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Technomads
Mobile Technology
By RG Coleman
PHOTO: ERIC PETTEE
THE
igital nomads, location independent professionals, technomads … the Internet is abuzz with jargon to describe a new breed of Airstreamer—full time, solar powered young people who juggle technologies that allow them to live, work and play 24/7 on the road. What, exactly is a technomad? Many “still working” full-time RV’ers are fulfilling their dreams of switching to a life of travel and forgoing the 9-to-5 office cube. Technomads are power users of leading edge tools that enable them to operate an über-connected lifestyle without a fixed address. “Many technomads use technology to create careers, generally with a strong remote work component, that fund their life of travel instead of picking up temporary work by walking into local businesses when funding is needed. They may utilize technology for logistical things like navigation, instead of relying on paper maps or travel agents,” explained Cherie Ve Ard. She lives the technomadic life with her partner Chris Dunphy in Orion, their “geeked-out” 17-foot Oliver Legacy Elite trailer. The trailer is outfitted with computers, solar panels, a cell phone amplifier system, and onboard media server. For a change of pace they sometimes visit Internet cafes to spread out and relax while they work online and connect with far-flung friends and family. “Keeping in touch via Skype, cell phones, satellite uplink, blogs, and social networking tools bridges the social void that full time travel might cause,” explained Ve Ard. “Neither of us has a physical ‘home base’ anywhere else, and we truly are out there living a mobile digital lifestyle full-time,” continued Ve Ard. “We run a small consulting business as we go, and when we take on projects we have found that physical location is growing less relevant in an age of increasingly ubiquitous connectivity. “Often we work remotely, and other times we take advantage of our nomadic flexibility to be on-site for a client for an extended period of time. Being nomadic allows us to be ‘home’ wherever we are.” Ve Ard has been a full time technomad since May 2007 and has a professional background in technology and strategy consulting. Now
PHOTO: JEN WELLS MAGEAU
PHOTO: RG COLEMAN
PHOTO: LAURA DOMELA
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TOP TO BOTTOM: Kyle Bolstad in front of his 23-foot International CCD; Kevin Morris works at the sofa of a 27FB International CCD; Cherie Ve Ard and Chris Dunphy with their satellite dish; Richard Mageau takes the air outside his 27-foot Safari. WINTER 2010
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