It’s hard to think of things to write about when there’s nothing going on. I think I make note before that I can’t really make a move until I clear on my debits. At least this gives me time to think plan and make clear decisions.
I’m very excited, I can’t wait for this journey to start. Just a few thousand dollars on my student loans stand in the way and I’m free! I hope to be in Southern California by next winter and I think I’m going to take some Spanish classes be for I’m off, one good thing about my job is the pay 6 credit hours a semester at any public university, which I very nice. I’ve been Romanticizing about doing this for years and seeing the light at the end of the tunnels got me so excited I work on my plans most the day. Next I’m going to map out the best bike routs for pretty views and quaint towns. I thought about hitting up some big cities to say I’ve been, but I’m worried about running into trouble.
I was out on a night jog and a thought I’ve been having comes to me again, I’ve very worried about the whole getting attacked, raped, kidnapped, killed, or just getting scared etc etc. The whole putting pure faith in people worries me in these times. I’ve been reading into some stories, some good some bad. Its not my resolve or strength I’m concerned about but the people in today’s society.
“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
What are your thoughts on putting faith in strangers?
Getting all my ducks in a row: Sadly I can just pick up and go today, if I come back in a year or so I don’t want to mess up my future. So first thing first, I have a little less than 5 grand lest on my student loans and it’s going to take about 5 months give or take to pay off and clear my debt. In that time I plan to do some physical training. … I’m traveling by bike. This will be a spiritual and both physical journey for both body and soul.
After I clear my loans I plan to save up to get me started as I adjust. Then I’ll get all the appropriate supplies. After this is all set up I’ll desolve all my accounts that tie me down hear and sell my car. All that will be left is to pack up and hit the road.
Things to bring along: You can help give me your 2¢ on this one, but hears a list I’m thinking so far. A cross country bike, back bag, a small tent, sleeping bag, maps, compass, flash light/head lamp, extra food, extra cloths, first aid, knife and tools, waterproof matches and fire starter, water/filter/bottles, whistle, locks for the bags and bike, charger and phone for emergency, camera, paper and pens.
I also want to find odd jobs to pick up on the way and try to make use of couchsurfing.org
Some stops on the road: You can give me your 2¢ on this as well. The goal is to end up at the pacific and i hope to find some nice tows and pretty roads, but there’s a few stops in mind: bare in mind I’ve already seen most the east aside a few states I plane to see at a later time. I want to hit Chicago, mt Rushmore, devils tower, the Rockies, yellow stone, Tao pueblo, the petrified forest, the arches, Grand Canyon, Vegas, mt Helena, crater lake, death valley, mt Whitney, redwood forest, San Gregorio beach, San Luis Obispo, and other neat things.
More posts as things come.
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” -George Harrison
I’m braking free: Surly the lot of just get beaten down by the daily grind in life Whats the point? Work to live live to work with small tastes of pleasure in between? Why do we have to live like this? Well, the simple answer is, we don’t.
Who am I and why I’m doing this: We’ll get to exactly what I’m doing in a moment. I grew up in central KY, I’m a 22yr old with a college education, and a decent job at a hospital. I guess about the average middle class American, and like everyone I have “a story” but I don’t want to digress to far. You see, about a month ago I nearly died, I was in a coma for a few days, and stayed in the hospital a couple weeks (this is a whole nother story in its self). I was prepared to lose everything, friends, family, money, and all worldly possessions; and the fact that I had already excepted this is no small thing to shake off. I have a new lease on life and I need to live, I cant wast another day going to bed just so I can go back to work like some kinda of robot, and live vicariously threw books, movies, and games.
So what am I doing?: I am becoming a drifter, plain and simple. this my last anywhere between a year to the rest of my life. I’m going cross country, I want to see everything, I want to experience many things, I want to have hard times, I want to grow and live enjoy the simple pleasures mother nature has to offer. Every day will be mine and mine alone, true freedom.
There is an actual logical plan, and details, this I will save for another post.
“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”
― Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum LP
Drifter Nomad 