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Brent Rose: Inside the Life of a Location Independent Tech Journalist

Wish your road trips never ended? For Brent Rose, they don’t.

Brent Rose is a freelance technology journalist who has spent the last 17 months living out of a van and road tripping around the United States. For Brent, what started as a year-long road trip has turned into an open-ended lifestyle.

Brent tells us about how he decided to start his van life, how he equipped his van to be able to work from anywhere, and what his nomadic life is like. He also gives us some pointers and great stories and information about his career as a tech journalist.

“I’ve been on the road for the last 17 months now. I’ve put about 35,000 miles on the thing. It was originally going to be about a year-long thing, and now I don’t know how or where to stop. I don’t know if I want to stop – so the adventure continues.” – Brent Rose

Travel Topics:

  • Why Brent decided to convert to van life [5:27]
  • What to look for in a vehicle for long term travel [8:19]
  • How to convert a van to fit your lifestyle [8:47]
  • How to get into tech journalism [10:18]
  • What is Gizmodo? [11:43]
  • What it means to be a good writer [13:39]
  • The transition from office life to van life [24:43]
  • How Brent’s location independence influences his professional output [27:03]
  • Kayaking from Cuba to Florida [28:47]
  • Benefits of a press trip [37:29]
  • Making that important decision… what do you write about?! [38:45]
  • Most memorable moments on the road [43:13]
  • How a pearl in an oyster can lead to a great pick-up line [45:35]

Brent Rose Talking Points:

Website | Instagram |  Facebook | Twitter

“I love the freedom it affords me.” – Brent Rose

Music Credit:

Take Action:

Brent drives his van on a constant road trip to balance work with adventure. What can you do to bring more adventure into your everyday life?

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Fabian Dittrich: The Art of Serendipity

Producer of the Startup Diaries Web-Series.

Founder & CEO of Helpando.it.

Driving around the world.

Discovering new ways to work with modern technology.

Being Serendipitous.

Introducing, Fabian Dittrich.

Podcast: Play in new window

Subscribe: RSS

“Don’t worry too much when something ends. Trust that something cool will come up. Love uncertainty.” – Fabian Dittrich (Tweet It)

Travel Topics:

  • How a random busker can set you on your path
  • The benefits of traveling in your own car
  • Following your interests to where they may lead
  • How catching Malaria isn’t all that bad
  • The five biggest regrets people have on their deathbed
  • If your life were a movie. Would you enjoy it?

“I’d like the movie of my life to be full of surprises.” – Fabian Dittrich (Tweet It)

Lovely Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Music Credit:

Take Action:

  1. Are you taking advantage of modern technologies to become location independent? There’s never been a better time to get yourself on the move and find your freedom.
  2. Have you traveled in your own car before? Where did you go? What was your experience like?
  3. If your life was a movie, would you want to watch it? Add a plot twist and book a plane.
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Driving the California Passes: Sonora Pass

All I could think was, “…wow… I love this drive.”

I was driving over the Sierra Nevada mountains on California State Route 108. Driving through California mountains is a privilege. The views are utterly astounding and the road is reclusive and wild.

It’s a turbulent road that seems to be on the losing end of a battle against the wilderness that encompasses it. The heavy snows of winter assail the roadway mercilessly. The spectacle of elemental power freezing and thawing, heaving and releasing. The ice moves rocks, dirt and trees around unconcerned with the hard work and organization required to build the road. It’s a wild natural place that doesn’t give into the whims of human order. A place where mother nature still rules with overpowering dominance.

The Sonora Pass tops out at 9,624 ft. (2,933 m.) Tioga pass to the south (State Route 120.) The nice thing about Sonora is the solitude. It is far less visited and it isn’t a National Park so you don’t have to pay to cross.

The best time to take this drive is in spring (May/June.) Do not attempt it in the winter.

Practicalities:

-You can not do this all year round. When the snows come these passes become 100% impassable. Check the weather before you go.

-Drive very carefully and consciously. This is no place to rely on speed marker signs. If you are trying to go fast, go up to Interstate 80 through Reno, because this is a steep and tempestuous road.

-Make sure you are self reliant. Have a spare tire, a few tools and spare food. There is no cell phone service for much of the drive and the road has few visitors.