Who hasn't dreamed of scrapping the rat race for a simpler way of life where you're not beholden to a job at a desk in a cubicle and spending hours each day stuck in soul-killing traffic? Well, here's a 39-year-old guy who walked the talk.
Parker Lake quit his unfulfilling job selling computer systems and walked away from the aggravating daily commute battling rude South Florida drivers and moved to a house on Miami's Little River. He bought a stand-up paddleboard, which he uses to get to and from his two new, part-time jobs — one at a SUP and kayak rental business, the other as a hotel security guard. His daily commutes now involve gliding past manatees, dolphins, herons and pelicans, and underneath busy bridges carrying the daily traffic grind.
"I'm not part of that anymore and I feel great," Lake told the Miami Herald. "Drivers look at me with a look of longing, and I know what they're thinking: 'He's probably on vacation. I need a vacation.'"
The switch is not without its sacrifices: The commute to iPaddle Miami is 3 miles, while it takes two hours to make the 12-mile paddle to Eden Roc hotel in Miami Beach. The difference in his paychecks is "not insignificant."
But he says he's lost 45 pounds and gained peace of mind. His commute went from the worst part of his day to the best part. He says he's setting a positive example for his two daughters.
"When I was cubicle- and Fiat-bound, my exercise consisted of walking into offices selling web technology. I got fat. Physically and mentally, I'm in a better place. Going to work is not a chore. You've seized the day by the time you get to your job."
He's now training for Crossing For A Cure, a grueling 61-mile trek from the Bahamas to Florida in June to raise money for cystic fibrosis research.
To which we say, well played, Mr. Lake, well played.
Related Video:
Parker Lake quit his unfulfilling job selling computer systems and walked away from the aggravating daily commute battling rude South Florida drivers and moved to a house on Miami's Little River. He bought a stand-up paddleboard, which he uses to get to and from his two new, part-time jobs — one at a SUP and kayak rental business, the other as a hotel security guard. His daily commutes now involve gliding past manatees, dolphins, herons and pelicans, and underneath busy bridges carrying the daily traffic grind.
"I'm not part of that anymore and I feel great," Lake told the Miami Herald. "Drivers look at me with a look of longing, and I know what they're thinking: 'He's probably on vacation. I need a vacation.'"
The switch is not without its sacrifices: The commute to iPaddle Miami is 3 miles, while it takes two hours to make the 12-mile paddle to Eden Roc hotel in Miami Beach. The difference in his paychecks is "not insignificant."
But he says he's lost 45 pounds and gained peace of mind. His commute went from the worst part of his day to the best part. He says he's setting a positive example for his two daughters.
"When I was cubicle- and Fiat-bound, my exercise consisted of walking into offices selling web technology. I got fat. Physically and mentally, I'm in a better place. Going to work is not a chore. You've seized the day by the time you get to your job."
He's now training for Crossing For A Cure, a grueling 61-mile trek from the Bahamas to Florida in June to raise money for cystic fibrosis research.
To which we say, well played, Mr. Lake, well played.
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