Category: Travel

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Back (Pain) in the Saddle Again

I’ve been slack on writing, which is generally a reliable indicator of an overly stressed life. That busyness came to a screeching halt early last week. Five minutes before my partner—let’s call him Bob—arrived to pick me up for the new-school classic Spirit of Squamish (5.8, 8 pitches), everything changed. At the strike of 6am, just as the sun began to crest over the lush coastal mountains, I bent over to pick up a 1-pound water bottle and felt a lightning bolt of pain in my lower spine. I knew in that moment that I was hosed, but it felt too late to bail. Plus, I often find relief from (mild) back pain when climbing…or so I thought.

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Steven Dimmitt: The Simple Ways to Become Remarkable

Steven Dimmitt is the host of the popular Nugget Climbing Podcast, a show about performance climbing and the life-long journey of self-improvement. At the surface, it seems that Steven left his engineering job and moved into a van to pursue what might seem like a whimsical and youthful passion. Digging deeper, however, we see that the journey to critical and financial success is one of dedicated craftsmanship.

How can we all leverage the power and contentment of craftsmanship to build a satisfying and meaningful life?

I really enjoyed this one, and I hope you will too.

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EP 27: Homes and Vans with Tien and Brandon Rooney

Today on episode 27 we are taking a deeper dive on real estate investing with climbers Tien and Brandon Rooney of Five Twelve Real Estate. This couple shares a very intriguing history, spanning from college athletics to corporate world wake-up calls, the latter of which inspired them to uproot their lives and teach and travel throughout Asia.

Eventually, looking to rekindle the youthful days of travel and freedom, Tien and Brandon turned to real estate investment as a way to fast-track their path to financial independence. They even moved into a van full-time to further optimize their financial journey.

We carefully examine the many methods of real estate investment, including some key tips for first-time home buyers. Find out if this path is for you!

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EP 18: Kenzie King: Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

Today on episode 18 I want to welcome Kenzie King. If you listened to last week’s interview with Michael Langer you will recognize Kenzie as Michael’s girlfriend. Kenzie and Michael walked away from lucrative engineering careers in Houston, Texas and moved into a van. Only months later, seemingly on a whim, they smashed the Pacific Crest Trail, hiking over 2,600 miles across California, Oregon, and Washington.

I promise that this is not a retelling of last week’s story. Kenzie has a very unique perspective on their journey. And regardless of your thoughts on the backpacking or thru-hiking, Kenzie shares a number of insightful opinions on the evolving dynamics of workplace culture, relationships in trying environments, and levels of financial or emotional security necessary to make bold and truly lasting changes in our lives. Hang on all the way to the end for some of the best moments of this conversation.

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EP 17: Michael Langer: Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

Today on episode 17 I want to give a very warm welcome to my guest Michael Langer, who along with his girlfriend Kenzie, walked away from lucrative engineering careers in Houston, Texas and moved into a van. Only months later, seemingly on a whim, they smashed the Pacific Crest Trail, hiking over 2,600 miles across California, Oregon, and Washington.

Today we will hear Michael’s perspective on this wild and unexpected journey, but it doesn’t end there. Next week stay tuned for an interview with Kenzie King, who shares her own unique perspective and motivations for their abrupt shift in lifestyle. After all, it takes a special couple to trade a solid paycheck for a heavy pack and mosquitos for five months.  

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EP 13: Mike Doyle: Remote Work and the Climbing Life

Now seems as good a time as any to welcome back climber and software engineer Mike Doyle. Mike appeared on Clipping Chains for a written interview in February of 2020. At the time, I was curious as to how he managed to climb at an elite level while juggling a very demanding remote job. Mike was still managing to travel to multiple places a year for months at a time, taking his full-time+ job along with him.

After the arrival of the pandemic and surge in remote work, Mike’s original interview feels so much more relevant. In the intervening time, my wife and I have also experienced living and working while traveling, so my thoughts on this lifestyle have evolved dramatically. With all this in mind, the timing feels right to have Mike on for a deeper dive on the realities of the remote work lifestyle.

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Summer 2021: The Life and Times

I’m sitting watching the Harvest Moon burst from the northeastern horizon. Fat and pale in all its full moon glory, this night and this moon signifies the end of summer.

I’m alone at the mouth of Maple Canyon in Utah, rising above the parched farmland below. I’ve backed my camper between two large pinyon pines, nestled on red dirt pockmarked with the signs of recent rain. The searing sun, amplifying the intensity of otherwise moderate temperatures, has given way to a cool and peaceful night. While I miss my little family tonight, I feel so at ease here.

My friend will be joining me tomorrow for a week of cobble pulling in prime conditions, but tonight I’m alone. And in lonesome campsites, it’s easy to find yourself reflective of the recent and distant past. So, in the following paragraphs, I reflect on the months that have passed while bringing us up to date on the dramatic recent events of a summer of travel and exploration.

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The Happiness Curve: Beware of Expectations

The grass is always greener on the other side. No truer words were ever uttered. Get it? Utter? Cows? Grass? Anyway, it’s our expectations that lead us in search of new experiences, but do they always pay off?

This concept of something better on the horizon has governed my existence for as long as I can recall. Under the constant glare of incandescent lights in a corporate office, I dreamed of selling my house and living on the road. But once I was living that reality, I discovered the very real contrasts of life on the road that I already knew existed.

When I was surrounded by all the nature, I just really wanted to lay on my living room rug with air conditioning, a lacrosse ball under my lower back, watching The Great British Baking Show.

It didn’t take long for us to decide that some sort of hybrid life was our best option. We opted to buy a house in St. George, Utah, intent on nesting here for the majority of the year, like Roland’s Rock House. For the rest of the year, particularly the hateful summer, we planned to travel and perhaps rent out our home.

So, how is that going?

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