Inspiring Nomads
Q+A with Jake & Felicia

Jake and Felicia have been traveling around in their self-converted skoolie for about two years! If you don't follow them on social media, then you're missing out! They share all about their full-time travels and life in a skoolie @Zia_thebus. Currently, they are exploring Mexico! Follow along as they call the beautiful beaches of Baja their home for the next few months!

How it all began!

After a failed attempt, they decided against buying a house in 2020. "We were not satisfied with the idea of a 30-year mortgage, and we were looking for more adventure and freedom!" Instead, they opted to turn a retired school bus into their home on wheels. "We chose a 40-ft Bluebird International school bus [...]. Our favorite part about our bus is how spacious it is! We were intentional about our layout and overall design."

Their home on wheels has a large living room and a beautiful kitchen. It also has a spacious bathroom with a full-size tub and a bedroom with a large open-concept closet. "If we could change one thing about our build, it would be the type of wood we used for the ceiling/ceiling lighting. We have made room for our hobby of skateboarding in our bus." They travel with 5 boards, and "we love any opportunity to go on a cruise or to explore a new skatepark." Also, on their bus, they travel with Jake's guitar!

To see their bus and get a mini tour from them, check out their Instagram and TikTok!

The challenging and not-so-challenging aspects of buslife.

In May, they will have been in their bus for two years! Not being able to fit into some National Parks is a challenge they have faced while living in their skoolie. Some National Parks are very specefic about their rules on how long or tall you can be to drive down certain roads. This is for safety due to sharp curves and low overhangs in some parks. But it is a downfall of driving a large skoolie. So be sure to check the rules and regulations of all parks before you make the trip!

"Adjusting to nomadic living was easy, and we had no problem downsizing to a tiny space."

Finding community on the road.

"We primarily find our community through social media!" Although it is so fun to meet new people and travel with friends, there is one cons to living the nomadic lifestyle. "One thing we wish we had known before doing buslife full-time is how hard it is to say goodbye to friends on the road and how lonely you feel afterward." Because of this, most nomads like to say, see you down the road instead of goodbye!

Traveling with Aspen, their dog!

Jake and Felicia travel with one dog named Aspen! If you follow them on social media, you will see him make an appearance every now and then!

The Pros: They say one pro of having Aspen on the road is that they love to take him to explore new places with them! Aspen also doubles as their security guard for their home on wheels.

The Con: "[Aspen is] highly reactive and aggressive towards other dogs. This is challenging in [social} situations with other nomads [who have] off-leash dogs [...]"

A day in Jake & Felicia's life.

"A typical day in our life looks like waking up and taking our dog for a walk. If it's a weekend, we are usually looking for an adventure like a hike, a beach, or a waterfall to hang out at! We love to make good food, so we usually throw some homemade meals somewhere in there."

Working on the road.

Zach and I love asking this question because everyone seems curious about it. There is an odd misconception about full-time nomads. Most people assume that we don’t work and our life is one big recess while we live off mom and dad's money. This is the furthest from the truth for the nomadic friends we’ve met. Living a minimalistic life and opting not to be in debt for a house gives us the freedom to live nomadically. Jake and Felicia have chosen careers that allow them to live freely and travel around in their bus. "Jake is an architectural designer, and [Felicia is] a freelance photographer."

The stories they tell.

The scariest thing to happen.

"Jake slipped and got carried down river and over a 45-foot waterfall in 2022 and nearly drowned. That was pretty scary!"

The comical thing about driving a 40ft skoolie.

"Almost any time we are driving down a busy road or in a National Park, we are a huge spectacle to everyone, and they love to take photos of our bus. We feel like celebrities or something, haha."

A Few Of Their Favorite Things

State:

"Oregon! We got Married there and have been in love with it ever since the first time we visited."

National Park:

"Felicia says Olympic National Park because it's so versatile and HUGE, and there is so much to see. OR Bryce Canyon because it looks like Mars. Jake says Yellowstone or Yosemite!"

Thank You, Jake and Felicia!

We would like to thank Jake and Felicia for taking the time to be a part of our Inspiring Nomads Blog Series!! Zach and I have had the opportunity to meet them one time in Bend, Oregon, and we hope to see them down the road soon! Go give them a follow on social media, and leave a comment below to show your support!