It’s amazing watching your children grow into young adults. It truly is like watching a flower bloom in slow motion although when you look back it moves at the speed of light. My daughter spent the afternoon downtown with her new “friend” for the first time. She asked my permission and in my head I probably said no 100 times but it wasn’t the answer I responded with. I asked her a few not so embarrassing questions and gave her my thumbs up and her mom taxied her downtown. I’m doing my best as a dad to support her happiness but sometimes I have to bite down on some leather to keep my knee jerk responses and reactions. She’s one of the two things I care about the most. We raised her right. I trust her judgement calls it’s just a doozy for me to reckon with.

My energy levels are slowly coming back. It took about a week ish, same as the last three years of work. I made a list of changes the last two months I need to deal with at the deli and it’s time to honor them. It’ll be quite the task.

October 21st was the last time I was “outdoors” and on a scale of 1-10 camping experiences I would’ve given that one a -6. Before that it was pre Helene. Weather and circumstances had created the perfect storm of pooping on my camping trips. It’s mildly frustrating fall is my camping season and I managed to miss it all.

I’m not ravaged by it I’m just frustrated.

That’s all

January is definitely a transitional month for me now that I’ve had time and experience to recognize it.

And appreciate it

It gives me time to think on the upcoming things.

All the things. I have Sedona on my mind with a side of Utah. Last long adventure I did was glacier and the drive wore me down. Honestly though if I go anywhere it’ll probably be Colorado again. I’m in dire need of an adventure that doesn’t involve work.

Great Lakes are on my mind too. Michigan is one of maybe 4 states I haven’t been to? North Dakota, Wisconsin and Alaska would be the others. Washington barely, my front bumper touched into the southern region after I dipped my bike tire in the pacific outside a little town in Oregon in ‘99.

I’ve been wrestling with my camping set up along with my fickleness. I obsess over things when I get excited about them and I have to stew on my decisions for a bit to keep me from acting on my impulses. It also distracts me from what I already have on my plate. The deli suffered a tad while I tried to camp every week. I could do it when I was mobile but now I have more responsibilities that may cause me to linger around the deli on days off. It’s fine as long as I maintain balance. I’m off kilter at the moment so it’s been difficult.

Since my slight obsession with overlanding circa 2019, my camping has evolved over time. I use the term overlander loosely. I’m not an avid off road guy I enjoy the benefits of BLM land and getting the fuck away from everyone. I’ve gone from camping out of the back of my truck to a small bus and then my trailer. I love the trailer but my truck gets about 10 miles to the gallon towing it. That adds an extra $500 to any cross country trip.

Pros – I can park the trailer, unhitch and go about my business wherever I go and not worry about breaking down camp.

Cons- if I choose to relocate it’s about a 45 minute set up and breakdown.

When I do my trips I plan two ways. I set my sights on a hub. A small town or camping area and set up my shelter for about 4-5 days and my adventures and sight seeing stay within that hub. My whole focus is on that area and I explore no further than an hour or two from my zone. I did this in Sedona and Maine and it worked out quite well.

The other option is nomadic, I keep my tent on my truck, pack lighter and hit multiple places overnight. I’ve done this in Colorado a few times and also enjoy it. I’m much more restless in Colorado. I know where the things are and I must see them all. I’ve been to CO around a dozen times and I’ve done about 2% of the things.

Also, I love the freedom of living off a tailgate. It feels like my roots were meant to be there. The summers I spent solo in that little camper in my parents back yard left a forever impression on me.

I don’t hate it

Looking at a ridiculously tall camper top and selling all the rest. I’m taking my time with this decision. It takes me a moment to discern between instinct and impulse. I can tell work has slowed down because I’m starting to dream again.

Dreams are your introduction to manifestations.

For some reason I stopped chasing them for years and I’m trying to catch up now.

Highly recommend this. All manifestation is for me is if you believe in it hard enough you’ll find a way to make it happen.

Im just trying to put my obsessions into good use.

This is my first consecutive two days off in a bit. I’m thankful for the rain because it will hamper my activities for the day and I think it’s needed. Spent some needed time with the fam and we went to the RV show yesterday. I’m not an RV person but I like touring the camper vans and some of the buses are fun to sit in the “cockpit” like a child touring an airplane. To each their own I wouldn’t turn one down that’s for sure.

I’ll stick to my tailgate.

Cheers yall.