Kaya Lindsay is a 33-year-old climber, filmmaker, vanlife veteran, and accidental gym owner in Moab, Utah. (onechicktravels.com / @onechicktravels)

In her early twenties, Kaya fell in love with bouldering at a Santa Cruz gym, met a tattooed vegan woman with a Sprinter van, and realized she could climb full-time. She built out a van, hit the road, and spent four years chasing perfect weather and fleeting friendships from Bishop to Squamish to Indian Creek. Along the way, she hustled together a dirtbag media career: filming, blogging, scoring gear deals, and slowly building a name with her One Chick Travels YouTube series, which spotlighted the unseen women shaping the climbing world.

Kaya talks about living on $1,000 a month, the hidden privilege of trust fund dirtbags, and the unspoken rules of social capital in the outdoor scene. She describes what finally pushed her off the road: constant vigilance, repeating the same small talk, and never knowing if her community would stick around when the rain came. Kaya also describes why settling down in Moab felt like upgrading to a bigger container, not a smaller one.

We get into how a base jumper literally fell out of the sky and became her business partner, what it’s like running Moab’s first climbing gym, and how building a rooted, weather-independent community has changed her life. Kaya also opens up about the neurodivergent undertones of dirtbag culture, the bittersweet question of what happens to aging climbers, and how it feels to finally walk into the grocery store and see someone who knows your name.

Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/kaya

Peter Kowalke is a 45-year-old relationship coach, "half monk," and Bangkok-based nomad who has crafted a life of radical simplicity. (peterkowalke.com)

Peter explains his life through multiple levels of understanding—from the simple "I help people have good marriages and travel around the world doing it" to the complex spiritual journey that led him to nearly become an ordained monk in the Vedanta tradition. He shares how he lives on as little as $9,000 a year while occasionally earning up to $200,000 through his three income streams: relationship coaching, content marketing, and freelance writing.

We explore his nomadic lifestyle across Southeast Asia and Africa, his philosophy of distinguishing wants from needs, and his creative frugality, such as his airport food court "monk's bowl" approach to eating. Peter reflects on the challenges of his borderless existence during the pandemic, when global "tribalism" left him without a community safety net despite his carefully designed life of freedom.

Peter discusses the apparent contradiction between his relationship coaching and monastic leanings, his unschooling background that taught him to question conventional wisdom, and how he builds community through his popular Bangkok dinner parties. Peter's story illuminates the rewards and challenges of crafting a life that prioritizes spiritual growth and human connection over material possessions and geographic roots.

Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/peter

Luke Mehall is a 46-year-old climber, writer, and self-described dirtbag who turned a one-time zine into a print publishing business and podcast. (climbingzine.com / @lukemehall_writer)

After escaping a Midwest upbringing and mental health struggles in his early twenties, Luke found stability through poetry, climbing, and the encouragement of writing professors at a small liberal arts college. He spent a few years dirtbagging full-time—living under rocks, washing dishes, and following the ethos of Jack Kerouac and the Grateful Dead—before settling into a more balanced life.

Today, Luke lives between Durango (Colorado) and Potrero Chico (Mexico). He runs The Climbing Zine, hosts the Dirtbag State of Mind podcast, and writes books. He supports himself through selling print subscriptions, ads, and merchandise.

For Luke, climbing is still central, but now it fits into a sustainable routine that includes weightlifting, rest, and solid friendships. We talk about the modern flavors of dirtbagging, the myth of the four-hour work week, what purpose looks like without kids, and how exercise—not medication—became his lifeline. We also get into the logistics of running a niche print publication in a digital world, and why handing someone a printed zine still matters more than a Substack link.

Luke also reflects on what it means to grow older in a lifestyle built for youth. He’s seen what happens when people cling to the dirtbag dream too long—loneliness, stagnation, the slow unraveling of purpose. For him, the goal was always evolution: building a life that still honors climbing and creative freedom, but with enough structure to stay grounded. He doesn’t envy tech workers or trust the illusion of job security, but he does believe in balance, community, and the kind of autonomy that lets you shape your own rhythm—and enjoy frequent midday climbing sessions.

Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/luke