Marc and Julie Bennett are familiar faces for adventure lovers and nomadic travelers. The couple is well known for their website, blog, and bestselling books about RV living. We were honored to find out more about their RV adventures—with their Blix bikes in tow!
It Started with a Slice of Pizza
After Julie left her home in Australia to move to Boulder, Colorado, she met Marc, a Colorado native. They met in 2010 and married just a year later. Their whirlwind romance got swept up in a new direction when they met a couple at a Colorado Springs pizza restaurant in 2011.
The couple had been RVing full-time for about three years and spoke enthusiastically of their life of freedom and travel. Marc and Julie were also intrigued by the couple’s energy and the stories they heard about the RV lifestyle. It was clear that they wanted to do the same.
But like many of us, they returned to regular life and put RV living on the backburner as something they’d love to do “someday.”
Trading A Sticks and Bricks Home for Full-Time Living on the Road
That “someday” eventually came in October 2013. Marc and Julie had taken some time to customize their lives and recognized travel as an overriding theme. Traveling out of the country would be difficult with their dog, but with Marc’s remote, work-from-home job, more road trips could be possible.
Remembering the full-time RV couple from the pizza restaurant, they began researching RVs, mobile internet solutions, and ways to turn their former dreams into reality. Within 8 months their Class A motorhome was purchased and their Colorado townhome was sold.
They “literally drove off into the sunset, headed west to begin a new, more adventurous life of freedom, fun, and travel.”
Better Adventuring With Blix
Because they’ve lived and worked in an RV, Marc and Julie have been able to do many of the things they thought would have to wait until after retirement. They’ve been to all 50 states before age 50. They’ve walked across the Mexican border and explored several Canadian provinces. This summer alone, they’ve been adventuring, hiking, and biking in Maine, Colorado, and along the Oregon Coast!
Biking especially is something they love, particularly because it’s been a game changer for their lifestyle. Julie’s Blix Vika+ helps her keep up with Marc, a lifelong cyclist, when they go on rides. That ebike, along with Marc’s Packa Genie, has inspired them to discover new routes, immerse themselves in local areas, and check out farmers’ markets, cafes, and restaurants.
Plus, since they downsized from a large Class A motorhome to a much smaller Class C motorhome, their ebikes have replaced the vehicle they used to tow. This has made running errands more exciting and reduced the money they spend on fuel.
Tomorrow Isn’t Promised: Advice to Grab Life by the Horns
On their blog, the Bennetts shared that it’s guesstimated that just 1% of Americans will see all 50 USA states in their lifetime. Marc and Julie try to make the most of every day by grabbing life by the horns—how can more of us do the same? Recognizing that high gas prices and inflation are cutting into many people’s travel plans, the Bennetts still have advice for those of us who want to do and see more:
- Look for local, regional gems that you’ve never heard of before or haven’t gotten around to visiting.
- Check out state and local parks, cute small towns, and national monuments (pro tip: these are generally less crowded than national parks).
- Use the All Trails app to find places to bike (some can even accommodate RV parking so you can ride straight from the campground)
- Return to old favorite places on a bike to enjoy a completely different experience
- Consider renting an RV to see what the lifestyle is all about
“Just get out and ride! You’re doing good things for your physical, mental and emotional health, saving money on gas, and helping the planet, every time you choose to ride your bike instead of drive. And you’ll get to see and experience things and places in a whole new way.”
