Ep. 33 | Buying an Abandoned Jack Rabbit Cabin in Joshua Tree, CA | Part 2

Over the last 10 episodes we’ve provided an almost weekly glimpse into our life on the road, the adventures unfolding before us and some of the regular questions we are asked. The last handful of episodes have been recorded from our home in South Portland, ME and this week, we’ve decided to replay our first episode which in our opinion really captures the whole purpose of what we were going through in the lead up to the departure.So, here we are now two years later, moving into our final month off the road, preparing our house again to rent for who knows how long to support us on the road again. So as we come to a close on this micro chapter, we thought it would be a great opportunity to share our initial episode again for all of our new listeners. We are going to take a wee hiatus from the podcast for another six weeks and we will be back before the end of 2020 after we reunite with our van and commence the journey again in earnest.Thank you again for your ongoing support and look forward to sharing new shows later this year.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Editing by Mercedes RivaMusic by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

This week we are heading to the exact opposite end of North America - not quite Alaska, but pretty darn close. Vancouver Island has been a place I’ve wanted to visit for years. After my first trip to Whistler, I dreamed of living in British Columbia with access to incredible mountains, plenty of snow and Vancouver Island just a jump across the channel.Last August, we set aside a month to explore this magical island and instead of just doing it by van, we got support from some sponsors to document a bike/van family expedition. In this episode we are going to cover our journey and some of our favorite spots along the way. For more long form writing and to see the video on each part of the series with Guayaki, see the following: Episode 1 Blog, Episode 2 Blog or Episode 3 Blog.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Editing by Mercedes RivaMusic by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

I refer to the Dry Tortugas as Americas most exotic National Park as it is 68 miles SW off of Key West - literally a pile of 7 islands and a massive historic brick fort in the middle of the turquoise Carribean waters and a halfway point to Cuba.To be honest I had never even heard of the Dry Tortugas, so when we began researching what we could do for a week on the Florida Keys, it popped on my radar and we knew we had to go. However the high speed catamaran booking agent laughed at my request telling me that I bookings were available for 2020 (It was January 2019….)Anyway, I wouldn’t give up when I saw what was possible - a 2 hour high speed catamaran, access to just 8 National Park Campsites, incredible snorkeling, an enormous fortress, sunken ships with gold and treasure and most importantly - an escape from the continental United States to a tropical paradise.In this week’s episode we will talk about the planning process, making it happen in the face of repeated no’s and what we found in this tropical paradise. For more long form writing, check out this blog on the trip.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Editing by Mercedes RivaMusic by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

So the last three part series was so fun, we thought we’d dive into another micro series about some our favorite and most exotic destinations we’ve traveled to over the last two years. Literally two years ago, just about a month after we purchased the van, we took a two week test trip up to Nova Scotia and that is what this episode is going to be all about. White sand beaches, logging road adventures, epic surf break set ups and great people are just a few of the highlights.There were so many reasons to go and we are so thankful that we did because it informed our design decisions in the van and provided a clear buffer between what life was like before and after the trip. We’ll also cover a few spots that we think shouldn’t be missed and why van life in the Eastern Canadian Provinces in the summer is the place to be.Thanks for tuning into the Rewinding Parenthood Podcast. If you want to give back, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or share with your community. Thanks so much for tuning in this week - enjoy the episode on Nova Scotia.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Editing by Mercedes RivaMusic by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

So the final episode of this series covers our process navigating the legalities of owning an historic Jack Rabbit recreational cabin the Morongo Valley Basin. As a brief overview of what Jack Rabbit Cabins are and their history I will reference the Jack Rabbit Homestead Audio Project:BEYOND THE PROLIFERATION of big box chains, car dealerships, fast food joints, and the nameless sprawl located along California State Highway 62 the desert opens up. Out there, where signs of familiar habitation seem to fade from view, a variance appears in the landscape in the form of small, dusty cabins—mostly abandoned and scattered across the landscape. The majority of the existing shacks, historically found throughout the larger region known as the Morongo Basin, lie east of Twentynine Palms in outlying Wonder Valley. The curious presence of these structures indicates that you are entering one of the remaining communities of “jackrabbit homesteads” left in the American West. The mostly derelict structures located among the occasional inhabited ones are the remaining physical evidence of former occupants who were some of the last to receive land from Uncle Sam for a nominal fee through the Small Tract Act of 1938.While we were aware of the history, we didn’t understand how the county was going to attempt to “upgrade” the housing stock in the valley, specifically targeting Jack Rabbit Cabins with challenging rules and regulations. However, during the process of our build the law changed again and instead of making it more difficult it became easier to transition from a cabin to a Single Family Home and we are in the process of doing so while protecting the historic nature of the cabin.The @afueravidacasita is available for rent for long and short term throughout the year and we expect to keep this magical place as part of our lifestyle for years to come. The desert provided us with so much to reflect and grow while learning from the pace of life seen in the desert seasons.Book the Afuera Vida Casita Airbnb here.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Editing by Mercedes RivaMusic by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

Welcome to episode two of the three part series - Buying an Abandoned Cabin in Joshua Tree, CA.This Episode covers the first couple months on the property - from the moment we took the keys, to the moment we realized we may have made a terrible investment. There are way too many stories to pack into a 30 minute show, but this covers the highlights.We really wanted to deliver a sense of what the days were like and how we approached the project as a family living off the grid. Over the first few months the only amenity was running water through a hose, which was a godsend, but everything else was through the van - solar power, compost toilet and a chilly solar shower.However, with each day the project progressed on all fronts - landscaping, exterior, interior, shower house, outhouse, solar power, etc… Stay tuned for the final episode of this series and check out @AfueraVidaCasita to learn more of the project.Book the Afuera Vida Casita Airbnb here.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Editing by Mercedes RivaMusic by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

There are moments in life where massive decisions are made in an instant. This was one of them.When we departed Maine our goal was to connect our cultures by driving to Argentina. What happened in between was left open to the push and pull of life leaving plenty of room for discovery and taking the trails that presented themselves.In November of last year, weeks before we intended to cross the border to Mexico - Sofi came to me with a listing of an abandoned cabin in Joshua Tree, California. The price was right, but I had never in my mind ever considered living or buying property in the desert.However, she is a woman with a strong intuition and that afternoon I found myself on the phone with the realtor scheduling a showing for the next afternoon. In this three part episode we talk about our process in finding the Joshua Tree House, why we made the decision to make an offer and our rough plan going into it.This is part one of a three part series so do come back to learn how we approached the project.Book the Afuera Vida Casita Airbnb here. ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Editing by Mercedes RivaMusic by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

This storm was perhaps one of the most violent storms I’ve experienced in my 33 years on Earth - and to share the experience - exposed to the elements with my five and two year old sons - felt deserving of a podcast episode.We recorded in Moab, Utah nestled between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. We share our plans to paddle the Green River, marching in the local Black Lives Matter protest, and of course the highlights of the last week.One of those was the storm. It lasted under an hour. It was a blip in time. However it left an impact on all of us. It illustrated the strength of nature that surrounds us. It scared us. It showed that nothing should be taken for granted. And of course, it provided a good story to share on the Rewilding Parenthood Podcast.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Music by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

This episode was recorded in the town of Blanding, Utah - a place we didn’t expect to stay longer than a playground pit stop. However it turned into a full blown week with the local pool opening and easy access to wifi, BLM camping and plenty of fun for all of us.This episode is all about our maiden multi-day kayak expedition down Marble Canyon, the last section of the Colorado River before the infamous Grand Canyon leg of the journey. For us - it was the perfect trip to literally get our feet wet. It was short, super scenic and unique because the only way in is with a backhaul - meaning you get shuttled to the top of the river deep in the canyon and float back at your leisure. There is also a secret path in - so listen to the show if you’d like the details. We share our process of preparing for multi-day journeys, the experience and what it takes to pull it off.Please visit our site below to see some photos of the trip or a blog on OverlandX4.com.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Music by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva

We recorded this episode in the stunning location of Page, AZ - a place where the Lake Powell is held back by the Glen Canyon dam, birthing the start of the Grand Canyon paddling trip in the Colorado River below. This week we will cover our journey from waking up for sunrise at the Grand Canyon the week it re-opened after the Coronavirus lock down, our travels with our dear friends @SimplyUsAndABus and then drop into the theme of the week - surviving breakdowns while living on the road.Breakdowns are inevitable. And having a proactive approach/ roll with it attitude will ensure positive outcomes. In this particular breakdown we were grounded for five days because of an issue with our starter. This was the second starter repair in about a month, which initially felt frustrating, however it was a blessing in disguise because it meant I was capable of handling the repair because I had already been mentored through the first one prior to leaving Maine. We ordered a new one, upgraded a number of other parts of the van needing our attention and then dropped in the new part the day it arrived. What could have been a negative experience felt like a vacation for us as we had been none stop for months on end.ABOUT THE PODCASTRewilding Parenthood is a podcast for families leading bold and courageous lifestyles. Formerly told as an interview based podcast featuring other families, it’s now pivoted to track the journey of @afueravida, a family of four seeking to rewild themselves through experiences. Each week hosts Colin Boyd and Sofi Aldinio check in from a new location, recording from the road in their 1978 German Emergency Vehicle as they travel a circuitous from Maine to Argentina. Along with stories shared they will cover off on a unique topic to inspire, educate and embolden the Rewilding Parenthood Community.Rewilding Parenthood was produced by Afuera Vida and hosted by Colin Boyd & Sofi Aldinio. Follow the journey, and podcast highlights on instagram @afueravida.Music by Thomas Tyrel and Mercedes Riva