Adventure With Us

Left Lane Living grew out of our family’s need to live differently—and more intentionally.

We’ve always been an outdoors family, but in 2020 something shifted. Our son, Lane, who is autistic and non-verbal, showed us what he truly loved for the first time on a trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park. On a short hike to Bumpass Hell, he was completely locked in—captivated by the bubbling mud pots, the steam, the smells, the rawness of it all. As the sun dropped behind the ridge, it clicked. Not just for him—but for us.

From that day on, Lassen became his place. He’d put on his hiking boots, jeans, and one of his many Lassen shirts every day, ready to go. We started making weekly—sometimes daily—trips.

Then in 2021, the Dixie Fire hit.

We were swimming at Lake Helen when the fire exploded nearby. The park closed, and we didn’t know if Lane’s favorite place would survive—or how to explain to him why we suddenly couldn’t go. After already losing our hometown of Paradise in the 2018 Camp Fire, the emotional weight was heavy. When Lassen finally reopened and his favorite spots were still there, it felt like a small miracle.

Since then, our adventures have grown. Lane now loves Burney Falls (especially since his Papa and Nene live nearby) and is completely mesmerized by Mount Shasta, where we’ve spent countless nights stargazing. And yes—he’s also a full-blown Disneyland fanatic. Main Street, caramel apples, Pirates, Matterhorn, Rise of the Resistance—that’s his version of magic.

Left Lane Living is our way of blending creativity, family, and real life into something tangible.

Our roots go back to 2014, when Joelle started making handmade gifts as a stay-at-home mom. In 2022, after Joey’s back injury ended his career as a bridge carpenter, we made the decision to go all-in together—building this business around our family’s real needs and reality.

That reality includes raising a child with profound autism.

Lane still wears diapers, requires constant supervision, and often deals with sensory and sleep challenges that make a normal 9–5 life impossible for either of us. Having both of us home isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. It allows us to actually show up for him the way he needs.

Some days, that means orders take a little longer. That’s not because we don’t care—it’s because our kids come first. Always.

Today, we create laser-crafted goods, personalized gifts, Ridge-pride apparel, decals, and custom work—each piece made with care, grit, and intention. Alongside the shop, we’re building the storytelling side of Left Lane Living through our blog and upcoming vlogs, sharing the honest, unfiltered reality of family life, autism, homesteading, and adventure.

Every purchase you make from us directly supports our family. It helps cover therapies, equipment, medical supplies, and keeps Lane’s world as stable and supported as possible.

We’re not sharing this for pity. We’re sharing it for connection.

If you’re an autism parent, we hope this makes you feel less alone. If you’re not, we hope it gives you a clearer picture of a world most people never see.

One day, we’d love to start a nonprofit to help other special-needs families experience adventure on their own terms.

For now, we keep going.
One day. One hike. One handmade item at a time.