On Friday, July 8th, I pack up and hit the road. Bouncing from AirBnB to AirBnB. A modern day nomad of sorts.
As much as I like to talk about my “trip,” it really isn’t that. A trip has an end. This will, but it doesn’t today.
While Phase 1 of our adventure is set (see below), our plans are, ultimately, open ended. We have some ideas, but after this first stretch of exploring, we’ll be making things up as we go 😬
A primary goal for this “trip” is to find a new place to call home. Or at very least, to cross places off the list! But as Adult as that sounds, the truth is we really just want to get out and explore.
I’m especially excited to see the expanses of Montana. The natural wonders of Pemberton. The coastlines of Vancouver Island and Oregon!
From early July through mid November 2022, Phase 1 of our adventures has us leaving Chicago to explore Montana, Washington, British Columbia, Vancouver Island, and Oregon.
Phase 1 features us exploring,
Washington — Snoqualmie, Bellingham, and Gig Harbor
British Columbia — Vancouver and Pemberton
Vancouver Island — Qualicum Beach, Ucluelet & Tofino, and Victoria
Oregon — Cannon Beach, Yachats, Bandon, and Bend
While Phase 2 hasn’t been officially planned yet, it’ll likely feature us spending the winter exploring the California coast (Leucadia’s a personal favorite) and Baja California.
Planning, and then actually following through on all of this has been… complicated (to say the least) 😐 Figuring out mail, insurance, etc., is “fun” when you don’t have a permanent address. And packing is always an exercise in frustration. You want to be prepared for all seasons and situations, but the car only fits so much.
(Humblebrag: while not quite as optimized or impressive as Vitalik’s 40-liter backpack, I’ve successfully consolidated all my stuff to three carry-on sized bags. One has most everything I need on a day to day basis. The other two are cold winter clothes and back-up supplies.)
But the real challenge has been doing all this with a cat companion in mind 🐈 Camping with a cat? Not ideal. Twelve hours in the car with a cat? No thanks. I’ve also learned that of the few AirBnBs that “allow pets,” most actually only allow dogs 😑
While I intend to update this blog on a semi-regular basis, I make no promises. But I will do my best! Not just because I want to document our adventure so we can look back and reminisce. It’s also just the easiest way to keep all my family and friends (like you!) updated on how things are going.
P.S. For shorter updates look to my Twitter and Instagram. And if you happen to live in any of the places we’ll be exploring, please say “Hi 👋” on Twitter. I always enjoy meeting new people!