I’m in a strange place. Both literally and figuratively. I’m traveling with direction, but no destination. The first six months of this journey required that I head south, ahead of the snows that I have known my whole life. I bottomed out in western Arizona, spending a month in Quartzsite and then a month in the Lake Havasu area. By the middle of February, it started hitting 80 degrees inside my bus during the day, so I began my drive north and higher in altitude.
Other than places I have always wanted to see, but haven’t gotten the chance to see them yet, I have no itinerary. I have a few places on my list, but a combination of factors mean I still have to wait. A few of them are in California. Yosemite. Sequoia National Park. The northwest coast. California is very expensive to travel right now and almost nowhere to camp. The Sierras just recently got nailed by snow too, so I need to wait for a little meltoff before I hit the passes.
I have a recurring dream of going north. Of crossing into unknown territories, crossing the Canadian border and driving the Rockies. Right now I have the same feeling as that dream. Traveling with direction, but no destination. Sometimes I feel so far from home. But I am home. My home is always with me. Once you realize that, you feel free. Which can be very scary.
Like a tightrope walker, I keep trying to not look down. A few things still make me worry, as I’m sure everyone worries about these days. A dollar doesn’t go as far as it once did. As a gig worker, my wages don’t go up everytime the minimum wage changes. Every time I fill my tank, it can be anywhere between $40-100. The United States is a very, very big place. If gas were still $1.99 per gallon, I could go a lot further. If hamburger wasn’t $7 per pound, I wouldn’t find myself blowing so much money on food. The other day I opened a can of Vienna Sausages and they were 1/3 smaller than usual. It wasn’t especially cold outside either, but they have shrunk and the price has gone up.
Looking towards the future, I am not optimistic. Between food and fuel and bills and expenses, I’m not sure how long this can last. But honestly, if I were in a town full time, I would be just as broke, if not worse. And I wouldn’t be getting to have this adventure.
The way I figure it, I’m not going to live forever. There is still so much I haven’t seen. I know lots of the people who follow along with me feel the same way. I hope they all know that I’m bringing them with me in spirit.
I have lots of work going on right now at least. I sold a story to a magazine that will run in April. More details to come soon. Another story in a flyfishing magazine. A guest post with another travel blogger is in the works. I have my book I’m working on. My anchor clients. And I am constantly pitching and checking out new places to write about. The work feels good.
Most recently I visited Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. Those places deserve their own post, so keep an eye out for that. The work is coming and I love writing so much. As more work comes, the better I feel about my situation. Until the price for everything keeps climbing out of reach. I’m sure everyone is going through this. It’s insane.
Anyway, I am in south central Utah for the time being. The frost line is just a few hundred feet above where we are camped. Today was a day with a lot of driving and a lot of my funds went into the gas tank. More miles were put on the bus today than I had planned. About 6,000 ft everything was still socked in and I had to come back down to get a decent place to camp at lower altitudes. I’m learning so much about each place as it comes. It really is an incredible experience.
So far on the trip, here are the national parks and monuments we have been to:
- Mesa Verde
- Chaco Canyon
- Carlsbad Caverns
- White Sands
- Alamogordo
- Los Alamos
- Saguaro
- Gila Cliff Dwellings
- Zion
- Bryce Canyon
- (Drove past Bandelier—but I’ve seen it)
- (Drove past Rocky Mountain—seen that too)
- Lake Mead
I might have missed a few.
As I continue to put miles on the odometer, I feel a little like Major Tom from that Bowie song. Or maybe even the falcon from the Yeats poem. The center cannot hold. I am spinning and drifting further out, and with each week, or month, I feel the pull to other places. I’m pushing myself further, testing myself, learning how to travel better.
In the beginning, I was retracing my steps. Either with old family vacations or other trips I had taken. Now everything is brand new. Uncharted. It’s scary as hell, but also thrilling.
Yes, I make plenty of mistakes, but that’s all part of the adventure. You learn. You keep trying. Sometimes you do better. Sometimes you just relax and let the experience wash over you.
Thanks for Reading!
If you’ve liked this story, please like, comment, and subscribe. My site is supported by affiliate links. Clicking on many of the links in the blog will take you to another site which has products that I either use, endorse, or can’t live without. Your purchases on those sites gives me a small commission at no extra cost to you. See, cookies are actually good for something!
Check out the link for Origin, which made a damn fine pair of boots for my travels and living on the road. Use the code HARRIS10 for 10% off your total purchase. I’ve been wearing mine for nearly 4 years and they are still taking me where I need to go.
Want to have an adventure all your own? It all starts with Booking.com. Book flights, trips, and lodging accommodations with this link to Booking.com. Living on the road requires a lot of self-care, and sometimes it’s nice to check into a hotel for the night instead of living in your bus.
For my van life adventures, you’ll want to check out my storefront on Wayward. From cookstoves to solar systems, these are items you won’t want to tackle living on the road without them. Another way you can Support the show is to BuyMeACoffee. Donations are a great way to show your appreciation for the site. Though I’m sure instead of a coffee it will probably get me a gallon of gas.