live. work. dream.

Good home cooking continues to be found as we put the Midwest behind us. To celebrate paying off our trailer at a US Bank branch in Sheboygan, WI and to put a couple persistent hangovers at ease after way too many with the Schwabenlanders, we stopped in Brillion, WI for fuel and decided to grab lunch somewhere.

There was Mom’s Place Family Restaurant in a plain building with laundromat next door. And there was an authentic looking roadside diner with Rudy’s written in neon and a sidewalk sign promoting the daily special of Roast Chicken. The choice was simple.

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Wisconsin has turned out to be a favorite state, and by the time we arrived in Belgium WI, about 40 minutes north of Milwaukee, lakeside, we thought, “hey, we could really live here.” The area is gorgeous. Rolling hillsides and farmland, quaint towns, roadside farmer’s markets, trees, and quiet county roads winding through the countryside.

My brother-in-law grew up in this old farming community (pop. 2000), and almost all 9 of his siblings, and parents, still live in the area today. Sherry, my brother-in-law’s sister, and her husband Dave generously let us set up our rig on their property. They have an incredible block of land out in the countryside, 40-acres that have been in the family for years, complete with horses, a pond, a garden, beautiful landscaping that the two have done all themselves, and trails in a forested area. It’s the perfect example of what Jim and I are looking for when we land somewhere.

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We’ve been thinking of various new business ideas for ourselves when we complete this journey. If at that time I am still interested in starting an RV park, somebody please remind me about Sunshine Valley.

On our corn-stealing morning run when staying near Eau Claire, WI we just had to check out the campground down the road from its dilapidated sign. The first thing we noticed was the For Sale sign at the edge of the property. Then we noticed the “Closed” sign at the campground entrance. Then we noticed how much work someone had put into this little campground and how long it had been since anyone had obviously even parked a tent there, not to mention an RV.

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I have to share this New York Times article I just got from the Redwood Technology Consortium mailing list about location-neutral rural transplants since it focuses on urban refugees transplanting themselves to Steamboat Springs, CO – in Routt County where we really enjoyed our stay at Seedhouse Campground.

We were considered urban refugees ourselves when we moved from San Francisco to rural Eureka, CA ten years ago. And since we served clients with graphic design services via the web at the time, you could have also called us location-neutral since we could have chosen to run our business from anywhere.

Looking at the size of towns we’ve been admiring lately, one might once again consider us urban refugees even coming from Eureka. That is if we end up in a place like Fergus Falls, MN or Belgium, WI. Whether or not we remain location-neutral when we finally plant roots somewhere again depends on exactly what we plan to do when we get there. And that depends on exactly where there is. The only challenge will be finding land at property prices that haven’t been driven too high by all the refugees that beat us there.

In campgrounds across the nation, at dusk when the light is just right, if one listens carefully, the chirp of the Twilight Honker can be heard announcing nightfall and the paranoia of fellow campers. With a scientific name like Honkalarmus Paranoiac, one can imagine frail little birds taking flight at the slightest hint of danger. The truth is, these annoying beasts are the result of discourteous, mistrustful campers everywhere.

It is inevitable that you will hear someone setting their car alarm as night falls in any campground. What’s funny is to hear the next few car alarms being set by others who heard the call. What’s not so funny is when someone sets off their alarm disrupting the relative peace and quiet of evenings and mornings in the great outdoors.

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As a child, I was terribly frightened by the movie the Wizard of Oz. It wasn’t the witch, the trees, or even the monkeys. The idea of a tornado coming and tearing up my house and carrying me away from the comforts of my home and family was really quite traumatizing.

With age and a little therapy, I’ve been mostly able to overcome this fear. But the other night I couldn’t help but remember how my siblings and friends would taunt me about our neighbor’s car – an Oldsmobile Toronado. As I tried to drift off to sleep, the unmistakable sound of a distant tornado warning siren kept me wide awake. Hey, I saw Twister. (more…)

Part of our mission with this site is to help others find their ideal live / work situation, and we think that a home renovated by our good friends Mark and Kathy Johnson, of Jackson CA, is perfect for those looking to escape the rat race.

This historic Arts and Crafts home is in pretty Amador City, CA. We saw it when we visited them in June, and just learned that it’s still for sale.

• The restoration work is incredible — historically appropriate, recycled, salvaged, and revamped materials
• The finishing touches, HVAC, appliances and landscaping are of the highest calibre.
• The Amador area is gorgeous — wineries, outdoor adventures, and serene surroundings.
• Within easy driving distance of Stockton and the Bay Area - perfect for a telework situation.

It’s truly a buyer’s market out there; this home would’ve sold for around $700k just a while back. Take a look at their description below, and if you, or someone you know is looking to relocate to a quiet, rural area in the heart of California’s Gold Country, please give them a call.

Arts And Crafts Home For Sale
14470 W School St, Amador City, CA

This historic Arts And Crafts home has been lovingly restored by Jackson Architect, Mark Johnson. This 4 bedroom, 2 ½ bath, 2,000 sq. ft. home features rich, craftsman details throughout, extensive moldings and detailed woodwork, professional kitchen, period lighting and custom color palette by Graphic Designer, Kathleen duBois. Many architectural objects, hardware, doors, old growth lumber and cabinets recycled from historic buildings in the Bay Area and Oregon.

Restoration includes all new systems, 2-zone heating/AC, new hardwood floors, new insulation and wired for phone, cable and computer in every room; perfect for live/work. Large double lot with automatic sprinklers, native garden, artisan stonewalls and fountains. Steps from charming Amador City with gourmet bakery/cheese shop and restaurants. And, 15 minutes from the Shenandoah Valley wine country. A special home in the most charming city in the Mother Lode.

$537,000
MLS #105346
For Information call Sarah Zulim (209) 217-6172
www.amadorrealtor.com

We have now traveled more than halfway across the country. Some people say we’re going way too fast. But wait — hold on, there is a method to our madness. Not too long ago, we decided to haul butt through states that we knew that we probably wouldn’t end up living in, and hurry up to get to places that might better meet our relocation criteria. During the first visit, we’ll spend four or five days in an area. Then, if we feel it’s a contender, we’ll return for ideally at least a month, once we’ve traveled the U.S.

With this in mind, here are the top contenders for us, based on what we’ve seen so far. We plan on revisiting the following areas next year:

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Travel to the Upper Midwest, and once you get off the interstate, you’ll find long, winding county roads that can take you through miles of gorgeous farmland and forests without ever seeing more than a few other vehicles. Traffic? Stoplights? Nope. Just plenty of cows, corn and water.

Last Friday, we’re cruising along on Wisconsin’s backroads, going from our campsite at Harstad County Park, (about 20 miles south of Eau Claire) , up to Chippewa Falls to go on a Leinenkuegel Beer brewery tour and check out the towns. We’re driving along, and spot a “Farm Fresh Eggs: $1″ hand painted sign outside of a homestead. I had to stop; what a deal! Then, as we approach Cadott, (whose claim to fame is that the town’s exactly halfway between the North Pole and the Equator), Jim spots another sign: “Bake Sale Ahead.” Below that, it says “Scratch and Dent Corner Store.” Our two favorite things; sweets, and bargains!

We pull over. Out back, goats and chickens roamed the grounds. We swung open the squeaky screen door, and realized that an Amish family runs the store. Neither one of us were expecting it; we’d never met an Amish person, and the closest we’d ever been to anything Amish is when Jim used to bake Amish Friendship Bread every week. Both of us wrongly assumed that most Amish lived in Pennsylvania. Turns out that in this area of Wisconsin, there is a large, Amish community.

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I’ve just finished upgrading this blog to the latest version of Wordpress (v. 2.2.2). So if you were encountering any odd issues while reading Sunday night, that’s why. Coincidentally, Google seems to be having trouble right now with the satellite imagery for all Google Maps – not just our site.

If you ever experience any other unexpected glitches while enjoying this site, please post a comment here or send us an email through the contact form on our About page. Thank you for your support. (more…)