From Riches To Rags – On Purpose – 2.0
Hi everyone, we’re Jim and Carol!
We used to live in a 4000-square-foot house with a built-in pool on an acre in suburban Chicago. We also owned TWO other properties – an older home that was used as a photography studio, and a business condominium that we used for our main business that we have run for over 30 years.
And then we sold it all!! Every stick and every brick. Our family and friends pretty much thought we were nuts, but we sure had a blast!! Our family of 3 (Jim, Carol and teenage son Brian), and our 3 crazy dogs took off in July, 2015 and traveled the United States at our own pace for a full year! We then settled in East Tennessee near The Smoky Mountains in order to be near our family who needed us during a medical crisis with our infant grandson. We owned and renovated two homes in the East Tennessee area, while still traveling as often as we could!
And as of May 17, 2024, we sold it all again and are now traveling full-time for the second time!! We still have the same 3 crazy dogs, but this time no kid with us as he has grown and flown. You can follow us and all of our shenanigans (I just love that word!) over on our YouTube channel HERE.
Our current RV is an Entegra Diesel Pusher that happened quite by accident in January of 2018 (don’t EVER go to the Tampa RV Supershow if you are even thinking of getting a new bus LOL!!!) She gives us a smooth quiet ride, and plenty of room for us and our 3 crazy but cute dogs.
We’ve owned our own business(es) for over 30 years, and we still pull in a small income from them (and we invested well over many years). We will keep portions of our business, which you can find here – www.bestprepress.com.
Carol is also a professional photographer. You can find her landscape and nature photography for sale on Fine Art America, and her stock photography on Shutterstock and Adobe Stock. We love traveling this great country and hope that you will join us by reading about our adventures here!!
Just saw your RV as we were riding around Pirate Land with our grandson this evening. We are expectantly searching for the right RV. If we see you out would love to chat a bit.
Hi Tracy!
If the green jeep is here, we’re here, though it may be too hot to be out.
Nikko the huskie dog is always out but he is harmless.
Feel free to drop by anytime.
Jim and Carol
Hey guys, a coworker and myself just saw you in Kilgore Texas. One of your dogs was sitting looking out the front drivers window. My family owns a motorhome and we travel weekend trips around East Texas. We also normally do a summer vacation with our two sons. My wife and I have often talked about doing exactly what you are. How cool that you’re traveling and seeing the US. Stay safe on the road and happy travels…