE TOUR UNTIL WE COULD RAISE ENOUGH FUNDS TO COMPLETE THE MISSION.
WE HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS THAN TO PREPARE THE TRAILER FOR STORAGE IN FLORIDA WHILE WE DROVE OUR TRUCK BACK UP TO MICHIGAN TO WAIT OUT THE WINTER MONTHS AND DO OUR BEST TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD IN THE SPRING — EASIER SAID THAN DONE.
WE SPENT A FEW DAYS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER JUST OUTSIDE OF MEMPHIS SO THAT WE COULD VISIT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM AT THE LORRAINE HOTEL, THE SITE OF THE ASSASSINATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. JUST OVER 50 YEARS AGO.
THE NIGHT BEFORE HE WAS KILLED, DR. KING GAVE HIS FAMED “I’VE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAINTOP” SPEECH IN WHICH HE SAYS, “WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AMERICA A BETTER NATION…TO MAKE AMERICA WHAT IT OUGHT TO BE.” UNFORTUNATELY, HIS WORDS STILL RING TRUE TO THIS DAY.
MY FAVORITE PART OF VISITING MUSEUMS, WHETHER IT’S LARGE MUSEUMS LIKE THE MOMA IN NEW YORK, MID-SIZED ONES LIKE YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY IN CONNECTICUT, OR NICHE COLLECTIONS LIKE THE DESERT MUSEUM IN ARIZONA IS LOOKING AT THE ARTIST’S EXECUTION, BRUSH STROKES, COLORS, AND DETAILS THAT MAKE UP THE LARGER PICTURE AND ARTIST STATEMENT.
IT’S THESE DETAILS THAT MAKE GREAT ART — THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS AND IT TAKE YEARS TO MASTER.
WE WERE IMPRESSED IN MIDTOWN OKC WITH COMMONPLACE BOOKSTORE WHERE WE HAD TO RESIST THE GREATEST TEMPTATIONS TO BUY ALL THE GREAT BOOKS, BEAUTIFUL HOMEGOODS, AND EVEN DELICIOUS LOOKING FOOD, DRINKS, AND COFFEE.
THE AREA ALSO HAD AN INCREDIBLE MEXICAN RESTAURANT: BARRIOS FINE MEXICAN DISHES. WE TREATED OURSELVES, WHICH ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT COMES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY LOCALS.
UNLIKE DORTHY, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING OUR HOME WITH US. THE PROBLEM WAS, THE RV PARK WE BROUGHT IT TO in KANSAS WASN’T THE NICEST OF CAMPGROUNDS, BUT AT LEAST WE LUCKED OUT ON THE BEST CAMP SPOT IN THE PARK UNDER A LARGE TRIP OF TREES.
BEST OF ALL, THERE WERE NO THREATS OF TORNADOES IN THE FORECAST AND NO WICKED WITCHES. THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CAN PARK IT ANYWHERE.
WHILE NOEL SUNBATHED IN THE FRONT DOOR OF THE AIRSTREAM CHEERING US ON, KENDRA AND I TOOK TO THE BASKETBALL COURT AT THE K.O.A. CAMPGROUND TO PLAY A COMPETITIVE GAME OF H-O-R-S-E.
THERE WAS SOME DEBATE ABOUT WHO WON — ONE OF US CLAIMED THE OTHER PERSON HAD A CERTAIN NUMBER OF LETTERS WHILE THE OTHER PERSON DIDN’T THINK SO. TO THIS DAY THE WINNER IS DEBATABLE. BUT I’M NOT A SORE LOSER. YOU’RE THE SORE LOSER.
WHAT’S MORE IOWAN THAN HARVESTING CORN? KENDRA’S DAD GREW UP IN IOWA AND HIS CHILDHOOD FRIEND IS A FARMER WHO LET ME RIDE ON THE COMBINE TO PLUCK A FEW ROWS OF CORN. MEANWHILE, KENDRA WAS FALLING HEAD OVER PAWS FOR A BARN CAT. JUST YOUR TYPICAL DAY.
WHAT WASN’T EXPECTED IN IOWA WAS A PARK OF PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS FROM WORLD-RENOWNED ARTISTS OR CHINESE GARDENS ALONG THE DES MOINES RIVER. WE QUICKLY LEARNED THAT IOWA IS MORE THAN A FARM AND MORE THAN ITS CAUCUS, THAT’S FOR SURE.
FOLLOWING A BEAUTIFUL STINT IN COLORADO, WE DETOURED NORTH TO VISIT SOME ALL-AMERICAN SITES-TO-SEE IN SOUTH DAKOTA BEFORE WE CONTINUED EASTWARD TO STATE 30: NEBRASKA.
WE WERE UNHAPPILY WELCOMED BY A HEAVY AND WET BLANKET OF SNOW. THANKFULLY, WE WERE ABLE TO STAY IN FOR A COZY WORK DAY WITH PLENTY OF BLANKETS OF OUR OWN AND ENOUGH ROUNDS OF COFFEE TO KEEP US AWAKE AND WARM BEFORE WE VENTURED INTO LINCOLN AND OMAHA.
WE DROVE THE MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY THROUGH THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS THAT WAS FULL OF HAIRPIN TURNS AND CROSSBACKS UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE POPS OF YELLOW ASPEN LEAVES ALL AROUND US UP ALONG THE MOUNTAINSIDES.
WE WERE HOWEVER NOT QUITE EXPECTING TO SEE A YELLOW RIVER TO MATCH IT, THOUGH. COME TO FIND OUT, THIS RIVER HOLDS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OF OXIDIZED METALS, A WASTE BYPRODUCT OF THE ABANDONED MINES THAT DECORATE THE HILLSIDES THROUGHOUT THE OURAY, SILVERTON, AND TELLURIDE AREA..
AFTER WE GOT BACK FROM ALASKA, WE WERE SCHEDULED TO FLY OUT A FEW DAYS LATER FOR OUR HAWAI’I PROJECT, BUT HURRICANE LANE HAD OTHER PLANS. THANKFULLY, SHE LEFT MILD DAMAGE, BUT WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO POSTPONE HAWAI’I FOR ANOTHER TIME.
ALTHOUGH UNFORTUNATE, THIS MEANT WE HAD SOME UNEXPECTED EXTRA TIME BEFORE THE STATE 28: UTAH PROJECT, SO WE HEADED SOUTH TO A HANDFUL OF NATIONAL PARKS INCLUDING ZION, CAPITOL REEF, BRYCE CANYON, AND ARCHES. BUT FIRST, WE PULLED OVER TO ADD OUR UTAH DECAL.
THE COLOR OF THE AIALIK GLACIER WAS LIKE AN ARTIFICIAL FRESH MINT BLUE. AS THE KENAI FJORDS TOUR BOAT MANEUVERED PAST THE GLACIER DEBRIS FLOATING OUT TO SEA, YOU COULD HEAR THE DEEP MOANS OF THIS ARM OF THE HARDING ICEFIELD STRETCHING, MOVING, AND BREAKING OFF IN LOUD AND DRAMATIC CRACKS AND SPLASHES BELOW.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL RUDE AWAKENING TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE OUR WORLD IS FACING AS I WATCHED ONE LARGE PIECE BREAK AWAY AFTER ANOTHER. I FOUND MYSELF MARVELING AT THE SIZE, WEIGHT, AND NOISE OF THIS MOVING WALL CRUMBLING DOWN BEFORE ME.
MONTANA HAS QUICKLY BECOME ONE OF OUR FAVORITE STATES IN THE COUNTRY SIMPLY BECAUSE OF ITS NATURAL BEAUTY THAT EASILY GRANTS US THE ABILITY TO UNPLUG AND APPRECIATE THIS EARTH MORE.
AMONG THE BEAUTY OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STRETCH OF CONCRETE IN THE COUNTRY: THE “GOING-TO-THE-SUN” ROAD THAT WINDS ALONG RIVERS AND UP, AROUND, AND THROUGH MOUNTAINS. WE FIRST VISITED “BIG SKY COUNTRY” IN 2016 ON A TRIAL RUN AS WE WERE PLANNING THE TOUR, CAME BACK IN 2018 WHILE ON THE TOUR, AND ALREADY CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK.
WITHOUT HOOKUPS, WE LEARNED THE HARDWAY THAT ONCE OUR AIRSTREAM BATTERY GOT LOW, THE CARBON DIOXIDE DETECTOR WOULD START BEEPING. LOUDLY. AND WITHOUT STOPPING.
NO PILLOW COULD CUSHION THE SHREKING BEEPING AT 4AM AND SINCE THERE WAS NO WAY WE’D LEAVE NOEL BEHIND TO SUFFER, WE LOADED HER UP AND EXPLORED GRAND TETONS NATIONAL PARK WITH HER BY OUR SIDE TO WATCH THE SUNRISE.
TYLER WAS RECENTLY FEATURED BY THE MILITARY HERITAGE AND STREETWEAR BRAND ALPHA INDUSTRIES, INC. (IG: @ALPHAINDUSTRIES) AS PART OF THEIR “EVERYDAY HEROES” CAMPAIGN AS THE COMPANY CELEBRATED ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY.
VIEW THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AND INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON: WWW.ALPHAINDUSTRIES.COM. (PHOTOS BY: SAWYER THURSTON)
WE STUMBLED UPON LITTLE CALDWELL, IDAHO, WHICH YOU COULD TELL HAD SEEN BETTER DAYS JUST BY LOOKING AT ITS MAIN STREET THAT WAS UNDOUBTEDLY A VICTIM OF THE WALMART AND CHAIN STORE SPRAWL.
STILL STANDING DOWNTOWN WAS A MILITARY SURPLUS STORE WHERE I NERDED-OUT ON SOME UTILITARIAN GEMS, JACKETS, PACKS, AND MORE. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO TAKE HOME AN OLD FOOTLOCKER AND OTHER WWII-ERA CONTAINERS, BUT ALL I HAD ROOM FOR WAS A SMALL GOODIE BAG OF VINTAGE FINDS.
WE VISITED AND STAYED WITH MY COUSIN IN WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON, WHICH IS LOCATED 4 HOURS SOUTHEAST FROM SEATTLE, 4 HOURS EAST OF PORTLAND, AND 4 HOURS NORTHWEST OF BOISE. THE HISTORIC TOWN IS LIKE AN ISLAND SURROUNDED BY ROLLING HILLS OF WHEAT FIELDS WITH OVER 120 WINERIES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT.
ONE WINERY AND TASTING ROOM YOU’LL HAVE TO VISIT WILL BE OPENING THIS UPCOMING SPRING 2020: KINHAVEN WINERY. WHY? READ MORE TO FIND OUT…
OREGON WAS ONE OF TWO STATES WHERE LONG BEFORE THE “50 STATES: VETERANS + ARTISTS UNITED” TOUR HIT THE ROAD, WE CAME OUT WEST TO PITCH THE CONCEPT TO NIKE (AND STARBUCKS IN SEATTLE, WA).
SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, WE CAME BACK OUT AGAIN TO HOST A PILOT PROJECT IN EACH STATE, AND THEN WELL OVER A YEAR LATER, WE FOUND OURSELVES BACK IN OREGON ON THE TOUR. ALL THIS TO SAY, OREGON HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS AS ONE OF THE “FOUNDING STATES” OF THE TOUR.
WE WOKE UP AT 4AM AS OTHERS IN VEGAS WERE STILL STUMBLING BACK TO THEIR HOTELS TO MAKE THE TWO-HOUR DRIVE TO DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK BEFORE SUNRISE TO SEE THE ARTIST’S PALETTE ON THE WESTERN FACE OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS.
ITS VIBRANT VARIETY OF ROCK COLORS ARE THE RESULT OF ANCIENT VOLCANIC ASH AND METALS THAT HAVE GRADUALLY OXIDIZED AND DECOMPOSED AS THE EARTH’S SURFACE HAS ERODED ABOVE THEM. IT WAS A SITE TO SEE AS EARLY IN THE DAY AS CAN BE.
FOUNDED IN 1958, SNOW PEAK HAS PERFECTED THE ART OF THE OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE FROM JAPAN. WE’VE GRADUALLY BUILT OUR SET-UP OVER TIME, ENHANCING OUR ENJOYMENT OF THE OUTDOORS. TO HELP GROW YOUR COLLECTION, HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF THE ITEMS WE’VE INVESTED IN AND THE ONES WE’RE STILL DREAMING OF GETTING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.