Our first day back home after completing the Transamerica Trail, our first major overlanding expedition.

By David Wade

May 10, 2025

Be Careful What You Ask For

After 28 years in mortgage banking, I was burned out. The daily grind drained my spirit, and though I was grateful for my career, I felt life’s vibrancy fading. Duty kept me anchored, but I had little left to give my family. I needed a drastic change, fast.

Then life shifted. Grandbabies arrived, but they were far away, and my demanding job made visits nearly impossible. My mother-in-law retired to travel, only to be diagnosed with terminal cancer soon after. Then, after a decade with my employer, a merger led to my abrupt layoff. Life has a way of flipping your perspective. Our plan to work, save, and travel later was gone.

The Best Life Adventure Channel was born from these moments. We dove into building a business to travel and explore while we were still healthy. Our grandbabies wouldn’t stay little forever, and every delay was a lost chance. With modest savings and no clear plan to fund it, we committed anyway. Hand in hand, we smiled, took a deep breath, and leaped.

A New Way of Life

For nearly three decades, my wife and I traveled across the U.S., from Alaska to the Florida Keys, always chasing the next exciting destination for week-long trips. We were typical destination-driven travelers, ticking off places on a list. Then we discovered overlanding—a lifestyle, not just a vacation, a way of embracing exploration over checking boxes.

Our first taste came during an 11-day adventure with our Jeep club, the Dirty Bunch. We shipped our Jeeps by train from Sanford, Florida, to Lorton, Virginia, then drove to northern Pennsylvania. For the next week, we navigated Jeep trails, camping each night, until we returned home. What we thought was the ultimate camping trip had a name: overlanding.

As we embraced it, “travel” felt too small a word. This was part exploration, part pioneering. We stayed in rugged, open public lands, not manicured campgrounds, moving nightly or lingering up to a week if a spot captivated us. Though we used familiar gear, this wasn’t the camping of our past—it was a new way of living on the move.

Overlanding in Tennessee during our Transamerica Trail expedition.

Why We Do This

This morning, I awoke to the cheerful songs of cardinals, one of my favorite sounds of nature. Before opening my eyes, I felt a smile spread across my face. Sitting up, I gazed through the window of my rooftop tent, immersed in the dense woods of our secluded campground—a perfect, solitary retreat that instantly connected us to the wild, setting a vibrant yet peaceful tone for the day.

Each day is a precious gift, and we choose how to embrace it. For decades, I toiled behind a desk, chasing a future that might never arrive. Eventually, we decided to risk everything to live fully in the present, rather than banking on an uncertain tomorrow. A secure future only matters if you’re healthy and here to enjoy it.

Financially, we’re far from our goals, and leaving steady jobs brings its stresses. Yet, the freedom of self-employment and the ability to savor each moment are now so vital, I’m not sure we could give them up.

As I write, we’re en route to our next campsite, a hidden lakeside gem recommended by a fellow overlander. Guided by GPS in this east Texas forest, we’ll soon set up our tent, cook dinner, and watch the sunset over the lake. In two days, we’ll join another overlanding couple to head to Overland Expo West, where we’ll camp with friends and teach classes. This event is now our “work”—a world away from my former life.

What Does Best Life Mean to You?

I’ll never forget the look on my buddy’s face. He was completely lost and had no idea how to answer my question, “What does Best Life mean to you?” In all fairness, its not an easy question to answer but over the last few years we discovered that very few people can answer this question, even if they are given weeks or months to think about it. How you answer this is important because it reveals what really matters to you the most.

So let me ask the question of you, “What does Best Life mean to you?” We’ve learned it’s a deeply personal answer, unique to each person’s dreams and vision for the future. For us, Best Life revolves around traveling together, always on the move. In the past year, we’ve journeyed through 35 states, covering over 40,000 miles in pursuit of joy.

Overlanding is the cornerstone of our current lifestyle, offering the freedom to forge our own path while connecting with others. Sometimes we’re alone for days or weeks, other times we’re part of a group exploring Montana’s wilds. Our plans revolve around events and meetups, with plenty of room for spontaneous detours to scenic spots.

Overlanding isn’t just camping—it’s a way of life fueled by curiosity and exploration. It demands self-reliance and independence, yet it’s surprisingly social. This lifestyle has taught us to grow, stay humble, and remain calm in the face of challenges—like a fallen tree or a tire popping off the wheel. Despite the obstacles, it’s the most peaceful existence we’ve ever known.

While overlanding isn’t the entirety of our Best Life, it plays a major role right now. The heart of it is togetherness. We’re together 24/7, and overlanding has strengthened our bond in ways we never imagined. While many friends have faced divorces after their kids left home, our relationship is stronger than ever. We’re grateful for this chance to chart a new path and are fully committed to it.

Gratitude and hard work define our mindset. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, but today is a gift. Whatever challenges or opportunities come next, we’ll face them as a team. Unity is our foundation, and living every moment together is what Best Life means to us.

Welcome to the Best Life Adventure Channel Blog!

Welcome to the Best Life Adventure Blog!

Best Life Adventure Channel