Valerie's son-in-law is a relief vet -- he doesn't have any regular gigs, just fills in at several different clinics when people are on vacation. So he's really busy in the summer and winter, but this leaves him with a lot of spring and fall time off for hiking. Maybe easier to swing financially in Eastern Washington where the cost of living is not so high. A potential semi-retirement idea, anyway, after you've set yourself up with the profits from this high tech gig (which, btw, sounds really neat.)