Today is my Grandma’s birthday. She is a woman who has lived nine more lives than most of us ever will, and she has the stories to back it up. I grew up sitting at her feet with my cousins while she entranced us with her stories– all based on truths, with perhaps minor (ok, sometimes … More Big Fish: the Potential of Social Media?
The “Bus Life” Matt and I have created has helped us meet new people and talk about our lifestyle on a regular basis, which I find to be an incredible thing. We are simple at heart, and together we have built a system that allows that simplicity to flourish. Every new opportunity that comes to … More 7 Truths About Van Life
A lot of people have been questioning our decision to move into a new van after living in our 1978 VW Westfalia Transporter, Magnolia, for a year. While we were making this (difficult) decision, we came up with a list of the pros and cons of living in a bus full-time: Pros: 1- Iconic Symbol … More Pros and Cons of living in a VW bus: Why we chose a new van/home
A couple weeks ago our good friends and their pup came with us on our last adventure with Magnolia. It happened to be a beautifully clear night, and we camped alone on the cliff’s edge in the San Rafael Swell. The Wedge, also known as the “Little Grand Canyon,” has amazing views by itself, but … More The San Rafael Swell: Saying Goodbye
I recently got back from a solo trip to Zion National Park. It’s pretty amazing how crowded the place has become. Every year I return to the canyon, it seems to be more of a tourist trap and less of a place of inspirational grandeur. To get to a trailhead I have to ride a … More Finding Desert Solitaire
Perhaps we happen to be lucky– Matt and I were both raised in Utah by parents who love the outdoors. From their love, we developed a passion of our own and it has taken us to where we are today– many mountain adventures in almost three years of marriage, eight months of which has been … More A Week in the Life of Some Simple Mountain People
Six months have gone by since we began this bus life journey– it’s hard to believe that so much time has passed. Matt and I are apart now for the first time in all those months. He had an opportunity to climb Denali in Alaska and we couldn’t pass it up. He’ll be gone 5 … More Sugar Magnolia
I’m pretty sure I’m in heaven. Never in my wildest of dreams have I imagined that life could be so beautiful. I wake up smiling. I go to bed smiling and thinking about the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, and the love that I feel. Days pass like weeks and weeks pass like … More The Simple Life
We were booted from one of our favorite camping spots last night– a dirt parking lot at the base of a trailhead tucked away from any sort of commotion. An officer tapped on our window around 11pm just as we were getting a fire going. He wasn’t friendly– he had no interest in who we … More Take Us or Leave Us Alone
Driving the bus can be a chore. In fact, I let Matt do most of the driving. Except for today– he’s working a random shift and I’ve been left to my own devices to get around. My heart is saying it wants to ski, but the effort and energy involved in driving the bus up the … More The New Olympic Sport
Simply Mountain People 