2 Adults, 5 Kids, Every Country in North and South America in a Veggie Powered F250

[discovershare]

Ok. The two major questions that I cant find answered on your website are the following:

1) Where do you get the money to do this? Who pays the bills? How? What do you do to earn money? Who covers your health insurance? How do you pay for situations that require money? Truck breaks down? Bathing? Health Issues? Books? Equipment? Tires? Food? Etc?

2) Your children are going to be out of school for 3 years right? How are you going to be able to get your nine year old into school when he/she is 13 or 14? Are you comfortable in your home schooling that they will be prepared in life?

Mac

The information on our blog continues to grow as people ask us questions, so we appreciate questions.

1) Before leaving on the this trip, we've worked to save money that we are using. We are also earning income from our blog (which is our business) that continues to grow. Our goal is to grow it until it covers all the costs of our trip. If needed, we'll stop along the way to work (i.e. teach English in Mexico) My husband taught for 8 years and has a Bachelors in English. You can read about our approach to health care here.

2) Our children have never been in school (they've been traveling since our oldest was 4 years old) I've always homeschooled them and will continue to do so until they take over their own education. The aim of our education program is that they will be better prepared for life then they would if they sat in four walls everyday.

 

[discovershare]

That didnt answer the question. I understand the concept. I understand kids can be taught by anyone the "3 R's". My question is how to re-enter them into the reality that is high school and college. Will a school accept them? How? Credentials? Etc. These are legitimate questions and not criticism.

We're not concerned with 're-entry'. We're concerned with taking the road less traveled, carving out a new path. The schools (college) that we are considering for our children definitely accept (and encourage) this unconventional approach to education.

 

[discovershare]

Thanks for sharing your amazing journey here on Expedition Portal.

My motto is: “the only thing in life that is impossible to accomplish is that which you don’t truly believe in”.

I wish you guys the very best in your journey ahead.

Way to go in pursuing (and achieving your dream)! I love your quote. It reminds me of one of our favorites - "You'll never know what's possible if you never try the impossible."

 

[discovershare]

Profitable Passion

there is also this - people don't like to feel like they are reading an informercial when they thought they were being directed to a travel blog.
I was a little taken a back by the feeling that I was trying to be sold something with every blog entry I read.

to each their own though.........

Yes, we are trying to sell something - an online course that teaches lifestyle design - but more than that, the idea that you don't have to acquiesce to a life that you're not happy living because you think you 'can't afford it', or 'you can't do it with kids' or 'it's too hard'....

And it's not about traveling, or doing what we're doing. We're not trying to 'sell' people on that idea, but it's about discovering what your dream is, and then having the courage to pursue it!

We're adamantly passionate about it, and that's the message of our site (and our course, which yes, we do sell so we can finance our lifestyle. It's called a 'profitable passion'.)

 

[discovershare]

I do have a few questions for the Dennings:

of the 113,xxx miles currently on your truck, how many have been "veggie" miles?
how many fuel filters have you used so far on the trip?
in your budget you have "truck parts -$197.06" - is that maintenance items like oil changes and glow plug relays - or is that wear items like tires - or is that improvements like extra cup holders and heavy duty floor mats?
have you considered the extra cost of maintenance and wear & tear on the truck running veggie oil vs. the cost of fuel and decreased wear & tare / possibly longer vehicle life?
what preventative maintenance was done to the truck before you left for your trip?
do you have any pictures of the third row you installed?

We purchased the truck at 95,000. A majority of the miles since then have been veggie miles.

We change the veggie fuel filter every 1,000 - 2,000 miles (depending on the quality of the veggie we're using). They cost about $10-$20 each.

The 'truck parts' is maintenance items. We don't have anything of luxury in our truck (No cup holders or floor mats)

Veggie actually reduces wear and tear on the engine, it lubricates it. Our sponsor - Golden Fuel Systems - has personally put over 750,000 miles on his vehicles on veggie. It makes them last and run longer.

My husband did a lot of work on the truck before we left Utah (we were there for 3 months). Something like ball-joints, etc... Don't know much about that. He did install A/C, which I was very happy about!

I do not have a picture of the third row, but I suppose I could take one.

 

[Syncronicity]

Listen, I admire and envy what you are able to do with the your family. I wish I would have had the gumption to do it while my kids were growing, but seeing the things that happen to good people with common sense, on a regular basis, I tend to look at activities with safety in mind a (especially when kids are involved).

 

[discovershare]

One more word about 'money'

I personally don't understand this irritation with us trying to make money from our website. My website is a full-time job, one that I spent years creating for myself, and that I work on every day, after my children are asleep, before they get up, and snippets throughout the day.

It offers tons of useful and FREE information and inspiration. It also offers a lifestyle design course for sale (as well as other ebooks, etc.) for those who want to buy them. Yes I'm trying to sell them to you, because we've worked hard to create them, and because I think they will help you design an amazing life for yourself.

Would anyone like to have a job that they work at for free? I don't think so. I do enjoy my job, and I have been doing it for free for years, but I don't feel guilty trying to earn money from it- by offering something of value - just because the work I'm doing happens to be related to fun, adventure, and (enviable) travel.

 

[Dgurley2000]

it's obvious that you are not teaching them basic preparedness, safety and survival.

This is not obvious to me. What did I miss?

 

[discovershare]

In reply to some prior comments: Preparedness (as far as having the right gear or tools) can only take you so far. As for what separates survivors and victims, successful and failures, ultimately comes down to what is between your ears - attitude, mind-set and gumption.

Our hike was within a stones throw of the visitors center, it was a great educational experience for our children and taught them to rely on their inner resources, and push themselves beyond their previously believed limits. It was a controlled environment, that provided the opportunity for personal growth. We were in no real danger. There was plenty of 'safety.'

We ran out of food, we got cold and tired. We didn't want to go on. But it was only the last hour. We weren't in danger of freezing to death. We weren't going to starve. We just had a small taste of 'hardship', which I think is a dang good thing for our kids experience.

 

[Ruined Adventures]

I find it a little sad...even though you're here to "discover, share & inspire" (on a forum that's dedicated to that exactly), there's always going to be a band of arm-chair quarterbacks & folks who can't stand the fact that you're doing what they deem impossible. Unfortunately you'll continue to experience this as long as you're sharing your experiences on the web.

Everyone has to be creative when it comes to financing a travel lifestyle. The Denning family has found something they're passionate about selling and could possibly finance a portion of their trip. There are several threads on this forum that ask about financing trips, sponsors, or making money on the road...this family has found their own answers and put forth the effort to make a little money and inspire others.

Side note:
I'm truly inspired by your family and I hope that when we have children of our own, they will follow us with the same enthusiasm that your children have. Please continue to discover, share, and inspire and I will continue to follow your family's adventures. Hopefully we can meet somewhere along the way!
:sombrero:
Cheers,
Brenton & Shannon

 

[dzzz]

We're not concerned with 're-entry'. We're concerned with taking the road less traveled, carving out a new path. The schools (college) that we are considering for our children definitely accept (and encourage) this unconventional approach to education.

I expect your kids will do great in college, especially if they are enthusiastic readers now.
But don't be too disappointed if some of them love the non-moving dorm room They do sometimes have the annoying tendency to not mirror the motivations of their parents. It's all good if that's their path.

 

[TenaciousTJ]

I don't post much on here....and alot of the BS is this thread is a good example of why. This family came here to share an awesome adventure that many of us have taken, or dream of taking one day. A few of these jokers who obviously don't get out from behind their computer screens, just pick the Denning's adventure apart looking for an argument. This is an "In Progress Adventure," not a debate thread. Why hasn't a mod deleted the attacks in here? When I click on this thread, I want to read adventure stories and see photos, not have to sift through the idiotic statements and posts that don't belong in here....including this one. Who gives a ******K where they get the money, etc....it's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. It's rude, like asking a stranger, "how much money do you make?"

Dear Denning's family, on behalf of the people who enjoy reading your adventures and actually do get out of the house from time to time, THANK YOU FOR SHARING and PLEASE don't let the "others" discourage you from sharing your travels. I'm sorry this is the welcome you got from Expo....I use to think much better of the members on here. Keep on keepin' on and we're not all rude and judgemental.....most of us are just extremely jealous.

Will a mod with common sense please clean up this thread so we can enjoy the trip? And feel free to delete my post as well, cause just like the other's, it simply doesn't belong in an "In Progress Adventure" thread.

 

[r_w]

One piece of constructive rig criticism: Those storage containers you mounted on the ladder rack get brittle from the sun within a year in the midwest (and that is just sitting outside on the farm, not beating down the road). Paint them with some rattlecan, throw a tarp over them, or plan ahead to replace them. And throw a strap over them going down the road.

Some people just don't like happy people. I say keep killing them with kindness

 

[Deleted member 9101]

is a cute quote, but it is not going to keep five freezing kids alive in a slot canyon.

Actually it will, common sense would keep you from being in the position to freeze to death in the first place.

 

[defrag4]

Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing with us! We are heading out in November, maybe we will run into you guys! Monetizing your website is a great idea and more and more overlanders are starting to get onboard. Oh and I am entirely jealous of your children growing up in such an awesome environment instead of the stuffy nonsensical drab places we call the "American school system" Ignore the hatred, you guys are awesome