I remember when we first spotted one another. I was checking out her friend actually. The friend was pretty basic, less flashy and certainly less conspicuous. I was honestly about to make a move and seal the deal until she came into view. Maybe it was her styling or the way she just looked more exciting….whatever it was….she had me at…yellow.
Chaquita….almost 8 years ago became my first new car purchase. A brand new 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer OZ Rally Edition. She was yellow, she was fun and she loved techno and so there began our relationship. Not everyone opts for a car that stands out and yes, it had its drawbacks (let’s just say I helped a few state troopers meet their monthly quotas along the way). Nonetheless, she was solid and always stood out in a crowd.
After our recent decision to head west to Colorado I had to make a difficult choice. Driving her to Colorado meant subjecting her “chilled-out”, flat ground driving Florida engine to the elevated curves and struggles of the Midwest and risk permanent damage. Not to mention her overall resale value.
I had to sell her. But as with any car, karma is always at work. I treated the car like I wanted to be treated and so she treated me the same. After posting the car for 3 short days, I got a call from a guy that wanted to check her out. Eddie, the owner of Proccolino’s Pizza (
http://www.proccolinos.com) and his daughter came to take her for a test drive and were very impressed. Now Eddie, has some experience with cars…more specifically Mitsubishi’s…and not just any Mitsu….the all mighty Evo. No really, this monstrosity below is his.
Eddie and his fam have been tuning and racing this Evo for several years and now compete in NHRA events across the state, not to mention hosting Evo meetups in the Orlando area.
Needless to say, this made me feel better about turning over the keys. The car that had moved me through the past 8 years of my life was now going to people that would take excellent care of her.
Car’s might not be that important to some….but for me, this one was an extension of myself and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. So long Chaquit’s!
thanks,
adam
How do you build a life around adventure and travel?Intentionally and incrementally. Most families who live this way did not leap from conventional to adventurous overnight. They built remote work capacity, paid down debt, tested longer trips, and had increasingly honest conversations about what they actually want from their lives. The leap feels bigger from outside than from inside.
What does an adventurous family lifestyle actually look like?Different for every family. For some it is long-term travel. For others it is weekend adventures close to home. What connects them is intentionality about how time is spent and a preference for experiences over accumulation. The version that fits your family is the right one.
How do you balance adventure with stability for kids?By finding stability within the adventure rather than treating them as opposites. Routines, rituals, and family rhythms travel with you. Familiar foods, bedtime routines, and predictable family dynamics provide stability even when the location changes. Kids need consistency in relationships more than consistency in geography.
What has travel taught your family?That people are fundamentally similar across cultures in what they want for their families. That comfort zone is a smaller circle than it feels from inside. That the things worth having in life require effort and discomfort to get. And that time together doing hard interesting things is the most reliable source of family closeness.
How do you handle the pressure to live conventionally when you have chosen differently?By getting clear on why you made the choices you made and returning to that clarity when the outside noise gets loud. Most families living unconventionally describe an initial period of explaining themselves that gradually gives way to just living the life. The explaining becomes less necessary as the results become visible.
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