Extreme skier-turned tech entrepreneur Kina Pickett is no stranger to working from the road, having done so for the majority of his life. But now, himself and his family are truly embracing the idea that living, educating, working and playing anywhere is a possibility. Having purchased a vintage 1971 Airstream International Travel Trailer back in February, the Picketts are now going off-grid and on the road full-time.
Founder of ZPPR, a content-sharing platform, Kina has shifted to full-time on-the-road living along with his wife Nellie and two young children Ashur and Story. As well as making sure they have a setup that provides everything that a family of four needs (a composting toilet, solar energy and cooking facilities for example), Kina and Nellie were conscious of creating an environment that helps them educate their young children while living off-grid. For that Kina relied on the wisdom of his mother, a retired teacher with over 40 years’ experience in the field. “She created a curriculum for our preschool and first grade-aged children,” he said.
Being so close to the great outdoors has also proven to be a truly immersive experience when it comes to learning. “We were in the Canyonlands hunting for dinosaur tracks, looking for wall paintings – the kids were floored. They couldn’t understand why we were doing this all the time. For the time being, we’re in no hurry to put them back in school. We can teach them from the camper – and take advantage of it while we have these opportunities.”
Being off-grid when America experienced the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns proved a relief for the family. With no one around them they were able to relax a bit more knowing that they were safe. They travelled through the woods of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest before heading east toward South Dakota. Kina stays in contact with work clients through hotspots, apps that help identify coverage and satellite connections.
According to Kina, the best part of living on the road is “the endless adventure, being outdoors in nature, and exploring the country at our own pace, all while still being connected to work, school, friends, family. You get to choose where you want to go, what you want to see, when you want to stop to eat.”
The Picketts recently partnered with Airstream and Matador Network to capture their story and experiences on the road across the United States of America. Next month, Airstream is set to give the family a work-from-anywhere travel trailer complete with work stations and technology for off-grid living to test.
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