Lovers of the outdoors, Francis and Kate started camping in the summer of 2014 on a whim. They wanted to travel to the west for a vacation but hotels or RV’s were too expensive. So they decided to camp(for the first time). That first trip was a comedy of errors but it sparked a new passion. Several more camping trips followed over the next two years. In January 2016, Kate took a 3 month sabbatical from work and she and Francis took a trip across the country. They traveled from North Carolina all the way to California and back in a 2004 Jeep Liberty, and it was a life changer. Kate enjoyed the chance to rest and recharge after many years of teaching, and Francis continued to work remotely and completed the rough draft of his first book.

Kate returned to her teaching job in April 2016. Although happy to be back in the classroom, she missed the freedom and time outdoors that came with traveling. She and Francis began making plans for a longer trip that would eventually result in finding a new permanent home.

Francis is a software programmer/web developer. He has been working in the field for about 15 years. The first application he built was a desktop version of the King James Bible. His first mobile app was Crowd Update for iPhone and Android. Recent websites include Hayti, Trace My Lobster, JMG Technical Services, Carolina Car Wash and Detail, and Kate’s personal favorite, Achievement Academy of Durham. Ironically, his own website carayol.net has not been updated for about 8 years! Just like a carpenter with a hole in his own ceiling.

He plans on continuing to work while on this trip. Please contact him if you are ever in need of a website, mobile app, desktop app, or help with your servers. Francis also plans on reviewing all the technology he uses to maintain his business while doing this year long trip.