Category: Scouting Colorado

After arriving at the Portland Airport, I picked up my rental car and set my sights on Hillsboro as my first stop. Navigating the city during rush hour was jarring–I’m just not used to that kind of traffic anymore. Still, I managed to make my way west through the city, passing through Hillsboro and up…

Our relocation search continues, and we’re now planning our next scouting trip–this time back to a region we’ve always loved: the Pacific Northwest. When we left Bend in 2021, I was fairly certain we’d eventually settle on the Olympic Peninsula. That was our first destination, but unfortunately, the timing wasn’t ideal. I was dealing with…

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the different areas we’ve considered for relocation—staying here in North Carolina, moving to Southwest Virginia or Colorado, or even returning to Central Oregon. Each option comes with its own set of trade-offs, and that realization has shifted the way I’m approaching our search. It’s no longer just about picking a…

Although we first passed through Floyd, Virginia during the summer of 2011—while on our two-year full-timing adventure in the Magic Bus—it wasn’t until 2018 that we truly paused to spend meaningful time in this small mountain community. That year, we stayed at the Floyd Family Campground in our Leisure Travel Van Unity RV, en route…

This final post wraps up my Colorado Scouting Trip, covering the last leg of the journey and sharing some reflections on the experience as a whole. I left the hotel around 4:30 a.m., just before the worst of the storm system hit. After loading up the truck, I did my customary “idiot lap” through the…

I opened my eyes this morning at around 3:45 a.m. and knew right away that sleep was done for the day. So I climbed out of the back of the truck, slid into the driver’s seat, and started the long journey home. The roads were calm in the early morning light, and I made good…

Today was one of those quietly satisfying days—simple, full, and meaningful—because I got to spend it with my old friend Steve. He had just returned late last night from a work trip, so this morning felt like a reunion years in the making. Steve and I first met in Bend, Oregon, and bonded over skiing…

Last night’s temperatures dipped close to freezing, so I had to experiment a bit to get warm—layering up until I found the right combo to sleep comfortably. Yes, I’m still sleeping in the back of the truck, even though I’m staying at Steve and Lori’s. The setup is just that cozy. Some might call this…

Durango has been at the top of my relocation list for a while now, so I woke up with a real sense of anticipation about exploring it more deeply today. But before launching into the drive, I wanted to start the day on my bike. Riding gives me a unique sense of connection to a…

I woke up early enough to catch the first light cresting over the mountains to the east–a soft, golden glow spilling over the ridges and welcoming in the day. My morning mission was to make it down to Montrose in time for a 7:40 a.m. telemedicine check-in with my primary care doctor. Since I’d been…