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I’m Not a Minimalist, and I Don’t Like Stuff

I’m not a minimalist. Most of the time, everything I own fits in my car. But I’m not living out of a van or dumpster diving for free-range kale.

I like nice things. This MacBook Pro I’m typing on? Nice. My new Blundstones? Very nice. I’m not here to virtue signal a vow of poverty or rail against capitalism. I just don’t like having too much stuff.

My more alternative friends live in vans or on bikes or chase thrills like adrenaline junkies in Patagonia catalogs. I’ve flirted with that lifestyle. But here’s the truth: I’m a builder as much as I’m an adventurer. Probably why I love summer camp so much.

Two things consume me:

Awesome friendships with interesting people.
Making a real impact on young people.

Let me tell you a story about my friend Blake and how he turns everyday life into an adventure.

The Adventure Question

We walk into a little hostel in Burgos, Spain, dragging our loaded bikes behind us. The guy at the front desk could totally be a camp counselor—friendly, but on autopilot. He gives us a key, the Wi-Fi password, and circles a couple of museums on a paper map. Standard-issue tourist stuff.

Then Blake works his magic.

“Where should we get a drink?” I ask.

The guy points out two or three spots in the center of town. Blake leans in with that mischievous grin of his. “Yeah, but where do you go?”

The guy pauses. Something changes. He flips the map over and starts sketching directions on the blank side.

“It’s a punk bar in a boring area. You wouldn’t like it,” he says.

“Tell us more,” Blake replies. Adventure unlocked.

Biking the Camino in Shark Costumes

*Our extensive “plan” developed at a cafe in Santiago*

Let me set the scene: Blake and I are biking the Camino de Santiago. Shark costumes included.

The Camino is an ancient pilgrimage route in Spain. You hike (or bike) across the country, end at a giant cathedral, and maybe have some spiritual awakening. Lots of university kids and hardcore hikers. We’re biking the French route backwards, against the flow of pilgrims.

So yeah, we’re weird. But Blake? Blake’s a different level of weird.

Meet Blake: Adventure Junkie

Blake Boles is strangely famous in the super niche world of Self-Directed Education. He hasn’t paid rent for more than six months at a time in 25 years. He lives on his bike, hopping between European towns, sipping espresso, and writing.

For me he’s a perfect blend of fun, light hearted, and thoughtfully deep. We laugh as much as we talk about the meaning of life or the latest youth development fad. Nerds for sure.

He’s not rich—didn’t strike gold with crypto or hit the startup jackpot. He’s just really good at being what he calls “Dirtbag Rich.”

Blake runs one 6-week long international trip a year for unschooling teens. That’s it. The rest of the time, he’s chasing adventures, collecting stories, and finding his next great idea.

His latest one? A book called Dirtbag Rich.

What Is Dirtbag Rich?

Blake sums it up like this:

“Dirtbag Rich means designing your life around adventure. It’s about finding work that’s meaningful, pays enough to fund your adventures, and gives you the time to actually live them.”

It’s a balance between:

High pay.
High purpose.
High flexibility.

Unforgettable Normalcy

So we’re at this punk bar. There’s a foosball table. Blake and I are playing when an 8-year-old Spanish kid walks up. Turns out he’s the bartender’s son and a regular.

Blake doesn’t miss a beat. “Wanna play?”

The kid grabs his partner—some tough old punk dude. We laugh, we play a few games, and we connect. Nothing crazy. Just a small, unforgettable moment in a strange city halfway across the world.

That’s the power of Blake’s Adventure Questions.

What I Learned from Blake

Here’s what I’ve picked up watching Blake work:

Ask when you’re curious. The worst they can say is no.
Look for the story. Great friendships are built on shared memories.
Lower the stakes. Make it easy for people to answer.
Be confident and smile. It’s infectious.
Know that most of the time, nothing will happen. But sometimes magic does.

For me, summer camp is the perfect place to practice Adventure Questions. It’s a built-in community of people who care about connection and memories. Every summer, we build the container for kids to ask their own Adventure Questions.

If you want to learn more about Blake, check out his Dirtbag Rich podcast. Or read about our ridiculous bike trip from his perspective.

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It’s all about kids today

Adventure Questions with Blake Boles