Hey guys, We lived in Manitou Springs four miles west of Colorado Springs for 23 years at 6400 feet just below Pikes Peak and two blocks from Garrden of the Gods.Manitou is a charming historical town. Check out the Barr trail which lads to the top of Pikes Peak. Southwest Colorado Springs has aloot of crime. Just up the mountain highway is Green Mountain Falls another smaller community. You can also hike up Williams Canyon from Manitou is you sign a release form from Cave of the Winds. There are also plenty of trails off Old Stage road at the base of Pikes peak.Another nice town about 40 miles from Aspen is Glenwood Springs but a little more expensive, but smaller than Colorado Springs If you guys have any questions feel to ask.
Love it, Ron! We've actually stayed in Glenwood Springs for a few days and adored it, but will likely do the Colorado Springs area for longer-term because we have several friends in the Boulder area and would like to be close to them. Will check out Manitou for sure -- 6400 feet is the dream acclimation elevation! We will definitely hit you up for advice next year as we approach the actual departure date. ❤️
Colorado Springs native here. The Incline is a fantastic way to train, but in recent years it’s become overcrowded. Instead, if you want to go on some hard local hikes, I’d recommend Cameron Cone (the TH is right next to The Incline, but it’s lesser known), Blodgett Peak, Eagle Peak on the Air Force Academy, Mount Herman (the scrambling route), and Tenney Crags (you can look it up on summitpost.org). Btw I love your channels! Your videos are so inspiring and uplifting.
I spent a month in Denver but didn’t get to do any hikes in Colorado Springs! Garden of the Gods and the Manitou Steps are on the list for next time. 😊
I love Manitou, but man, it's gotten exceptionally busy and crammed the last few years ☹️ Still a fun place for adventures though! Especially Williams Canyon ❤️
I feel like Anchorage would be incredible for a summer, the sheer number of jaw dropping mountains and untouched wilderness you can access from there is insane.
Yes Bonnie! That is a great idea, and we of course need to climb Denali at some point so staying for a couple months in Anchorage and doing the local hikes and climbs would be a perfect complement to that! ❤️
+1 for Colorado Springs. Excellent choice! I hiked the Manitou Incline last week (really a challenge rather than a hike, but a cake walk for you two). I’m new to Colorado. You may find many of the 14ers inaccessible in the cold months due to road closures and avalanche risk. I *think* many of the 14ers are generally (with exceptions) hiked from June thru late October. Congratulations on your upcoming early retirement - not an easy goal to achieve for many people.
That's awesome you trained on the Manitou Incline!!! We've actually never done it, but when we spend a few months in Colorado Springs it will for sure be a go-to for our training days -- love that crazy steepness! You are totally right about the inaccessibility of many 14ers in winter, and we're having the same problem in Cali right now. So many road closures, and currently tons of avalanche risk in the Sierra. But on the upside it looks like it's not storming this weekend, so we'll find an open road to some sort of beautiful snowshoe. ❤️
Love it!!! If our experience is any guide those 8 years are going to fly by. Hope in the meantime our explorations will inspire some good ideas so by the time you pull the plug you'll have a full and epic adventure plan in place!! ❤️
I have been to Bariloche and although it is in the beautiful lake region between Chile and Argentine for a more adventurous location take a look at El Chalten which is more in the center of Patagonia and is the climbing capital of Argentina and is adjacent to Los Glaciares National Park and Fitz Roy. Probably not a place you want to live permanently but definitely for an extended stay during spring, summer and fall. Good luck.
Tom that is a great idea! We're intending to go for a few months (prob Dec 2024-March 2025), so should have plenty of time for extended stays in both towns. ❤️
Bishop is my top place to go. Close to Death Valley, lots of petroglyphs in the area and ancient bristlecone pines. So much around there. Thank you for the health insurance information for California as health care in this country is out of control and that scares me as near age 50.
Yes Julio, we LOVE Death Valley and have had many amazing adventures there, and it really is a short drive from Bishop. You're right to be concerned about health care costs -- it is quite literally our number one concern in taking early retirement, and we're being really careful to make sure we'll have great health care covered before pulling the plug and adventuring full time. ❤️
I just closed on my house on the north shore yesterday. My area is really cool. Its BWCA hub so there all these remote areas to go to. If you guys ever want to do an extreme trip you guys could come out here and load up a canoe and see how far back into the wilderness you could get with canoeing and portaging the craziest wilderness trails ever! Its all regulated but its untouched land in between U.S. and Canada. People from all over the world come here for trips like this and to enjoy the area. There are no mountains but its mountainous terrain and many of the hikes are brutal just from the extremely treacherous terrain. You guys should definitely check it out. You may not fully understand it until you see some photos and get some info but I think its right up your alley! There are waterfalls everywhere out here too. I moved up here because its the perfect year round northwoods location just like how you guys were talking about. This area is the type of area where there is so much to do that you could go forever trying to find and see everything.
Congratulations on the house Stephen! Wow what an incredible place (albeit with some of the world's most giant mosquitoes, as I recall). We will absolutely come out there and do some epic canoe-hikes with you -- it will make a great change of pace from high-mountain hiking, and E is obsessed with waterfalls! --A
@@RenegadeRetirement Lol, yes not necessarily big mosquitos but big clouds of mosquitos but only during certain times! And yes big crazy waterfalls everywhere of all kinds. Super cool area! I've been trying too find out as much as I can about this whole area and maybe become a guide of sorts. I'm getting to know everyone up here and this summer will be huge. Its the most wild terrain up here and the woods are majestic and are like enchanted forrest's in certain areas!
I've been thinking a lot about this same topic, even though I'm in my early 30's. The list you came up with is great, and I would have chosen something similar, though I don't feel the need to live in a mountain town full time as much as you guys! I love Bishop as a top choice, though I've been thinking that Vegas might be a better option for me: more food & entertainment options, international airport, and halfway between the Easter Sierras and the canyon mecca that is Utah. In Europe, another option worth considering is San Sebastian - great lifestyle, close to great hiking in the Pyrenees and the northern coast of Spain.
Romain that's so cool you're already thinking about these things. I'm in my early 30's too, but just so aware of how fast time and health go by that I want to maximize this time, and Adam being ready to retire makes it easy for me. Love your choice of options! Vegas is a really interesting choice as long as you don't need to be at altitude -- very affordable housing if you don't live on the strip, and like you say close to both the Sierra and to Zion, Bryce, etc. Plus, lots of good climbing opportunities in the Red Rock area! Love the idea of San Sebastian -- we will start researching that as a potential stop on our world tour, because we really want to spend some time in the Pyrenees. Thank you! --E
Bishop is awesome. We always stop at Looney Bean when we're up there. Copper Top is also an excellent BBQ on your way up to the White Mountains. As far as mobile homes, Livin' Hard in the Trailer Park would be a great series!
And Jack's, Jon, don't forget about Jack's! Incredible breakfasts with the world's biggest and most delicious blueberry muffins!! There's honestly a pretty good chance that your Livin' Hard in the Trailer Park idea will eventually be coming to Renegade Retirement 😂 Adam is genuinely obsessed with mobile home parks in beautiful places! --E
you should check out Madeira Island next time you are in Europe. I lived there for a few months and it has great hiking and you are never far away from the ocean to cool down after the hike.
That is a great recommendation -- we had honestly never heard of it before, but just looked it up and it looks amazing! We have got to do some of those gorgeous waterfall hikes!! ❤️
Glad Colorado is on your list - however, you picked the wrong side, lol... but I'm probably biased since I live on the Western Slope 😉. We're only 15 minutes away from so many hikes and the Grand Mesa is only 30 minutes for winter and summer fun. If I had to live on the Front Range, Colorado Springs would be on my list.
Haha we love Colorado so much, and are def considering a few different places especially in the Glenwood Springs/Aspen area as well. So jealous you're only 15 minutes away from great hiking! We have a couple close friends in Boulder, and with how much we'll be traveling even after settling down the proximity to Denver and its international airport seems pretty ideal. But really, we just have to get to early retirement (so close now!) and then spend a few consecutive months out there to really figure out what's what! ❤️
A Few places the wife and I have talked about in the US: (we are looking for a more small town vibe than you guys) Kanab Utah, Its in the center of a TON of stuff to do. Flagstaff Arizona, Close to Sedona and grand canyon, higher elevation, full amenities with a regional airport. Carson City Nevada, Close to Reno for Travel and good access to the Sierra's without having to live in California (no offense 😆 ) Salida and Telluride in Colorado, but they are quite expensive. Various places in Montana and Idaho, but the older I get the less I like the cold! we would have to snowbird it.
Matt you are really talking our language! Kanab was actually on our short-list for this video. We love Utah, and at around 5000 ft elevation Kanab is perfect for long-term acclimation, plus being close to tons of great hiking. Great choice. We also love Flagstaff, and have spent some really enjoyable time there --would be an incredible retirement spot. We'll slow travel at first and live in a lot of these places for a month or more at a time, maybe even for a few years, before settling down. And then, even when we do, we will for sure "snowbird" it like you guys. We're going to be all about the endless summer in retirement! ❤️
Loved this video! Such in depth research went into it. The info regarding each area’s affordability and health care was really interesting. I would Moab or St George Utah because of the access to those great national parks. Not sure about its elevation though. But the most pressing issue is the access to a reliable source of pop tarts
Haha you are right, because a lot of Euro countries refuse to sell pop tarts since they contain food dyes! We might have to smuggle them in!! We freaking love St George by the way -- have stayed many nights there, and although its elevation is only two thousand and something the proximity to Zion and Bryce more than makes up for it. ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement i didn’t realize that about the food dyes. But pop tarts have artificial stuff in them? I thought they were ambrosia from the gods. Colorado and Utah are two of my favorite states for national parks, hiking, exploring, and all around beauty. Each has so much to offer. But any of those places on your top 5 would be wonderful. Looking forward to seeing where you end up going!
Why rent an apartment in the Dolomites, or the Alps in general? Just do hut-to-hut. There's a complete network of more than 1,000 huts/rifugio, from Italy to Switzerland to France, connected by cable cars/gondola and trails/via ferrata of various degree of difficulty. Most huts offer half-board (dorm bed + dinner + breakfast) for about €70 (lower if you join their Alpine Club). Some huts are so remote that all supplies are helicoptered in, while others are a short gondola-ride away from civilization. You can enter the Dolomites in June, and leave from France in September. No need to bring a sleeping bag or tent. Just a light daypack with clothes to change. With a good map, a credit card, and some cash (many remote huts don't take credit card), you can spend the whole summer improvising your itinerary thru Alps and experiencing different via ferrata, huts, and food each day, without leaving the mountains.
This is genius! We had assumed that improvisation isn't possible because all the huts would be booked up, but if there are enough huts with openings we will do this plan in a heartbeat. Do you really think the huts might have last minute openings? If so, it would really be perfect for us. ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement When I did hut-to-hut in the Dolomites (2014 and 2017), I didn't make reservations at all and had no problem just walking in. Hiking solo helps of course, but often I had the whole dorm room to myself. Sine you are two, after you choose the destination for the next day, just give them a quick call to make sure. Some huts have private rooms you can pay a little extra to upgrade. The tradition in the Alps is that huts don't turn away last-minute guests because this could mean life-or-death. I'm not suggesting you take advantage of that, but usually with 1 or 2 people it's not too much trouble. Worst case scenario, the hut can, after dinner is over, put you on the dining tables for the night.
That is great to know. We are definitely going to try that approach, and honestly wouldn't complain at all about sleeping on a dining table if we came in late. Thank you!
@@RenegadeRetirement I want to walk back a little, so you, and people reading the comments, don't get the wrong idea that improvisation is super easy. It's been several years since my last visit, and I did it solo in shoulder session (late Aug - Sep). Demand may be surging post-pandemic. Also, huts along the Alta Via routes are highly popular, so hike at your own risk.
What a great list you came up with! I am especially excited you are considering Colorado Springs! I have a home there and absolutely love this city. Being centrally located on the Front Range, I really couldn't think of a better place to be within a few hours reach of the entire Colorado Rockies. In and around town there is so much there for hikers, climbers and nature lovers to do and with Denver 45 minutes to the north it is an outdoor enthusiast's city of choice. If money were no object I would pick the Dolomites and often dream of having a cottage there, who knows, maybe someday. You really can't go wrong with any of these locations and I am very excited for you to begin the next phase of your life of adventure and exploration!
Thanks so much -- how great that you have a house there We will most definitely be hitting you up for advice on Colorado Springs about 15 months from now. Our plan is to spend a few months renting in each of the areas we listed here and maybe a few others too, really exploring and getting to know them well, before even considering buying a permanent place. The proximity to Denver is definitely a huge bonus, especially given that even once we do "settle down" we'll prob still be traveling for about half the year and it would be great to be so close to that big airport! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement Perfect way to approach it and would love to help with any questions or requests you have regarding the Springs or anything CO-related!
I'm retired in the CO mountains, about an hour west of Denver. Something to consider is living in the foothills of the Rockies, instead of one of the Front Range cities. You can be within an hour of Colorado Springs, Denver, Fort Collins, yet still live in a small mountain town. More affordable too if you stay out of ski-resort towns. Altitudes of 6-8k are the norm in the foothills, so good for acclimatization, yet not so high visiting friends get sick. Living a bit west of Colorado Springs keeps you close to the biggest concentration of 14ers as well, while staying in the "banana belt' where winters aren't so harsh. Just let your Google Earth mouse drift a bit more west.
This is a great idea, and we will absolutely look into it. We're planning to spend 4 or 5 weeks in CO climbing 14ers and scouting possible living spots next summer, and we will follow your advice during our recon! ❤️
Might I suggest Portugal? 😏Lots of mainland hiking opportunities and also the islands of Madeira and Azores! I really love this list you’ve compiled and can’t wait to see where you guys land first - I hope abroad! Would love to have a conversation next time we see each other - on taking foreign income/retirement while living abroad in a lower income country, and how to do this respectfully, not drive up prices, and give back to the community and integrate by learning the local language. I’ve tried to catch myself any time I say something is “cheap” - I ask myself is it cheap for those with local income? Usually no. The minimum wage here in Portugal is 760€/month and average is 1,200€. Additionally, we’ve discovered that living in Portugal is about the same cost as living in Germany for us, even though we’d anticipated a lower cost of living and lower rent. It’s not as easy to find these secret local rent prices as you may think! Especially if you’re seen as foreigners with higher incomes. We had to pay 6 months of rent up front just to land an apartment, for example. I’ve read in the Portugal expat groups that most, if not all, spend more money to live here than originally anticipated, so adding a buffer on top of your budget is key. And on that note, joining Facebook groups for these areas you’re considering can be so helpful! We’ve learned so much from the groups, and people are so generous in responding to posts. Anyways, great video! Lots of love to you two ❤🏔️
Arielle this is such great info about Portugal, and living abroad insights in general! We have to come visit you guys and have you on an R2 video explaining this stuff, because Portugal is such a popular spot for American retirees and early retirees. I think the R2 group would love that video -- we certainly would!!! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement i wanted to get your thoughts and perspectives! You guys are so well-researched 🤓 it’s something that’s on my mind a lot since moving here and seeing how locals have all been driven out of Lisbon because the rent is too high due to foreigners coming into the country, both as tourists and residents. It’s an interesting topic for sure!
I would choose Colorado Springs Elise... Safety is best for both of you.. Expensive but safe... You have to take care Elise.. Life can be tricky... Love you... ✌️🤗
Thanks so much, Serge! Yes Colorado Springs and Bishop are both extremely safe and have great access to medical care -- that really is an important consideration! ❤️
Ashwin that's the most fun thing about doing this channel -- our favorite hobby of all time is dreaming about this stuff and making it happen, and now we get to make videos where we plan things, budget for them, and then make them a reality! ❤️
Super cool list! If you’re looking for affordability and epic mountains, I’d definitely look into some Central Asian towns. Karakol, Kyrgyzstan is at about 5000 feet and is next to a bunch of world class hikes
Lili thank you very much -- that is the kind of inspiration we definitely need and are hoping to get as we continue this channel! Our hope is to go spend time and make videos in exactly those kinds of places around the world -- we are putting it on the list right now! ❤️
Bishop would be an awesome place to live! I was thinking if my town in NorCal ever burned down I would head to Bishop since Eastern Sierra is my fav hiking area. I did read some comments last year, from Bishop residents (on an Eastern Sierra Facebook group), about how few medical specialists they have. They said they need to travel to Reno, Ridgecrest or even Los Angeles to get decent medical care. And some older or disabled folks who couldn't travel that far would end up dying. I would love to hear from you 2 that your research proved otherwise! I also would consider wildfire risk and how much smoke you'd have to deal with (remember how bad the air quality was in Mammoth was last year?). And earthquake danger since Bishop is so close to the Long Valley Caldera Supervolcano and the Walker Lane Fault System. But there's probably no threat of running out of water so I think it would be worth living in the Bishop area for a while!
Barbara that is such a good point about medical specialists! Because we are both at Kaiser and like our doctors there, if/when we live in Bishop we had already planned to come back to LA for medical appointments so the issue wouldn't really affect us -- in fact, for us it's a selling point of Bishop since it would allow us to keep our same doctors. However, most people would definitely not want to do four-hour drive to LA to see a medical specialist, so that really is a genuine consideration. You're right too about the potential for wildfire smoke (it was brutal during those fires two years ago), though as highly mobile early retirees that also wouldn't affect us too much since we'd just take it as an opportunity to go adventure somewhere non-smoky for a while! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement Yep much better doctors in Los Angeles, well worth the drive! That's one thing I miss about living in LA area. You even have a choice to fly now that Bishop has an airport. I have to drive over an hour, maybe 2 hours for my specialists... so 4 hours isn't really that bad, and you get to visit friends. I'd love it if you 2 were in the Eastern Sierra for a while!!
So much to explore around Bishop! I live in Reno, and anytime we consider moving I can’t imagine not being able to easily shoot down 395 to spend a weekend in the Sierras. Good luck with your decision. 👍🏽
Thanks Ray! Reno and Tahoe are both places that are also high on our list -- Reno has great elevation and excellent hiking nearby, plus a good cost of living. Good life choice on your part! ❤️
Hello Adam and Elise!! This is a great list of diverse places! Thank you very much for sharing spots that you've already put some thoughts into. If the mention of Switzerland gets you going, come on to the Switzerland of America, Ouray Colorado! The San Juan mountains give plenty of high altitude movement areas. The downside here is that the lodging is not cheap. So....maybe not a real long stay, but there are tons of long range movement opportunities here up at altitude. When you go to Colorado Springs (I was stationed there for 2 years in the 90s; I hiked up Pikes Peak weekly to get ready for my advanced army unit tryouts), I'd recommend trying to find a living spot on the north-ish part of town. That is how you'll have quicker access to the Denver activities. Having lived in C.S. for those 2 years, the only thing I didn't like is I still had to get in my car to go hiking. But...the "pluses" can definitely cancel out the negatives. I LOVE Italy!! The mountains, the oceans, the culture; it is all very grand. A side story- I was deployed for 6 months during the Kosovo War in 1999. When I got back home (stationed in Stuttgart, Germany), I took my 3 yr old son with me on a camping trip to give my wife a break (she had my 6 month old daughter though). The plan was to go camp in Austria, and work my way down to the Italian mountains. This led to that...and I happen to get an email from my graves registration buddies in Italy that they were coming up to Vicenza Italy for their monthly medical resupply runs (this is next to Venice). So...I altered my plans to drive to Venice and meet them for some days (I still had my son with me). A side story of the side story....he and I were eating downtown and went to a pizza place. I asked him what he wanted to eat and he said pizza. I asked what kind and he said "french fry pizza". I talked to the staff....and they made him a french fry pizza with french fries melted into the cheese ehheehhe. So...I got a hotel in Venice. My friends came over to the hotel room nightly for adult beverages...great food ...and loud music. During the day, I'd take my son around Venice. My wife STILL is pissed that my son and I went to Venice and she never got to go. We lived the dream with hotel camping hehehehe. Have a great weekend!
Haha these are great stories, Alan! "Camping" in Venice is hilarious, and the french fry pizza 😂-- Italians are the best! Yes we will for sure come visit Ouray and do the via ferrata there. BTW Adam's daughter finishes ROTC the same month next year that his son graduates high school and and he takes early retirement, so one of the other ways we're going to plan travel is around wherever she gets stationed -- hope it's somewhere fun! ❤️
@Renegade Retirement hi there!! Ok...that would be awesome to see you in Ouray!!! Yes...they have expanded the free via ferrata routes here, and also to include a commercial one that you have to pay to use as it goes on private lands. Wow...that is really exciting!! Yes...I hope she gets a really cool assignment!! Being just a gun slinger in the Army, it was challenging to get beautiful assignments. The exception was to Colorado Springs in the 90s, as well as Germany in the mid 90s.
I used to say Boise, Idaho. Easy outdoor access, summer and winter activities, good variety of food, good enough airport, and lots of medical centers. BUT, over the last 10 years, the cost of housing has gone through the roof both in Boise and in the surrounding communities. Fortunately, my mom moved up there over 10 years ago. If you've never spent any time there, you might be surprised; I know I was. The only thing that I can figure is it is because Boise is the largest city for hundreds of miles and it has a university.
Wow I guess I honestly had no idea Boise, Idaho was such a hotspot for outdoor activities! I've apparently got to up my Idaho education. Sounds like your mom got in at a good time! -E
Great stuff! Love these places! I think the idea of spending part of the year in two or more of these cities is very cool. The only downside of that is cost of travel between the places, which maybe that could be another episode. The other aspect is getting around once you are there. I'm sure if you were in Bishop or COS you'd have your own vehicle, but not once you were located in an international destination, that's a different story (yes, some places have better public transport than others). Logistics matter! 😎 As for other options, and not necessarily for long-term stays, you would love places like Crete, Sicily, Sardinia, Croatia, etc. Good food, great history, plus you have both sea and mountains.
These are great points, Dan. Our thinking on cars is that for Italy and Argentina we would rent when we're driving to a lot of day-hikes -- we've had pretty good luck getting cheap long-term rentals in the past by shopping around -- and then when going off on multi-day treks just take public transport or even a cab to our trailhead. In Nepal we don't know yet -- probably just figure out how the locals get to places and do it that way. Love your ideas for other places, and along those lines we are also planning to do Corsica, where the GR 20 which is supposed to be epic!
Bishop or Colorado Springs would be my choice. Moving to a new country and starting a new life is a challenge. I did it twice when I was young. Leaving behind family and friends is hard. Also, I get the attraction of a mobile home. Guys want life to be simple, but good luck convincing Elyse of that.
Neil that's a good point about leaving behind family and friends, and missing our LA friends will for sure be the hardest thing about full-time adventure travel. But the good news is that a lot of our friends are into travel adventure as well, so hopefully they'll come and visit us in the different places we'll be living. Ya E really loves Bishop but is not fully on board with the mobile home idea yet, but I think we just have to rent one for a couple months and see how it is. The good news is that there's no rush -- we plan to try all of these places for a few months as we slow-travel the world, and maybe we'll try some others as well before deciding where to "settle down" on a more permanent location. --A
Wonderful episode. Though I live in a spectacular area in SW Utah, because of its growth, soaring cost of living, and ever creeping imposition of politics and religion, I’ve been on the lookout for somewhere new that’s still outdoorsy but more secular friendly and affordable. Yikes, it’s way harder than I thought. Thanks for the info!!
That's so interesting, Marc. Of course we love SW Utah for the incredible hiking, but since we've always just been visitors we never even thought about its secular friendliness or lack thereof. The Colorado Springs area could be a really good option for you -- it's totally a live and let live vibe being in CO and so close to Denver/Boulder, yet it's also affordable and of course pretty hard to beat the outdoors opportunities there! ❤️
We'll be your friends if you move to Colorado Springs 😁! We're following your guidance to retire early and will probably just stay put since COS has some of the most rad trails on the front range. See you around!? Cheers!
That is awesome to hear!!! We are going to be coming to CO Springs next summer, probably for at least a few weeks, to really check it out and of course do some of the great hiking around there. If you don't mind, we'll reach out to you before we come and pick your brains a bit! ❤️
Why anchor yourself to a location? Consider vanlife! It's super affordable and enables flexibility as you can just move when the weather changes. Of course, you may have to use the bathroom in full view of each other....
Haha you are right, and van life is definitely something we're planning to do for at least a year or two at some point. We want to do a tour of the best hikes in every state. But we figure we should do the really big mountaineering locations first, while our health and climbing ability is at its max, and then do van life when we slow down a bit. ❤️
That's a good vote, and it is looking like the Dolomites/Alps will be our very first stop in year one. We're planning to go over again for a few weeks this summer to climb and see if we can make a few connections for renting a place in summer/fall 2024 at a reasonable rate! ❤️
First of all, congrats on the early retirement! An incredible achievement for sure! I am SO happy that Ortisei is high on your list! I went last June and couldn't agree. more with your reasons! Also, would love to hear your tips on financial success
Thanks so much, and wow you picked the perfect time to go to Ortisei! We were there just after you, in July, and could barely bring ourselves to leave. So looking forward to spending at least a few months there consecutively once we're traveling full time, and really getting into the flow of the place. Meanwhile, we will absolutely be doing lots of videos on our saving and investing strategies that have gotten us to this point and that we expect to carry us forward into a long and exciting retirement, and will make sure to highlight all of our mistakes as well as our successes, because those might be even more instructive! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement i know! I got back and found your videos! Wish i had seen them sooner cuz your hikes looked epic, not that one can go wrong there. Yay! Looking forward to the money videos 😍
Hello guys! Great video. My hubby and i are also on track to retire early and having exactly the same discussions, even down to wanting to live at altitude! We have a handy proxy that we use as a COL calculator which we call the espresso index: the cost of a single espresso compared across places. In Switzerland (which we love of course, whats not to love!) weve paid up to 5CHF for an espresso, whereas in parts of italy (❤) it can be as cheap as a euro. Now that's the sort of place we need! Not definitive at all of course, but a handy little tool to guage affordability. After all, retirement definitely needs to include good coffee (after fab outdoor adventures 😅).
Jennifer this is great stuff -- love the espresso index! That's so cool you guys are trying to FIRE and even going for altitude too. Let's definitely be in touch about this -- we would love to hear your tips and have been learning a great deal this past year ourselves. As soon as hiking season slows down we'll do a detailed breakdown of our 6-week "practice" retirement in Europe this summer. It was very eye opening! ❤️
I look forward to seeing that! We're definitely still searching for "the spot" so any tips, opinions welcome. It's getting the mix of affordability with year-round living and activity which is the challenge. We've seen some amazing Italian mountain villages that are super affordable buuut we'd literally be the only people in the village who are getting outdoors. We're looking for a real outdoorsy lifestyle with like-minded people - easy to find in Chsmonix etc but just too expensive to be sustainable. So I'll be looking out for your 6 week summary 😊
Thanks Tomasz! Very glad you enjoyed. One of the funnest things about this channel is just sharing the things we're passionate about, and number one on that list is definitely the desire to live a life of full-time adventure in beautiful places! ❤️
Awesome! Ya we go there so often that we already consider it kind of a home away from home -- hope we all end up there hiking and climbing and living the outdoor dream! ❤️
Yes Harlan! We have some friends in Chile and are definitely planning to visit there, and then if we fall in love with it may well stay for a few weeks or months. The great thing about spending our first few years slow traveling around will be that we can really live in these different places and fully experience them before deciding on a place full time. We actually don't know too much about Ecuador -- is there some great hiking there? ❤️
Hey guys! Have not watched this yet (traveling) but have glanced though some of the comments. Having lived in Ft. Collins and CO the past 40 years, I have lots of thoughts, knowledge, and opinions on best places :-). I'm happy to chat/email/dm/talk with ya. But am off the grid for 10 days ski touring in Canada. Lemme know how I can help!
Paul we are so freaking jealous of this Canada trip! We would love to be doing that right now. Have a great time (and please be safe!), and we will absolutely be mining your knowledge in the future as we plan our initial Colorado stay, which will probably be for 2-3 months in the summer/fall of 2024! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement Super - contact me anytime. Summer and fall are simply so much fun in Colorado (well actually all seasons are, esp for you guys!). So many great places and you guys have a lotta time being young! Happy and excited for ya!
Split your time between Thailand and Nepal. Perfect combination. Great health care in Thailand when you need it, (better and cheaper than anywhere in the US- my doctor went to Johns Hopkins med school) massive cultural stuff, great for the winters, and summer in Nepal. The Himalayas blow away anything in the west.
Absolutely, Andrew! Adam spent many years in the UK growing up, and he absolutely loves the Lake District. He tells me I will love it too, and we plan to spend at least a few weeks there during our first year of retirement travel! --E
So you guys are definitely taking the plunge good on you your still young to Enjoy the mountains you can come to bonnie Scotland snows in May %June Plenty mozzies in summer rain in August 😂😢 I wish we'll in your next journey 🏴🏴
Thanks much, Keith -- yes we will be leaving LA in June of 2024, and most definitely plan to stop and hike Scotland on our journeys, rain and mist and all! ❤️
One thing about Nepal is I have been there twice and I would love to live there as you can drop into India easily - and by the way it is pronounced Po-kha-ra
Thanks Rick -- that is so cool you've been there twice already! Good point about India, too. That's a place we'd love to spend some time, but have no idea where we would start. Did you do any climbing or hiking there at all?
@@RenegadeRetirement two more thoughts - starting April 1st solo hikes are not longer allowed so you have to go together 😅 - my cousin has lived in manitou springs but we really like woodland park to get away from people
Haha well the together part is no problem --E gets super mad if I go out without her anyway! Good to know about Woodland Park -- that area of CO will probably be our first extended stay after leaving LA. --A
my great grandmother immigrated to the US from there in the early 1900's. It looks incredibly beautiful and it seems to be more of a land of opportunity now. I understand she left there because, at the time, it was a difficult place to live for economic reasons.
That's a great question! COL calculators are a lot of fun and useful for the US, but we haven't found one that handles the overseas places we want to live. For US, we've like both Nerdwallet and Smartasset. Do you happen to know a good one for overseas? For our overseas comparisons, we just read and research a lot and figure out average cost of housing and food. Fortunately all the places -- even the Dolomites -- are cheaper than Santa Monica! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement The table you show at 8:34 when discussing Bariloche, is that someting you built or did you find it out in the cyberspace? I read Nerdwallet, expat articles linked from CNBC, etc, etc to get a general COL idea as well. Much is just from experience, my wife and I have traveled the world extensively over the last 20 years (7 continents, 58 or so countries). We love the "Big Mac index" for real life, simple purchasing power comparisons. Great example is Norway vs The Philippines!
We sourced some of these from a combo of sites and then cross referenced with input from friends and expat boards + blogs. I think the specific table may have been from Numbeo, which we’ve heard will give a general ballpark but may over or under estimate based on the city. We’ll assume an underestimate on Bariloche just to be safe, but it’s still very affordable!
ELISE and ADAM, a good morning from France. ADAM thank you for your answer in very good French, I am happy and honored. I watch all your videos in 4K which are of quality, with good comments embellished with the voice of ELISE. Without sycophancy I like your philosophy both, your sympathy and your humor, despite the enormous work done in preparation to achieve these results of accomplished sportsmen. Live your dreams, and I hope your projects will succeed, I hope so. Kisses to both of you. DAN ELISE et ADAM, un bonjour de France. ADAM je te remercie pour ta réponse en très bon Français, j’en suis content et honoré. Je regarde toutes tes vidéos en 4K qui sont de qualité, avec de bons commentaires agrémentés de la voix d’ELISE. Sans flagornerie j’aime votre philosophie à tous deux, votre sympathie et votre humour, malgré l’énorme travail effectué en préparation pour arriver à ces résultats de sportifs accomplis. Vivez vos rêves, et j’espère que vos projets aboutiront, je le souhaite. Bises à vous deux. DAN
Merci beaucoup, Dan, et merci d'Elise aussi pour tes gentils mots sur sa voix. Nous vraiment vivons nos reves, et avoir amis gentils comme toi en est une partie importante.
Reno vs. Bishop is a worthy analysis. No state income tax in NV plus really good healthcare in Reno. Plus a real airport to link to hubs for international travel destinations. If you still plan to do some work like writing or consulting, why not become part-time digital nomads? Then you could stay in Europe or South America for months at a time.
Bob you are spot on. Even when we leave LA for full time travel in 15 months, we should still be able to bring in money when needed through digital nomadism. I've already told my clients I'm leaving LA and will be prioritizing adventure, but will still be willing help them with projects if they're willing to accommodate my schedule. So far a few of them seem fine with that, so I might be able to do an actual 1-day work week (not quite the Tim Ferris 4-hour work week, but close!) and still bring in a decent income. I'd be fine with that. As for Reno v. Bishop, that's a great idea for an analysis and also for a video because we've been wanting to spend some time in Reno. We might well follow that suggestion -- thank you! --A
cheapr 2 buy a bomber hous vs rent ,, fix n sell .. what about skiing? Berlin is super kool..thats so kool u can do what u love... always excited to see your next adventure,, i hav lived from anchorage to LA SF to sweden,,, u might liv somewhere 5 yrs then move to another region... great to hear your dreams n ideas.. your videos r truly spectacular,,, stay safe ,,the skys the limit...u should liv next door to me or rent from me n go skiing w me etc
We would love to do that! One of our first goals in early retirement is actually to get some good ski mountaineering skills, because we'd like to add that to our adventure repertoire. Also, would LOVE to hear your stories about living in places like Anchorage and Sweden, both of which are up there on our list of places we plan to visit and explore!! ❤️
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Hey guys, We lived in Manitou Springs four miles west of Colorado Springs for 23 years at 6400 feet just below Pikes Peak and two blocks from Garrden of the Gods.Manitou is a charming historical town. Check out the Barr trail which lads to the top of Pikes Peak. Southwest Colorado Springs has aloot of crime. Just up the mountain highway is Green Mountain Falls another smaller community. You can also hike up Williams Canyon from Manitou is you sign a release form from Cave of the Winds. There are also plenty of trails off Old Stage road at the base of Pikes peak.Another nice town about 40 miles from Aspen is Glenwood Springs but a little more expensive, but smaller than Colorado Springs If you guys have any questions feel to ask.
Love it, Ron! We've actually stayed in Glenwood Springs for a few days and adored it, but will likely do the Colorado Springs area for longer-term because we have several friends in the Boulder area and would like to be close to them. Will check out Manitou for sure -- 6400 feet is the dream acclimation elevation! We will definitely hit you up for advice next year as we approach the actual departure date. ❤️
Colorado Springs native here. The Incline is a fantastic way to train, but in recent years it’s become overcrowded. Instead, if you want to go on some hard local hikes, I’d recommend Cameron Cone (the TH is right next to The Incline, but it’s lesser known), Blodgett Peak, Eagle Peak on the Air Force Academy, Mount Herman (the scrambling route), and Tenney Crags (you can look it up on summitpost.org). Btw I love your channels! Your videos are so inspiring and uplifting.
Thanks Jack -- this is great info!!! ❤️
I spent a month in Denver but didn’t get to do any hikes in Colorado Springs! Garden of the Gods and the Manitou Steps are on the list for next time. 😊
I love Manitou, but man, it's gotten exceptionally busy and crammed the last few years ☹️
Still a fun place for adventures though! Especially Williams Canyon ❤️
I feel like Anchorage would be incredible for a summer, the sheer number of jaw dropping mountains and untouched wilderness you can access from there is insane.
Yes Bonnie! That is a great idea, and we of course need to climb Denali at some point so staying for a couple months in Anchorage and doing the local hikes and climbs would be a perfect complement to that! ❤️
+1 for Colorado Springs. Excellent choice! I hiked the Manitou Incline last week (really a challenge rather than a hike, but a cake walk for you two).
I’m new to Colorado. You may find many of the 14ers inaccessible in the cold months due to road closures and avalanche risk. I *think* many of the 14ers are generally (with exceptions) hiked from June thru late October.
Congratulations on your upcoming early retirement - not an easy goal to achieve for many people.
That's awesome you trained on the Manitou Incline!!! We've actually never done it, but when we spend a few months in Colorado Springs it will for sure be a go-to for our training days -- love that crazy steepness! You are totally right about the inaccessibility of many 14ers in winter, and we're having the same problem in Cali right now. So many road closures, and currently tons of avalanche risk in the Sierra. But on the upside it looks like it's not storming this weekend, so we'll find an open road to some sort of beautiful snowshoe. ❤️
I'm set to retire at 52 myself...so I love what you guys have planned! Only 8 more years for me, but A LOT of adventures will be had in that time 😁
Love it!!! If our experience is any guide those 8 years are going to fly by. Hope in the meantime our explorations will inspire some good ideas so by the time you pull the plug you'll have a full and epic adventure plan in place!! ❤️
I have been to Bariloche and although it is in the beautiful lake region between Chile and Argentine for a more adventurous location take a look at El Chalten which is more in the center of Patagonia and is the climbing capital of Argentina and is adjacent to Los Glaciares National Park and Fitz Roy. Probably not a place you want to live permanently but definitely for an extended stay during spring, summer and fall. Good luck.
Tom that is a great idea! We're intending to go for a few months (prob Dec 2024-March 2025), so should have plenty of time for extended stays in both towns. ❤️
Bishop is my top place to go. Close to Death Valley, lots of petroglyphs in the area and ancient bristlecone pines. So much around there. Thank you for the health insurance information for California as health care in this country is out of control and that scares me as near age 50.
Yes Julio, we LOVE Death Valley and have had many amazing adventures there, and it really is a short drive from Bishop. You're right to be concerned about health care costs -- it is quite literally our number one concern in taking early retirement, and we're being really careful to make sure we'll have great health care covered before pulling the plug and adventuring full time. ❤️
I just closed on my house on the north shore yesterday. My area is really cool. Its BWCA hub so there all these remote areas to go to. If you guys ever want to do an extreme trip you guys could come out here and load up a canoe and see how far back into the wilderness you could get with canoeing and portaging the craziest wilderness trails ever! Its all regulated but its untouched land in between U.S. and Canada. People from all over the world come here for trips like this and to enjoy the area. There are no mountains but its mountainous terrain and many of the hikes are brutal just from the extremely treacherous terrain. You guys should definitely check it out. You may not fully understand it until you see some photos and get some info but I think its right up your alley! There are waterfalls everywhere out here too. I moved up here because its the perfect year round northwoods location just like how you guys were talking about. This area is the type of area where there is so much to do that you could go forever trying to find and see everything.
Congratulations on the house Stephen! Wow what an incredible place (albeit with some of the world's most giant mosquitoes, as I recall). We will absolutely come out there and do some epic canoe-hikes with you -- it will make a great change of pace from high-mountain hiking, and E is obsessed with waterfalls! --A
@@RenegadeRetirement Lol, yes not necessarily big mosquitos but big clouds of mosquitos but only during certain times! And yes big crazy waterfalls everywhere of all kinds. Super cool area! I've been trying too find out as much as I can about this whole area and maybe become a guide of sorts. I'm getting to know everyone up here and this summer will be huge. Its the most wild terrain up here and the woods are majestic and are like enchanted forrest's in certain areas!
I've been thinking a lot about this same topic, even though I'm in my early 30's. The list you came up with is great, and I would have chosen something similar, though I don't feel the need to live in a mountain town full time as much as you guys!
I love Bishop as a top choice, though I've been thinking that Vegas might be a better option for me: more food & entertainment options, international airport, and halfway between the Easter Sierras and the canyon mecca that is Utah. In Europe, another option worth considering is San Sebastian - great lifestyle, close to great hiking in the Pyrenees and the northern coast of Spain.
Romain that's so cool you're already thinking about these things. I'm in my early 30's too, but just so aware of how fast time and health go by that I want to maximize this time, and Adam being ready to retire makes it easy for me. Love your choice of options! Vegas is a really interesting choice as long as you don't need to be at altitude -- very affordable housing if you don't live on the strip, and like you say close to both the Sierra and to Zion, Bryce, etc. Plus, lots of good climbing opportunities in the Red Rock area! Love the idea of San Sebastian -- we will start researching that as a potential stop on our world tour, because we really want to spend some time in the Pyrenees. Thank you! --E
Bishop is awesome. We always stop at Looney Bean when we're up there. Copper Top is also an excellent BBQ on your way up to the White Mountains. As far as mobile homes, Livin' Hard in the Trailer Park would be a great series!
And Jack's, Jon, don't forget about Jack's! Incredible breakfasts with the world's biggest and most delicious blueberry muffins!! There's honestly a pretty good chance that your Livin' Hard in the Trailer Park idea will eventually be coming to Renegade Retirement 😂 Adam is genuinely obsessed with mobile home parks in beautiful places! --E
you should check out Madeira Island next time you are in Europe. I lived there for a few months and it has great hiking and you are never far away from the ocean to cool down after the hike.
That is a great recommendation -- we had honestly never heard of it before, but just looked it up and it looks amazing! We have got to do some of those gorgeous waterfall hikes!! ❤️
Glad Colorado is on your list - however, you picked the wrong side, lol... but I'm probably biased since I live on the Western Slope 😉. We're only 15 minutes away from so many hikes and the Grand Mesa is only 30 minutes for winter and summer fun. If I had to live on the Front Range, Colorado Springs would be on my list.
Haha we love Colorado so much, and are def considering a few different places especially in the Glenwood Springs/Aspen area as well. So jealous you're only 15 minutes away from great hiking! We have a couple close friends in Boulder, and with how much we'll be traveling even after settling down the proximity to Denver and its international airport seems pretty ideal. But really, we just have to get to early retirement (so close now!) and then spend a few consecutive months out there to really figure out what's what! ❤️
Maybe checkout Montrose Colorado, foothill of the San Juan Mountains but also super close to Utah desert. Plus close enough to Denver
A Few places the wife and I have talked about in the US:
(we are looking for a more small town vibe than you guys)
Kanab Utah, Its in the center of a TON of stuff to do.
Flagstaff Arizona, Close to Sedona and grand canyon, higher elevation, full amenities with a regional airport.
Carson City Nevada, Close to Reno for Travel and good access to the Sierra's without having to live in California (no offense 😆 )
Salida and Telluride in Colorado, but they are quite expensive.
Various places in Montana and Idaho, but the older I get the less I like the cold! we would have to snowbird it.
Matt you are really talking our language! Kanab was actually on our short-list for this video. We love Utah, and at around 5000 ft elevation Kanab is perfect for long-term acclimation, plus being close to tons of great hiking. Great choice. We also love Flagstaff, and have spent some really enjoyable time there --would be an incredible retirement spot. We'll slow travel at first and live in a lot of these places for a month or more at a time, maybe even for a few years, before settling down. And then, even when we do, we will for sure "snowbird" it like you guys. We're going to be all about the endless summer in retirement! ❤️
Loved this video! Such in depth research went into it. The info regarding each area’s affordability and health care was really interesting.
I would Moab or St George Utah because of the access to those great national parks. Not sure about its elevation though.
But the most pressing issue is the access to a reliable source of pop tarts
Haha you are right, because a lot of Euro countries refuse to sell pop tarts since they contain food dyes! We might have to smuggle them in!! We freaking love St George by the way -- have stayed many nights there, and although its elevation is only two thousand and something the proximity to Zion and Bryce more than makes up for it. ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement i didn’t realize that about the food dyes. But pop tarts have artificial stuff in them? I thought they were ambrosia from the gods. Colorado and Utah are two of my favorite states for national parks, hiking, exploring, and all around beauty. Each has so much to offer. But any of those places on your top 5 would be wonderful. Looking forward to seeing where you end up going!
Those parks are so freaking populated now. Would be pure hell to have to deal with that crap in your backyard IMO.
Why rent an apartment in the Dolomites, or the Alps in general? Just do hut-to-hut. There's a complete network of more than 1,000 huts/rifugio, from Italy to Switzerland to France, connected by cable cars/gondola and trails/via ferrata of various degree of difficulty. Most huts offer half-board (dorm bed + dinner + breakfast) for about €70 (lower if you join their Alpine Club). Some huts are so remote that all supplies are helicoptered in, while others are a short gondola-ride away from civilization.
You can enter the Dolomites in June, and leave from France in September. No need to bring a sleeping bag or tent. Just a light daypack with clothes to change. With a good map, a credit card, and some cash (many remote huts don't take credit card), you can spend the whole summer improvising your itinerary thru Alps and experiencing different via ferrata, huts, and food each day, without leaving the mountains.
This is genius! We had assumed that improvisation isn't possible because all the huts would be booked up, but if there are enough huts with openings we will do this plan in a heartbeat. Do you really think the huts might have last minute openings? If so, it would really be perfect for us. ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement When I did hut-to-hut in the Dolomites (2014 and 2017), I didn't make reservations at all and had no problem just walking in. Hiking solo helps of course, but often I had the whole dorm room to myself. Sine you are two, after you choose the destination for the next day, just give them a quick call to make sure. Some huts have private rooms you can pay a little extra to upgrade. The tradition in the Alps is that huts don't turn away last-minute guests because this could mean life-or-death. I'm not suggesting you take advantage of that, but usually with 1 or 2 people it's not too much trouble. Worst case scenario, the hut can, after dinner is over, put you on the dining tables for the night.
That is great to know. We are definitely going to try that approach, and honestly wouldn't complain at all about sleeping on a dining table if we came in late. Thank you!
@@RenegadeRetirement I want to walk back a little, so you, and people reading the comments, don't get the wrong idea that improvisation is super easy. It's been several years since my last visit, and I did it solo in shoulder session (late Aug - Sep). Demand may be surging post-pandemic. Also, huts along the Alta Via routes are highly popular, so hike at your own risk.
What a great list you came up with! I am especially excited you are considering Colorado Springs! I have a home there and absolutely love this city. Being centrally located on the Front Range, I really couldn't think of a better place to be within a few hours reach of the entire Colorado Rockies. In and around town there is so much there for hikers, climbers and nature lovers to do and with Denver 45 minutes to the north it is an outdoor enthusiast's city of choice.
If money were no object I would pick the Dolomites and often dream of having a cottage there, who knows, maybe someday. You really can't go wrong with any of these locations and I am very excited for you to begin the next phase of your life of adventure and exploration!
Thanks so much -- how great that you have a house there We will most definitely be hitting you up for advice on Colorado Springs about 15 months from now. Our plan is to spend a few months renting in each of the areas we listed here and maybe a few others too, really exploring and getting to know them well, before even considering buying a permanent place. The proximity to Denver is definitely a huge bonus, especially given that even once we do "settle down" we'll prob still be traveling for about half the year and it would be great to be so close to that big airport! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement Perfect way to approach it and would love to help with any questions or requests you have regarding the Springs or anything CO-related!
I'm retired in the CO mountains, about an hour west of Denver. Something to consider is living in the foothills of the Rockies, instead of one of the Front Range cities. You can be within an hour of Colorado Springs, Denver, Fort Collins, yet still live in a small mountain town. More affordable too if you stay out of ski-resort towns. Altitudes of 6-8k are the norm in the foothills, so good for acclimatization, yet not so high visiting friends get sick. Living a bit west of Colorado Springs keeps you close to the biggest concentration of 14ers as well, while staying in the "banana belt' where winters aren't so harsh. Just let your Google Earth mouse drift a bit more west.
This is a great idea, and we will absolutely look into it. We're planning to spend 4 or 5 weeks in CO climbing 14ers and scouting possible living spots next summer, and we will follow your advice during our recon! ❤️
Might I suggest Portugal? 😏Lots of mainland hiking opportunities and also the islands of Madeira and Azores!
I really love this list you’ve compiled and can’t wait to see where you guys land first - I hope abroad! Would love to have a conversation next time we see each other - on taking foreign income/retirement while living abroad in a lower income country, and how to do this respectfully, not drive up prices, and give back to the community and integrate by learning the local language. I’ve tried to catch myself any time I say something is “cheap” - I ask myself is it cheap for those with local income? Usually no. The minimum wage here in Portugal is 760€/month and average is 1,200€. Additionally, we’ve discovered that living in Portugal is about the same cost as living in Germany for us, even though we’d anticipated a lower cost of living and lower rent. It’s not as easy to find these secret local rent prices as you may think! Especially if you’re seen as foreigners with higher incomes. We had to pay 6 months of rent up front just to land an apartment, for example. I’ve read in the Portugal expat groups that most, if not all, spend more money to live here than originally anticipated, so adding a buffer on top of your budget is key. And on that note, joining Facebook groups for these areas you’re considering can be so helpful! We’ve learned so much from the groups, and people are so generous in responding to posts.
Anyways, great video! Lots of love to you two ❤🏔️
Arielle this is such great info about Portugal, and living abroad insights in general! We have to come visit you guys and have you on an R2 video explaining this stuff, because Portugal is such a popular spot for American retirees and early retirees. I think the R2 group would love that video -- we certainly would!!! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement i wanted to get your thoughts and perspectives! You guys are so well-researched 🤓 it’s something that’s on my mind a lot since moving here and seeing how locals have all been driven out of Lisbon because the rent is too high due to foreigners coming into the country, both as tourists and residents. It’s an interesting topic for sure!
I would choose Colorado Springs Elise... Safety is best for both of you.. Expensive but safe... You have to take care Elise.. Life can be tricky... Love you... ✌️🤗
Thanks so much, Serge! Yes Colorado Springs and Bishop are both extremely safe and have great access to medical care -- that really is an important consideration! ❤️
This just got me dreaming of so many outdoor things I need to do!
Ashwin that's the most fun thing about doing this channel -- our favorite hobby of all time is dreaming about this stuff and making it happen, and now we get to make videos where we plan things, budget for them, and then make them a reality! ❤️
Super cool list! If you’re looking for affordability and epic mountains, I’d definitely look into some Central Asian towns. Karakol, Kyrgyzstan is at about 5000 feet and is next to a bunch of world class hikes
Lili thank you very much -- that is the kind of inspiration we definitely need and are hoping to get as we continue this channel! Our hope is to go spend time and make videos in exactly those kinds of places around the world -- we are putting it on the list right now! ❤️
Bishop would be an awesome place to live! I was thinking if my town in NorCal ever burned down I would head to Bishop since Eastern Sierra is my fav hiking area. I did read some comments last year, from Bishop residents (on an Eastern Sierra Facebook group), about how few medical specialists they have. They said they need to travel to Reno, Ridgecrest or even Los Angeles to get decent medical care. And some older or disabled folks who couldn't travel that far would end up dying. I would love to hear from you 2 that your research proved otherwise! I also would consider wildfire risk and how much smoke you'd have to deal with (remember how bad the air quality was in Mammoth was last year?). And earthquake danger since Bishop is so close to the Long Valley Caldera Supervolcano and the Walker Lane Fault System. But there's probably no threat of running out of water so I think it would be worth living in the Bishop area for a while!
Barbara that is such a good point about medical specialists! Because we are both at Kaiser and like our doctors there, if/when we live in Bishop we had already planned to come back to LA for medical appointments so the issue wouldn't really affect us -- in fact, for us it's a selling point of Bishop since it would allow us to keep our same doctors. However, most people would definitely not want to do four-hour drive to LA to see a medical specialist, so that really is a genuine consideration. You're right too about the potential for wildfire smoke (it was brutal during those fires two years ago), though as highly mobile early retirees that also wouldn't affect us too much since we'd just take it as an opportunity to go adventure somewhere non-smoky for a while! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement Yep much better doctors in Los Angeles, well worth the drive! That's one thing I miss about living in LA area. You even have a choice to fly now that Bishop has an airport. I have to drive over an hour, maybe 2 hours for my specialists... so 4 hours isn't really that bad, and you get to visit friends. I'd love it if you 2 were in the Eastern Sierra for a while!!
So much to explore around Bishop! I live in Reno, and anytime we consider moving I can’t imagine not being able to easily shoot down 395 to spend a weekend in the Sierras. Good luck with your decision. 👍🏽
Thanks Ray! Reno and Tahoe are both places that are also high on our list -- Reno has great elevation and excellent hiking nearby, plus a good cost of living. Good life choice on your part! ❤️
Hello Adam and Elise!! This is a great list of diverse places! Thank you very much for sharing spots that you've already put some thoughts into.
If the mention of Switzerland gets you going, come on to the Switzerland of America, Ouray Colorado! The San Juan mountains give plenty of high altitude movement areas. The downside here is that the lodging is not cheap. So....maybe not a real long stay, but there are tons of long range movement opportunities here up at altitude.
When you go to Colorado Springs (I was stationed there for 2 years in the 90s; I hiked up Pikes Peak weekly to get ready for my advanced army unit tryouts), I'd recommend trying to find a living spot on the north-ish part of town. That is how you'll have quicker access to the Denver activities. Having lived in C.S. for those 2 years, the only thing I didn't like is I still had to get in my car to go hiking. But...the "pluses" can definitely cancel out the negatives.
I LOVE Italy!! The mountains, the oceans, the culture; it is all very grand. A side story- I was deployed for 6 months during the Kosovo War in 1999. When I got back home (stationed in Stuttgart, Germany), I took my 3 yr old son with me on a camping trip to give my wife a break (she had my 6 month old daughter though). The plan was to go camp in Austria, and work my way down to the Italian mountains. This led to that...and I happen to get an email from my graves registration buddies in Italy that they were coming up to Vicenza Italy for their monthly medical resupply runs (this is next to Venice). So...I altered my plans to drive to Venice and meet them for some days (I still had my son with me). A side story of the side story....he and I were eating downtown and went to a pizza place. I asked him what he wanted to eat and he said pizza. I asked what kind and he said "french fry pizza". I talked to the staff....and they made him a french fry pizza with french fries melted into the cheese ehheehhe. So...I got a hotel in Venice. My friends came over to the hotel room nightly for adult beverages...great food ...and loud music. During the day, I'd take my son around Venice. My wife STILL is pissed that my son and I went to Venice and she never got to go. We lived the dream with hotel camping hehehehe.
Have a great weekend!
Haha these are great stories, Alan! "Camping" in Venice is hilarious, and the french fry pizza 😂-- Italians are the best! Yes we will for sure come visit Ouray and do the via ferrata there. BTW Adam's daughter finishes ROTC the same month next year that his son graduates high school and and he takes early retirement, so one of the other ways we're going to plan travel is around wherever she gets stationed -- hope it's somewhere fun! ❤️
@Renegade Retirement hi there!! Ok...that would be awesome to see you in Ouray!!! Yes...they have expanded the free via ferrata routes here, and also to include a commercial one that you have to pay to use as it goes on private lands.
Wow...that is really exciting!! Yes...I hope she gets a really cool assignment!! Being just a gun slinger in the Army, it was challenging to get beautiful assignments. The exception was to Colorado Springs in the 90s, as well as Germany in the mid 90s.
I used to say Boise, Idaho. Easy outdoor access, summer and winter activities, good variety of food, good enough airport, and lots of medical centers. BUT, over the last 10 years, the cost of housing has gone through the roof both in Boise and in the surrounding communities. Fortunately, my mom moved up there over 10 years ago. If you've never spent any time there, you might be surprised; I know I was. The only thing that I can figure is it is because Boise is the largest city for hundreds of miles and it has a university.
Wow I guess I honestly had no idea Boise, Idaho was such a hotspot for outdoor activities! I've apparently got to up my Idaho education. Sounds like your mom got in at a good time! -E
Great stuff! Love these places! I think the idea of spending part of the year in two or more of these cities is very cool. The only downside of that is cost of travel between the places, which maybe that could be another episode. The other aspect is getting around once you are there. I'm sure if you were in Bishop or COS you'd have your own vehicle, but not once you were located in an international destination, that's a different story (yes, some places have better public transport than others). Logistics matter! 😎 As for other options, and not necessarily for long-term stays, you would love places like Crete, Sicily, Sardinia, Croatia, etc. Good food, great history, plus you have both sea and mountains.
These are great points, Dan. Our thinking on cars is that for Italy and Argentina we would rent when we're driving to a lot of day-hikes -- we've had pretty good luck getting cheap long-term rentals in the past by shopping around -- and then when going off on multi-day treks just take public transport or even a cab to our trailhead. In Nepal we don't know yet -- probably just figure out how the locals get to places and do it that way. Love your ideas for other places, and along those lines we are also planning to do Corsica, where the GR 20 which is supposed to be epic!
Bishop or Colorado Springs would be my choice. Moving to a new country and starting a new life is a challenge. I did it twice when I was young. Leaving behind family and friends is hard. Also, I get the attraction of a mobile home. Guys want life to be simple, but good luck convincing Elyse of that.
Neil that's a good point about leaving behind family and friends, and missing our LA friends will for sure be the hardest thing about full-time adventure travel. But the good news is that a lot of our friends are into travel adventure as well, so hopefully they'll come and visit us in the different places we'll be living. Ya E really loves Bishop but is not fully on board with the mobile home idea yet, but I think we just have to rent one for a couple months and see how it is. The good news is that there's no rush -- we plan to try all of these places for a few months as we slow-travel the world, and maybe we'll try some others as well before deciding where to "settle down" on a more permanent location. --A
Wonderful episode. Though I live in a spectacular area in SW Utah, because of its growth, soaring cost of living, and ever creeping imposition of politics and religion, I’ve been on the lookout for somewhere new that’s still outdoorsy but more secular friendly and affordable. Yikes, it’s way harder than I thought. Thanks for the info!!
That's so interesting, Marc. Of course we love SW Utah for the incredible hiking, but since we've always just been visitors we never even thought about its secular friendliness or lack thereof. The Colorado Springs area could be a really good option for you -- it's totally a live and let live vibe being in CO and so close to Denver/Boulder, yet it's also affordable and of course pretty hard to beat the outdoors opportunities there! ❤️
We'll be your friends if you move to Colorado Springs 😁!
We're following your guidance to retire early and will probably just stay put since COS has some of the most rad trails on the front range. See you around!?
Cheers!
That is awesome to hear!!! We are going to be coming to CO Springs next summer, probably for at least a few weeks, to really check it out and of course do some of the great hiking around there. If you don't mind, we'll reach out to you before we come and pick your brains a bit! ❤️
Why anchor yourself to a location? Consider vanlife! It's super affordable and enables flexibility as you can just move when the weather changes.
Of course, you may have to use the bathroom in full view of each other....
Haha you are right, and van life is definitely something we're planning to do for at least a year or two at some point. We want to do a tour of the best hikes in every state. But we figure we should do the really big mountaineering locations first, while our health and climbing ability is at its max, and then do van life when we slow down a bit. ❤️
As a native Californian I vote for the Dolomites. 😊
That's a good vote, and it is looking like the Dolomites/Alps will be our very first stop in year one. We're planning to go over again for a few weeks this summer to climb and see if we can make a few connections for renting a place in summer/fall 2024 at a reasonable rate! ❤️
First of all, congrats on the early retirement! An incredible achievement for sure! I am SO happy that Ortisei is high on your list! I went last June and couldn't agree.
more with your reasons! Also, would love to hear your tips on financial success
Thanks so much, and wow you picked the perfect time to go to Ortisei! We were there just after you, in July, and could barely bring ourselves to leave. So looking forward to spending at least a few months there consecutively once we're traveling full time, and really getting into the flow of the place. Meanwhile, we will absolutely be doing lots of videos on our saving and investing strategies that have gotten us to this point and that we expect to carry us forward into a long and exciting retirement, and will make sure to highlight all of our mistakes as well as our successes, because those might be even more instructive! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement i know! I got back and found your videos! Wish i had seen them sooner cuz your hikes looked epic, not that one can go wrong there. Yay! Looking forward to the money videos 😍
Hello guys! Great video. My hubby and i are also on track to retire early and having exactly the same discussions, even down to wanting to live at altitude! We have a handy proxy that we use as a COL calculator which we call the espresso index: the cost of a single espresso compared across places. In Switzerland (which we love of course, whats not to love!) weve paid up to 5CHF for an espresso, whereas in parts of italy (❤) it can be as cheap as a euro. Now that's the sort of place we need! Not definitive at all of course, but a handy little tool to guage affordability. After all, retirement definitely needs to include good coffee (after fab outdoor adventures 😅).
Jennifer this is great stuff -- love the espresso index! That's so cool you guys are trying to FIRE and even going for altitude too. Let's definitely be in touch about this -- we would love to hear your tips and have been learning a great deal this past year ourselves. As soon as hiking season slows down we'll do a detailed breakdown of our 6-week "practice" retirement in Europe this summer. It was very eye opening! ❤️
I look forward to seeing that! We're definitely still searching for "the spot" so any tips, opinions welcome. It's getting the mix of affordability with year-round living and activity which is the challenge. We've seen some amazing Italian mountain villages that are super affordable buuut we'd literally be the only people in the village who are getting outdoors. We're looking for a real outdoorsy lifestyle with like-minded people - easy to find in Chsmonix etc but just too expensive to be sustainable. So I'll be looking out for your 6 week summary 😊
Brilliant idea for a video! Very interesting
Thanks Tomasz! Very glad you enjoyed. One of the funnest things about this channel is just sharing the things we're passionate about, and number one on that list is definitely the desire to live a life of full-time adventure in beautiful places! ❤️
Awesome!!!!!
What about MN 😂 ❤️
Haha Dave we will for sure come and visit MN during, say, lilac season in the spring, but def not living there during winter 😂
Bishop, I hope to live there too. At some point in my life :)
Awesome! Ya we go there so often that we already consider it kind of a home away from home -- hope we all end up there hiking and climbing and living the outdoor dream! ❤️
for me, I think I’m goin’ to Katmandu. That’s really, really where i’m goin’ to. If I ever get outta’ here, I’m goin’ to Katmandu! 👍🏼
Sing it!!
Haha wow, nice Bob Seger pull!!!
@@RenegadeRetirement yeah, still running against the wind... 🌬🙃
All lovely places, hard to pick from those. Did you consider Chile or Ecuador?
Yes Harlan! We have some friends in Chile and are definitely planning to visit there, and then if we fall in love with it may well stay for a few weeks or months. The great thing about spending our first few years slow traveling around will be that we can really live in these different places and fully experience them before deciding on a place full time. We actually don't know too much about Ecuador -- is there some great hiking there? ❤️
Hey guys! Have not watched this yet (traveling) but have glanced though some of the comments. Having lived in Ft. Collins and CO the past 40 years, I have lots of thoughts, knowledge, and opinions on best places :-). I'm happy to chat/email/dm/talk with ya. But am off the grid for 10 days ski touring in Canada. Lemme know how I can help!
Paul we are so freaking jealous of this Canada trip! We would love to be doing that right now. Have a great time (and please be safe!), and we will absolutely be mining your knowledge in the future as we plan our initial Colorado stay, which will probably be for 2-3 months in the summer/fall of 2024! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement Super - contact me anytime. Summer and fall are simply so much fun in Colorado (well actually all seasons are, esp for you guys!). So many great places and you guys have a lotta time being young! Happy and excited for ya!
Split your time between Thailand and Nepal. Perfect combination. Great health care in Thailand when you need it, (better and cheaper than anywhere in the US- my doctor went to Johns Hopkins med school) massive cultural stuff, great for the winters, and summer in Nepal. The Himalayas blow away anything in the west.
That sounds like an awesome lifestyle! So excited to get to the Himalayas!! ❤️
Just got to have a bunch of money. ✌But its fun to fantasize about it!! Cool
Haha ya that bunch of money thing is the only reason we're not already traveling the world full time, but we're getting close! ❤️
Don’t do Katmandu. Good guide. Italy is good but don’t forget about Lake District UK or Chamonix
Absolutely, Andrew! Adam spent many years in the UK growing up, and he absolutely loves the Lake District. He tells me I will love it too, and we plan to spend at least a few weeks there during our first year of retirement travel! --E
So you guys are definitely taking the plunge good on you your still young to
Enjoy the mountains you can come to bonnie Scotland snows in May %June
Plenty mozzies in summer rain in August 😂😢 I wish we'll in your next journey 🏴🏴
Thanks much, Keith -- yes we will be leaving LA in June of 2024, and most definitely plan to stop and hike Scotland on our journeys, rain and mist and all! ❤️
One thing about Nepal is I have been there twice and I would love to live there as you can drop into India easily - and by the way it is pronounced Po-kha-ra
Thanks Rick -- that is so cool you've been there twice already! Good point about India, too. That's a place we'd love to spend some time, but have no idea where we would start. Did you do any climbing or hiking there at all?
@@RenegadeRetirement two more thoughts - starting April 1st solo hikes are not longer allowed so you have to go together 😅 - my cousin has lived in manitou springs but we really like woodland park to get away from people
Haha well the together part is no problem --E gets super mad if I go out without her anyway! Good to know about Woodland Park -- that area of CO will probably be our first extended stay after leaving LA. --A
I'd add Ljubljana Slovenia to the list
Done! We would love to visit the Slovenian Alps!! ❤️
my great grandmother immigrated to the US from there in the early 1900's. It looks incredibly beautiful and it seems to be more of a land of opportunity now. I understand she left there because, at the time, it was a difficult place to live for economic reasons.
What cost of living calculator are you using?
That's a great question! COL calculators are a lot of fun and useful for the US, but we haven't found one that handles the overseas places we want to live. For US, we've like both Nerdwallet and Smartasset. Do you happen to know a good one for overseas? For our overseas comparisons, we just read and research a lot and figure out average cost of housing and food. Fortunately all the places -- even the Dolomites -- are cheaper than Santa Monica! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement The table you show at 8:34 when discussing Bariloche, is that someting you built or did you find it out in the cyberspace? I read Nerdwallet, expat articles linked from CNBC, etc, etc to get a general COL idea as well.
Much is just from experience, my wife and I have traveled the world extensively over the last 20 years (7 continents, 58 or so countries).
We love the "Big Mac index" for real life, simple purchasing power comparisons. Great example is Norway vs The Philippines!
We sourced some of these from a combo of sites and then cross referenced with input from friends and expat boards + blogs. I think the specific table may have been from Numbeo, which we’ve heard will give a general ballpark but may over or under estimate based on the city. We’ll assume an underestimate on Bariloche just to be safe, but it’s still very affordable!
ELISE and ADAM, a good morning from France. ADAM thank you for your answer in very good French, I am happy and honored. I watch all your videos in 4K which are of quality, with good comments embellished with the voice of ELISE. Without sycophancy I like your philosophy both, your sympathy and your humor, despite the enormous work done in preparation to achieve these results of accomplished sportsmen. Live your dreams, and I hope your projects will succeed, I hope so. Kisses to both of you. DAN
ELISE et ADAM, un bonjour de France. ADAM je te remercie pour ta réponse en très bon Français, j’en suis content et honoré. Je regarde toutes tes vidéos en 4K qui sont de qualité, avec de bons commentaires agrémentés de la voix d’ELISE. Sans flagornerie j’aime votre philosophie à tous deux, votre sympathie et votre humour, malgré l’énorme travail effectué en préparation pour arriver à ces résultats de sportifs accomplis. Vivez vos rêves, et j’espère que vos projets aboutiront, je le souhaite. Bises à vous deux. DAN
Merci beaucoup, Dan, et merci d'Elise aussi pour tes gentils mots sur sa voix. Nous vraiment vivons nos reves, et avoir amis gentils comme toi en est une partie importante.
👍🏻❤️
We're getting so psyched for some full-time adventure, Larry! ❤️
@@RenegadeRetirement Can’t wait! Love you guys!!!
Reno vs. Bishop is a worthy analysis. No state income tax in NV plus really good healthcare in Reno. Plus a real airport to link to hubs for international travel destinations. If you still plan to do some work like writing or consulting, why not become part-time digital nomads? Then you could stay in Europe or South America for months at a time.
Bob you are spot on. Even when we leave LA for full time travel in 15 months, we should still be able to bring in money when needed through digital nomadism. I've already told my clients I'm leaving LA and will be prioritizing adventure, but will still be willing help them with projects if they're willing to accommodate my schedule. So far a few of them seem fine with that, so I might be able to do an actual 1-day work week (not quite the Tim Ferris 4-hour work week, but close!) and still bring in a decent income. I'd be fine with that. As for Reno v. Bishop, that's a great idea for an analysis and also for a video because we've been wanting to spend some time in Reno. We might well follow that suggestion -- thank you! --A
cheapr 2 buy a bomber hous vs rent ,, fix n sell .. what about skiing? Berlin is super kool..thats so kool u can do what u love... always excited to see your next adventure,, i hav lived from anchorage to LA SF to sweden,,, u might liv somewhere 5 yrs then move to another region... great to hear your dreams n ideas.. your videos r truly spectacular,,, stay safe ,,the skys the limit...u should liv next door to me or rent from me n go skiing w me etc
We would love to do that! One of our first goals in early retirement is actually to get some good ski mountaineering skills, because we'd like to add that to our adventure repertoire. Also, would LOVE to hear your stories about living in places like Anchorage and Sweden, both of which are up there on our list of places we plan to visit and explore!! ❤️