Ashley is a 36 year old Wisconsin native and adventure seeker. For the last three years she’s been circumnavigating the globe in her reliable Toyota Tacoma. After buying her truck for $42,934, Tina hit the road just as the COVID-19 pandemic was getting serious. Though Kaye picked the truck up in South Dakota. Since then, her travels allowed to experience beautiful destinations all over North America and South America including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile.
Kaye’s journey to becoming a full-time traveler started in 2015 after her father passed away. Inheriting her childhood home in Waterford, Wisconsin, Kaye was working in corporate healthcare and transitioning to a consulting job that demanded excessive hours, often totaling 80 to 100 hours per week. Her desire for a different life intensified when she received unexpected news about her aunt’s illness while traveling in South Africa. This inspired her to go home, where she began to reconsider the trajectory of her life.
A turning point came while taking a scuba diving trip to Honduras. It was there that she met someone who would ultimately move her to walk away from her high-powered career. Kaye just didn’t want to sound trite when she said that it was a dream life, Kaye said. Instead, she refocused on the work and existing responsibilities it takes to keep it that way. Perhaps more than anything, she was able to appreciate the privilege of her lifestyle. It’s amazing to wake up, open your eyes and look at this map, and be able to say, ‘Should I sleep in this volcano today, in the middle of exploring the jungle or on the beach?’
Kaye’s initial foray in her truck delivered her all the way south to Baja California, Mexico. There, she started her trip down the Pan-American Highway. Since that trip, she has traveled to more than 20 countries on five different continents, immersing herself in both new cultures and environments. Kaye invested more than $50,000 in renovations for her truck, converting it into the kind of vehicle she could live in and travel long-term with.
Reflecting on her father’s influence, Kaye shared, “I grew up with my dad raising me and telling me every day ‘You can be anything you want when you grow up and you can do anything.’ He was only 57 when he died, so never had a chance to enjoy a retirement. His death is what showed me how to be alive, because you literally don’t know how long you have to live in life.
After everything that Kaye has been through, her outlook on life is completely different. Like many innovators, she admitted that before taking that trip, she was in a state of “zombie-mode” for strenuous working hours at home. She had a home office. We saw her walk from her bedroom to her home office and then to her kitchen, going through the same routines multiple times a day. This monotonous routine was a far cry from her life now, full of spontaneity and freedom to enjoy her surroundings.
Alongside all the amazing adventures, Kaye is no stranger to hardship. When it came to traveling with a dog, she was at first apprehensive, looking at the travel logistics first and foremost. She found that traveling by truck allowed her to set her own pace without the stress associated with air travel.
Importantly, Kaye stresses that you don’t have to quit your job and give up your career altogether to travel full-time. But ever since I started traveling — life is too short,” she said. You don’t have to leave your job forever to travel the globe. Don’t wait for the right time—instead pursue your passions, pursue your goals—then the rest will work itself out along the way!
Join Kaye as she discovers inspiring new landscapes and cultures. Her story continues to inspire those who are thinking about making big changes in their life. Her journey is a reminder of the power of opportunism and adaptability.