The relative ease of the hike put me into a meditative flow. I’m not sure exactly when it started, but at some point, the gratitude for this journey was eclipsed by a nagging worry about ‘what’s next’—jobs, income, the future. The truth is, I’m okay. My severance is doing its job. But the part of me used to a corporate safety net took over, proving that healing isn't a straight line. Sometimes you have to hike eight miles into the woods just to remind yourself that you’re allowed to be right where you are.

I’m taking a different approach for a bit: posting in real-time, focusing on the moment, and embracing that the experience is what matters most.

Finding Pandora in Arizona and realizing you’ve stumbled onto the best version of your life.

Two days in Saguaro National Park helped change my mindset from vacation mode to this is my life mode.

A visit to Gila Cave Dwellings National Monument and a soak in Gila Hot Springs.

Van Life 2.0 starts here, how did it go?

Did Baxter and I ever get out of that ditch in New Mexico or do we live there now?

After 30 years in an office, I traded my desk for a Winnebago Travato. I did the research. I practiced "driveway camping" in single-digit temps. I watched every tutorial on the map. By the end of the month, we hit the pavement ready for anything.

The problem? "Anything" arrived a lot sooner than expected. 🛑💸

Next up: The sun is setting, the van is unmovable, and I’m about to get a very expensive lesson in van life reality.

30 years. One layoff. And a map that suddenly had no boundaries. 🗺️✨

What was it that finally convinced me to trade a thirty-year career for a life on the road with Baxter? Why did I choose the uncertainty of the open road over the familiar comfort of a corporate desk?

It All Begins Here