I’m 52, a teacher near retirement, and the last few years life has become a boring routine. Teaching sucks because most kids and parents are whack jobs. I’m in the planning stages of changing my boring ass, unfulfilling life. I want the freedom and care less about having a lot of money. You did the right thing brother!
@Bibs123 Same here! I'm 54, and I have one more year teaching 3rd grade, then in June 2025, I'm going to travel the U.S. I'd continue teaching until I'm 60, but since coming back from the pandemic, the STUDENTS and PARENTS are driving me nuts! I want to get out there before it's too late! Keep on keeping on, you can make it! 😀
I was a critical care nurse/open heart surgery /organ transplant. I was a workaholic. And I could never get my vacation time. I had to call in sick to get any time off. I got into hiking in my mid fifties. It saved me. I retired at 62, three years early. I bought a camping van. But Covid interfered with my plans to do the pCT that year. And it has been one thing after another when it comes to doing a long thru hike. But I have gotten to do lots of shorter hikes. About a week on average out on trail. I went and hiked the relatively easy great glen way in Scotland. This past fall I went and hiked over the pyranees mountains starting in France. It was the beginning of the Camino Frances/de Santiago. About 120 miles in sustained an injury which brought me back home. Three days ago I had major surgery so will return to France, cross over the pyranees in Spain and do the entire 500 miles again, then about another 100 miles to the Spanish coast. In spring 2025. 26:4126:41 In the meanwhile this July will be doing a lot of day hiking in Colorado. Last week of August a friend and myself will be hiking segment 18 of the mountain to seas trail, which is the outer banks coastal leg of the hike. I will do the Lone Star Trail here in Texas this fall. Then spend the winter going from Texas state park to Texas state park hiking various trails within the park and taking my camper van and small dog with me. To Arizona in January, and will be getting in some pct miles in January. Then to Spain as mentioned , be leaving April 10. So, other than that?? Who knows. I am now 66 years old. So I think, at least for me doing a hike that takes up 6 to 7 months of my life is no longer on the table. There is way too much to see and do to focus it so much on just one or two long distance thru hikes. So my channel. Wacky Jacks Great Adventures will be focused on all those adventures. But no 6 to 7 month thru hikes. Probably more day hiking than anything else.
Just watched an almost 80-yr-old who’s done it all; from corporate accountant married 3x, building all 3 ranchettes, to joining the peace corps, to living in a Prius doing YT 3x a day, then onto a camper, a class C, class B, & now a van. He starts every morning vid with: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life - make it a good one! It’s the day after yesterday, the day before tomorrow, and right now… right now just went right on by. So you better get busy doing whatever it is that you want to do. Never worry about what you cannot change.”. And whenever someone objects to his lifestyle, he tells them, “You do you - I do me! Might want to ask yourself why you take time to invest in something that shouldn’t concern you.”.
I Love that quote from Shaw shank redemption " Get Busy Living or Get Busy dyeing". Benjamin Franklin had another good one"some people die at 25 y/o but aren't buried till there 75 y/o" My opinion is As long as you're not a burden to others there is no wrong way to live life.
We definitely don't need anyone's approval or permission, to create and live the life we want. I am the same age and everything you are describing definitely resonates with me. Ready to have less debt, less commitments, less obligations -- and more freedom. All we need is less. In 2020 I started getting into hiking and enjoying being outdoors, and seeing all the beauty that is available to us in abundance. The more time I have spent out there in the natural world, and experienced it -- the more I want to be there. It seems like a healthy addiction! There has also been a string desire to get rid of stuff and simplify life, which creates more space for doing things that bring you joy. Anyway, I get where you are. My husband and I spend most of our time now in the San Diego area (when we're not back east visiting family). Maybe sometime we could do a favorite SD day hike. It would be great to meet and hike with you! Good luck with your channel. Cheers and Happy Trails!
Thank you and I’m trying although I sometimes fall back into the old me wanting to make everyone happy even though I can’t. I’d like that too… what area do you live in again?
My dad wanted so badly for me to finish school & go to college… something he never had the chance to do, but it was the biggest disappointment for me than I was to him. From the first day of kindergarten we did all the things I did at home, I knew all I wanted was to be outside & I wanted to work with horses. Working since the age of 11, finally got my dream job 33 years later. Although, I never held a job that I didn’t enjoy for more than 3 days. Haters are jealous of this, & you can’t really blame them.
It's interesting that most people do things for the approval of others, especially from their parents. Many don't realize that they are living a lie and get angry when they see others experiencing the freedom that comes with following a passion. Glad to hear you got your dream job!
@@ColonialT7 Thanks. Didn’t last but a few years, tho. After hurricane Katrina it was decided that the rescue needed to move to higher ground. Now I work a on 165 acre tree farm, which is pretty cool, because most of the time it’s just me & the critters. 🐐 🫏 🐓
@@ThomasSimmons-go3hr Thank you. He had the standardized American dream for me, but he was grateful & proud of all 6 of his girls, 5 of which became teachers. He did give in & he told me, “If you don’t like your job, you’ll be miserable everyday of your life.”. He wore many hats, & so have I, but they were totally opposite.
Thank you for another informative video. Backpacking is not something you ever get out of your system, if you are one of those who love it. It is an easy progression to go from backpacking to traveling and exploring out of a vehicle. I have found I really like the minivan for living and traveling for months at a time. I have a n older class b van, but for one the minivan is the perfect travel vehicle. It gets good fuel economy and is aerodynamic, so it is easy to drive long distances without fatigue. If the minivan can't handle the terrain, I can always just park and go backpacking. Personally I would not off road in a built out van even if it had 4 wheel drive, because who would want to send your house through miles of earthquakes... Maybe when I am older I will revisit an want an RV or van, but for now I like the minivan for travel. It is just nimble and blends in. I am a verticality challenged older woman though and I feel the minivan makes me stay in better physical shape as well. I have a home base and responsibilities that don't allow me to be away more than a few months at a time, but I will eventually downsize my home base and be free to go for as long as I want I just hope I will still be healthy enough to do the travels I enjoy. I feel a lot of people get stuck in our consumer society and never find what truly makes them happy. I feel you are on the right track for what makes you happy. I enjoy all your content, but found your channel because of your backpacking. Your camping and exploring has been a bonus. Keep up the good work. ❤😊
Hi Anita and thank you so much for that. It sounds like you have your life organized in a way that you can have the best of both worlds. I agree on not really wanting to drag a van up and down rough sketchy dirt roads that can wear out or damage it. I also agree it’s good to get the backpacking in now while we can before we can’t. Thanks again for all your questions and comments. I’m editing the second episode of living in my car Q & A and was just seeing that I answered one of your questions so look for that soon. I think you’re following the old man on the cdt or at least I think I saw you comment on a video of his. I wrote him on a video before he started and he said he knew who I was and followed me so that was kind of cool. I’m enjoying his cdt videos. Anyways thank you and take care! M~
@@MarmaladeOutdoors Most of my questions are just curiosity, and more just filler, but I always enjoy your answers. You are very inventive and an out of the box thinker, I can see how you could be successful at any career you put your mind to. You likely give 110% to every job, though and that can set you up for burnout. Always take time to take care of yourself. I hope our paths cross somewhere out on the road.
OMG, I’m the female version of you. Different backstory and a few different but same circumstances and have yet to hike the PCT, but I’ve done a LOT of backpacking starting at 53. Same age as you and about 1.5 hrs from the PCT in the central Sierra. Good for you! We have one life.
Hey man you inspired me to also convert my car into a camper and live out of it when hitting overnight trails I make content too! Thanks man!! I live in SD too
Would you be open to doing a video of your investments and budget as a car dweller? I am a single 30 year old female highly considering this lifestyle to save money. Thanks so much 😊
I started hiking when I was 50, now 53. I plan on doing the PCT in a few years. In October, I will be do the Grand Canyon R2R. Thank you for sharing your story. Very inspirational🌺
Hey thanks Drew much appreciated… not always easy sharing personal stuff but if it helps motivate others then it’s well worth it. Thanks for watching and the positivity!
@MarmaladeOutdoors I finally made the transition last week. And getting over public opinion and doing what's best for my future wasn't easy. But we have to live for ourselves, not others. I don't think I'll ever go back to the normal big house ect. My plan is to get some land and put a tiny home on it once I'm done traveling. People homes where they don't even use all the space. But you still have to maintain it. The more things you own, the more things own you. Less stuff = less stress. But either way I appreciate it
@@drewmoore365 very well said.. I’m glad you’ve finally made the decision to get out there. You’ll find it’s one of the best decisions you’ve made and I agree letting go of what others think is a tough thing but incredibly freeing!
You were talking about not being sure if you want to invest into getting a van for your new life style. My I suggest....rent a U-Haul van, you can use things you currently have on hand and take the van out for a couple of days to see how you'd like a van compared to your Bronco. I'm sure your Bonco probably gets better gas milage though. Also, something to think about... Can your Bronco go to more of the places you'd like to go to or would the van you're renting make it there also. Also you could do deliveries for Uber Eats, where you just deliver restuarant food to people. Or check out some of the other Uber type delivery jobs. I do Shipt here in my area. The neat thing about Shipt is if I go visit another state or area I can Shipt there also. Just some suggestions, hope they help.
Hi Mike. Hiking question... where do you suggest I start a PCT hike as a beginner? I live in Manhattan Beach and would like to be able to drive to my starting point. I don't have much endurance so something easy to start, perhaps a 3-4 days hike-thru. Also, I would love to see a load-out video from you! Best wishes, J.
If you mentioned it and I missed it I apologize. What age did you start? I am thinking about doing this same thing but I am 43 years old and will be starting in a small car. Love the videos
I was a critical care nurse/open heart surgery /organ transplant. I was a workaholic. And I could never get my vacation time. I had to call in sick to get any time off. I got into hiking in my mid fifties. It saved me. I retired at 62, three years early. I bought a camping van. But Covid interfered with my plans to do the pCT that year. And it has been one thing after another when it comes to doing a long thru hike. But I have gotten to do lots of shorter hikes. About a week on average out on trail. I went and hiked the relatively easy great glen way in Scotland. This past fall I went and hiked over the pyranees mountains starting in France. It was the beginning of the Camino Frances/de Santiago. About 120 miles in sustained an injury which brought me back home. Three days ago I had major surgery so will return to France, cross over the pyranees in Spain and do the entire 500 miles again, then about another 100 miles to the Spanish coast. In spring 2025. 26:4126:41 In the meanwhile this July will be doing a lot of day hiking in Colorado. Last week of August a friend and myself will be hiking segment 18 of the mountain to seas trail, which is the outer banks coastal leg of the hike. I will do the Lone Star Trail here in Texas this fall. Then spend the winter going from Texas state park to Texas state park hiking various trails within the park and taking my camper van and small dog with me. To Arizona in January, and will be getting in some pct miles in January. Then to Spain as mentioned , be leaving April 10. So, other than that?? Who knows. I am now 66 years old. So I think, at least for me doing a hike that takes up 6 to 7 months of my life is no longer on the table. There is way too much to see and do to focus it so much on just one or two long distance thru hikes. So my channel. Wacky Jacks Great Adventures will be focused on all those adventures. But no 6 to 7 month thru hikes. Probably more day hiking than anything else.
I’m 52, a teacher near retirement, and the last few years life has become a boring routine. Teaching sucks because most kids and parents are whack jobs. I’m in the planning stages of changing my boring ass, unfulfilling life. I want the freedom and care less about having a lot of money. You did the right thing brother!
@Bibs123 Same here! I'm 54, and I have one more year teaching 3rd grade, then in June 2025, I'm going to travel the U.S. I'd continue teaching until I'm 60, but since coming back from the pandemic, the STUDENTS and PARENTS are driving me nuts! I want to get out there before it's too late! Keep on keeping on, you can make it! 😀
100% agree with living your life the way you want. You only have a certain amount of time here and you might as well do it your way!
I was a critical care nurse/open heart surgery /organ transplant. I was a workaholic. And I could never get my vacation time. I had to call in sick to get any time off. I got into hiking in my mid fifties. It saved me. I retired at 62, three years early. I bought a camping van. But Covid interfered with my plans to do the pCT that year. And it has been one thing after another when it comes to doing a long thru hike. But I have gotten to do lots of shorter hikes. About a week on average out on trail. I went and hiked the relatively easy great glen way in Scotland. This past fall I went and hiked over the pyranees mountains starting in France. It was the beginning of the Camino Frances/de Santiago. About 120 miles in sustained an injury which brought me back home. Three days ago I had major surgery so will return to France, cross over the pyranees in Spain and do the entire 500 miles again, then about another 100 miles to the Spanish coast. In spring 2025. 26:41 26:41 In the meanwhile this July will be doing a lot of day hiking in Colorado. Last week of August a friend and myself will be hiking segment 18 of the mountain to seas trail, which is the outer banks coastal leg of the hike. I will do the Lone Star Trail here in Texas this fall. Then spend the winter going from Texas state park to Texas state park hiking various trails within the park and taking my camper van and small dog with me. To Arizona in January, and will be getting in some pct miles in January. Then to Spain as mentioned , be leaving April 10. So, other than that?? Who knows. I am now 66 years old. So I think, at least for me doing a hike that takes up 6 to 7 months of my life is no longer on the table. There is way too much to see and do to focus it so much on just one or two long distance thru hikes. So my channel. Wacky Jacks Great Adventures will be focused on all those adventures. But no 6 to 7 month thru hikes. Probably more day hiking than anything else.
Just watched an almost 80-yr-old who’s done it all; from corporate accountant married 3x, building all 3 ranchettes, to joining the peace corps, to living in a Prius doing YT 3x a day, then onto a camper, a class C, class B, & now a van.
He starts every morning vid with:
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life - make it a good one!
It’s the day after yesterday, the day before tomorrow, and right now… right now just went right on by. So you better get busy doing whatever it is that you want to do. Never worry about what you cannot change.”. And whenever someone objects to his lifestyle, he tells them, “You do you - I do me! Might want to ask yourself why you take time to invest in something that shouldn’t concern you.”.
I Love that quote from Shaw shank redemption " Get Busy Living or Get Busy dyeing". Benjamin Franklin had another good one"some people die at 25 y/o but aren't buried till there 75 y/o"
My opinion is As long as you're not a burden to others there is no wrong way to live life.
Very well said…. We have this one shot so go love it! Don’t want to love a life of regrets
Good stuff.
"You can't buy Time."
Enjoy
Exactly, thank you!
Life can end at any time and in the end all the stuff goes to someone else but they will never get your memories and experiences.
I couldn’t have said it better thank you!
We definitely don't need anyone's approval or permission, to create and live the life we want. I am the same age and everything you are describing definitely resonates with me. Ready to have less debt, less commitments, less obligations -- and more freedom. All we need is less. In 2020 I started getting into hiking and enjoying being outdoors, and seeing all the beauty that is available to us in abundance. The more time I have spent out there in the natural world, and experienced it -- the more I want to be there. It seems like a healthy addiction! There has also been a string desire to get rid of stuff and simplify life, which creates more space for doing things that bring you joy. Anyway, I get where you are. My husband and I spend most of our time now in the San Diego area (when we're not back east visiting family). Maybe sometime we could do a favorite SD day hike. It would be great to meet and hike with you! Good luck with your channel. Cheers and Happy Trails!
I subscribed! I’m 61 and just getting into hiking
Morning Marmalade, do what makes you happy. Others opinions really dont' matter. Still hoping to see you out on the trails someday.
Thank you and I’m trying although I sometimes fall back into the old me wanting to make everyone happy even though I can’t. I’d like that too… what area do you live in again?
@@MarmaladeOutdoors I am in the Inland Empire. Have a good Memorial Day, taking the wife for shoes at the Cucamonga REI.
My dad wanted so badly for me to finish school & go to college… something he never had the chance to do, but it was the biggest disappointment for me than I was to him. From the first day of kindergarten we did all the things I did at home, I knew all I wanted was to be outside & I wanted to work with horses. Working since the age of 11, finally got my dream job 33 years later. Although, I never held a job that I didn’t enjoy for more than 3 days. Haters are jealous of this, & you can’t really blame them.
It's interesting that most people do things for the approval of others, especially from their parents. Many don't realize that they are living a lie and get angry when they see others experiencing the freedom that comes with following a passion. Glad to hear you got your dream job!
As a parent your father was still proud of you. It is your life and what makes you happy makes your parents happy.
@@ColonialT7 Thanks. Didn’t last but a few years, tho. After hurricane Katrina it was decided that the rescue needed to move to higher ground. Now I work a on 165 acre tree farm, which is pretty cool, because most of the time it’s just me & the critters. 🐐 🫏 🐓
@@ThomasSimmons-go3hr Thank you. He had the standardized American dream for me, but he was grateful & proud of all 6 of his girls, 5 of which became teachers.
He did give in & he told me, “If you don’t like your job, you’ll be miserable everyday of your life.”. He wore many hats, & so have I, but they were totally opposite.
Education is the best investment anyone can make in their kids or themselves. So is not letting anyone else define you. 😊
Thank you for another informative video. Backpacking is not something you ever get out of your system, if you are one of those who love it. It is an easy progression to go from backpacking to traveling and exploring out of a vehicle. I have found I really like the minivan for living and traveling for months at a time. I have a n older class b van, but for one the minivan is the perfect travel vehicle. It gets good fuel economy and is aerodynamic, so it is easy to drive long distances without fatigue. If the minivan can't handle the terrain, I can always just park and go backpacking. Personally I would not off road in a built out van even if it had 4 wheel drive, because who would want to send your house through miles of earthquakes... Maybe when I am older I will revisit an want an RV or van, but for now I like the minivan for travel. It is just nimble and blends in. I am a verticality challenged older woman though and I feel the minivan makes me stay in better physical shape as well. I have a home base and responsibilities that don't allow me to be away more than a few months at a time, but I will eventually downsize my home base and be free to go for as long as I want I just hope I will still be healthy enough to do the travels I enjoy. I feel a lot of people get stuck in our consumer society and never find what truly makes them happy. I feel you are on the right track for what makes you happy. I enjoy all your content, but found your channel because of your backpacking. Your camping and exploring has been a bonus. Keep up the good work. ❤😊
Hi Anita and thank you so much for that. It sounds like you have your life organized in a way that you can have the best of both worlds. I agree on not really wanting to drag a van up and down rough sketchy dirt roads that can wear out or damage it. I also agree it’s good to get the backpacking in now while we can before we can’t. Thanks again for all your questions and comments. I’m editing the second episode of living in my car Q & A and was just seeing that I answered one of your questions so look for that soon. I think you’re following the old man on the cdt or at least I think I saw you comment on a video of his. I wrote him on a video before he started and he said he knew who I was and followed me so that was kind of cool. I’m enjoying his cdt videos. Anyways thank you and take care! M~
@@MarmaladeOutdoors Most of my questions are just curiosity, and more just filler, but I always enjoy your answers. You are very inventive and an out of the box thinker, I can see how you could be successful at any career you put your mind to. You likely give 110% to every job, though and that can set you up for burnout. Always take time to take care of yourself. I hope our paths cross somewhere out on the road.
OMG, I’m the female version of you. Different backstory and a few different but same circumstances and have yet to hike the PCT, but I’ve done a LOT of backpacking starting at 53. Same age as you and about 1.5 hrs from the PCT in the central Sierra. Good for you! We have one life.
Thank you for sharing your story Mike
Hey man you inspired me to also convert my car into a camper and live out of it when hitting overnight trails I make content too! Thanks man!! I live in SD too
Very interesting! Thank you
Thank you Mike for sharing your story. I love your complete honesty about your life. I love Hiking. I wish I could do more. 😅
Thank you sir for information about mailing address from the other video 😊
Would you be open to doing a video of your investments and budget as a car dweller? I am a single 30 year old female highly considering this lifestyle to save money. Thanks so much 😊
I started hiking when I was 50, now 53. I plan on doing the PCT in a few years. In October, I will be do the Grand Canyon R2R. Thank you for sharing your story. Very inspirational🌺
A very well thought out to reaching your goals. Thanks sharing your journey with us.
Keep up the good work brother. Thanks for videos.
Hey thanks Drew much appreciated… not always easy sharing personal stuff but if it helps motivate others then it’s well worth it. Thanks for watching and the positivity!
@MarmaladeOutdoors I finally made the transition last week. And getting over public opinion and doing what's best for my future wasn't easy. But we have to live for ourselves, not others. I don't think I'll ever go back to the normal big house ect. My plan is to get some land and put a tiny home on it once I'm done traveling. People homes where they don't even use all the space. But you still have to maintain it.
The more things you own, the more things own you. Less stuff = less stress. But either way I appreciate it
@@drewmoore365 very well said.. I’m glad you’ve finally made the decision to get out there. You’ll find it’s one of the best decisions you’ve made and I agree letting go of what others think is a tough thing but incredibly freeing!
Great video
Hey thanks I appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed it!
You were talking about not being sure if you want to invest into getting a van for your new life style. My I suggest....rent a
U-Haul van, you can use things you currently have on hand and take the van out for a couple of days to see how you'd like a van compared to your Bronco. I'm sure your Bonco probably gets better gas milage though. Also, something to think about...
Can your Bronco go to more of the places you'd like to go to or would the van you're renting make it there also.
Also you could do deliveries for Uber Eats, where you just deliver restuarant food to people. Or check out some of the other Uber type delivery jobs. I do Shipt here in my area. The neat thing about Shipt is if I go visit another state or area I can Shipt there also. Just some suggestions, hope they help.
Cool journey and practical advice
Hi Mike. Hiking question... where do you suggest I start a PCT hike as a beginner? I live in Manhattan Beach and would like to be able to drive to my starting point. I don't have much endurance so something easy to start, perhaps a 3-4 days hike-thru. Also, I would love to see a load-out video from you! Best wishes, J.
If you mentioned it and I missed it I apologize. What age did you start? I am thinking about doing this same thing but I am 43 years old and will be starting in a small car. Love the videos
Started on January 1 2023… I’m 61 so you’re pretty young. You will find it’s a lot more freeing than you think it will be. Good luck to you!
Why are you divorced? Maybe you as ex wife get back together? Are you spiritual person? Just curious.. good video btw . And thank you.
I was a critical care nurse/open heart surgery /organ transplant. I was a workaholic. And I could never get my vacation time. I had to call in sick to get any time off. I got into hiking in my mid fifties. It saved me. I retired at 62, three years early. I bought a camping van. But Covid interfered with my plans to do the pCT that year. And it has been one thing after another when it comes to doing a long thru hike. But I have gotten to do lots of shorter hikes. About a week on average out on trail. I went and hiked the relatively easy great glen way in Scotland. This past fall I went and hiked over the pyranees mountains starting in France. It was the beginning of the Camino Frances/de Santiago. About 120 miles in sustained an injury which brought me back home. Three days ago I had major surgery so will return to France, cross over the pyranees in Spain and do the entire 500 miles again, then about another 100 miles to the Spanish coast. In spring 2025. 26:41 26:41 In the meanwhile this July will be doing a lot of day hiking in Colorado. Last week of August a friend and myself will be hiking segment 18 of the mountain to seas trail, which is the outer banks coastal leg of the hike. I will do the Lone Star Trail here in Texas this fall. Then spend the winter going from Texas state park to Texas state park hiking various trails within the park and taking my camper van and small dog with me. To Arizona in January, and will be getting in some pct miles in January. Then to Spain as mentioned , be leaving April 10. So, other than that?? Who knows. I am now 66 years old. So I think, at least for me doing a hike that takes up 6 to 7 months of my life is no longer on the table. There is way too much to see and do to focus it so much on just one or two long distance thru hikes. So my channel. Wacky Jacks Great Adventures will be focused on all those adventures. But no 6 to 7 month thru hikes. Probably more day hiking than anything else.