We just hit a milestone on our little website here at Controlled Jibe: We had over 1000 hits yesterday alone. That equals an astonishing 0.000018% of the internet using population has visited us (seriously, there’s a website that tracks that). We have been amazed at how many people have found the site and even more surprised at how many came back after so much low brow humor, vulgar language, and disheveled and bedraggled imagery of a couple of vagabond sailors. Not to mention all the out of place semicolons and dangling participles that slipped by the editor. I guess it says something about our audience, eh?
Well, it’s time to expose yourselves. No, no, no, not your dangling participles, your stories. Who are you? What brought you here and what do you like about the website. As this chapter of the sailing journey nears a close, we realize that our genre will quickly change from “Sailing Blog” to “Two people going off to their day jobs Blog.” However, we’d like to keep writing, because we plan on continuing this grand adventure of life in a somewhat non-traditional fashion, and we’d love to know who our current audience is and what you like about the blog.
Is it the salty sailing advice? I hope not, because we don’t really know what the hell we’re doing. Is it the dazzling photography of far away places as the snow accumulates out your office window? We’re assuming that it’s Wylie, with his rugged good looks and rakish antics he’s a veritable Huck Finn aboard this little Pearson Triton raft. He’s handsome as the devil and he knows he can get away with murder!
In short, you know all about us; you know about our diet, our budget, our taste in swimsuits, and more than you probably should about our toilet. If you wouldn’t mind dropping us a comment in the box below and telling us who you are and what you want to see in the next iteration of the blog, we’d sure appreciate it!
Very good friends of Mike and Robin Burns. Envy, fascination, and as alluded to in current post–Dog Lovers with a current “stable” of one 14 years old Golden Retriever (Rocky) and one 5 year old Golden Doodle (Charlie). Thank you for allowing us to share in your adventure. R Smooth Sailing……
Tell Mike and Robin hello from us, and give Rocky and Charlie a belly rub. Coincidentally, Wylie was originally named Rocky before he got to the rescue shelter where they changed it to Rusty. We then changed to Wylie. We didn’t go through the whole name changing process as with a boat, though, lucky for Wylie that he didn’t get a champagne bottle to the forehead.
We found your blog while researching/looking for a Cape Dory (Alberg) early last year, and we’ve followed along ever since. We enjoy your photos, your dog, your candid, humorous writing, the obvious curiosity you bring along in your explorations, and your humility. You “don’t know what you’re doing”? I bet that’s a requirement when diving head first into a new adventure. If your next chapter is married life as job-holding landlubbers – we’ll keep reading. Until then, Fair winds….
Belinda
Ah, the Cape Dory, such a beautiful boat. Dud you end up finding one? Sometimes maybe it’s better not to know what you’re doing; if you did you might have more “sense” than to ever start the adventure in the first place.
@Katie – We did indeed find & buy a Robinhood – made with Cape Dory hull molds, and built by the same folks who made Cape Dory all those years – only now they build them in Maine as Robinhood Marine. Beautiful boats. We fall in love a little deeper every time we look at ours.
And as for losing our senses to pursue adventures – I think wedging even a little of that into a life lived carefully is good for the soul. Cheers to you for sharing your journey and inspiring others to do a little more of the same.
Mark, I’m a friend and colleague of your Dad’s who turned me on the site on a recent trip I took to Austin. It’s a wonderful read and I’ve also shared it with some friends who are now in the boat purchasing phase.
Cheers!
Excellent. As far as your boat buying friends go, tell them to keep an eye on the blog in the next few days…
We were luckily to have been your dock mates back in 2011 at Dayton. We were both so wet behind the ears back then, but obviously now you guys are very talented/extremely naive to have done so many great things. Raise you glasses to Adventure!
Is that Wanda and Lenny? Did you end up with the Islander? We’d love to hear what you’re doing these days. If you’re still at Dayton, we’d love to crew for you this summer.
I found your blog on a list of best sailing blogs. I am always interested in people sailing with pets and how they cope. So I started reading for Wylie (gotta love Wylie) and kept on because of the low brow humor and vulgar language. 🙂
I just like your dog:) !! I also enjoy your spirit. I should have done what you’re doing 30 years ago.
Gary
It’s funny, we heard that line (about doing it 30 years ago) so many times from so many people, it really validated our decision any time we had doubts.
I found your blog while preparing for Cruising life. I love you low key style and honesty. I like to keep it real but fall short of your mark… I’m sad to see that you are moving on. I’ve enjoyed watching you out there while I’m on land… maybe once we cut the dock lines (june) I’ll become obsessed with what people who live on land are doing… it could happen! Thanks for sharing and good luck in your future endeavors.
It’s funny how the grass can be greener. Thanks for the kind words.
Just a sailor researching Mexico. Really enjoyed your tales of life in the Sea of Cortez 🙂
We remember being in those shoes not too long ago ourselves.
I love your photos. I love your handsome dog Wylie, your boat. I love your many varieties of competence, your humor and loving spirits. You may not talk about the loving part but we can SEE it.
I have a pleasant enough day job, I live with my husband on a boat off Shelter Island in San Diego, and look forward to 2.5 years from now when I will become vested in my pension and able to walk/sail away.
I’ve been entertained and enlightened through your blog. I hope you continue, always, following your inner navigation wherever it leads you. You will always have fans, no need to worry about what they might want.
Happy Valentine’s!
That’s so great to hear. It makes all those days of fightve got the “sail away” date pinned down and can look forward to that.
Does this mean your coming home? Hello, it’s your neighbors who have been enjoying reading about your journey. Now Randy wants a boat but we will stick to the local lakes. I’m not quite ready to sail the ocean. 🙂 Going from the freedom of sailing and living without a schedule would be hard trade to give up for 9-5 jobs. So is a book coming next? You have content right here on your blog.
Hey neighbors, great to hear from you! We are applying for jobs in a few different parts of the country (WA, AK) but we’re also looking for jobs back home in Missuola. We just have to wait and see who hires us! Hope the winter’s starting to break for you.
Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. You made me laugh, smile, and feel connected to your adventure!!! It’s been exciting. You kept it short but with just enough details–always something to look forward in reading. You reminded me how the simple things in life are important and being present in the moment. Wylie–well he’s awesome! Keep on writing no matter what. Love ya!
Hey Regina, we’ll keep the posts coming, even if we’re inland. Glad we could make you laugh a little. Love you too!
Hey guys,
I have a Pearson Triton in Marina del Rey, CA and found your site when I was reading about other people’s experiences with their boats. I’ve been doing a slow restoration – maybe off to see the world in another year or so. Now I check in to your site to see what else you’ve gotten up to.
-Mike
We love to hear about fellow Triton owners that are keeping these great little boats afloat.
I read your blog b-c you do it right… short and sweet, funny and to the point. Plus you two seem to really like each other, which is in painfully short supply among most couples. As mountain lake sailors (currently) we’re also picking up tips from you for when we check out (need to get a cute dog first!).
Keep up the good blog and keep having fun… it’s been a lame ski year in the west anyway so you’re not missing anything!
Thanks for the ski report. We looked at a picture of a snowy Montana morning yesterday, and actually felt a bit of longing. Weird!
Jeff stumbled upon your blog when he was preparing Serenity for our own voyage. He passed the link along to me and we were both hooked (he only passed along the best). You are excellent writers (a great infusion of humor and observations of the natural world) and we share a similar land (and water) ethic. So glad we got to meet you guys…you should keep sailing so that we can buddy boat :). Someone needs to cut you a big ol’ fatty check to make it happen.
Roger that on the fatty check! It was great meeting y’all and we should definitely keep in touch and try to make our paths cross again some day.
Hey from Half Moon Bay, CA,
We happened upon your blog searching for info on our boat. We did something similar in the late 80’s. Quit our jobs and sailed our Yankee 30 for two remarkable years. Heard the same fears and also encouragements that you folks seemed to have experienced when you made your intentions known. Happily for us,and likely for you too, it all worked out very well. Both of us have great careers in science, great family and have maintained our friendships with folks we met along the way. And the adventure is still happening.
We were stoked to see you three doing the same and wish you well. If you ever find yourselves within striking distance of HMB (just south of San Francisco). Give a shout, we would love to meet you.
Mary n Edo
Sounds like we’re on similar trajectories. We’ll definitely track you down if we’re ever in the neighborhood.
Just found your blog and am working through your sea of cortez sailing adventure. I am about to retire and am about to purchase a boat similar to yours and will start in Mexico. For the first couple years or so I plan to spend the summer months camping throughout the west and spending the winters in mexico on a sailboat. I will have a limited budget but I can do this. I want to live the life I started when I was in my early 20’s but I took the traditional route. For the first 14 years out of high school I worked seasonally for the forest service in remote areas of Idaho, Utah, Alaska, Nevada and California. I attended a semester of college each year and traveled a month or two each year. I got married along the way and felt pressure to get a real job and start an acceptable life and career. I cant complain too much. I have worked the last 28 years for the state of Nevada and for the past 25 years I have been stationed on remote sites working in a hatchery then wildlife management areas.
I am concerned about the environment and the consumptive nature of our society too. As a public employee of the federal government and the state I have picked up tons and tons of litter, a real pet peeve of mine. When I was younger I back packed into some remote wilderness areas and standing at an advantage point overlooking a beautiful valley with a stream, meadow and timber up the mountains in the background I would have liked to dream I was the first person to stand in that particular spot and then I would look down and see a cigarette butt or a drink container. Poof, the magic was gone.
We are like minded when it comes to living simple. I spent months living in a 13 foot camp trailer in the 70’s repeated over several years with no refrigeration or heat or heated water or toilet. Had a shovel leaned up against the tongue of the trailer with a roll of toilet paper slipped over the handle and just took a walk and dug a hole and buried it. In the morning I had the pot of coffee ready in the percolator and could reach the burner without getting out of bed. I would wake up and lite the burner and when the coffee was perked the trailer was warmed up and I was ready to get out of bed. In September and October it started getting pretty cool at 9000 feet in the Sierra Nevada mountains. After coffee I would dump a pot of water from the creek over my head and wash my face and pits before combing my hair and getting dressed for work. I can remember many a morning when that cold water hit my head it took me to my knees. I have a 13 foot scamp trailer now. It is set up just like the trailer I had 40 years ago. I do have a solar panel, battery with electric lights and can listen to music or hook up the computer. When I camp I feel crowded when the next camper is within a mile of me. No KOA’s for me.
I have been reading sailing blogs for about 6 years now along with researching sailboats, etc. If you have not read about Atom Voyages you may try googling it and try it. I admire him for knowing he did not want a life in the local factory and worked just long enough to refit a 28 foot pearson sailboat just like yours and set off on his first circumnavigation in his early 20’s with just $500 in his pocket. He has completed 3 circumnavigations and never started a career kind of job. I truly envy him for the adventures he has had.
I read you spent some time in Alaska guiding and are now living in Washington. So far I have really enjoyed reading your blog and look forward with catching up to you in current time. If you are wondering why I sent this email it is in answer to your request while you were in Mexico you were getting more than 1000 hits a day and asked who are you people.
Well I am ron mills and am glad we had this opportunity to share.
Hi Ron,
It sounds like you’ve seen and done some amazing things already, and still have the urge to explore. We are kindred spirits indeed. It is easy to get down on society when you see the over consumption, the pillaging of the environment etc, but it is always reassuring to find at least one more person our there that still cares and wants to help fix things.
We’d love to talk with you more and hear about your plans for sailing in Mexico (and the camping in the west). What type of boat are you thinking about? We learned a bunch about what to do and what not to do, at least for the sea of cortez, and we’d be happy to share if you want to shoot us questions. Congrats on the impending retirement!-Mark and Katie
I’m not stalking you , I’m trying to build up the nerve to take an early retirement and follow your lead . . . honest. I really like your budget inclusion, as I think me an th’ missus could maybe swing a $1.5k budget indefinitely.
Michael – If you’re willing to live simply, that sounds like a totally doable plan, especially in Mexico. Cheers to you both and let us know how it all pans out!
Katie and Mark
I really like it when individuals come together and share ideas.
Great site, stick with it!
I’m not sure where you’re getting your info, but great
topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more.
Thanks for great info I was looking for this info for my mission.
I am sure this article has touched all the internet visitors,
its really really nice paragraph on building up new blog.
I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This post posted at this website is in fact good.
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this site.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times
it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and visual appearance.
I must say you’ve done a excellent job with this. Additionally, the blog
loads extremely fast for me on Firefox. Superb Blog!
I have read a few good stuff here. Definitely price bookmarking for revisiting.
I surprise how so much effort you place to create any such fantastic
informative site.
If you wish for to get a great deal from this article
then you have to apply such techniques to your won blog.
WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for cbd oil that works 2020
That is a very good tip particularly to those new to the
blogosphere. Simple but very accurate info… Thanks for sharing this one.
A must read article!
I like the helpful info you supply to your articles.
I’ll bookmark your blog and check again right here regularly.
I’m fairly certain I’ll be informed a lot of new stuff
proper right here! Good luck for the next!
I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic.
I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
Thanks for magnificent info I was looking for this info
for my mission.
Why visitors still make use of to read news papers when in this technological globe all is
existing on net?
What’s up everyone, it’s my first go to see at this web site, and piece of
writing is genuinely fruitful for me, keep up posting such articles or reviews.
Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a
sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said
“You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear
and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off
topic but I had to tell someone!
Have you ever considered creating an ebook or guest
authoring on other sites? I have a blog centered on the same subjects you discuss and
would love to have you share some stories/information.
I know my subscribers would appreciate your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel
free to send me an e mail.
Awesome post.
Hi there very nice web site!! Man .. Excellent .. Superb ..
I’ll bookmark your web site and take the feeds also?
I’m happy to seek out so many useful information here within the post,
we’d like work out more strategies in this regard,
thank you for sharing. . . . . .
Hello my family member! I wish to say that this article is amazing, nice written and come
with almost all significant infos. I’d like to see more posts like this .
I needed to thank you for this very good read!! I definitely
enjoyed every little bit of it. I have you book-marked to look at
new things you post…
Greetings! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform
are you using for this site? I’m getting fed up of WordPress
because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another
platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of
a good platform. adreamoftrains web hosting providers
Hi there! This blog post could not be written much better!
Going through this post reminds me of my previous roommate!
He constantly kept talking about this. I am going to forward this
post to him. Fairly certain he’s going to have a very good read.
I appreciate you for sharing!
Excellent pieces. Keep posting such kind of information on your site.
Im really impressed by your site.
Hi there, You’ve done an excellent job. I will certainly digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends.
I am sure they’ll be benefited from this web site.
I really like your blog.. very nice colors &
theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for
you? Plz respond as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know
where u got this from. many thanks
Every weekend i used to pay a visit this site, because i want enjoyment, since this this site
conations genuinely nice funny data too. cheap flights 3gqLYTc
Howdy very cool web site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful ..
I will bookmark your site and take the feeds also? I am happy to search out so many helpful information here within the post, we need develop extra strategies on this regard, thanks for sharing.
. . . . . cheap flights 3gqLYTc
Nice post. I used to be checking constantly this blog and
I’m inspired! Extremely helpful information specifically the final phase
🙂 I deal with such info a lot. I was looking for this certain information for a very long time.
Thank you and good luck. 34pIoq5 cheap flights
Hey there! I’ve been following your weblog for a long time now and
finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a
shout out from New Caney Texas! Just wanted
to mention keep up the good job!
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you
wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with some pics
to drive the message home a little bit, but other than that, this is wonderful blog.
An excellent read. I will certainly be back.
I was recommended this website by my cousin. I am now not sure whether
this post is written through him as nobody else recognise
such unique approximately my trouble. You are amazing! Thanks!
I have been browsing on-line greater than 3 hours
lately, but I by no means discovered any attention-grabbing article like yours.
It’s lovely worth enough for me. Personally, if all website owners and bloggers made good content material
as you did, the web will likely be much more helpful than ever before.
Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it
😉 I am going to return once again since I book marked it.
Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you
be rich and continue to help others.
These are in fact enormous ideas in concerning blogging. You have touched some good points here.
Any way keep up wrinting.