Travis and Jess from Navigate Freedom in the latest episode of the More Sunsets Please Podcast. In this episode, Travis shares how challenging it was to balance his day job as an executive and RV life. But, after building a thriving and supportive community, they knew it was worth it.
The conversation moves to Travis and Jess sharing their experience living in an RV with their dogs, working full-time during their travels, and the challenges of full-time RV living. They discuss how they’ve built lasting friendships within the RV community and the importance of community in the new American dream.
We also discuss the unexpected costs of traveling in an RV, including fuel and grocery costs. They share their experiences driving their belongings to Mexico and how it impacted their relationship positively. They also discuss how they prioritize their work and personal life as they work together while married. In addition, Travis shares how losing his mother at a young age encouraged them to explore new places and travel more.
The dynamic discussions extend to creating a new business, prioritizing personal research over hearsay, and not waiting for the perfect moment to experience life. They both emphasize the importance of taking action, even amidst uncertainty.
Finally, they talk about their upcoming travel plans, including a trip to Europe, and their new business venture, Bronze Star Consultant.
Jess and Travis admit that during their first year on the road, there were times where they wanted to quit. Specifically, Travis says, “I take the blame. I take the blame.” But the couple persevered, and after hitting the one-year mark, they realized how truly awesome their experiences have been.
Here are three tips from Jess and Travis for anyone who’s struggling to keep going:
1. Find your community – Jess and Travis have built an amazing community on the road. They have friends all over the country who they can rely on for support and encouragement. Finding a community can make all the difference when you’re feeling discouraged.
2. Keep your eye on the prize – When you’re facing challenges, it can be easy to lose sight of your goals. Jess and Travis were able to stick it out because they knew what they were working towards: a life of freedom and adventure. Keeping your eye on the prize can help you stay motivated.
3. Stay connected – Jess and Travis stay connected to their community social media channels and text. Staying connected to others can help you feel less alone, even when you’re far from home.
If you’re looking for a dose of inspiration and encouragement, be sure to check out the latest episode of More Sunsets, Please! Jess and Travis are sure to inspire you to keep going, no matter what obstacles you may face.
“Mean, we wanted to quit — Yeah. — probably every single day that first year…but after we hit that 1 year mark, we just kind of came to this realization of this really awesome. And the community that we built and the friends that we’ve met and the togetherness that we have built is on that.”
Jess Butler
Where to Find Jess & Travis, Navigate Freedom:
https://www.instagram.com/navigate_freedom/
https://www.tiktok.com/@navigate_freedom/
https://bronzestarconsultant.com/
From Their Social Media:
Jess & Trav ~ [RV LIFE]
Traveling 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇲🇽 in our 40ft @primetimemanufacturing Crusader 330MBH
👩🏻❤️👨🏻🐶 🐶 Trav, Jess, Luna & Apollo
🗺️traveling to our dreams
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-sunsets-please/id1665377151
Other Episodes You May Enjoy:
08: Living Life On Their Terms Through God’s Lead with Kristy Janzen
06: Uncover the Story of How Brenda Left Suburbia for Self-Sufficiency
03: The Life-Changing Adventure of Living Full-Time in an RV
HERE’S WHAT I USE:
Filmed using StreamYard:
https://streamyard.com/pal/5952940241846272
Zeewer Mic & Stand
https://amzn.to/3IMQ0qE
Edited with DaVinci Resolve 18 (Free version)
Podcast hosted on BuzzSprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=167351
YouTube Metrics tracked with TubeBuddy:
https://www.tubebuddy.com/moresunsetsplease
Get Organized all in one place with AirTable:
https://airtable.com/invite/r/LyGkZs6O
Keep Everyone in the Know with ConvertKit Email:
https://convertkit.com?lmref=UfpqoA
Get Social & Scheduled with Metricool:
https://i.mtr.cool/KNIZTF
Easiest Website Hosting with Host Gator – get 65% off!
https://referral.hostgator.com/s/Kate
Looking for more, check out our Amazon Storefront:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/moresunsetsplease
Support The Show
If you’d like to help our podcast, https://www.buymeacoffee.com/moresunsets buy a “coffee” or step up with a monthly donation to keep these stories being shared.
We also accept Venmo @moresunsetsplease
************
Make sure to subscribe for new episodes each week with a new person or family, sharing their stories of how they stepped outside of the box to live life on their terms.
************
Chapter Summary:
[00:00:00] Podcast guests: balancing full-time jobs and podcasting
[00:03:14] RV adventure and spotting smoke from rocket facility
[00:06:32] Motivation for Full-Time Traveling
[00:09:29] Challenges and Traveling for Podcasts
[00:12:49] Benefits of RV community
[00:16:06] Community & relationships in the new American dream
[00:19:20] Long-Term Travel Plans and Adaptability
[00:22:34] Challenges of Full-Time RV Living
[00:29:10] Travel Costs and Food Challenges on the Road
[00:32:30] RV road trip through breathtaking Baja landscape
[00:35:55] RV Travel Experience in Mexico
[00:39:05] Balancing work and personal life with your partner
[00:42:25] Benefits and drawbacks of being flexible
[00:45:38] Nomadic Lifestyle: Challenges and Excitement
[00:48:47] Creating multiple streams of income and living your desired lifestyle
[00:51:50] Embracing life through travel
[00:54:59] Reconnecting with Loved Ones and Business Ventures
[00:58:12] Engage with Us, Nominate Guests!
Quotable Moments:
[00:26:14] Those overwhelmingly decisions and over, you know, everything that drives you every day to keep this lifestyle up, would seep into your relationship and seep into every day — Yeah. Conversations.
[00:30:16] if you have a family, you know, it’s just Travis and I, but if we had, you know, 2 or 3 kids, like, that would get really expensive, you know, moving around different places of country and paying different prices for groceries.
[00:20:10] we’re more methodical and meticulous in our planning. Yeah. You know, and that’s And we’re also gonna use some international traveling — Yeah. — this summer too, which we’ve never done.
[00:40:04] You gotta make time for yourself. You know, and there’s times where, you know, I’ll just step outside and I’ll just sit outside and play on my phone or smoke a cigar or you know, just relax a little bit away from Jess.
[00:10:38] I just love nature. It’s really it’s just beautiful.
[00:23:55] We had to, you know, a lot of talking and fighting, trying to work. Work through that. So it was it was definitely difficult.
[00:51:25] Just do it. Do what you want to do.
[00:38:14] But you can’t do that in a 300 square foot home. You know? You’re you’re, you know, in front of each other all the time. And so it’s kind of forced us to break that breakout of that cycle and communicate more and Yeah. I think it’s definitely brought us closer.
[00:35:21] I mean, it was so crazy, like, all of it. We had radios and there was, you know, there was 4 families. We all had radios and we couldn’t all not stay off the radio. We’re like, look at that. Look. It was just I mean, you felt like you were on a completely different planet.
[00:00:32] Welcome to the Morris Sunset Please podcast. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live debt free, sell it all, and live small, travel the country full time or raising animals and growing your own food as a sustainable family?
[00:55:15] So now it’s different. We’re actually gonna be able to hug your neck. Yeah. It’s a game changer. It’s a game changer. Yeah.
[00:43:45] And Like, we’ve done that a few times where somebody’s reached out to us and I mean, like, our friends, Paul and Cinnamon, we’re here with.
[00:22:13] We’re just gonna do it, and then we won’t go anywhere again. This year. And then we’ll plan another 1 next year and maybe go to Australia or Africa or Thailand or Maybe Africa.
[00:25:23] You’re making, like, 15 extra decisions a day. You know? And it can be very overwhelming if you have a job where you’re already making a thousand decisions today for people’s livelihood and to keep their job or to keep your job, you know.
[Unknown] Don’t base your decision or your expectations on that.
[00:15:18] that’s a huge trust level.
[00:46:39] And it truly is a lifestyle. It’s, you know, it’s it’s not a fad.
[00:06:25] Let’s sell the house. Let’s go. Let’s just do this. And if we don’t do it, we’ll never do it.
[00:14:03] It’s kind of like that void of humanity. That people seek out community and relationships, you know, and it’s just it’s awesome.
[00:53:49] Well, then the world broke and we’re like, Alright. Let’s go for it. Yeah. And that and a lot of people that happened to, the same almost the same scenario that you guys went through.
[00:37:26] Honestly, I think it’s, you know, I think it’s improved a lot because, you know, when you are in, like, a I don’t wanna say mundane lifestyle, you know, working and coming home and things like that. You just kinda get used to these routines. And you kinda lose sight of you know, who you guys really are and you kinda stop communicating.
[00:07:41] We knew if we didn’t do it now, you know, we may not get a chance to. We don’t know, you know, you don’t know what happens tomorrow.
[Unknown] You can’t wait for the stars to align.
[00:31:25] And it’s a complete flip of what the United States government tells you Mexico’s like.
[00:00:00] Mean, we wanted to quit — Yeah. — probably every single day that first year. Especially me. I take a block. I take a blank. I really did.
[00:03:23] And I think they just shoot it and, like, test it and they test different fuels and probably different you know, I don’t know parts or technology or whatever.
[00:42:57] And tougher him, and tougher the whole family. And then just knowing that we were able to pick up our entire lives and go be with him for months, you know, for as long as he needed was a huge high for us.
[00:02:48] Yeah. They do it every day. Yeah. They don’t do it every day, but they probably every 2 or 3.
[00:17:57] we wanted to quit. Yeah. Probably every single day that first year. Especially me.
[00:00:18] But after we hit that 1 year mark, I would say, we just kind of came to this realization of this really awesome. And the community that we built and the friends that we’ve met and the togetherness that we have built is on that.
[00:36:09] I didn’t wanna go to Mexico at first. I was, you know, because I went by what people said about it. Oh, it’s, you know, bad here, bad there, and all stuff. And, you know, and I was like, you know what? I’ve been deployed. I’ve been that rock. I’ve been at Venus. How could it how bad could it be? Come on. Seriously?
[00:14:12] I mean, when we were in Florida, this past time, you know, and the hurricane was coming through and we were getting ready to go to the Airbnb, you know, with you guys. And I was going to the grocery store, and I was just thinking to myself, like, I jumped in the grocery store with Lindsay and our other friend Michelle with in the art not the RV, but they’re a truck.
[00:11:37] And it’s the most odd place and you wouldn’t have ever expected it, you know. And then you’re like, well, there’s probably a million new leads around the country. So let’s go find another.
[00:29:19] So many look at the glamorous side of it and assume that it’s so cheap.
[00:31:07] Mexico like, takes the cake. Like, we’ve never experienced anything like that.
[00:06:32] And the other half of that is I lost my mom when she was really young. And she talked about traveling all the time and, you know, going places when she retired and you know, she wanted to go here, go to Tennessee, she wanted to go to Texas, she wanted to go to California, all these places, and, you know, and she never got a chance to do it.
[00:49:06] And because, you know, I’m gonna be 51 this year, and I’m not getting younger. I’m getting close to retiring. And I just don’t you know, I want us to be in a position where we can still live this lifestyle we want, and we can still travel anywhere we want at any time.
[00:55:54] I was like, the next morning, I said, like, 14000 followers were like — Yeah. — in the world. Every since then, I haven’t done anything.
[00:16:06] the new American dream and the new neighbor is community and trust and building relationships.
[00:13:04] And you can still go, like you said, months without talking EVA. And then you just pick up the phone or a text or you wrote out you a message or something and it’s literally where you left off.
[00:21:44] We gotta take the chances when we can, you know, because we don’t know when it… we can’t anymore.
[00:39:30] It’s really important to kinda separate the work you know, to our, you know, relationship together, our love life, our, you know, our friendship, our, you know, all has to be I don’t wanna say meticulously planned because you should be spontaneous.
[00:14:58] within days of meeting in person, I was babysitting their kids.
[00:12:51] I’ve never experienced anything like this. Like, the community that is the RV community ever in my life. I’ve never I mean, I’ve created more lifelong friends than I ever have. Truly.
[00:42:07] I don’t wanna do this. You know? Like, why do I have to do this every single time that we pull up someplace?
[00:08:34] I would say mostly central or north. States. We haven’t been there a whole lot. In the Airbnb. Yeah. Like Montana, you know.
[00:45:19] I’m more of like, this is a bad situation, but how can I make it better or how can I improve it?
[00:21:52] It’s just another solidifying factor of do not wait. If you can’t handle… Right. Yeah. Exactly.
[00:28:46] And somebody assume that it’s gonna be a so much cheaper way of living when it’s not necessarily.
[00:24:53] I cannot stress this enough. Like, when you’re in a house, you open your garage door to things automatic. You literally click a button. You drive in. You go sit down. You’d the only responsibility you have is to cook something.
[00:39:47] You gotta have more of awareness of what our needs are and what our wants are, and, you know, it’s not just all work all the time.
[00:33:50] There was a section that was between what? San Inancio, this place it’s like in the center of the country or center of the Baja Peninsula — Mhmm. — to Laredo. There is a stretch of road. It’s probably about 15 miles long. And you feel like you’re on another planet.
[00:45:04] Yeah. And that’s that’s the growth in Travis because he never was an optimist.
[00:44:54] And I think we’ve kinda come around to that where we focus more on the good stuff and the high points.
[00:22:38] I don’t wanna get kicked by a kangaroo. Like, I’m scared. I mean, you know, it was really buff lens. They’re like, oh, their arms are like, whoa.
[00:48:04] We talk sometimes about settling down. Where that would be — Yeah. — and Well, that’s settling down. Like, I mean, settling down, like, slowing down, not really, like, buying a house or anything like that. I don’t know if we’re gonna do that.
[00:18:17] there were certain things where I I could you know, we had travel days and I had to work. You know? And, you know, and it was just We had to figure that out.
[00:34:27] I’ve never seen so many cacti, like versions of cacti. I’ve there was trees that I’ve never seen in my life. I’ve never it was amazing. I don’t even know how to describe it.
[00:33:11] I would do it again a million times in a different rig. In a different rig. Yes. Definitely.
[00:03:02] It’s not very long, but it’s, like, when it initially, like it’s, like, it’s so loud. It is. It’s yeah. It just, like, crumbles everything.
[00:09:03] Our first year our first year, we went way too fast. I mean, if I could go back and do it again, I would I would have slowed down a lot.
[00:54:44] This is why we shouldn’t have held back based on those relationships because they weren’t strong enough to begin with. Right. Exactly. Hundred percent.
[00:17:24] the first, like, 6 months to a year was challenging. And we didn’t know if we were gonna keep doing it.
[00:04:09] We have 4 kids between the 2 of us and they’re grown. So they don’t I I occasionally don’t travel with us, but very rarely because they have their own lives.
[00:32:34] I think that that was our aha moment that we could, like, you know, we could really do this.
[00:49:47] My biggest piece of advice Don’t hesitate. Don’t wait for the right moment. Don’t wait for the stars to align. You know, don’t wait for your friends and family approval. Just do it.
[00:18:33] this is really awesome. And the community that we’ve built and the friends that we’ve met and the togetherness that we have built together, you know, it’s just it’s unmatched.
[00:27:22] It’s just so many things that you have to think about because your lifestyle is completely flipped around.
[00:44:58] And the great things and the memories and the things that we’re doing, the experiences, the low points don’t really matter.
[00:41:01] The lowest low, III think was going back to that first, like, year. And, I mean, I think we were about maybe about 4 months into it, and I don’t remember exactly where we were traveling at. But there were I wanna say it was in North Carolina or South Carolina. And it we were at a point where and I’m speaking for myself here, where it got so overwhelming with what we were doing. I just felt like it wasn’t worth it.
[00:09:41] And it was tough. I mean, the first, you know, 6 months to a year is tough for anybody that goes full time.
[00:35:58] You’ll never do unless you get out and do it, you know. Just do it.
[00:50:33] And you know, and we’ve we’ve done we’ve said that so many times of friends. I like, I had an example I had a guy that I was in the military.
[00:05:30] And so during his military career, and even though we got out, when he got out, we moved around a lot. So it was we never really could find a place that we just felt like this was gonna be our forever home.
