Jul
11

How Hard Core Real Estate Investors Vacation

Filed Under Real Estate Investing 

Could you handle a 53 lb pack in the desert sun and hiking over 40 miles in 5 days? Now that’s what I call a vacation!

For those of you that don’t know me personally I’m going to give you an inside look at my personal life and my most recent vacation. There won’t be much on real estate investing but there will be plenty on having a winning attitude and living life to it’s fullest.

Ok, I’ll admit it… I’m an adrenalin junkie. I like pushing my body, have a huge sense of adventure, love the outdoors, and am still a big kid at heart. While others around me grow old it just takes somebody to say “I dare you” and my ears perk up. I refuse to stop having fun and am thankful that real estate gives me opportunities to see and experience the world.

It had been three years since I last hiked into Havasupai and I was really looking forward to having a family vacation. My Mother, brother(a throwback hippie but darn good contractor), Tiffany, and six year old son were all game for the trip. My 10 year old daughter was suppose to make the trip but let’s just say an ex-wife threw a wrench into those plans and it did not happen.

Havasupai is one of the most beautiful places in the world but admittedly it is in the middle of nowhere. You have to park at a dead end road then hike in 11 miles to a campground that has no amenities or even electricity.

How remote is Havasupai? Two miles from the campground is the town of Supai and even the mail comes in on a Mule Train. No kidding… it’s that remote. And I’m thankful because the remoteness makes it a truly special place visit and get away from the world. No electricity, no phones, no amenities unless you packed them in.

For those not as adventurous you can ride a mule or hitch a ride on a helicopter but our group was the tough and adventurous type. The cast included my Mom who’s 64 and she’s a tough old German. She started me in real estate many years ago and we’ve logged countless hours on projects when I used to be a rehabber. I’ve watched her work many men into the ground trying to keep up and I owe my work ethic and determination to Mom. My Mom and I have logged quite a few hikes together including Mt. Whitney which is the highest mountain in the continental United States(it’s 25.2 miles and we did it in one day with a full pack – she’s tough).

Then there’s my brother Mike. We could not be more different! He’s a throwback hippie and a lot more conservative. He works out of necessity and I work out of drive. As different as we are personally we get along great and he taught me more about the construction trade then I care to admit. In his younger days he cycled(10 speed with saddlebags) across the US as well as Europe so he’s pretty tough in his own right.

My son Adrio is 6 and the little guy was impressive. As a parent I teach real world practicality and I don’t believe in babying kids. Adrio had to haul in his own pack and it was 25% of his bodyweight. He had the vacation of his life and never complained even though I hike at a fast pace and rarely slow down. I was so proud as a Father of what he accomplished and the best gift was the self confidence he gained from the hiking and doing everything himself.

And last but not least was Tiffany making her first backpacking trip. She’s a trooper and her pack was 33% of her bodyweight which is A LOT. In her normal life she’s a girly girl who likes to look pretty and takes an hour to get ready for everything but being raised in Texas she’s used to hard work and loved backpacking even if she didn’t get to do her hair.

Hiking In

Wanting to beat the heat we started hiking in at Midnight which is the earliest we could start based on our permit. Most people will start the hike in the early morning or at daybreak but the desert heat is not something anyone should take lightly and having made this hike before I was confident this was the easiest way to get everyone in safely. And for a six year old nothing could be cooler than hiking in with a headlamp.

We made great time and reached the town of Supai in under 4 hours. Mom was a little dehydrated and not used to the heat but overall we were in good shape.

Once in the town of Supai you have to pick up and pay for your permits. At four in the morning I ran into the sister of the manager of the tourist office and she said they normally open around 5:00 AM so we decided to wait so I would not have to hike two more miles into the campground then come back for the permits.

At 8:00 AM the office was still not open and we were informed it would open in about an hour. Reservation time I guess. Tiffany and I decided to stay back and get the permits and the rest of the group hiked in ahead of us.

To Be Continued…

I would love to hear your comments on the article and feedback from the pictures!

A Few Pictures From the trip.

Author: Gerald Romine

Comments

2 Responses to “How Hard Core Real Estate Investors Vacation”

  1. DesertDweller on July 11th, 2008 11:12 pm

    Hey Gerald,

    What a neat adventure and you tell the story quite well. You’d make your English teacher real proud.

    I had no idea that place existed, this earth and all it has to offer keeps me in awe most everyday.

    We moved out of the desert and are now enjoying a great summer here in the Northwest.

    Because of our real estate investments, we paid cash for this house on an acre here on a forested peninsula.

    In part, Gerald, you can take some credit for this achievement for your software helped us so many times and in so many ways.

    I’m waiting with bated breath for the continuation of your story.

    Love ya like a brother,

    Darrell Barker

  2. hankbuyshouses on July 12th, 2008 3:58 pm

    Gerald,

    Great trek and fotos! And you tell the story so very well. It looks like a place to hike with magnificent swimming holes and views.

    Definitely not a hike for the faint of heart. You have a great family to share that hike with! Congrats to all!! Ready to read more about your trek.

    Hank Baltar

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.