Hi, I'm Charley! I love all things travel, adventure, and outdoors—I have ever since I can remember. When I was just 9 years old, I told my teacher that I wanted to be a homeless artist when I grew up. A little over a decade later, I was traveling the United States full-time with a mattress in the back of my 2006 Nissan Pathfinder and working as a writer. I had nothing else to my name except a suitcase and my 3-legged cat, Coyote. I spent afternoons relaxing by lakes, hot springs, waterfalls, and in beautiful forests all over the US. In the mornings, I enjoyed visiting local coffee shops while I wrote for magazines and online media companies. I bet my teacher didn’t think I’d actually do it, but there I was living the homeless artist life!
My adventures have taken me all over the world. I’ve explored Europe, Asia, and even lived in South America for a while.
I lived in the Sacred Valley of Peru for a year after falling in love with its immense mountains and friendly locals. My experiences there fueled an already strong desire to get out and explore the world. I had so many unexpected experiences there, largely fueled by the amazing people that I met.
I climbed mountains and glaciers. I played with monkeys and spent time with new friends deep in the Amazon Jungle. I traveled deep into the mountains to visit Peru's most secretive community, the Q'eros, and got to experience their unique way of living.
I once spent an entire day at a pre-Incan wind temple on the top of an 80-foot waterfall. We got to explore its intelligent design with no crowds or noise other than the wind. This is the kind of travel that I love.
There are so many beautiful, unique places all over the world that are not listed on the big travel websites and travel guides. Finding these places often requires connecting with local guides to help you navigate. Traveling this way has given me the opportunity to not just spectate in the places that I visit, but actually experience the culture and connect with the people whose home I am visiting.
I created Charley Off-Road to help others find their own amazing, off-road adventures, too.
I believe that off-road leads to the most incredible, life-changing experiences. There may be a standard path available, but I’d rather take my own.
