1 year and loving it!
1 year and
I'm still into
roadtripping!
Smiling
at my boyfriend,
Mike, we lay in
bed surrounded
by the
fresh scent of
the outdoors
wafting in
through mesh
windows, it's
hard for me to
believe that we
are parked in a
rest area
parking lot in
the middle of
Kentucky. For
the moment, I
smile over at
him,
take in the
sounds and scent
of morning and
forget that I am
living in my Eurovan once
again. It's been
more than 1 year
since we set off
together to
travel and
climb. I'm
relieved and a
bit amused that
I still find
pleasure in the
oddest of
lifestyles.
I had been
working and
living the
corporate
lifestyle for 10
years before I
decided to make
this shift. I'd
worked hard to
get where I was:
I was
independent at a
young age but
lucky to have
good role models
who encouraged
me and always
saw more
potential in me
than I could
find within
myself which
kept me on a
better path than
most in my
situation; I put
myself through a
private
university and
worked my butt
off to pay off
loan after loan
to cover tuition
and book costs
which cost my
GPA some but
gave me a
degree,
nonetheless; and
after graduating
from University,
I moved myself
across the
country with 3
boxes of
belongings to my
name in the
hopes of
building a
better life for
myself, which I
think after 10
years that I
achieved quite
well.
I remember when
I decided to go
on the road. I
had been a
recreational
rock climber for
a number of
years, never
seriously
pursuing my
potential in
that area. But
that year, in
the fall of
2004, I took a
course at the
local gym about
training for
climbing. I
started training
for climbing and
by training, I
started meeting
people who were
seriously
passionate about
the sport. I
started to learn
that there was
so much more to
rock climbing
than I had
imaged; and
better,
everything I was
being
shown was an
experience that
I could create
for myself. I
was tasting
something that
drove me to
train harder,
tested me to try
my ability in
competition and
teased me to
taste different
kinds of
climbing by
traveling to
more exciting
places like
Spain. It didn't
take long, but I
was officially
hooked on
climbing. I
couldn't wait to
get out there
and be a part of
the scene.
I had this fire
building inside
of me for a few
weeks before I
made up my mind.
I was on my way
to San Francisco
on business.
Halfway in
flight, as I was
day dreaming the
time away,
barely noticing
the mountains
passing below,
it hit me. I
was going to
make a change.
My whole self
was ready for a
change and this
was just the
thing I would
do: I would quit
my corporate job
and go on the
road for an
indeterminate
amount of time
to climb rocks.
It seemed so
logical to me
that this
would be my next
step. I was
glowing from my
excitement at
the possibility.
I couldn't wait
to land to call
my sister, with
whom I am close,
and let her know
what I was
planning. In
fact, the plane
barely reached
the gate when I
was on the
phone to her
babbling about
my revelation.
She didn't say
much. I think it
was the shock of
hearing me say
something like
'so, I'm
planning to quit
my job and live
on the road!'
Living on the
other side of
the country
meant she was
not privy to the
tee-up to this
moment. It must
have sounded
bizarre and
unreal when she
heard it. I left
her with those
thoughts as I
dreamily went
about business
the following
day.
Having worked
hard to get
where I was, I
didn't throw
caution to the
wind and just
jump in a van
and go. It would
have been bold,
and fun, but I
am more
practical than
that. Therefore,
I set out a 2
year plan that
included saving
a travel fund
and building my
travel stock
pile. I would
have a trying
next 18 months
as I got sick
and found myself
unable to climb.
But, I kept my
sites on my goal
and I didn't let
myself waiver
from it. If
there was one
lesson I had
learned in all
my
struggles, it
was 'slow and
steady wins the
race.' Keeping
to this, I did
what I could to
keep my sanity
and focus during
this time and
never let myself
stop planning,
despite doubts
that would creep
into my mind
about my ability
to go on this
trip. After all,
climbing was the
primary driver
for this trip,
but keeping an
open mind meant
not letting the
outcome be
judged by the
driver. There
was surely a
silver lining to
this and I would
have to wait it
out to see what
it would be.
Within 6 months
of deciding to
live on the
road, I met my
current
boyfriend, Mike.
I believe I said
something like
'this can't be
anything serious
because I'm
planning to go
on the road
soon.' Several
months later, he
responded by
admitting he'd
been planning
something
similar. I was
thinking 1+
years, he was
thinking 6
months. We
decided to at
least start off
on the road
together and
then see what
happens. After all, we'd
heard stories
from friends
about all of the
couples who were
friends, at
best, after
having lived on
the road
together for a
period of time.
We wanted to
stay flexible
and try to have
a good time
while we were
out.
One year into
our travels
together and I
can't help but
smile when I
wake up and
realize that
instead of lying
in the loft in
my van, I
could be home in
my bed buried in
my comforter.
But, I find
myself comfortable,
well rested,
content and,
dare I say happy,
right where I am. I smile
with mild
amusement that I
could feel this
way and still
know that I'm in
my van, at a
rest stop, in
the middle of
Kentucky.
