Mini-travel

This last week, I took Betty Lou, the traveling van out on a test run by myself. We ended up in Port Townsend, Washington. It was a magnificent voyage. Stayed in a "campground" (read: glorified parking lot) in the marina, surrounded by water and boats. I took my bike and was able to bike all over town. This felt more like what we will be doing than any other trip I've taken in the van. I felt like (for a couple of days) an "RVer".

The town: A victorian seaport on the Olympic peninsula, surrounded on 3 sides by water. This is a happening town. While I was there, Country Joe McDonald played in a local cafe as did Marcia Ball. There were art galleries every 3 feet, with bookstores and coffee shops in between. Theaters and musical venues abounded. There was a storefront for writers. A natural food co-op. Victorian architecture everywhere. Fiddlers on the streets. Schools for woodworking, boat building, sailing, art - you name it. Festivals all year round. All in a glorious natural setting. I was in hog heaven.

Eventually, it began to rain and I headed south, hoping to find some dry weather. No luck. It was soggy everywhere. During the two day journey back home, I stopped at Monarch Sculpture Garden near Olympia, Washington. http://www.monarchartcenter.org/ We went last year at this time but it was so enjoyable I wanted to stop again. There were new sculptures since our last visit. My favorites were the nymphs by Myrna Orsini. Hidden in the grass next to a small stream, barely visible - they were delightful.

The Monarch Garden lies on a bike trail called the Chehalis Western Trail - one that goes from Olympia to I don't remember where but many miles away. http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/parks/Trails/trails.htm It connects up with the Yelm-Tenino Trail which goes from (are you ready?) Yelm to Tenino. The Yelm trail goes through natural area but more or less follows a road from one town to the other. The Chehalis Western Trail (could it possible end in Chehalis? Olympia to Chehalis? I should look this up) is even more rural - it really just goes through the country side and is one of the best bike trails I've ever been on. Both trails are nicely paved.

In Tenino is an art gallery called Earth Artisans http://earthartisansgallery.com/ . Owned by a woman, it has a variety of styles and types of art with reasonable prices. All the art was good quality and appealing. Excellent conversation is available also (for free).

Making a list, checking it twice

We are purging. We are packing. We are saving. We are filling out paperwork. We have long discussions on what to do, what to take, what to leave.

We make lists.

The above item made it to the "keep it" list and was duly trucked to the storage unit. Along with 2 tires, boxes of books, multiple musical intruments, and one box of christmas lights.

The things we consider important.

Where should we go first? That varies from day to day also. Arizona? The young man that sold Suzie her glasses has an aunt with a house... Florida? Suzies sister lives there... Texas? I've always wanted to show her where I used to live and spend some time camping on the beach (maybe not so appealing right now).

What should we take? I'm arguing for my sewing machine - I have a lovely fantasy of sitting outside at a picnic table in a state park somewhere, making some original creation on my machine. Suzie flat out refuses to allow a sewing machine to take up our very limited space. So instead, I use it as a bargaining tool for other art supplies. I'm thinking a medium sized tool box filled to the brim. She's thinking a cigar box. I have a stack of travel books I think necessary. She doesn't think an atlas is required. You can see we have further negotiations to do.

At least, we make progress.

Getting Our Ducks in a Row

It's been a long, soggy winter but things are finally moving along. F-Day (Freedom day) is less than six months away and I've been forced to forgo my procrastination and actually get to it. It, of course, being the massive organization and planning necessary for a change of this magnitude.

To date, we've begun packing up and purging the household in preparation for market. This has involved weekly trips to the goodwill donation site and a newly rented storage unit. We go through the house, deciding what we can live without, pack up some stuff, throw away other stuff and give away yet more stuff. We feel virtuous for a day or two but gradually, it begins to dawn on us that the house is still full. So, we do it all over again. And again. And again.

We've ordered passports. I purchased a handy freedom guide called "The Travel Nurses Bible" and am studying it diligently. I have endeavored to learn as many skills as possible at work. We've researched and planned and organized until our eyeballs spin. And there is still more to go.

Did I mention that we leave in less than six months? I'm feeling the pressure.

The freedom fund is growing. We've moved the bike rack over to Betty Lou, the traveling van. Suzies job is ending and she is seeking one with free housing so we can save even more money.

See? Even if I haven't been posting, we've still made progress.

I'll try to be more faithful to this blog. After all, when we do finally hit the road, this will be our journal. Wish me luck.

Worries and Frets

Freedom....freedom from debt, freedom from routine, freedom from work?? My emotions have been up and down regarding this journey this week. Paying off that second credit card has really got me enthused about getting (mostly) debt free. I haven't quite gotten to the point where I'm willing to give up that daily latte (I suppose that will have to come eventually). However, I am throwing little dribs and drabs at that final credit card so I can see the balance dwindle. But then, the worries set in. I got a little nursing newspaper in the mail the other day. Usually, this is full of ads for places hiring - sign on bonuses, relocation paid, you name it. This time, there were two. My mind struggles trying to make sense of and predict what will happen in the next few years with the healthcare industry. "Now," I think, "if less people have health insurance because of unemployment, less people will go to the hospital and need nurses - no, wait. People will still get sick, but will go to the ED instead - no, wait. They can't pay so they will only go to the charity hospitals...." I can't figure it out. Maybe Obama will fix everything. One can dream, eh?

Then, I read an article in the Oregonian about people over 45 having a harder time finding jobs now. It says 30 year olds are hiring and they don't want old folks and we better fix our hair. Well, my hair is youthful (green is a youthful color, isn't it?) but I'll be 45 when we leave. Am I crazy to leave a good government job for the great unknown?

Still. I know we'll settle down again someday and I don't want to spend that time thinking about the things I wish I'd done. I truly believe that we must grab our dreams and hold tight and take them for a ride. I'm holding tight to this dream.

Horde of Pelicans

Writers Block!

I had it. Sorry.

The freedom plan is coming along slowly. I paid off another credit card today (YEAH!) and the freedom account is shuffling along. We took a trip in Betty Lou for my birthday to Long Beach Penninsula in Washington and had some firsts. I flew my first kite. Now, this is my kind of hobby. I flew a kite and took a nap at the very same time. I also rode my first moped - I've avoided that sort of thing since seeing someone crash/burn/die on a minibike long ago. Luckily, I did not burn and die (though, there was that little crash...) and Suzy is an experienced motorcycle rider so it was a nonevent for her. One of the highlights of the trip was an afternoon spent at Fort Stevens State Park, near Astoria. We napped, flew the kite, and watched hordes of pelicans most of the day. It was a beautiful spot along the levy where the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean meet.

Each time we take a trip in the van, we hone the process a little more. Then, when you add it all the time Suzy spends in the van while it sits in the driveway, we should have the process perfected long before next October. I've had to add a few more things to the list - paperwork and appointments mostly.

We will take two more short trips this month and my focus will be perfecting the food system. We learned the last trip that finding prepared food we can eat isn't always possible (we follow a low fat, vegan eating plan) and cold food gets tiring after a while. So far, we have a small camp stove and a little toaster oven that we take along but we haven't used either much. I will be experimenting to see what sort of healthy meals are possible using these two implements. I will report on any great food breakthroughs or disasters after the trips.

Getting Down to Business

Enough of the rhapsodizing about my current travel. This blog is about preparing for future travel. And the Universe is sending me messages...

In the mail today, I got an advertisement from "Bicycle Adventures" and a DVD from Netflix called "Gypsy Caravan" http://www.gypsycaravanmovie.com/ . In my email box, I got an email from a travel nurse company saying that they are paying double and triple pay for overtime worked. On the McDougall site, I read about a fellow McDougallers on the road adventure.

I think its a plot.

A plan. Every day, I will do something to make this dream happen. Even if its a tiny thing because I am so busy/tired/unmotivated. Today, I will find 3 things to get rid of and I will at least open up and look at the nursing agency application to see if there is anything I can fill out quickly.

Baby steps will get you around the world.

When I showed El Nino this blog, he told me about a website called 43 things. Apparently, you can post goals on this website and what you are doing to get to those goals and people give you "cheers". I haven't explored it fully but I offer it up for your perusal. On the right.