(Until we come up with a better name, I am going with “Yustens on the Go”.) We haven’t been able to fully ‘blast’ out the news of our adventure until many things were taken care of, but we did share with some people if we saw them and no doubt the questions started. I get it! I have a ton of questions myself and would be the exact.same.way.; I ‘d want to know all the stuff. So, if you are interested, here’s a start.
If you’d also like to listen to me ramble a bit on why we decided to do this gig, you can check out this video here: WHY WE DECIDED TO TRAVEL FULL-TIME FOR A YEAR. (feel free to use the gear icon and speed it up a bit…)
The reactions we get fall into two very clear categories…1. We get the “What?!??”, “Oh my gosh!”, “Are you serious?”, “This is so cool!!” and then the questions start. 2. The other reaction is basically, “Oh.” followed by not much more than silence and the visual that the gears are turning in their brain as they either process or silently shout how ridiculous this whole idea is. Either way, we’re good. We’re set. It’s our journey and we invite you to follow along (or not) if you wish.
FAQs
…not in a super particular order, but I’ll try to group them a bit.
Let’s start with the absolute more frequent question I get asked:
Is Belle going too?
Yes. There hasn’t been a question if she would be joining us at all; actually, we wouldn’t be going if she wasn’t able to go as well. She is in a good spot to be able to travel right now. She has worked at the library for the past year and will be a full time (online) college student this upcoming school year.
Are the dogs going with you?
Yes, they are. Honestly, one of the biggest challenges we have to figure out how it’ll all work, but no doubt they are coming. They are starting to get acclimated to the RV little by little. Long car rides aren’t something they are used to and sometimes we might have to take shifts for different activities to make sure they aren’t left alone for too long.
How long will you be traveling?
Officially yet to be determined, but figuring 9-12 months. The boys think they want to be back to Wisconsin for the summer. We’ll see; we’ll evaluate as we go.
Are you coming back?
That’s the plan. Wisconsin has always been home and it’s where important people in our lives, that we want to be close to are. Wisconsin really is one the prettiest and nicest places to live.
Will you be sharing/documenting your journey so others can follow along?
Absolutely! We will be posting on FB, but also on the blog, Instagram and YouTube. Follow and subscribe. (wink,wink)
YouTube: the Rainbow Radish
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_rainbow_radish/
Blog: theRainbowRadish.com
Aren’t you going to drive each other crazy?
No doubt about it, but I am not worried about it. I realize the living spaces will be closer than usual, but the kids are used to being together…and used to driving each other crazy. Honestly, I think the one that has the biggest adjustment ahead of him is Jason. He’s used to a little more space, meaning being out of the house more, than the rest of us. It’ll be good though. It’ll be a new routine for all of to navigate and figure out what and how things work.
Will you be working? Did Jason quit teaching?
I will be continuing to work in the entrepreneur realm. I’m am excited to may be able to kick up a few levels; both sharing YL and some of the outlets I have created myself to share with others. Jason did not quit teaching, but he did get an approved leave of absence for a year. Jason plans on working remotely, but hasn’t found the right fit yet – open to any leads others may have. Belle is considering some remote work as well.
Where are you going to go? How do you plan?
Wherever we want. (wink, wink). Our plans are somewhat fluid right now. We hope to get to many states, but will not be able to get to all.
Planning is taking some time. I am hoping it something we can get into a better groove with as we learn more. I am told it gets easier. But basically, we decide which destinations we want to explore, decide on a route, and find places to stay along the way. There are several apps, discount programs, memberships and such to look into and decide if they’ll be helpful for the journey.
Where are you going first?
Our first actual destination will be Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. One: our kids have never been to North Dakota. Two: Emmitt’s “4th Grade Pass” to get in a National Parks is valid til the end of August. So, we’re going to scoot on up there so he can get us in free. Owen’s pass was good the year we went to Yellowstone a few years ago; it’s just fun to be able to say they got us into the parks. After that we plan on heading to Glacier National Park and then to the Northwest and then head Southwest.
How long will you spend at each place?
No sure. This planning stuff is a challenge. And many places are actually already booked out six months to a year, so we have to be somewhat flexible. Up to 2 weeks max is our thought right now with some places stays only being 3-4 days. We plan on using the guidance of other full-time travel families and travel no more than twice a week and only 3-4 of driving hours at a time/day.
Are you selling your house?
We are…. We did. We considered not; either just leaving as a “home base” if we needed it or renting it out. But really, we’ve been considering moving to a location with more land and space over the past several years anyway, so this leaves our options open.
Are you putting your stuff in storage?
Nope. (Not yet anyway…) The original plan was to downsize almost everything and put in the RV what we would use, save the sentimental stuff, and let the rest go. If we weren’t attached to an item and could buy it again in the future, we were going to sell it, give it away, or toss it. Many things have fallen into that category, but also realizing there is more we did want to keep. So, for now, we have secured some space in a generous family member’s garage – but if we do end up with too much as we approach our launch date -we’ll get a storage unit.
What kind of RV did you get?
A fifth wheel; that means it is towed attached to the back of pick up truck bed. Specifically, a 2018 Open Range 374BHS. We’ll share more about this soon and give you a video tour. It has bunk room for the kids and they will each have their own bed which will allow for at least a little bit of personal space.
What kind of truck did you get?
It’s funny the whole process this has taken and what we thought we wanted for an RV…therefore deciding the tow vehicle. What we ended up with is amazing and so far from the original thoughts. We (Jason) got a 2012 F350 dually. Let’s just say it’s a really, really big truck. Let’s also say that Jason did extensive research and even though many people tow with less, this beast of truck is the best and safest option for us.
How are going to fit 6 people and two dogs in a truck?
…yah…weren’t not. We could if we had to, but for comfort and sanity we are actually taking a second vehicle.
Did you get it from a dealer?
No. Both the truck and RV came from private parties. The truck actually ended up being local (halleluiah!) – fun story there. The RV came from Georgia. (Finally a happy ending story there.)
How do you get your mail?
Right?!?! We’ll go digital as much as possible. We’ll have a physical Wisconsin address to use as needed, but for things like Amazon orders or getting our monthly YL Loyalty orders – there are options to pick up your mail as certain places, like campgrounds, post offices, or Amazon lockers.
Why don’t you rent an RV to “try it out” to see if you like it?
That really wasn’t an option. We had to go all in. If we just dipped our toes in, it wouldn’t happen. I don’t even like camping. …but this is different. We aren’t going to go camping, we’re going on an adventure. There is so much more here.
What if you hate it?
There is so much more to love and learn than to hate, but it’s possible we could totally decide this isn’t what we want to do. If so, we can change our mind, come home, stay in one spot, shift or modify plans however we want. It sounds like it takes most full-time families about 4 months to feel settled. We know there will be ups and downs and going into it all with an open mind.
Why now?
The snarky answer of course, is “why not?”, but really timing is as right as it’s going to be. We have the opportunity to do this with our kids before they start moving on to the next stages of their lives. We love our lifestyle but are looking to experience more.
What?!? Why? How did this all come about?
To be completely honest, this isn’t the first time we researched this. In the fall of 2020 we looked into long term travel, extensively. But it didn’t feel right. There were certain things we didn’t’ want to interrupt, and really I couldn’t get past how it would all come to fruition. Fast forward, January 2022 and it popped into my head again. Only this time, things started to fall into place; nervousness and fear were no-where around, and it did feel right. We began doing research again and once Jason got the thumbs up to take a year off from school. it was kind of the official “Okay, we are doing this.”
This is about going after a dream. Living confidently. Learning. Experiencing. Sharing the world with the kids and growing as a family and enjoying life.
❤️
