Welcome to “A Month in a Minivan” - the 2019 edition. I did this last year, and as a writer, it was super satisfying to have a daily practice. Although I thrive in this mostly non-stuctured life, I sometimes crave something measurable to work toward and having a commitment to write each day for a … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan 2019: Day One
Category: The Van Tribe
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Letting Go of Perfect
It used to take me the better part of an hour to scope out a van-camping spot, before finally settling on what felt like “the perfect one.” In the early days, I stayed mostly at provincial parks, and even if I were the only one there, I would race around in a panic, sure someone … Continue reading Letting Go of Perfect
The Nomad’s Front Porch
At first glance, I’m challenged to find the obvious tie that binds the 8000 or so souls gathering each year at the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) and Womens’ RTR (WRTR) in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. A survey of the parked vehicles suggests membership probably isn’t defined by rig-choice or economics. Large, newer-model, Class A … Continue reading The Nomad’s Front Porch
How We Roll
Today we made our way south through Pennsylvania, into West Virginia and are now just north of Virginia. I was poky (according to the trip summary below) because I had to do important things like: A) STOP TO REMOVE MY DOWN JACKET, and B) Go for a long walk by a creek WITHOUT MY DOWN … Continue reading How We Roll
Day 2: Confessions of a Serial Food Dater
I’m pretty tired of food rules, so I won’t be following many on this trip. I’m just setting off with the basic premise that plants and animals constitute potential human food sources, and if they are grown, raised or foraged within about 100 km of where I am, I will consider them “home grown” or … Continue reading Day 2: Confessions of a Serial Food Dater
This Vantastic Life: The Accidental Vortex
If you’ve been following my Sedona “mini-series” you know I worked on “letting Sedona come to me” rather than curating the experience; letting go of expectations for that Sedona energy thing. I need to finish my story now. Because, although it took a bit of time, Sedona did arrive. For three days I stayed in … Continue reading This Vantastic Life: The Accidental Vortex
This Vantastic Life: A Blind Date with Sedona
I’ve been an hour away from Sedona for three days, while recuperating from a throat infection. I chose not to come here while I rested, because I wanted my energy to be good when I arrived. I’ve been looking forward to this, like a first date, apparently! How can I show up to meet Sedona, … Continue reading This Vantastic Life: A Blind Date with Sedona
A Month in a Minivan: Final Installment
The writer, Anais Nin wrote, “I write to live life twice.” I imagine she meant she had the pleasure of experiencing all the good stuff twice - once in real-time and again through writing and remembering. This may be quite true, but I love this quote for my own quirky and slightly ironic reasons. Writing … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan: Final Installment
A Month in a Minivan: Day 26
I woke up this morning feeling like I had an actual hangover. Is that a thing? A phantom hangover from merely fighting the idea of a drink? Given my mental fogginess, I gave myself permission to process less today. Today, I didn’t need to understand anything in particular. I declared it “sensory day” - just … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan: Day 26
A Month in a Minivan: Day 25
I almost stayed in a hotel tonight. All day long I toyed with the idea, like a hungry cat first toys with a death-row mouse. There is a certain adrenaline that comes with the hunt; a rush that accompanies chasing something down and eventually eating it. The seed was planted early in the day, … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan: Day 25