Chris had hit the road solo just a year prior in a tiny little travel trailer pulled by a Jeep (he just marked 16 years on the road). We met online just a couple months later, and we spent much of our time ‘dating’ by meeting up across the country and us trialing traveling together while I continued to work remotely (I ran a software development company with needing to be online most business hours).
After figuring out how two people could live – no just survive – in a 16′ trailer with no bathroom, refrigerator or AC (this picture was taken in the 112 degree heat of Black Rock City, NV) – I purged most my ‘stuff’, put my house on the market and pulled out of the driveway on a new adventure.
I would have never predicted 15 years later we’d still be at it. Happily still in love, partnered and loving our nomadic life.
I had so much fear. I almost turned back so many times. The obstacles were huge. This new life was CRAZY. Loved ones told us we were insane. People we met along the way thought it ridiculous (or inspiring?) that two people in their 30s could live nomadically while still working.
We took wrong turns that has us backtracking hours. We had mechanical break downs. We had our lives threatened while boondocking. We jack-knifed and did a 360 degree spin down an interstate at 60 mph. I had a medical issue come up that required major surgery. I had to take a huge loss on my house to get out from under it (thanks great recession). I had clients who went out of business, impacting my own income – and our new lifestyle thankfully allowed us to live frugally while we overcame that.
And I missed family, community and friends I left behind something fierce. There was no support network out here on the road for us. It would take another 2 years before we even encountered anyone else remotely like us – younger and full time.
It was difficult to work remotely while we were hyper mobile – covering over 13k miles in 7 months across the country. Mobile internet wasn’t like it is today – 3G was a rarity, satellite was slow and latent. I had to overcome my own tendency towards motion sickness to learn to work from the front seat of the Jeep while meandering down mountain roads.
And we were exploring a brand new relationship and figuring out our own dynamics. Chris’ tendency to wing it versus my tendency to want a plan.
It really is an accomplishment we survived that first year. Only NRE (new relationship energy) can explain how we got through it.
But we did. We committed our lives together that first year – because well, if we didn’t kill each other, it had to be love.
And we ended our first year on the road knowing we wanted more.
The obstacles haven’t gone away over the years. We just learned we can overcome them and not let them hold us back. That was my lesson of 2007.
(by the way, comments have been restored on the blog… please comment away!)
Technomadia 15 Years Retrospective Series
In the lead up to Cherie's 15th Nomadiversary on May 10, 2022 - she shared a retrospective post for each year with a lesson about nomadic life and our own journey.
Here's a video recap of the series (caution, it's over 50m long!):
And here are the individual chapters of this series:
You have always been a very good writer. I suspect you could write a novel using your experiences for the story. I’m very much looking forward to reading more about you 15 year journey. What an inspiration you two are for younger people just starting “down the road”.
Oh, I’m not sure I have it in me be a novelist.. I’ve always written from my own first person experience. Maybe a memoir one day. But right now, just happy to be back to some personal blogging.
So cool,have to say, in my mind I romanticized your and Chris’s relationship and your life in a trailer. The reality makes me love you guys even more all those challenges only cemented your bond to each other and a lifestyle that is right for you! Helps inspire those of us, that aren’t quite all in just yet, and sometimes get daunted by the reality of living a lifestyle that isn’t all rainbows and unicorns but loving and messy…. Thanks for sharing.
It’s so easy to miss the important tidbits that aren’t always the rainbows, we feel it important to present the full picture. So glad it’s appreciated.
What an adventurous life you’ve both had and are still having. I look forward to hearing more!
I enjoy your blog and retrospective will be interesting to read. I struggled to work online in 2018 when we took our first trip and decided that wasn’t what my retired travels needed to include. So now we’re both retired and travel part of the year. I’m intrigued with the boating life and maybe someday we’ll give that a whirl for a season.
Traveling and working can be a struggle for sure. We’re looking forward to working less ourselves.
As Will Smith recently said, “Love can make you do crazy things.”
Hopefully we don’t do anything so crazy as to get kicked out of the club. 😀
I started reading your blog back when you still had the Tab. I remember you shopping for the Oliver. I’m still reading every time you post even though we have now been off the road for ten years. You are still an inspiration to me. I’m looking forward to your retrospective posts as I do everything you write.
Thank you so much for staying a part of the adventure with us for so long!
When I literally dreamt up the idea of buying a used RV and living in it fulltime, I didn’t know other younger people were doing it too. I quickly discovered your blog in December of 2014 and it gave me major confidence that helped us when we hit the road fulltime in October of 2016. Back in the day I read every blog I found from day 1, as I did yours. We’ve now been in Charlottetown, PEI since August – different dream, same thirst for life and adventure and beauty and community. If you ever make it up this way, we’d love to do drinks or a nature walk or something. You continue to inspire us as we craft our own life adventure.
We loved our brief visit to the PEI.. definitely can understand the call there!
I’ve enjoyed your posts for the several years. Y’all were one of the reasons I gave RVing a try. Travel safe and thanks.
Hi Cherie (and Chris),
Laura and I “discovered” RVing/camping/traveling in the Fall, 2014 as empty nesters and my work related stress. At that point, I devoured all RV/travel related content on the internet! We ended up buying a new to us 2005 Casita 17 Freedom Deluxe in November, 2015 and started camping in 2016. Since then, we have camped over 300 nights. We love it!!! I got lucky and was able to retire early at 58 last year. Chris and you were my early inspiration to pursue RVing and traveling. Since then, I have kept up with your adventures!
Thanks so much for sharing your adventures, reflections, challenges, and accomplishments over the years!!!
Take care,
Dean (and Laura)
Thank you for still being a part of our journey!
I will enjoy following along as you “relive” your past 15 years.
Safe travels.
We first started full timing in 1999 with my husband working all over the world and our 12 year old son homeschooling. We were in a 21-ft class c. Our son and myself would drop my husband at an airport so he could fly to a job and then pick him up somewhere down the road. There were no phone apps to tell you where you could camp so we had several thick books to look through to find a campsite. We were able to full-time for just over a year until 2001 and family issues intervened. In that time of full timing we met perhaps two homeschooling full timing families in all of our travels. We sold our house now 3 and 1/2 years ago and have been full-time again since then. The changes that we have seen are incredible. Many more people out on the road with much less respect for their environment! We boondock most of the time and really use the available apps for finding a spot but we are also not afraid to strike out in a mostly unexplored area. We’ve also done quite a bit of campground hosting, working in national monuments, and have joined a group that does disaster relief. I wouldn’t trade our life for anything else!
True trailblazers.. thank you for helping mark the way for the rest of us!
Just thinking about this post brought some interesting thoughts to mind.
You began with a 16’ trailer and now have three pieces of moving stock. This seems much more interesting than a beachfront home to care for.
Keep up the journaling. I didn’t begin following you until you bought the bus and have to catch up on your early adventures.
Marilyn in Dania Beach, Florida
We definitely have moved up in the world since the days of the T@b into a nomadic fleet!