Our guests today are parents we met at a playground in Alaska.  Our lives intersect through many similar interests and after a 2+ hour parking lot conversation, some time together geocaching, a beach day with swimmers itch and swapping favorite RV stories I decided it would be great to continue the conversation on the podcast. Christine and David  vistit their Alaska roots each summer but align with International Teaching community.  With previous placements in Jamaica, China and Guatemala...

In true RV fashion, this loop has not been unscathed from RV fixes.  As we field more and more inquiries about RV life, one area that comes up are in the technical aspects of RV ownership.  In our transition to RV life, my husband went from being a high school tech ed teacher (IE shop classes) to becoming a certified RV technician.  If you or someone you know is interested in RVing or looking for resources when it comes to owning an RV and the maintenance required, Brent (my husband) is a...

In the fast-paced world, where every moment seems to be driven by deadlines, notifications, and the relentless pursuit of productivity, there's a quiet revolution taking place—one that involves the deliberate act of hitting pause. II have hit pause several times on the podcast this year.  In spite of a underlying sense of guilt, I dug deeper into the transformative power of intentionally taking breaks, as experienced by someone who decided to embrace the "Power of Pause" in a year like no...

Podcasting is a medium that has allowed me to 10x my network, have meaningful conversations with people I wouldn't otherwise have access to, elevate the stories rarely shared in the industry, and establish my voice and share my story.  It wasn't until working with a few podcast coaching clients that I realized that while there is more happening behind the scenes, it doesn't mean everything has to be official there for me to share this episode.   Show Notes: If you do have a podcast or are...

The basis of our gap year is the foundation of simple and inexpensive adventures we do as a family. Within this episode, you'll discover 10 curated simple adventures that can be embarked upon with ease. From hidden trails to local landmarks, from unique flavors to thrilling challenges, each adventure is designed to ignite your family's imagination and create lasting memories. I know this because over the past 10 months (and quite honestly past 5 years) our bustling family of five has tested...

Periodically during our family gap year life in the RV, we have moments when we start to feel like we are missing the comforts of home.  When people ask what we miss from home the kids often - having a bedroom door (instead of a privacy black out curtain), a dishwasher, hot showers that don’t require us to turn on the hot water heater nor having to listen to the groan of the water pump.  Much like the novelty of travel, simple indulgences take us out of our daily routine and can offer a...

After years in public accounting as a CPA, Brad reached financial independence at the age of 35 through diligent savings and investing. Brad Is passionate about everything from saving money, to living a more healthy lifestyle, to ‘boring’ things like tracking your finances and cutting down on your tax bill. But his favorite topic is leveraging credit card rewards to save more money, and take trips you never would have dreamed possible for pennies on the dollar.Co-Founders and Co-Hosts Brad...

As you heard in the last episode we are 9m into our family gap year.  This recording comes days after meeting up with a previous Ordinary Sherpa guest from episode 109| Living your Childhood Dreams.   and continually grateful for the stories and connections that have helped us in taking steps and moving forward on this journey.  We love meeting up with friends and strangers and the best platform to do that is through Boondockers Welcome, a part of the Harvest Host family.  We’ve had over 20+...

Join us for a quick update on our family's gap year journey! We'll share what's been working, what's been challenging, and what we've learned so far. We'll also talk about our plans for the next few months. Worth noting, I have found that I really enjoy podcasting and having conversation without all the ads and interruptions many podcasters use.  If you enjoy the ideas, find joy or inspiration from my work, you can buy me a coffee to say thanks and support the show.  If you want to go deeper...

 As my family drove to Alaska (currently spending time in Fairbanks) I have seen many bike campers and was reminded of my conversation with a guest from episode 047 with Mason Gravely.  We have driven over 13,000 miles in the RV since January all across the country and passing bike campers along various highways through Alaska and Canada it brings new meaning to biking across the country. While Mason’s story is interesting I don’t suggest just jumping on a bike in Fairbanks.  I am bringing...

When this drops we will be in the arctic circle exploring a part of Alaska you can’t drive. If weather cooperates we’ll be visiting 2 more National Parks.  This week also marks 6 months of travel on our family gap year.  I brought my husband back on the show to talk through how we got here.  He referred to this as a mid-life retirement and I loved that analogy.  Much of our family gap year is an experiment in doing life differently.  He shares more about his travel back story, how the gap...

As my family enjoys the summer in Alaska on our family gap year we are slowing down (a new adventure for us).  Part of this gap year was designed to meet up and connect more deeply with adventurous families and one family in particular was sparked by having a guest on the podcast.  Amy Buschatz was a guest in 2022 and after we recorded she nonchalantly suggested that when we come to Alaska we could stay with her.  I warned her that I don’t pass up invitations like that.  Apparently she has...

 In June we crossed the border into Canada.  Last year when we were testing the potential of a gap year we were hosted Banff & Lake Louise Tourism and while it was lovely, I also learned that we prefer a different kind of travel.  Yes, Banff was gorgeous AND we found so many other places and experienced a different kind of beauty that reinforced that we prefer untourism.  I continue to reflect and refind what untourism means but I knew the second we arrived at Moraine Lake that I wasn’t...

Using tools like checklists or tracking forms can help us be aware of important details that might drift by in life - like everyday moments of joy.  If you are interested in a tool to help you test what to get rid of in your life and what to invest your time and energy in, the Joy Audit tracking Form is a helpful awareness builder and data visualization tool during the design or testing phase of lifestyle design. The Joy Audit tracking tool can help bring your feelings to light and quantify...

Bittersweet: the art of both/and experiences. Where we can be happy AND sad, content AND busy, be with our favorite people AND miss our independence, all the comforts of home AND yearning to get back on the road.   Worth noting, I have found that I really enjoy podcasting and having conversation without all the ads and interruptions many podcasters use.  If you enjoy the ideas, find joy or inspiration from my work, you can buy me a coffee to say thanks and support the show.  If you want to...

We are home for a week between phase 2  and phase 3 of our gap year. Last Wednesday was a big and yet very ordinary day. I woke up in my own bed at home that morning after traveling continuously for 4 months. It was also the 1 year birthday of my (Link) book Beyond Normal: a field guide to embrace adventure, explore the wilderness and design an extraordinary life. I am also celebrating crossing the 100,000 downloads milestone on the Ordinary Sherpa podcast. Is this success? In this episode,...

Show Notes for this episode: https://ordinarysherpa.com/116 Schedule a Coaching or Adventure Strategy Consultation: https://calendly.com/heidi-139/adv-strategy_coaching  Subscribe to the email List:  https://ordinarysherpa.com/subscribe/ Rich Jun is a high energy artist with a passion for travel and adventure. He is a FT optometrist and PT Short-term Rental host who started his Financial independence journey officially in 2018. He has a background in drawing and painting and loves learning...

Our road trip across the United States was intended to have us exploring the vast beauty of this country while discovering some of the most unexpected hidden gems and unique experiences. Join me as I share my experiences, tips, and insights for anyone looking to embark on a similar journey to get off the beaten path and learn how to design untourist travel experiences. Website for this episode: https://ordinarysherpa.com/115 Untourism Travel Consult:...

Show Notes for this episode: https://ordinarysherpa.com/114 Join the Slow Fi Meet Up April 20 from 7-8:15 EST register here Subscribe to the email List:  https://ordinarysherpa.com/subscribe/ Diane is a retired school teacher who has traveled the globe for decades. However, it wasn't until she took off on a seven-month road trip that she learned- much to her surprise- that she loves hiking and camping in the mountains of the west. To Connect with Diane Nachel Email: [email protected]  ...

Show notes for this episode: https://ordinarysherpa.com/113 Buy Me Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ordsherpa Buy Beyond Normal book, a field guide to designing an adventurous life with kids.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/ordinarysherpa to learn more about metrics of thriving and the joy audit referenced in this episode.  

 If you want to follow along to get the behind the scenes details of our family gap year you can subscribe to our email list; ordinarysherpa.com/subscribe and make sure to select Family Gap Year Adventures as one of your topics.  If you would like an episode or blog post of anything specifc or to go deeper on a topic that I mention please reach out via email or on social media.  I recognize we are living a Beyond Normal lifestyle (which I detail in my book) and love questions that you might...

Today's episode is a little different from a typical interview.  Our guest today is a member of our Family Travel Hackers (Link) membership where we help families travel more for less.  The Family Travel Hackers Membership is a way to support families who want to explore travel rewards but are overwhelmed.  As one of my guests described travel rewards “the learning curve is steep but once you get that first free trip you’re hooked.”  The Family Travel Hackers membership also dives deeper into...

Show Notes for this episode: https://ordinarysherpa.com/110 Join Family Travel Hackers Membership:  https://ordinarysherpa.com/join Subscribe to the email List:  https://ordinarysherpa.com/subscribe/ Matt and Leah along with their two kids began full-time RV life in 2019. After years of both working full-time as physical therapists, they saw their life zooming past and felt they were missing out on precious years with their kids. They decided it was time to make a drastic life change and...

Joing the Everyday Adventure Challenge In this 60-day everyday adventure challenge I help your family create an adventure list to show up in your own life and connect as a family. You will bring simple adventures to life leading to memorable family experiences. You can expect weekly adventure tips, ideas, and support via email; and we’ll bring the entire everyday adventure family tribe together throughout the challenge to share adventure ideas, wins and struggles. The challenge will run...