Living in the middle of nowhere is pretty damn cool

I kid you people not - it was about 2pm on a Thursday afternoon and I was sittin' on the john taking care of some business when I glanced up and noticed my view out of our Airstream's bedroom window. It was beautiful, and I told myself that I had to blog about this.

And so, here I am. Blogging. About my view atop our composting john. Aren't you glad that you read this stuff? TSR is top-notch stuff.

Living in an Airstream (or any RV) out on the open road is more than just "living small". While our 200 square foot abode definitely qualifies us as small livers, we aren't just doing this for the environmental impact or bragging rights. This is about seeing this damn country of ours. Hitting the road and calling *anywhere* home. Not just for a couple weeks out of the year. Or the summer. This is a full-time gig.

We get a new backyard every time we move. Last night, we had tumbleweed-swept mountains with random wildflowers surrounding our home, and tonight, we're nestled atop a desert cliff with a 300-foot sheer drop about 20 yards behind us. Red rocks hug our East/West horizon. A warm and gentle breeze flirts with our awning's fabric and cools the inside of our rig.

Outside, it's like we're on vacation.

This ain't no vacation

But, we aren't on vacation. Inside, it's our home. Our dogs are with us. My computer equipment and kick-ass curved flat panel monitor gets fed from our solar system. Our couch with our familiar pillows and comfy blankets is there and ready to support our butts. Our bed waits in the back with sheets that our legs know well.

Inside, it's normal - business as usual. It is familiar territory anywhere we happen to be geographically. Regardless of where we are, inside the Airstream is always the same. No hotel room bed like you probably get on a vacation. No overpriced meals. It's our own stuff, all the time!

The outside is where we get to play around and have fun, see the sights, relocate at a moment's notice. The inside is home.

We are far from experts, but we love this new lifestyle thus far. Our goal for this year is to take it slow and enjoy the experience. Far too often, people go gang-busters their first year of full-time travel because they want to see and do...everything. We are resisting the temptation to follow suit. The last thing we want is to burn ourselves out right after we start.

There is a lot to see, but the faster we go, the less of it we get to see.

How's this "no work" thing going?

Freaking amazing. I feel like I'm the early retirement fanboy who can't possibly fathom anything but sheer ecstasy with retiring early. Maybe I am wearing rose-colored goggles, but even if I am, who the hell cares? We're happy little clams doing what we do. People do travel and work full-time jobs, but I don't think I could do it. That constant leash around my neck would quickly affect our lifestyle. The places we go. Remote work requires Internet access and connectivity - not to mention so much of your time.

I retired in December. My wife retired at the end of March. We live 100% off of our Ally savings account and whatever we happen to bring in through side income - which is generally in the $500 to $1,000 / month range. The more income we generate through our passion projects, the less we withdrawal from Ally.

That's us keeping things simple once again. Neither one of us has any interest in maintaining a complex financial life.

We get up whenever we want (which generally coincides with our dog's sleeping habits). We go about our business during the day. Hike. Chores. Walk / play with the dogs. Our lunches have become our largest meals of the day because we now have more time to cook during the day. Smaller dinners help to reduce the food prep at night and also helps minimize our caloric intake right before bed.

It's windy as hell today, so I am catching up on some work. Like writing this blog post, video editing and a few Rockstar Finance enhancements. It's nice to be able to flip on my office productivity switch whenever I damn well feel like it. This morning, we toured the Valley of Fire State Park.

Unbelievable. And, can I get an amen?