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“And into the mountains I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” —John Muir
When I contacted IPC design instructor Kris Moyer to discuss his sustainable lifestyle, he responded to my text with a call. "I'm calling you from about 8,000 feet, sitting at the foot of Mammoth Lakes," he told me. “My friends and I are about to get in the pool for the afternoon."
He then texted pictures of the giant lap pool near a large field surrounded by the tallest mountain peaks of California's Sierra Nevada. He wasn’t too far from Highway 395, and about five miles from his campground. Later, he sent pictures of the forest, his campfire, and the night sky lit up by innumerable stars.
Kris can do this because he actually lives full-time in his travel-trailer at this campground. He's now a permanent camper, taking him anywhere the winds blow—and where there's strong internet service—so he can teach his PCB design classes, offer expert interviews, and live off the land.
“I’m passionate about this lifestyle,” Kris says. “It’s about being sustainable, being more conscientious of your impact on the environment and the world. It’s also about being in the moment. You see things from a different point of view.”
It's not how he grew up, and it's not for everyone. But Kris has made several mindset shifts in the past several years, moving from corporate work at Blue Origin, Williams International, Aerojet, and Northrop Grumman, to becoming a contract instructor for IPC and Sacramento State. He also let go of carrying a home mortgage, enduring subzero temperatures, and just having too much stuff.
Continue reading this article in the Fall 2024 issue of IPC Community.
