I recently was involved in a discussion with a guy concerning whether people who hike the AT are people who have a lot of money. This guy said "only people with a lot of money can take off like that and not work. I agree with him, but only so far. I say the persons lifestyle dictates whether someone is able to take off for an extended amount of time. Having the house paid off and not eating out goes quite a ways in helping out. I once read about a couple in Canada who dedicate their lives to canoeing and writing about their adventures. They live in a little 20x 16 foot cabin.My wife and I make about $35,000 a year. Any thoughts?