I can definitely relate to you guys. Back in 99, my wife and I had kind of had enough, if you know what I mean, and just needed a change. It kind of felt the same as when we decided to leave California when we had our first child.
I sold off just about everything, turned down a nice promotion and left a well paying job, started a new consulting business with a colleague, bought 22 acres in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana bordering the Bitterroot-Selway National Forest (SW of Missoula), built a place off-grid (solar powered with genset as backup). I had always since I was a kid, wanted to do something like this. I was not trying to save the planet mind you (anyone who thinks solar is answer to this is foolish and needs to do some honest research), I just wanted some more independence. My wife, bless her heart, let her husband live out a "childhood" fantasy for a couple of years. If it had not been for my aforementioned colleague turning crooked on me, I would still be there. Can't complain though, bought and sold at the right time. I am constantly in search of a way back. Since then, life got all complicated again. I went back to work for a large utilty (in fact the one I left in 99), bought a large house (of course I have 7 children), and I am feeling exactly what you and others are feeling Monza. I have two sides within me taht battle each other, the simple side, and the side that likes Porsches. Sometimes I am not sure how well they coexist!
Good luck! If it is something you really want to do, you just have to bite the bullet and do it... but best make dang sure it is really what you want, yeah?
