We are stuck. We spend our free time reading other travelers blogs, sucking up the nervous energy of those just preparing to embark, the excitement and joy of those on the road, and the reflection of those at the end. We exist in a rather odd place in the middle. We have, in a sense, already “been there, done that”. We’ve previously taken off on our own long-term journey when we backpacked around the world in 2007-2008. We were scared and more excited than we had dreamed possible. I remember, like it was yesterday, the overwhelming sense of adventure, as we prepared to head out into the world for a longer than the typical American holiday.
Tag Archives: inspiration
Clear Lake
The silence was deafening. And exactly what we were looking for. Day to day life had, in recent weeks, become exhausting. Yes, a certain amount of angst is simply due to restlessness in our quest to return to the road. But busy days at work, many chores at home, and spending most weekends away from home, the last admittedly self induced, had created an intense need to not just go away…but to get away.
Away from cell service, away from people, away from the cares of the world.
India on my Mind
I dream of travel. My nights are spent luxuriating on the beach in Mexico, eating my weight in SE Asian street noodles, being awoken long before dawn by the roar of an African lion. Sometimes my dreams aren’t quite as vivid, rather than memories of past journeys, they consist of the anticipation of what is to come. These days those dreams have a lot of llamas in them.
Believing in More
Certain places possess a vibe that can be unexplainable. A power to draw you in so that you only sit in wonder. Such places transcend the modern and cause you to wholeheartedly embrace a higher being, whether you call it God, Mohammed, Buddha or simply the Universe.
An Invitation
The Invitation ~ by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.
In Search of a Dream
I could feel the sun beating down, in spite of the protection the sunshade above offered. May flies danced on the water as Aspen napped on my feet and Porter fretted over a passing beetle. It was a day filled with good food, perfect weather, long walks, and a marvelous swim in the lake. The hammock beckoned for pure camping perfection.
Celebrating or Two-Year Blogiversary
Two years from today I did our first blog post. At the time I was completely unsure if anyone would read it. For a long time, it seemed no one did. No, not even our family. In fact, to this day, although we have had over 35,000 visitors in all 50 states and over 20 countries worldwide, I can assure you that the majority of our close friends and family have no idea what I spend so much time writing about.
UP ~ A Love Story
Two young kids, longing for adventure, meet up in an abandoned house, the lone members of the “Spirit of Adventure” club. They grow up, marry, and dream of traveling to Paradise Falls in South America. But, reality intervenes, and each time their savings jar is filling, a problem occurs, a broken down car, a hospital visit, you know, adult stuff.
Winter Camping at it’s Best
We are not shy about proclaiming our great love for off-season camping. Nearly empty campgrounds and open beaches bring a smile to our face and joy to our heart. Add in a full moon, mid-50’s temps and no rain (in Oregon in January!) and we were in. For the first time in nearly two years we were joined by Jim’s sister Wendy, her husband and Jim’s best friend, Ken, and their two furbabies, Jenny and Lexi. Ken had recently returned from his second deployment in two years and also included a few of people in his unit, who joined in with their families.
An Enemy named Time.
To be more accurate, my enemy of late is named the lack of time. Recently I wrote about finding balance and was starting to feel I was on the right track. Then Jim and I both got sick AGAIN, as in for the fifth time since early November. We spent the days after Christmas coughing constantly, sore all over, and simply done in and worn out. Jim’s serious cold turned into pneumonia and I became his caretaker while still feeling lousy myself. We started 2014 in pretty terrible shape.