Were Off!

Its been a busy couple of weeks for us. July 1st, we pulled out of our driveway in Durango, CO and said goodbye to our quiet little mountain town.

What began as a random drunken conversation at a bar over three years ago has now officially begun. “Someday id like to escape it all and live a simple life on a sailboat somewhere” I said. “Well, lets just go then” Shannon replied. Not one to put too much faith in the reality of it actually happening, I said “sure, lets do it.” Its been a wild ride since then, but I now find myself sitting outside our camper here in Bolivar Peninsula, TX with thirty days to decide where to go next.

With so many changes over the last few months, its hard to know where to begin, so I guess I’ll get the ugly out of the way. I had to leave my dog Lopa with my father in Park City, UT. She had been with me for ten years though all of my adventures. Long solo backpacking trips, epic desert camping, and many hundreds of miles running through the mountains.

Unfortunately, she just would not live her expected happy life in the camper. We made several attempts to acclimate her to the smaller space, but the constant motion, no back yard, and very restrictive dog rules at RV parks just wouldn’t do. The decision was made to let her go live her last few years with dad in Park City. He runs every day, has a great backyard, and will be able to provide a stable and happy place for her. I’m not really great at emotions, but I couldn’t help but cry as we pulled away without her.

With the hardest part over, it was time to begin this new adventure in earnest. Two weeks ago, Shannon and I drove away from our house in Durango, just as our new renters were moving in, and began our journey across the country. We had sold, donated, or just trashed nearly everything we owned in order to fit it all into our 22 ft trailer. Two days of pushing my twelve year old Tacoma to its limits towing it all to our first stop near Tulsa, OK. While there we were able to spend some time with Shannon’s family for a few days.

Then, we hopped a plane to Jacksonville, FL to take part in my brothers wedding before he ships off to join the Navy.

Another two days of slow and slightly nerve-wracking driving, we arrived at our RV park here in Bolivar Peninsula, TX. We have the next thirty days reserved at this quiet little spot while we get our bearings of the area and begin the massive search for a sailboat we can call home.