COEUR d'ALENE — Whim decisions have proven fruitful for Adam Schluter.

The traveling photographer once shelved a long-awaited trip to Hungary days before departure to spend time with a young woman he'd just met.

Three years later, he and Kaylee Goins, an eclectic web developer, are still together. The St. Louis natives now call Coeur d'Alene home, three months removed from having never toed Idaho soil.

Their journey to the Panhandle came in the most literal sense.

Earlier this year the outdoor-centric couple etched a plan to pack up their 2008 Mazda 6 to travel and camp along the Pacific Coast, starting at the tip of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and ending in Alaska.

They figured their pursuit was worthy of a sponsor, one where they could get camping supplies in exchange for the thousands of eyeballs following their travels through Schluter's photo and editorial site "Wisdom of the World,” a venture that was featured by the popular website UPRoxx.com in March.

Eureka! Tent Company, an outdoor supplier, agreed on the terms they camp the entire trip and help run a social media campaign to help with brand awareness.

FreeCampSites.com was a saving grace. Eating campfire food and bathing outside had become routine. The beautiful sights and the diverse personalities they encountered along the way made the months-long roughing worth the while.

Once August came, though, the two had reached Seattle and had become weary of the trip. They still needed an excursion through Canada and Alaska, but considering the colder months were approaching, they weren't thrilled about the prospect of reaching the Last Frontier in frigid conditions.

"We saw so much beauty, the most beautiful places became normal," Schluter said. "We wanted to see Alaska, but we wanted to appreciate it more later."

Since the two were already in the Northwest, a friend suggested they visit Glacier National Park in Montana, and they began trekking east. Eventually, they ended up visiting Lake Pend Oreille, where they met a couple from Coeur d'Alene who sang the resort town's praises.

Schluter and Goins were intrigued.

"They were awesome people," Goins said. "We spent the entire day with them and they invited us to visit them (in Coeur d'Alene)."

They obliged and immersed themselves in the Lake City, their campsite set up 30 minutes out of town in Rose Lake.

The two have visited hundreds of cities around the world, but Coeur d'Alene had an immediate grip on the millennial couple's hearts. The scenery, the amenities, the people, the price of living — everything aligned in their ideal location.

"We had seen big cities that were beautiful but the people sucked," Schluter said. "We had seen places where people were amazing but the city sucked. Coeur d'Alene was the first that had the things we liked."

They soon began to scour Craigslist for houses and apartments and were taken aback by the reasonable prices. The two were originally planning to live in California's Napa Valley and were prepared to spend $6,000 in move-in costs.

Once settled in — the jitterbug said he previously hadn't signed a lease in 10 years — the couple was encouraged to meet a local entrepreneur, Nick Smoot, who spearheads the burgeoning venture, Innovation Collective.

One introduction led to another, and already the couple feels like they are a part of the community.

"It just snowballed after that," Goins said. "We were introduced to so many people, and we're still going through that."

Seeing young and motivated people was also encouraging. Schluter attended the Think Big Festival at North Idaho College by invitation of Smoot, which featured some of the world's finest tech minds.

"That's why I like Innovation Collective so much there," Goins said. "Because I feel like there's such an energy with those people, a thirst for change and movement."

Smoot was immediately impressed by Schluter and Goins, personally and professionally.

"I wasn't shocked they picked Coeur d'Alene," Smoot said. "But I was very pleased they discovered it. I think there are a lot of young talented millenials like them who do web design, photography and branding that are a great addition to this area."

What stood out most to Schluter, a former Los Angeles resident, is the authenticity of Coeur d’Alene’s citizens.

"You get lonely in cities like that because the relationships aren't real or genuine. Here, there are people I want to live my life with," Schluter said.

Schluter and Goins will be the featured speakers at the Innovation Collective's Art and Culture Evening Friday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. at 410 Sherman Ave., Suite B where they will be sharing their favorite stories and pictures from their trip.