Welcome to the
Ready Set Depart Podcast!
Welcome to the
Ready Set Depart Podcast!
We’re a regular family with jobs, a busy calendar, and a cat that hates suitcases. But we still find ways to explore—whether it’s a weekend road trip or a bigger adventure across the country.
Ready Set Depart isn’t about luxury travel or checking off every country. It’s about real-life travel with kids, grandparents, and all the chaos in between. We share the tips, tricks, and stories that help make family travel doable and even fun.
If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to travel, but…” this podcast is for you. It's time to make those memories happen. Let’s go!
Hey there! I'm Ashley.
Wife, mom, animal lover, travel enthusiast, collector of plants, and the voice you’ll usually hear on the podcast. I run a virtual assistant business called Hey Daisy Virtual Solutions, but outside of work, I’m all about spending time with my family, exploring new places, and snapping photos along the way. I love learning new things and digging into research - people joke that the research is my favorite part about traveling. (They are not entirely right.)
I'm also a big Disney and Star Wars fan (yes, I have a lightsaber. Maybe even more than one).
And I can’t forget Roger, our adventure kitty. He’s basically part of the team around here.
Hello there! I'm Brent.
I’m an engineer, a backpacking and travel nerd, and a lifelong Star Wars fan (the kind who absolutely has a favorite movie and clone trooper). I’m also lucky enough to be married to Ashley and be a dad to our awesome kid, Trooper.
On the podcast, I’m usually the sounding board, extra researcher, and the one trying to keep things calm when plans go sideways, which happens more than we’d like to admit. I do most of the driving on our road trips, and I’ve learned that a good playlist and snacks can solve a lot of problems.
Hey! I'm Trooper.
That’s not my real name, but I don't mind you calling me that. I do T.I.P.S. on the podcast (Trooper’s Intel for Practical Stuff), where I give you the real scoop on traveling as a kid.
I love Pokémon, Minecraft, and my collection of Japanese and Korean Pokémon cards are some of my prized possessions. My room’s basically a Lego zone, and if there’s a store nearby, I will ask to go in.
I love trying new things, meeting new people, and checking out places I’ve never been before. I’m probably the most outgoing person in my family… unless it’s raining. Then, I’m out.
I’m almost a teenager, which is cool and weird at the same time. But I love being part of the podcast and sharing what travel is like from my point of view.
Hi. I’m Roger.
Yes, that Roger. The cat.
I was forced (and I do mean forced) to go on an epic road trip from the top of Washington all the way to the bottom of California. At first, I was not impressed. But somewhere between snack breaks and naps in sunbeams, I realized adventuring isn’t the worst thing ever.
I still refuse to wear a harness. Dignity matters. So I do most of my exploring from the windows, which I’ve decided is the superior way to travel. Birds? Seen ’em. Mountains? Beautiful. Rest stop squirrels? Iconic.
I mostly supervise the podcast from a distance, but let’s be honest—I’m the real star around here.