WHO WE ARE
“In life, it’s not where you go, it’s who you travel with.” – Charles Schulz
Hey there! We’re Mindy and Joe! Welcome to our blog. If you enjoy the outdoors, adventure, and an alternative lifestyle, without the fluff, then you have come to the right place. Here we’ll talk about gear we actually use, places we personally explore, and document our real-life travels.
Joe 
- Born and raised in a small Illinois town.
- Enjoys the ocean, working with his hands, and alcohol.
- Graduated from the University of Colombia with an associate’s degree.
- Served 8 years in the United States Navy.
- Has a very diverse work history and has worked on everything from trains to submarines, ships, hovercrafts, vehicles, and more.
- Volunteers with the beach clean-up.
- Will spend his only $1 on a good time.
- Always down for an adventure.
- Can see the positive in every situation.
- Not a vegetarian.
Mindy 
- Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago.
- Enjoys travel, adventure, personal growth, and food. Mostly food…
- Graduated from NIU with a BS in business management and entrepreneurship.
- Worked the 9-5 grind in the metals industry as an account manager.
- Always dreamed of having her own business and working for herself but never had the guts to try, until now.
- Volunteers with animal rescues.
- Very frugal and good at money management.
- Loves to cook but used to be terrible at it …and I mean terrible.
- Although it gives her a ton of anxiety, she strives to get outside her comfort zone and experience life!
- Vegetarian.
We met in November 2013. Joe had just transferred from Guam back to the states and Mindy was working a job she was not fond of and struggling in the dating scene. Due to a series of events, including Mindy’s condo getting burglarized, we ended up moving in together only 3 months later. We rented the only house we could find that was a suitable location in the northern suburbs of Chicago and would accept two large dogs.
In the next chapter, we got married, Joe separated from the Navy, and we moved to the land of salty air and palm trees, Atlantic Beach, Florida. We spent a few fun years here chilling on the beach, day drinking, and exploring our new homeland. Eventually, we got antsy with dreams of more wild adventures, more unique experiences, and more travel. Enter #vanlife.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, how the heck did we decide to live in a van?
YouTube Channel
Our adventures vlog-style
Instagram @mindy_and_joe
Daily posts and updates
Partnerships
We are available for collaboration on the following types of projects: sponsored content, affiliates, guest blogging, social takeover, podcasts, events, giveaways, and other campaigns. All content will be promoted with at least one post, story, carousel, or video. Rates will vary depending on the scope of work, usage, and exclusively but please reach out to us with all budget levels as we would love to hear about your objectives and figure out ways we can work together within your budget.
