The Evolving Road

I’ve been like this guy lately, hiding away on a little island, not saying much.

When I started living on the road over two years ago, I never thought about taking a break from it. I approached the decision like it was forever… it took so much energy to sell everything and leave, I couldn’t think about the end. I’ve come to realize there is no end to this journey, just a constant evolution.

Currently, this evolution puts me in Maui, a place I never knew I’d call home. Living on the road led me here, and while I’m still camping in my van a lot, I also have a small studio. I’m planting roots because I need them - trading wanderlust for contentment, fleeting conversations for deep community ties, and rivers for a shower nozzle. Turns out showers can be pretty damn nice.

I’ve had to hunker down and make some money, since I’ve spent the last two years draining my savings. This realization literally hit me in the face a-month-ago when a friend shattered my nose in a fire-building accident – it took $15,000 in medical bills (and infinite frustration) to fix my gnarled face. I’ve always been passionate about how broken the healthcare system is, but this time it was painfully personal. Ironically, an opportunity arose to run & grow the community @stridehealth, a company my friend started that I really believe in. Stride is a group of young, smart people working their asses off to make healthcare simpler and more accessible for freelancers. If you don’t have employer-based healthcare (like me), I would highly encourage you to check out Stride (stridehealth.com).

It’s been really hard to find work with a company that inspires me, one that actually pays and allows me to further my storytelling (and thus keep this adventure going). The #1 question I get is how I fund my travels, which is why I’m sharing this.

Though making a health story interesting is harder than making a #vanlife story interesting, it’s a fun challenge. After all, healthcare is about humans, and humans are about stories, and I love telling stories. My @63mph account will continue to have (way more!) stories and observations from Maui. Thanks for being here with me.