Posts by Rick Juliusson
How to afford a long, long trip
So many people say they would love to be travelling like we are if they only could. One of the biggest concerns is finances. While acknowledging the incredibly lucky and privileged place that Sarah and I are starting from, I thought sharing how we overcame key barriers might inspire y’all to see things in a…
Read MoreWhat do St.Louis, Columbus, Philadelphia, and Maine have in common?
Sometimes it’s good to write daily, catch all the fascinating details, see the pebbles in the mosaic. Other times it’s good to let a bunch of Wow’s and Ugh’s blow past then look back to see which gems stand out, what patterns emerge. At least, that’s my excuse for now trying to make sense of…
Read MorePlayful Mice in Wichita Kansas
“True character is what you do when no-one’s watching,” they say. They also say, “When the cat’s away, they mice will play.” So what does an unwatched Ricky play when his wife runs away to a Florida work retreat and leaves him in glorious Wichita Kansas? 1. Overload on Community Events Day of the Dead…
Read Morea Real drum
Moving from a house into a car requirs a lot of pruning. But why am I giving this precious drum away? Well, it turns out I’m not that young hippie traveller who ends up in random drum circles anymore. And as beautiful and resonant and “real” as it is, it just barely stands on…
Read MoreHow Barbed Wire Won the West
“It is not difficult or expensive to start a basic barbed wire collection…” – encouraging words from the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum website. We almost missed this Kansas treasure (most travellers do). The first 120 snow-laden miles out of Boulder took 3.5 hours, following snowploughs and cars skidding into the meridian and the occasional passing…
Read MoreSo long, Snug
It was harder than I’d somehow convinced myself, ending the life of a beloved family member. We’d spent the last year agonizing over the decision. Snug’s cancer had clearly spread. She was clearly in some pain But she still also clearly had a good life, loving our walks, loving belly rubs and neighbours and snow…
Read MoreThree Saturdays
Just 2 Saturdays ago, we were frantically finalizing a house sale… Our plan to rent it out fully-furnished was usurped by a neighbour casually asking to buy it instead. Suddenly we had 10 (ten!) days to sort literally everything we own into 3 piles – bring with us, store in the basement, or sell/give away. …
Read MoreOn the road to find out
What do you get when you combine empty-nesting, retirement (mine), a wife who works remotely, and a new EV with a 320-mile range? Well, you get Colorado, Kansas, Philadelphia, Nova Scotia, and Vancouver for the first four months. Then the world awaits… St. Paul house sold. Possessions winnowed down to 6 tupperware containers and a…
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