Story 23 | Burning Man Sweethearts
Nick & Jessica (@bluebusadventure)
Nick and Jessica are a couple who recently moved from Lake Tahoe, Nevada into their tiny home on wheels built inside of a school bus.
Their journey began on a hunt for a Burning man rig - to house them comforatably on the playa. They were in search of something affordable, spacious and reliable. Then - one day, their friend sent them a Craigslist ad for a small school bus, which they had a good laugh over, but kept in consideration. After shaking it off at the gym, they realized that the bus was actually perfect and 24 hours later - it was parked in their driveway.
While preparing the bus for Burning Man, Nick and Jessica learned alot from the buses utility and dual purpose. Just like the bed allowed them to sleep at night and convert to seating during the day; they began to imagine the bus converting from their Burning Man rig to their home on wheels that they could explore the Pacific Northwest in.
After attending two Burning Man Festivals, they decided go all in, hit the road full time and begin experiencing more - by living minimally. Since then, they have mountaineered to Mount Shasta, visited Yosemite, Mammoth, June Lake, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Reno and Salt Lake City. The call of the lakes and nature fuels their adventures and will continue to push them to the Pacific northwest through Oregon, Washington and possibly Canada.
They have realized that simplicity is a joy and feel a new sense of freedom from their "stuff". Moving from a 1,500 sq. ft place to 100 sq. ft means there are less towels to fold, less dishes to wash, and less wine glasses to worry about breaking. They've noticed the less attachment to their things but more freedom and relaxation.
The couple maintains their lifestyle by working remotely - with their mobile Wi-Fi hotspot/jetpack. Nick is a Media Director for Hurricane Group Inc, where he produces video and photo content for the military website and subscription marketing. He also is a freelance photographer who landed a cover shot on National Geographic's limited edition of , "Guide to the Night Stars " and also has created photo and video content with EDM producer, Seven Lions. Jessica has a corporate career background in the consulting industry with a impressive client list from Silicon Valley. With her experience, she can work remotely from the bus as a virtual assistant taking on projects for various consultants and executives. She also helps sell some of Nick's aluminum metal art prints - with a goal of getting them placed in galleries, businesses and homes. Jessica has also found success in selling nearly $1,000 of items she would normally would have donated through the Poshmark app.
Together they have aligned with brands and products they strongly believe in and have become brand ambassadors and social influencers for a variety of companies. Nick has been creating product marketing content while Jessica has become his muse and model for photos. With their minds focused on their end goals, they believe that together they can achieve them all and make their bus life an adventure of a lifetime.
Follow Nick and Jessica's journey on instagram @bluebusadventure