Good morning, everyone — checking in from Manizales.
First impressions? I’m loving it. The climate is cooler than Medellín, which has been a nice change. The city itself reminds me a bit of Medellín — it’s nestled in a valley, surrounded by green mountains.
On the way here, I passed through a few cool little towns. One stop in particular stuck with me: La Pintada. There was this beautiful bridge that caught my eye, and I felt the urge to stop and get some drone shots. But I hesitated. I kept thinking, “If I stop too much, I won’t make it to Manizales on time.”
In the distance, I saw a wall of rain coming down through the mountains — but where I was, it was beautiful. Sunny. Peaceful. Still, I pushed on.
About ten minutes later, I hit that wall of rain head-on. I had to turn back. My phone got soaked, and when I returned to La Pintada, I tried to fly my drone — but it wouldn’t work because my phone had water damage.
By then, the storm had passed. I stood there in full rain gear… and it was sunny again.
The lesson? Trust your intuition. I wanted to stop and soak in the moment — and I didn’t. I rushed ahead, and I ended up missing the shot and getting soaked anyway.
So next time, I’ll listen. Slow down. Enjoy the beauty in front of you. Do what you want when you feel it — not when it fits some imaginary schedule.
Starting Over, Again — From LA to Colombia on My Own Terms
Hey everyone — good morning.
I’ve had this blog page for years and never really used it. But now feels like the right time. This coming August will mark 8 years since I first arrived in Colombia — and what a journey it’s been.
I came here in 2017, burned out from the nonstop grind in Los Angeles. I had what many would call a dream life — I worked for KCRW, the legendary NPR affiliate, doing radio, music programming, and audiovisual production. I was also chasing a music career and constantly trying to maintain a social life. But over time, I felt trapped. The constant hustle, the pressure to do everything — it just stopped working.
When I finally left (or, to be honest, got pushed out of) that lifestyle, I landed in South America — and discovered a whole new kind of freedom.
Since then, it’s been adventure after adventure. And now I’m ready to share my story — not just to document what I’ve seen, but to hopefully help other people break free too.
Starting point: Medellín
👋 About Me
I’m 44 years old, single, and child-free (for now). My life is my own. I go where I want. I am free. And you can be too.
I’ve been documenting this lifestyle — the ups, the downs, the wild road in between — on my YouTube channel:
This week, I’m heading to Manizales, a city I’ve wanted to visit for a long time. Every time I’ve met someone from there, I’ve felt a great vibe. Medellín might be the popular spot for newcomers to Colombia, but there are so many smaller cities and towns worth exploring — places with soul, history, and people who live with deep connection.
I’ve traveled all over Colombia, but this will be my first solo motorcycle trip beyond a few hours. I’ve mapped out a special route to break up the 5–6 hour ride — and I’ll be sharing every part of the journey in my next video.
Stay tuned — or better yet, subscribe and come along for the ride.
✌️ — Rob
1st Stop: Santa Bárbara, Antioquia
2nd Stop: La Pintada, Antioquia
3rd Stop: Chinchiná, Caldas
Destination: Manizales, Caldas
I wuold like to leave ealry like 6:30am and be in Manizales by around 3pm, so lets see how it works with all these stops. I’ll obviously take some shots with my drone and camera of the view points.
Here’s a video about healthy living in Medellín. It’s thought of a city of constant partying but that’s not been the case for me. I have found many healthy habits and ways to be social without partying!
