I often wake up in  a different place on a nightly, weekly or sometimes (very infrequently) monthly basis. As a runner, I sooo appreciate this and often times think about not only the miles my tennis shoes have put in, but all of the cool spots that I get to explore right out of my door and burn some calories while doing it!  Running is one of the most convenient  ways I know to stay in shape when traveling and requires nothing but a pair of tennis shoes. Well, I like to use my armband, Yurbuds & my running app too, but still – very little equipment and so easy to pack.  If you’re not a runner, try walking and work your way up to power walking.  I have a friend who is the power walking queen and she makes me work for it, every time! You truly can get in a good sweat session and end up working different muscles in the calves. Trust me on that one. 😉 I felt it the next day! Ok, let’s say you are just not the exercising type (dun, dun, dunnnnn) Here’s something easy to incorporate into your weekly schedule whether you are traveling or not…

• If I am catching up with family & friends, I love to put on my headset and walk while we are chatting away. Before you know it, you have been on the phone for 30 minutes and walked over 2 miles! Do this every time you are trying to “find a good time” for that catch up call and you will be surprised how many calories you burn and how you mayyyy just start to look forward to it! (I start my running app right before I make the call. It tracks time, calories, pace & distance. Check out MapMyRun)  Added perk, you feel GREAT afterwards, really!

A few years back I was training for the Tough Mudder (yes, while on the road) and became obsessed with different types of exercises using only  body weight. Because, I mean, who can tow around weights with them all of the time? Or better yet, who wants to?  Plus I couldn’t depend on wherever I was staying to have a good selection of weights , so I had to come up with a concrete plan. That way when I had a variety of weights it was an added bonus to my work – out and didn’t dictate whether I had a good training session or not . Boom! That’s how you control what you can – and forget about the rest!

I’ll share some of my favorite body weight exercises that you can do from anywhere in a future post! They are SO simple and the best part, effective!!

In the meantime, be sure to get out & move it, move it!!

Chicago – deemed the “Windy City” sits on Lake Michigan is the third largest city in the United States. It is home to the Cubs, a stunning skyline, top notch museums, parks, theater, architecture and if you are a foodie, the city is like a dream come true. It just may be possible to eat at a different restaurant every single day for years and years and something tells me that you will not be disappointed! Ohhh, and the nightlife, where do I start?! It is just something you have to experience for yourself!

I have found myself in this city several times for work and many times for fun, most recently a girls’ weekend! Such a blast and I highly recommend it! Here’s a few tips and things we learned over the years from the locals & just figuring it out…

Planningcan be fun!

• If you are taking a summer trip, the third weekend in August is always a blast as the Air & Boat Show is happening and it is FREE with plenty of cool spots to view it from, such as the North Shore Beach. (Yes, Chicago does have a “beach” and it is not on an ocean. 😉
• Every year on St. Patrick’s Day, the river is dyed green. It is stunning to see (have only ever been able to enjoy by pics) and I hear it is a blast celebrating the Irish holiday!
• The city is just magical in the winter. Lights, snow and good cheer will serve as your backdrop as you explore. Just be sure to bring lots of layers and dress for the weather! The horse drawn carriages are also draped in lights, very “romantical” if that is your kind of thing!
• Chicago has two airports – Chicago Midway International Airport & O’Hare International Airport. Midway is actually closer to the city and the “L” train has a line directly from the airport into the city. Really easy to navigate. O’Hare is located on the far Northwest side of Chicago and also offers access to the train. FYI – If you are a Southwest flyer, they ONLY fly into Midway.
• If you choose to drive in and are planning on staying in the city, be prepared to pay for parking at the hotel and everywhere you go. This is something to think about when choosing a place to stay, while you are paying for parking, Chicago is an extremely easy city to navigate on foot, if you are able. There is a pretty big convenience to walking straight out of your hotel to start your day! Staying in the city cuts down on travel time into downtown (especially if you have limited time) and the money you put towards the train, bus, taxi or Uber is used for hotel parking. There will always be traffic in Chicago, it is just a given, so be sure to put some thought into where you want to stay. (FYI – Parking is extremely limited in Chicago)
• Hotels come at a premium price in the city, but you can find some great deals. Check Kayak Hotel Search for a quick comparison. Don’t forget options such as Airbnb and VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner). If you choose to stay a little further out, look for hotels that offer easy access to the “L” train – Chicagos’s rapid transit system. It is color coded by line and truly easy to figure out, plus all of the attendants are super helpful, just ask!
• Here’s a hotel that we recently stayed at and was literally steps to the train: Renaissance Chicago O’Hare
• Here’s an option that we stayed at in the city. Perfect location to everything! The Wit – Doubletree

What to see & Do

Chicago truly offers something for everyone and so much more. It just depends on what exactly you are looking for. Here’s a few of my faves:

• Millenium Park – Gorgeous park to walk through where you can get a glimpse of the iconic “bean” also known as Cloudgate, a public structure by British artist, Annish Kapoor.
• Super cool photo-op!
• Before you venture away from Millenium Park, cross the street to the Chicago Athletic Club and take the elevator up to Cindy’s Rooftop Bar.  This open air bar gives you a great place to enjoy a cocktail and the view from above is incredible! No cost to hang out, but please do enjoy a drink! I highly recommend Howl at the Jun — delish! Non-peak hours will give you the least wait and best viewing ability!
• About a half a mile or so further down the road is Buckingham Fountain. For those Married With Children fans, this is the exact fountain in the opening credits. Apparently, there is a light show at night and it does close at 11 p.m. We missed the evening show, but still enjoyed it during the day.  
• Navy Pier – there’s always a ton happening at Navy Pier. While it is definitely touristy, some may really enjoy the Ferris Wheel, shopping, dining and a leisurely stroll along the water.
• John Hancock Center – another great way to view the city from up above. You can pay for the full experience which includes a “tilt photo” that appears as if you are floating above the city or you can take the other route and go to the 96th floor lounge for a drink & a view.
• Don’t miss the iconic Chicago Theater Sign – this pic will make for a great souvenir of your trip. Located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago. Catch a show while you are there!
• And, if you would prefer to see Chicago by water, the Wendella Architectural Boat Cruise is an excellent way to see & learn about the city!

And, no trip would be complete without some…

Great Eats!

• Giordano’s – Original deep dish Chicago style pizza. Head to the Rush street location. Lots of places to grab & drink and digest before you hit up some great spots dance it all off!
• Portillo’s – home to Chicago style hot dogs, Italian beef, burgers & salads. Oh and don’t miss the chocolate share – they put an entire piece of chocolate cake in it, seriously!
• Garrett Popcorn – mouthwatering popcorn that hits the spot after every meal. A must try is the mix of cheddar & caramel, my personal fave – almond caramel!
• Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse – one of the BEST steakhouses in Chicago. Great atmosphere, amazing food with a side of light entertainment & people watching.
• Billy Goat Tavern – cheezborgers it is! Be sure to ask about “the curse” while you are there. Simple, cheap and satisfying eats at this little dive.
• Mercadito – great for drinks & fun for dinner
• Stout – don’t miss this hot spot on Fridays for happy hour!
• Untitled – speakeasy with live music and a super fun scene. Had a BLAST here! Check it out  after dinner for drinks & entertainment.

As with the “things to do” list I really could go on, but this should give you a nice jump start in planning your getaway to Chicago! Girls trip, Bachelor party or family weekend escape, you will LOVE this city, I promise you that!

xoxo

Renee

Some may (and have) call it a gypsy lifestyle, a wanderlust soul or even afraid of commitment. I like to say I love a life of small & large adventures. The travel bug bit right after graduating college. I chose to spend six months in Australia living, working and affording travel up the Gold Coast before I dove into the “real world” with a full on career. I don’t think I knew it at the time, but even then I had a great appreciation for time freedom. I discovered that I would much rather have a passport full of stamps & an album of memories than “stuff” to fill my space with.Since then,  I have traveled the country for about 10 years, roughly 10 months out of the year managing live events, nationwide. This means I am 100% mobile, all of the time. With the exception of about two months out of the year, this is considered my “off” season. Crazy to envision, I know – but, my norm is actually being somewhere no longer than two weeks at a time!

A lot has happened during this time…

found an industry that I fell in love with, met friends who became so incredibly close to my heart, have been present for more family memories than I could have ever made possible stationary, met my Luv, who we now co – manage together, lived (loose term) from one side of country to the other, learned to manage Crohn’s Disease without a stationary home base (no way in hell I was going to let that stop me), visited 49 states – many more than once, downsized from a 1,200 square ft. apartment to a 320 square foot Motorcoach, invested in a virtual business (because, well, we already do everything else mobile, so why not?!) and to think, those are just the highlights!

So, why did we decide to swap a brand new apartment for a  bus?

Well, logically, it just made sense, when we weren’t on the road for work, we were traveling for pleasure! Yes, a bus is our version of a tiny home, all 320 square feet of it. We’d get home from a project, unpack only to pack again and head off on another adventure or to catch up with family & friends. Then one day, being the genius thinker that Eric (the BF) can be, he mentioned to me, “What do you think about living in a bus when we are NOT on the road for work?!” I looked at him, cocked my head to one side and attempted to gauge his seriousness level (I can be gullible, sometimes), yep, totally serious. I regained my breathe and managed to stammer out something along the lines of, “WHAT?! A bus, you have to be kidding me!” Well, low and behold, it turns out that this was no ordinary school bus that Eric had in mind – we’ll get back to that. 😉 We went about our lives; traveling the country all while Eric started the research process. He discovered many, many things about RVing full time, exactly what that would mean and started to explore the cost of being 100% mobile versus paying rent + utilities 12 months out of the year. During that time, we slowly started to wrap our minds around what it would mean for us to transition from a 1,200 square ft. apartment to a 320 square ft. bus. I, being an extremely visual person like so many ladies are, would often find myself in small galley kitchens on the road saying “OK, so, this is what it would be like, do you think we can handle it?” Visualization is KEY!

About a year after actually verbalizing the idea, we found ourselves exactly on the route to pass up a bus Eric kept coming back to in his research. We were enroute to Miami for a cruise, so we stopped before setting sail. The seller was extremely generous and allowed us to spend as long as we wanted getting to know the 40,000 pound beauty.  And get to know her, we did – five hours and 150 pictures later, Eric and I had to continue on our way, but not without a wealth of information. A few more months had passed and this so called crazy idea was getting closer & closer to becoming a reality every day. The new phrase that was often tossed around was, “This is either going to be the BEST thing we have EVER done or the absolute WORST” really, there is no true in-between when you make a big move like this. We were very careful not to share the news with many people until we were 100% sure. Not in the effort to be secretive, but more so because we knew everyone would have their opinion and this was a life choice as a couple, we wanted to make without any influence before the purchase. Some may say that is just crazy, but that is what worked for us. Most friends & family understood this after the fact and were extremely supportive!

There was a bit more that needed to be done in the form of research & things that had to check out with the bus and of course thinking about how to downsize, where the bus would be kept when not in use and so on. You know, the nuts & bolts of actually how to pull this off, not to mention, when to make the purchase & pick it up, because remember, we already travel 10 months out of the year.

This brings us to the very BEST part….

It just so happened (again, ha, ha, funny how things work out) we were scheduled to be IN the same small city right outside of Orlando for an event scheduled a couple of months into the Spring. Ok, ok, we don’t walk around with a Magic 8 Ball (90’s child, whoop, whoop!) but we were not oblivious to the fact that the stars were aligning, perfectly for such a HUGE decision. The Tylar / Baus Team (yes, our friends may have given us this title ;-)) had made the decision that THIS was the bus for them, but, we still had to work out when & where in our schedule to make it happen. Work put us there. With that said, there was a small time frame to meet with the seller & write the largest check Eric had ever written in his life. Deep breathe. He woke up that morning with lots on his mind & chest, needless to say. We had every single emotion you can think of – excitement, amazing energy and a of course, a little nervousness. We went about our morning routines, half giddy, half who knows what! This is where it is important to mention that as freelancers, we choose what projects fit our skills & qualifications best. Before choosing the current project that just so happened to put us in that small town outside of Orlando, Florida, we turned down a different project. Eric, being the one with the heavy checkbook that morning had some silent conversations with the man upstairs and asked for ONE more sign that he was doing the right thing. We walked outside of our hotel to get in our vehicle to head over to the Coach Distributor and also in the SAME parking lot was the other vehicle we would have been driving if we accepted the first project. Fifty states, hundreds of thousands of cities, many, many hotels in the Orlando area and there it was. Talk about answered prayers. Not just a “sign”, but a brightly-colored, fully-wrapped Tour Vehicle sitting there delivering the answer from upstairs “I was going to put you here to do this no matter what. This is your bus, now go get it.” Could NOT believe our eyes. Our hearts fluttered, stomach churned with excitement and off we went to become 100% mobile.

The day we purchased our Coach we weren’t exactly able to take her (yes, our bus is a lady!) out right away. We had to wait patiently to hit the road with her as we had four more months on a work project to finish up. Remember, I mentioned that work put us in the place we needed to be at that time. When we wrapped that contract, we had exactly six weeks to pick up our new home, show her off to my parent’s (not after spending the initial night on the beach, though) on our way back up north, downsize & move out of our apartment, all while working out indoor storage when not in it. Whirlwind to say the least – but, such an incredible experience! I’ll post more about the process of downsizing in a future post. 😉

With that said, welcome to the adventures of the Tylar / Baus Team. We made a vow that if this 100% mobile lifestyle ever became “too much” or we weren’t making more memories than ever, we would rethink our plan. So far, it has been the best decision we have ever made! Please feel free to ride along with us virtually, until one day, our paths cross and we can say hello in person! Questions, feel free to comment below!!

 

Much Love,

XOXO

~ Renee