We’ve long held the dream, both separately and then together, of living on the road. Just us, an RV, and a cat or two traveling wherever and whenever we want. The freedom of not being tied to one place and the opportunity to see the far corners of the country – and maybe the world – is just irresistible, at least to us.
We created this website to document our path to that dream. We actually named ourselves “artistic nomads” over a decade ago, even though our nomadic tendencies are still tethered to a “home.” But now, it’s time to embrace the nomad.
We have set some wheels in motion to finance an RV, which we hope to choose and purchase sometime in the coming months. The goal is to be on the road by the end of the summer, maybe early fall. It’s a truly exciting time and we’re looking forward to sharing the process with our family, friends, and other followers.
There are actually several steps involved in this new adventure, or rather transition. Over the next few months we have to accomplish the following:
- Establish a budget for living on the road, including RV payments & insurance, and create the means to earn that amount every month.
- Research RV models and search dealers, classified, and other avenues for finding “for sale” vehicles that fit our budget and needs.
- Research full-time RVing so that we know what to expect in terms of legalities, camp sites, technology, etc.
- Significantly reduce our possessions – and I mean seriously, see below.
We will be posting about our transition both here and on social media. We’ll even be making some videos of the shedding process and RV hunt. Our goal is not only to prepare ourselves for this adventure but to show you how easy it is to switch gears at any stage of your life to pursue a new dream or passion. Plus, there’ll be some practical tips for those who want to simplify their existing life, purchase or rent an RV for vacations and getaways, or learn about making art in limited conditions – and that’s just for starters.
About the Stuff
Our immediate focus (besides establishing a means of generating regular income) is on shedding the stuff we have accumulated over the years. While we currently share a house with two other people, we estimate that we have enough belongings to easily fill a medium-size two bedroom house and garage (well, ours is filled with art supplies). Imagine taking all that and whittling it down so that what you have fits in a smallish RV (under 30 feet). We don’t want to have a “home base” that houses our stuff when we’re on the road nor do we want to pay fees for a storage unit. The goal is to live on the road, not be tethered to a repository of stuff.
To that end, many of our videos and blog posts will be about the process of letting go of the trappings of conventional life. We have even started a separate email list for those who want to be updated specifically on that process. It will include links to videos and blogs posts, yes, but also tips and suggestions that anyone can use to simplify their own life, whether they are trying to have more room in their closets and cabinets or want to embrace full-on minimalism. If you are interested, you can subscribe to that list by clicking here.
Pre-Adventure Adventure
Some people might consider this a challenge or even a burden, something they had to get through in order to get to the good part. They might approach the level of research and decision-making as overwhelming or a monster chore. We tend to see it as a part of the adventure, or rather a short-term adventure that will lead the next long-term adventure.
We are eager to learn everything we need to know in order to be full-time RVers. We get to research with gusto, knowing that it is no longer stuff we’ll need “someday” but soon. We’ll get to discuss different features, get excited at ads, and tour and eventually test drive them – one of which will be our home before the end of this year!
We’re even enthusiastic about finally letting go of all the stuff that has been weighing us down for years. We have purged our possessions several times in the past, like when we moved from Phoenix to Kansas in 2005. Unfortunately, we never fully embraced minimalism, so each time we got rid of some, but not everything we could have. Then we would slowly accumulate more to replace what we shed. This time approximately 90% of our stuff has to go. Period. Sure, some of the decisions will be emotional and difficult, but we want the freedom of nomadic life, and for that, we have to relinquish these things.
If you’re someone who came to the site looking for the artists already living on the road, you’ll need to stick with us just a bit longer. We are artists and we are very close to being on the road full-time. I hope you’ll enjoy following along on this little transition adventure that will end with us graduating to full-time nomads.