Full Circle

The day before Thanksgiving 2014, I left the Bay Area and drove straight to Donner Summit, where I jumped out of the van with Titan and Star and started running around in the granite playground.  I felt an overwhelming sense of freedom and a very simple and pure sense of happiness.  I was finally fully committed to living the lifestyle I always wanted- life on the road.  I had lived out of my vehicle on the road on and off for varying amounts of time each year over the past five years, but this was different.  I had saved up and sold my car and I was going to be able to travel without working for much longer than ever before.  In January, Chelsea joined me on the road.  I originally hoped to make it until September, but after a few months, I turned to Chelsea and said, "I bet we can do a year!"  And here I am, the day after Thanksgiving 2015, getting ready to drive from Seattle to Tahoe, where we settle for the winter.

The trip isn't over by any means.  I wouldn't even consider it a trip any more.  Now it's just life.  A wonderful, beautiful, fulfilling life.  We are headed to Tahoe in hopes of experiencing the first good snow year after several dismal, frighteningly dry and warm years.  We will be parked, living inside a building for the next few months, although we hope to spend most of our time outside exploring the backcountry.  And, we have jobs.  For the first time in over a year, I'll be clocking in and earning a paycheck.  While the income is necessary, I think the transition will be a bit rough at first.  At least I'll be outside working at a ski resort!  After the winter, the plan is to hop back in the van in late winter or early spring, and do another western ski tour that will culminate back in Alaska.  

It seems appropriate that one of the first places I visited last year after leaving Tahoe was Indian Creek, and a couple weeks ago, we went back, before returning to Tahoe once more.  It felt like a nice way to tie things together and bring things full circle.  However, calling our route a circle, would be extremely misleading, as we went up, down, side to side, and round and round, in what would seem the most senseless path around the West that one could possibly imagine.  It made sense to us, as we chased the seasons and the activities we wanted to partake in at each time.  It didn't always work in our favor, as we had a warm and dry winter when we wanted to ski, which lent itself well to climbing, and we experienced tons of precipitation this spring as we tried to climb.  Nonetheless, we got after it- biking, skiing, hiking, backpacking, paddling, and consuming cookies all across the west.  To be honest, I'm not sure what mileage we were at when we left a year ago, but I think we may have amassed somewhere around 30,000 miles since last November (omg.  that's the first time I've thought about that and that seems absurdly impossible.  Like I said... not a circle).

It doesn't feel like a year has passed.  Time has made up it's own meaning since I've been on the road.  I sleep when I'm tired or when it's dark out, I eat when I'm hungry, I play when there's daylight.  Sometimes the days slip by without me noticing and suddenly a month has gone by.  Sometimes each moment lasts indefinitely as it swoops you up and carries you with it.  

Being on the road long term has affirmed that is is where I'm meant to be.  I'm happiest outside, exploring, watching my dogs play, discovering new places, and trying new activities.  I get antsy when I stay in one place.  The simplicity that comes with paring down your belongings to what you can fit in your van is liberating.  You are given time, one of our most valuable resources, and with that time you can make memories and create experiences, things that are more lasting and meaningful than any possession.  When you live in a small space (especially a vehicle), you are encouraged to spend most of your time outside.  The last year has been rich and fulfilling.  It has been filled with countless nights of snuggling up in the van with a smile on my face, my tired body relaxing after a day of physical activity and a feeling of contentment.

I've had the opportunity to connect with so many friends, both old and new and I've been reminded over and over again about the importance and simplicity of human connection and the overall goodness of people.  I've been awed by the generosity of the companies who reached out to us and helped us along the way.  I've been inspired by the quickly growing community of van dwellers and outdoor lovers who get out there and get after it.  I have the best best friend in the world, one who has put up with my van's problems, one who has dealt with me in all my moods, my stresses, my extreme highs, and my lows, and who I am so happy I could experience all the adventures of this year with.  I have a stronger bond than ever with Titan and Star and I love those furry critters more than I can explain.  I met the love of my life on the side of the road in the most organic and wonderful set of circumstances and I get to wake up each day excited to be with him and to knowing that our connection via this lifestyle forged our bond strong right from the start.

I've spent the last year amongst the trees and the mountains, under the stars and the moon, in the warmth of the summer sun, in the freezing winter snow, on rocks, in meadows, on trails, on the open road, stuck in the mud, in the desert, on the slopes and everywhere in between.  In an ever changing environment, you can't avoid growth, you can't become complacent and you can't get stuck in a comfort zone where you say 'maybe later.'  If you want something, you make it happen, and you make it happen today.  Not next week, or next month, or next year, or when you have more time or money or when you retire.  Life is waiting for you to discover your place within it.  Even if that place is as simple as living in a van and playing outside  The greatest way we can improve this world is to fill it with passion.  So get out there and find yours and pursue it relentlessly.  Find a happiness that is so contagious that it can't help but rub off on everyone around you.  The past year has been incredible.  And I can't wait to get back out on the road and do it again.