About Rachel & Janet

Rachel and Janet have shared a home in Northern Illinois since 2002. Our personalities balance each other, and we both have a playful sense of humor. Board games, cards, reading, and streaming Netflix keep us sane on rainy days.

Rachel is outgoing and gets the job done quickly, and Janet, quieter, attends to the details. We enjoy meeting new people on our travels, and prefer the slower pace of back roads instead of interstate highways.

• Chicago, IL native
• Retired science/PE teacher
• Retired landscape business owner
• Leftie
• Hugs strangers
• Writes letters the old-fashioned way
• Loves maple nut fudge and butter pecan ice cream
• Hiked coast-to-coast across England
• Parent of four daughters; one son—deceased in 2018; grandparent of eleven 
• Storyteller and official trip journalist

Janet is the “brains” of the operation. Her pointer finger does a lot of work. Haha!

— Rachel Johansen

• Irving, TX native
• Web designer, photographer (official trip photographer)
• Night owl
• Likes impromptu travel stops
• List maker, detail oriented
• Loves to sing and play the ukulele
• Enjoys quiet time alone
• Two sons, one daughter-in-law
• Took National Geographic trip around the world with her father

With our families spread across the United States, we often plan our travels to include family visits.
[click on photos to enlarge]