Who we are....

Erik Badger and Amy Tam Badger

We are a couple who took a few years off of normal settled life to explore the country in our conversion van (small RV). After living in the Seattle, WA area since starting college (for E, since birth for A), and hitting our fourth decade, we decided that we really needed to see what else is out there while we were still un-hindered. (Is Redmond/Bellevue, WA really the best place on earth?)

Amy is a graphics artist working on getting her art out there (see www.doodlez.com), and learning how the whole business works. Prior to this she was a software engineer at a number of Seattle area software companies, but decided to pursue her art passion after getting laid off during the tech/telecom downturn.

Erik is a software engineer for GoAhead Software in Bellevue, WA. While on the road he worked remotely, periodically flying or driving back to keep in touch with his compatriots still tethered to their office chairs.

As we began the trip we sold our house in Bellevue in order to remove any hard-ties to the area, and to keep from having to keep track of renters and maintenance (which would be a worry we just don't want while on the journey).

Together we have a number of outdoor hobbies and sports that interest us, and traveling helps us spend time to hone our abilities as well. Paragliding, kite-boarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and snow boarding, are a few of the enjoyable activities we spend time and energy on.

The house was sold in late May '05, the van was picked up from the manufacturer in mid June, the house sale closed at the end of June, and we begain our travels in mid July after a couple of weeks practicing day-to-day life and preparing in Amy's parents' driveway.

In 2006 we broke the van living routine for about 3 months while living in Paris, France on assignment for Erik's work. Upon return to the States we hopped back in the van and continued on.

Finally, after a few years on the road, we decided to try settling down in Salt Lake City, Utah. This gave Amy an opportunity to go back to school (University of Utah) to get formal art training, and for us to start a family. We chose Salt Lake City for its proximity to the outdoor world that we liked, climate, and moderate size.

As of this latest update (2010-02-28) we have managed to produce two beautiful daughters, Wild-Violet (who lives up to her name) and Magnolia. We continue to head out in the van for relatively short trips, and intend to increase the duration as the girls grow.