Welcome To The Dirtbag Way

The feeling of unease inside us cannot be stilled by a steady paycheck and a warm soft bed. There is a restlessness we get when we’ve been in one place for too long. For us, the weight of a 70 pound backpack stuffed with a week’s worth of food, climbing gear, and a dog-eared copy of Desert Solitaire feels light when compared with the burden of 40 hours a week behind a desk. We want to live with purpose and authenticity. The Dirtbag Way is a place where we can share our stories, and help each other live our life with passion.

Some of us work short term contracts in the outdoor adventure field, for park and conservation organizations, or as travel medical personnel. Others of us work as location independent freelancers. We follow the sun, the snow, or the surf. We value the freedom this lifestyle provides us with above the comfortable existence of a “real job”. When not working, we have large amounts of time to pursue the things we love.

Others of us would like to live this life, but instead can only dream of it as we make our daily commutes to work. We are experiencing the growing realization that no amount of possessions or three day weekends can fill the longing we feel within us. We yearn for empty schedules and open spaces.

All of us would prefer to spend our time climbing mountains, paddling, or biking across the country. We want to explore places we have never been before. We want to wake up, excited to begin a new day.

The choice to pursue the Dirtbag Way brings its share of complications. We have to navigate relationships with family and friends who don’t understand our lifestyle. We have to find meaningful employment that not only provides an income — meager though it may be — but also allows us to continue to do the things we love. We have to work out systems for living and staying organized while traveling both in the backcountry and in urban environments. We have to manage finances in such a way as to maximize the amount of time we can spend exploring while still planning for the future. In figuring out these challenges, dirtbags are creative, passionate, clever, and determined.

J and I are a part of the dirtbag community. We are inspired by the people who live the Dirtbag Way and those who aspire to do so. We want to support and help build this community of people who are dedicated to the idea of living a life of adventure.

Information on finances, employment, and travel will be featured on this site, along with the stories this community has to tell. We hope to make this a place for us to connect with each other, to share information, and get inspired to pursue our passions. We hope to create the best resource possible to help people live the Dirtbag Way.

Keep checking out this space for information and resources that we hope will entertain, inform, and inspire you. We are also considering establishing a “permanent address,” where community members can have their mail sent, then sorted and forwarded either physically or virtually to wherever our adventures take us. In time, we may also create interactive outdoor logs that will be easy and fun for the dirtbag community to use to keep track of all our outdoor adventures.

We have lots of other ideas rattling around, but we also want to hear from you.

What information, tools, and services would help you to live the Dirtbag Way?

What do you think about our ideas of creating a mail service and interactive outdoor logs? Are these things you might be interested in using?

Let us know in the comments section below.

Here’s some other ways you can be a part of The Dirtbag Way:

1. Let your friends know about this site, and keep an eye out for more content coming soon.
2. Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.
3. We are also on Instagram. Let us know about your latest adventures by adding #dirtbagway to your best shots.

Thanks for checking us out and we hope to hear from you soon.

John and J