In this live talk, delivered at Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colorado on May 19th, 2026, Blake introduces the mountain-town question that has long obsessed him: How do you build a life with enough time, money, and purpose to fully enjoy the outdoors while your body still works?

Blake shares his own path from suburban California kid to outdoor educator, unschooling travel entrepreneur, and writer—and explains how he gradually built a lifestyle where he works relatively little, spends lots of time in nature and community, and measures wealth less by money than by freedom, meaningful work, relationships, and unforgettable experiences. He also explains why both classic dirtbagging and the standard American dream eventually lead to burnout, and why the people most drawn to this path tend to be “moderately privileged and highly idealisti ...