All the little goodbyes...

Piles of things to pack.

The road north beckons; over 3000 miles to go.

I'm excited to be on my way and fulfill a dream almost 40 years* in the making. Over the past months, it's been a whirlwind of activity with too much to do to get ready to go and attend to all the necessary things that need doing as I can't depend on being in touch (cell or internet) for much of this trip. Phew!

Now that the final flurry of activity is almost done, it's finally sinking in that I'm leaving friends and family for quite some time.

Each of these has been a little “letting go” over the past few weeks:

• returning library books — and not getting new ones
• unsubscribing from unnecessary email lists
• walking the neighborhood and knowing it will look different the next time I see it
• gradually clearing out the freezer
• submitting "temporary" mail forwarding: all mail will now be going to South Dakota and will eventually catch up with me periodically at places of my choosing, most likely "General Delivery," Smalltown, AK. ==> And yes, you can write me there (3916 N Potsdam Ave. #4503, Sioux Falls, SD 57104), and I will eventually get it.
• resigning from NextDoor BlueRock (may start one in SD!!)
• farming out the few plants gathered over the last few months or rooted from cuttings
• conditioning the icebox (getting it cold with jugs of ice - another reason for clearing out the freezer)
• last load of laundry so clothes and towels start out clean
• packing N0MAD so it's easy to play, work, eat and sleep
• putting out the last batch of trash & recyclables
• turning off and unplugging all electronics
• closing the door & turning the key in the lock
• getting in N0MAD and driving away...

The first layer: this is my "tiny home" for the next nine months.

I'm so glad I've been able to visit and walk and talk and share meals with many of you in the past months…

And if I missed meeting up with you, it doesn't mean I love you less, just that our friendship is strong and doesn't necessarily need an "adieu."

I will miss you all but will be in touch when I can. You can "subscribe" to this blog by email, and it will notify you when there is a new post. (I hope that feature works.)

First stop: East Bay, then Sacramento.

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*For those of you who may not know the "why" of this trip, here's the short story: 
After graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in chemistry/emphasis in biochem, I worked as a lab assistant at a small startup in Palo Alto. But it soon became clear to me that, while work was interesting and with a great group of people, I didn't like being inside all the time. I craved being outdoors. I took long walks on the weekends and took inspiration from the mountains, the rocks, and wondering why the land looked the way it did. Thinking about what field of study would allow me to learn more – and work outside – led me to geology. 
I took night courses for a bit, just to see if it was a good fit, and loved it. That led to more coursework (while still working full-time), and finally deciding to apply to graduate school. I applied to three and was accepted at all of them: UC Santa Barbara, University of Washington at Seattle, and University of Alaska at Fairbanks. 
At the time, I really, really wanted to to go to Alaska. There was a master's project all lined up for me on the Copper River. I dreamed of mountains and glaciers, fast-tumbling rivers and open tundra, ice and cold, and the midnight sun. But ultimately, it was just too far away from friends and family — just too scary for a 20-something-year-old, and I opted for the safe choice at UCSB. 

And of course I do wonder how my life would have turned out had I opted for Alaska then. I like to think that my destiny has just been delayed, and I was meant to go there from the beginning.