Longing for the Road

I’d like to write more frequently. If I’m being honest, one reason for that is that there’s so much that happens between my writings now that I can’t recount it all in the next post. And if I don’t write about it, the reader won’t know it happened. I’ve lived my 20s in the documenting-everything-for-others-to-see era. If you don’t post about it somewhere, it didn’t happen. I don’t believe in that. I mean, I believe the phenomena exists, but I don’t live that way. However, I do feel like I need to get at least one good photo out of a special day or trip or activity and what do I do with a good photo? I post it on Instagram. So I’ve wondered if I, too, have the need to show everyone that I’m doing cool things. No, no, no, I won’t let myself talk about myself like that. I know it’s not true because 97% of the time I only post on Instagram and not on Facebook where more people would see it. And I hate when I see a group of friends and they’re all on their phones and I’m horrified when I catch girls taking selfies with stupid faces and I refuse to use Snapchat. So, there.

Speaking of needing to share cool things… Since last writing ten months ago, I road tripped around Texas, went to Crested Butte a handful more times, saw my first concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater, taught Henley to dock jump, taught myself to play the ukulele, fought bed bugs, voted for a lady, hosted friends from home, spent a lot of money at the mechanic, spent my twenty-ninth birthday with four of my best friends from opposite ends of the country, tolerated work, got closer to some people and farther from others, camped many times and hiked a whole lot, drove home for Christmas, took a nutrition class, flew to California twice, and moved to a new apartment. 

I guess it’s been a busy first year in Colorado, and I have a lot planned for the coming months: a road trip with my friend Laura to her hometown in Georgia for the fourth of July, then Mom’s visiting, then Sarah, then Holly’s flying out for a trip to Tahoe, and I’m planning my twenty-two days off in October with a road trip home. 

But what are we up to right now?? About to embark on a road trip up to Washington for one of my best friend’s wedding! The beautiful bride, Sarah, is from southern California but lives in Seattle. Her and Niles love it there so much that they’re making the rest of us haul our asses up there to the forest in the middle of Washington to celebrate the union. If anyone deserves people traveling to them, it’s these two because they fly to California like twice a month for engagements, birthday parties, anything their friends need because they’re that kind of people. (Sarah is one of the loves that came to Denver for my birthday.) 

As soon as I knew the wedding was in Washington, I knew I needed time off to get more out of this trip instead of just flying in for the weekend. I LOVE the Pacific North West coast and I’ve spent so little time there; too little time. 

Here's an overview of the eleven days on the road: Boise, Idaho; Cannon Beach, Oregon; Ruby Beach, Washington; Seattle; Leavenworth, Washington for the wedding; Glacier National Park, Montana; Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Although, the ride home through Wyoming is kind of up in the air. It might be too cold and snowy at elevation this time of year. We will see.

We leave in less than a week. I’ve planned the schedule out mostly, and now just have to pack and day dream about the trip up there.

If you’re completely unfamiliar with the term and lifestyle “van life,” I am referring to spending long periods of time (road trips or even living) in a van. You set that thing up like a mini studio apartment and you’re set. It’s actually a pretty big little world out there. I would know because I follow so many of them on Instagram. Long trips on the road in my Subaru hatchback is really hard. It was pretty taxing on the three and a half week trip around the U.S. So I long for the day I have a bigger space. 

About 90% of my free thoughts are spent on van life and planning my future that would involve it. When I travel nurse, I could at least have the van to drive between assignments and explore the new region or even live in it at times. I’m thinking about becoming a nutrition consultant, which I would do from “home” and always have that job when I’m on the road or wherever I end up. I work on my checklist of requirements in my future van. I dream of sorting my clothes and belongings, minimalizing, and keeping the few things I would have space to live with. I think about the logistics of bathing, leaving Henley in there, where I would park. I see a park with no restricting signs and I think “Ohh yaaa, I could park there.” I check out every single van (and RV and pickup with cap and bus) I see on the road and I peruse Craigslist, looking for The One, even though I couldn't buy it right now if I found it. Every day I drool over the photos from the many Instagrammers I follow. 

Frequently these van lifers post a photo of their stuff everywhere, brushing their teeth in the drivers seat and they write about how van life is over-romanticized in the media. It's not all dreamy post-able pics. It's hard and messy. I appreciate these posts because I need to be kept in check. And I understand because I dream and dream and look forward to my road trips and then I get out there and it is only a fraction of the bliss I build it up to be, but I do it again and again. It has the uncanny ability to make me quickly forget the rough parts and plan another trip. And again I get out there and remember Oh ya, this is hard, and a little shitty. But it is also great, and right now I am in the stage of dreaming and longing for the road. I might change my tune in a few days time, but for now...  Greatness awaits.

Full tank, full heart.