Photo: Jillian Mann, Kyla Trethewey
Almost two years ago, British Columbia natives Jillian Mann and Kyla Trethewey
had steady jobs, nice homes, serious relationships—and a
burning desire for a major life shake-up. "We realized that
we'd reached a stalemate," says Trethewey, 27.
"We both were unhappy through no one's fault but our
own." As the two became closer friends and discovered a shared
passion for travel ("Kyla was the only person I'd met who
didn't think a 16-hour drive was too long," says Mann, 26), they
dreamed of dropping everything (boyfriends included) and hitting the road.
Four months later, their plan started to become a reality when they took
a test trip to Salt Lake City. "We needed to make sure we were
compatible," Trethewey says. "What if Jill absolutely had to wash
her hair every day?" Five months after that, the pair officially set out
in a restored 1950s red and white RV they found on Craigslist for $1,600
and named Bobby Jean.
While cruising through California, the Southwest, and the South, the
duo began posting pictures through a joint Instagram account,
@ourwildabandon. Soon their ethereal snapshots of classic American
locales—sprawling white sands in New Mexico; morning fog
in Texas; swampland in Louisiana, complete with an
alligator—earned them a major fan base
(more than 67,000 followers and counting). "There's nothing
technical about it," Mann says. "If a moment grabs us,
we capture it. Natural or morning light and simple landscapes make
the most eye-catching shots."
As they make their way from Alaska to the Northeast, Trethewey and
Mann will continue to couch-surf at the homes of friends, friends of
friends, and even loyal fans. "We couldn't afford this
without the generous people we've met along the way,"
Trethewey says. "We eat a lot of canned beans,
tell bad jokes to amuse ourselves, and constantly search for
free Wi-Fi. But there really is nothing like waking up in one
place and going to bed in another!"
See 8 of our favorite photos from their travels.
