It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that traveling is one of the most beautiful things in the world. It brings a plethora of incredible experiences, stirring and sustaining our souls and lives as we share moments with our loved ones. There is no one way to travel; people travel however they love and enjoy. Some articulately plan their trip and pack heftily. At the same time, some set out on a new adventure with just a backpack on their shoulders, embracing the unknown. Many also travel to escape their dull, mundane lives, hoping to be enveloped by experience. But it is not a way to escape life; it is to find life – within and around us. Zach and Julie Ruhl are two travel buffs living on the road with their two-year-old daughter, Indie.
Together, they are the Ruhls of the Road.
Zach and Julie hailed from the Midwest and met through a few mutuals after college. Little did they know, their little interaction would determine the course of the life they would live ahead. After getting married, they took a significant risk and never looked back. “After getting married, we decided to take a risk and convert a campervan into our home, where we lived for over a year exploring the US, Canada, and New Zealand,” shares Zach on how the couple’s nomadic life started.
We have created this image in our minds that to travel, we must give up on raising a family, career goals, and other lifestyle choices. Zach and his family repeatedly prove this narrative wrong. Undoubtedly, money is a highly essential element in life; without it, things may fall apart. Zach and Julie shifted their focus to building an online brand that would help them make money, and that’s how the Ruhls of the Road was born. They have attracted a significant audience on Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and their blog, which keeps them financially stable. At the same time, they continue chasing borders one after another. In addition, they are now the owners of three rental properties, allowing them to stay afloat as they traverse the world. “We are making money, investing in our retirement and our future, and living comfortably in beautiful places around the world.”
What started as a husband and wife duo traveling together now has two tiny hands and feet tagging along with them – a two-year-old Indie. They also hope to have another baby in the near future, inspiring other couples that it is not impossible to travel once you have kids; take it at a slow pace, and you’ll see that both of these things can co-exist.
From hiking the mountains, diving under the sea, basking under the crisp sun, and resting on the vast grasslands, Zach, Julie, and Indie are definitely making memories for years to come.