It has been awhile since I have posted anything. Mainly because I have been traveling and learning, about myself, about people, about history, about how to live.  Truly living a life that works for me. It may not be for everyone or anyone for that matter but it works for me and can easily be transferred into your life.

I have always felt lost, like I didn’t “fit in”, I have a hard time connecting with people on a deeper level of love. I love people, I love hearing their stories about life and surviving, I love learning about culture and the different ways people learn to live and survive in this short time we are on earth. We face joy, hardships, life changes, and as we get older we find new ways to adapt. We grow, change, learn and life challenges us to a breaking point. As we stand on that tight wire knowing we can/will fall off in one direction or the other, we must actively think of what each side has to offer or how it will change us or add to our life. This is where we must know ourselves, love ourselves, well enough to see clearly on how this snap decision will affect us as we teeter the wire, so when we fall we can catch ourselves and make it a softer landing.

You see, each relationship (no matter a friendship, lovers, family, strangers passing through our life for a brief moment) brings us something we must learn from.

I have been reflecting my “take aways” as I learn about myself on this journey. Solo travel opens a path to self-discovery that is so much more powerful than I first realized. I have backpacked through Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia. I have traveled from most National parks from Glacier down to the Grand Canyon and then over to the California coast and up to Washington. I have hiked 100 miles on the PCT trail in California. None of which were left without lessons and self growth. Yet, I was still feeling lost and thirsty for more.

Here I am in month 4 of my year journey of traveling in my little R-Pod travel trailer through the U.S. and am still thirsty for life and clarity!

Life is so complicated when we involve others, we allow them to change our core selves and steer our beliefs of life. We are constantly seeking acceptance or wanting pats on the back for our accomplishments in work, what we live in, where we are in the workforce etc… the list is LONG! Constantly trying to show everyone that we are “put together”. Justifying this, that and the other instead of being proud of where we are in life. I am a mess and proud of it because I am still growing and learning!

My gosh, we have SO many influences around us, how can we possibly just sit in our own shit and think! We have to feel connected through Facebook, Instagram, texting, T.V, social networks, dating sites etc. just to feel connected somehow! We add anyone that asks to take a peek into our world just to “show” we have our shit together and are rocking this thing called life. The reality I am finding is so much different than what we “show” others though. We have forgotten what it feels like to disconnect and just live. We have full on conversations in a text! We have hundreds of friends on Facebook, yet sit alone night after night alone not interacting with anyone in person, we get jealous of what we see others doing on facebook and think their life is so amazing (hence fakebook), we see pictures of others and wish we looked like that, we see others homes and toys and are envious of what they have, leading us to go out and buy beyond our means, making life even harder because we have to work more just to pay for these items! We have a beautiful/amazing/loving person in our life yet feel compelled to see “who else” is out there on dating sites! It is ENDLESS if we allow this in our solitude of who we really are. Just look into your own life and ask yourself if any of this fits your world. If the answer is yes, I implore you to start a journey of self-love and acceptance. To see yourself as the beautiful person you are. To take a pause everyday to reflect on all the beauty that is in your life currently… the people that MEAN something to you, the friends you actually “talk” to and are there for you , the people that allow you to be the “real” you (even the messy you), to watch a sunset, to walk barefoot in nature, to listen to the ocean, to take yourself to a movie, to drive on a country road and blast your favorite songs! DO YOU! Whatever you do, do it for YOU, no one but you! Learn to sit alone and embrace yourself for all you offer the world. Walk away from the extreme harshness we hear everyday on tv, the negative buzz that is nagging us to be better, do more, make more money, have a bigger home, find a better mate, etc! Just stop and listen to yourself in silence in a place that calms your soul. Refresh your spirit and embrace the moment for all it can offer. Then, when you return to the daily grinds, you may see/hear the ‘noise” that has been stopping you from truly living your life without the craziness. You see, we acclimate to our surroundings just like the climate we live in. It is hard to stay grounded and continue to grow when we are guided by outside forces. Take the time to get to know your true core soul so you can live in this crazy world, but with a quieter guide so you can see clearly. Then when that tight wire gives us options on where to fall/or jump off, we can see the ground a little more clearly and see what each side can offer or what consequence’s we will put into our soul.

On this journey, I have been discovering why I was drowning. I have been finding my calm space, embracing it in fact, and really listening to myself. I have had to leave people behind that where to “noisy” in my life, and it is HARD! People that make me second-guess myself and my beliefs, people I don’t trust to be myself with. We are just different people, one not better than the other but just have different moral compasses. We must find our tribe instead of conforming to other people’s way of life and change who we are at our own center. I am learning to love myself and live with myself instead of trying to impress others, live my life that truly is making me a better human, calmer, more centered. Making friends that I can relate to and do not feel I need to impress because they love me for me, just how I am.  You see, I am gaining my tribe and clearing the “noise”. I love people, but just because I love them does not mean I need to surround myself with them. If I feel myself changing, fearful or even doubting what they are adding to my life… then they must be loved afar, not in the immediate because I cannot afford to spend that much energy trying to quiet the  “noise”. I need my tribe, however large or small it is. People that I relate to and can relate to me. People that “add” to my growth. The old saying “ We are a reflection of who we surround ourselves with” is so true! Love them, but love them from afar. Life is not meant to be loud… it is the calm that clears our mind and allows us to be true.

Love to you all….

Noamadic-Soul-Seeker… seeking my tribe

Life On The Road

When I left Maine I continued on to Rhode Island and Connecticut. I must admit Connecticut was by far more favorable to haul my R-Pod and had so much more to do! I was trying to decide which route to take so that I could get to Pennsylvania but I was unsettled. I had some unfinished feelings that I needed to “deal” with… I headed back to Maine for a couple days. It was wonderful and worth the trip back!!

I then headed to Pennsylvania (Lancaster) Amish Country! I was so at peace here as I watched an entirely different type of life. A life so simple, yet so incredibly hard (yet together). I stopped often just to watch the people of different types all live in an area, yet not really interacting with each other. The beauty of this area is amazing!

From Pennsylvania I headed to Maryland and both West Virginia and Virginia. West Virginia is a VERY interesting area (I wont share of my experiences there). Virginia is full of history and at every stop I felt a new found appreciation for our country. I stopped at every quaint town along the entire journey and spent a lot of time just watching people and taking in the views.

Life on the road is amazing,
but hard also. Loneliness sneaks in at the oddest times. It passes quickly
though as I move forward. I still am in such conflict within myself. I feel I
have come along ways but I still have SO far to go. It can be frustrating and
overwhelming. Every time I talk to a teacher friend and they tell me about the
class for the year and the politics going on, I feel sick. There MUST be a
better system to balancing life and work. I realize more and more how I was
drowning in my own self-choices. Work was a force of stress (to give everything
I had in me) that I felt I owed my students and parents of those students. At
what cost though ( we give) do we need to stop and just accept that work is not
the only thing in life? That people and beautiful scenery and adventures of
interests we have need to come into play as well. Sometimes when I people
watch, I see the blank stare, the tiredness, the STRESS people carry. They live
in the beautiful places but have not even taken a moment to look up and see the
beauty that they are surrounded in. The stars, the trees, the water, the
buildings, the hills, the leaves changing colors…. They don’t see it. They
forget that these are the free, amazing things in life. Others forget they have
the most beautiful people surrounding them but never have “time” to visit or
just laugh with them. What is happening!! We take for granted the people that
love us the most, the ones that we love, the ones that carry our life burdens
with us, the ones we worry about and vice versa… but we are so wrapped in work
and so incredibly tired at the end of the day that these are the people that
are put on the back burner. I know work is important to pay the bills and live,
but at what cost do we live outside our means that we neglect the most
important people in order to sustain a lifestyle we don’t really need. When did
money become more important than love? I guess I had a lot on my mind the past
few days because of seeing the way life used to be. Work was to provide shelter
and grow a garden for food, milk cows for nourishment.. the Amish still live
this way. Our grandparents and possibly our parents lived this way. What
happened to us as a society? Have we lost touch of the importance of life? The
memories we make? The people we surround ourselves with? Where are you in life?
Do you make time for yourself and those that are important to you? Do you look
up at the moon and stars? If you answered no, then change it. Make it happen.
YOU GET ONE LIFE. ONE MOMENT. ONE. I was
drowning in it all also, but I see more clear than ever the beauty and love
around me…. I may have along way to go, but I am changing and growing and
realizing that I needed this journey not only for myself, but also for others
to realize how beautiful life is. How precious and profound we are.

You don’t need money to appreciate and seek joy. Just look up, wake up, stop the madness and find life again. Stop being afraid to make a change. JUST JUMP into this beautiful life and take a walk, smell a flower, take pictures, write in the tall grass, watch a sunset, call the people you love and laugh together, share, and stop the madness that creates all the stress.

We all have our own demands we face.  Just ask yourself… Is the cost worth what you are missing? Only you carry the answer.

Maine

It is time to really open up here, for myself. Many of you may wish to skip this particular blog because it will be long and not truly about my travels but more of who I am and where I am in my heart. Just a heads up.

Maine… hmmmm… I was not sure what Maine would bring me. I have been pulled to come here for years but truly knew nothing about it. I just knew this was where I needed to go. Maybe because it was the complete opposite side of the United States from where I lived? Maybe it was because of everywhere in-between that I would go and the people I would meet? I really have not figured this out. I do know this…

It was not what I expected at first. I had a sense of “shit, now I am here… now what?”. To be openly honest, I felt fear, big fear. Fear of an incomplete feeling, as if I had hit my destination and somehow the expectations (which I didn’t think I had) were not living up to what I thought I should be feeling, or perhaps where I thought I should be in thought when reflecting myself. I had this uneasy feeling that was consuming me. Restless. I have always loved lighthouses and what they represent. An obsession for me here. I have found lighthouses to be my own personal guide, as if they would lead me to where I need to be, yet not having a clue where that is. You see lighthouses guide, and warn, which makes them powerful and majestic ! I felt I was lost in a storm and they were guiding me here. Yet, being here I was feeling more lost than ever but in a completely different way than I was in Washington.

I have been learning so much about myself as I drive and explore. Meeting new wonderful people along the way, seeing the most beautiful scenery, and learning how to say goodbye without being a hot mess. You see, goodbyes have always been so hard for me. The closer I get to people the harder the goodbyes will be, so I tend to leave, run away in order to self preserve my heart. In the same sense, it works with places that feel comfortable. I seem to find it difficult to stay in one place for long. Those that know me know how many times I have moved, but I am not certain they ever questioned why that is. I am not certain I ever questioned the “why” myself. I just knew I was getting antsy for something new.

 I asked my dad once a few years ago, why I am so unsettled or nomadic, what’s wrong with me for not being able to settle down in one place?… his response; I think you have always been this way, since you were born. There is nothing wrong with you. Some people like the routines and others, like you, need the adventure. Both are a lifestyle and neither way is wrong.

I felt so validated by this, but also so different ( I remember secretly crying because I still felt so out of place in the world). I see everyone around me living their lives with constants in their world: people, homes, jobs, friends, knowing the area like a map in their minds, having a person (their person) to be with them through life. None of which I can grasp. I honestly do not know how to be in one place for any amount of time, be with one person for an extended time, stay in one place for any job for more than 5 year spurts. It is a crazy way to live and one I have embraced for whatever reason. I am realizing more and more that perhaps I have already found my place in this huge/tiny world. That there are lessons and growth that simply cannot be learned where I was because I had learned what I was meant to in that moment in time. You see, I am learning things on this journey that I had not really thought would be my take-away.

I am different, we are all different. My different is just a different way to live. I have learned to run from pain. To block it before it can get to me (or so I told myself this) and do soul harm because in my heart and soul I believe I have learned or have taken away what I was meant to from each person or place and it was time to continue the journey. I have learned to take myself to another adventure in order to hit restart. Right or wrong makes zero difference…. It truly is how I “life”. I have always felt I needed to conform to the lifestyles of others when in fact I was denying my own path of life and living. This journey has been an eye opener for me for sure! I go to all these new places and I stay at some for a day and others for days. I am listening to my heart and feeling my soul on this. I know when I am getting that antsy feeling that I have taken away or given to others what was meant from each place (lessons of life or heart) and it is time to move forward. The problem is, some places and people feel like home and I don’t want to leave, yet that feeling in me is overwhelming and I know that my journey is not even close to being over. I have this overwhelming feeling/need to go, as if there is unfinished business down the road. So with all this being said, I have learned that there really is nothing “wrong” with me at all. I am who I am and need to be true to that. That I may have to endure the sadness of leaving a place or people but the memories and friendships will forever be there. They are adding to who I am as a human, and I hope I am adding to them as well. I am learning that it is ok that I don’t conform to the way most people live, that I can’t change who I am in myself to make others happy. Honestly, I have tried to live my life the way I think I was suppose to by TRYING desperately to live a life that appears constant (grounded in once place, having a relationship, a house, a constant job for years in one place). I kept thinking something is wrong with me that I need to fix! Well here I am now… in Maine… telling anyone that wants to read this lol, that DAMMIT, I do NOT need to be fixed, that I am not broken! I am LIVING, I am living the life that I am meant to live currently in this moment in time for ME. I am being true to MYSELF and I am happy. Is it hard? HELL YES! Life is hard! Self-growth is hard! I still fight the reality that “ I may not understand your lifestyle anymore than you can understand mine” and I am okay with that as long as we accept and love each other for who we are, not for who we wish each other would be. That my friends, is the lighthouse effect! I believe that is what Maine was showing me. I needed the one place with more lighthouses than I have EVER seen to guide me to this complacent ( the literal meaning of this word’s Latin root is “ very pleased” but even though complacent people may seemed pleased with themselves, we are rarely pleased with them) place in my heart. That I am just fine living my life the way I NEED to in order to be fulfilled. We each have our own symbols for guiding us but the fear of being “different” stops us short in being our TRUE selves. I don’t want to live in guilt for not living life the way others do.

Perhaps we all need to find our own lighthouses and stop fearing what the rest of the world (even those closest to us) want us to be, and just be true to ourselves. That, I truly believe, is when we surround ourselves with who and what settles our souls and makes us feel alive.

All I know is ME, and all I can do is ME. I personally have this undeniable thirst for life and never want to live it in a way that others see I should live it based on what their fears tell them is a wrong way to live. That is a difficult and lonely way to live. That feels HARD for me. Maybe, just maybe, some of you can relate to this.

Find your lighthouse and let your fears guide you! We get ONE shot in THIS life to live our best life. This journey is ALL ABOUT fears and living. I have to personally continue being me to get the most out of my life. You do you!

Niagara Falls

Powerful and Enlightening! I started on the U.S side and then took the “Madden of the Mist” boat into the Falls. What an awesome experience! Do NOT miss out on this! The rocking on the boat from the turbulence, the sounds of massive water rushing all around you as the mist soaks you, is flat out an experience you will never forget.  I was in awe at the power of every sense being used!

I decided to walk across Rainbow Bridge, which separates the U.S and Canada to see the falls head on. The Canadian side offers a completely different perspective. 

It reminds me of life and how we as humans see things from different viewpoints.  If we don’t take the time to see life from different angles we may miss out on a lesson, experience or angle we may never have known is there. How often do we think we know something until we get a new viewpoint, which can lead us to a new outlook? Had I not taken the time to walk to the Canadian side, I would have only seen the Falls from one angle. Yet, because I saw them from the side they flow U.S side), the bottom looking up, and from the side across.( Canadian side), to get a full view, I would not have been able to truly see all the beauty that was offered.

Something to ponder; look at life in this way, because there is ALWAYS more than one viewpoint in life. We may learn more than expected and grow from it. Life is a series of perspectives that enhance our love of everything that impacts us. This is another aspect I am learning to appreciate.

Upper Peninsula, Michigan

After making my way to the U.P. I first stayed at Lake Gogebic State Park! My camper was right on the water and so incredibly beautiful! Paddle boarding right from camp was such a treat!   I had a friend come up for a visit and we went up to Copper Harbor, another wonderful spot. The water of Lake Superior looks like the ocean. It was a stormy day the second night we were there, but oh so beautiful and the sounds of the waves crashing against rocks just soothes your soul. Then we headed back down to the lake for one last night there. It is interesting as I meet people; I find it difficult to transition to being alone. This is something I am sorting through.

I also recognized that when I really enjoy a place, there is a sadness that I take when it is time to leave. It is as if I get so comfortable that it makes it hard to leave all the beauty around me. The fear then sets in, as well as excitement to explore a new area. I believe it reflects life. ..

We get comfortable in our ways and become familiar with our routines and ourselves. Then something in life happens (good or bad), and we need to adjust to that newness. This could either leave us in a “stuck place” or a “growing place”, either one, we are changing… and change can be hard and terrifying. I believe more and more that we will miss who we were or how we felt in that familiar place, therefore leaving it, leaves us feeling  “off” or “sad” to leave.  

As I left Lake Gogebic and headed to Marquette and Munising, I found so many hikes and places to explore! Munising completely grabbed my heart with the beaches, lighthouses, and hikes. The people are so genuine and kind! I highly recommend this stop! I then headed up to Whitefish Point, the weather was awful but the views still amazing! I made a long drive from there down to Mackinac, where I took the ferry with a new friend to Mackinac Island. Wow this was a cool little island! No motor vehicles are allowed (except for the fire dept). You ride in a horse carriage, horse or ride a bike. The town is absolutely beautiful with its waterfront stores to browse, hotels to admire and all the beauty the island offers on a carriage ride! Shorty sure loved those horses hahaha.

I feel I have explored the entire Upper Peninsula and all the beauty it has to offer. Yet I feel I am ready to move on across the bridge (Mackinaw Bridge) and onto new adventures! The bridge is crazy to haul my camper across (bigger than the San Francisco bridge), but I did it with hands gripped to the wheel lol!

As I leave, I am leaving friends I have made that I have come to care so much for. I know I will not be seeing them for quite some time, and this brings me a sweet sorrow. It is amazing how we can come to love people we have known for such a short time. The experiences and stories shared remind me how precious life is, challenges and all. One particular beautiful human I met, had an accident and broke his back. He was not supposed to walk yet has pushed himself and has overcome so many obstacles.  The reminder of how life can truly test our will to live and overcome so much thrown at us is so beautiful! The strength he shows empowers me to be a better person.   I do know however, there are new friends and places along the way, yet I will miss the warmth I have found in this beautiful area and the most amazing people and stories humans have shared with me, will never be forgotten. I definitely will return here at some point. 

Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula Michigan

Wisconsin was a short lived driving day but I did stop at a few lakes and flowered areas to take in the beauty I was driving through.

U.P Michigan… WOW! So much beauty and water! I absolutely LOVE the scenery here. I stayed at a great campsite, literally on the bank of Lake Gogebic. This is a rare opportunity to be right by the water and hear the waves and rustling of trees. I paddle boarded and walked through camp. Then I went on a drive, about an hour from camp, to Lake Superior and the Porcupine Mountains. I was seriously in awe of how HUGE Lake Superior truly is. You cannot see across it and it reacts like the ocean. This really put me in check. I needed the energy of the water around me more than I had known. I needed to dip my body in it, sit by it, listen to it and rejuvenate next to it.  I was at peace.

I went back to camp (Lake Gogebic) and decided to write. My emotions were definitely coming into to play now. There is so much I am not telling you, about personal conversations I end up having multiple times throughout the days. I will tell you this. I am NOT alone in my thinking. People from EVERY walk of life have come to me and shared their story of life with me. I do not question it, I embrace it. I am learning to understand that there is a greater mission at work than just myself. I can’t tell their stories, because again, it is not my story to tell. I can say this however… it is amazing what I learn about people on this journey (100s of people), that are lost, sad, needed to take a life time out, needing to laugh, cry, you name it! I have heard it all (so far). My heart breaks that as a society we have learned that we need to stop life to live life. It doesn’t make sense to me. People are drowning and we see it everywhere… drugs, homelessness, anxiety, straying, abusing, trying desperately to have a roof over heads, on our phones (even I am guilty of these things), yet back to that word LOVE, it takes a major event to happen for us all to come together, yet if you look through my lens, life IS in a MAJOR event transformation. Why are we not coming together as humans and helping each other through the daily bullshit we are in? Why does it take an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, shooting etc, for us to see that we NEED each other.?  I for one, am making it my new life goal, to be more aware and be present in these peoples lives that I am crossing. I believe lives cross paths for multiple reasons… we just have to stop and listen, say I love you, say I care and let them tell their story without judgment. It may not fix it, but it is a start and it is validating a human being. LOVE!

Devil’s Tower and Mount Rushmore

KOA at Devils Tower is FABULOUS!!!! Loved it  there! They even play the old movie “ Close Encounters of the Third Kind” outside with ice cream and snacks! So much fun to explore this area J Definitely make this KOA an overnight if you can.

Devil’s Tower is simply majestic! They way it towers in the middle of nowhere. I took Shorty up a side dirt road since dogs are not allowed up the trail.  I found it so much better than the tourist area.  I had the chance to stop and take pictures and just sit in a field and take it all in.  Lots of think time. I am wishing I could share this with someone and then I remember how much Shorty loves scenery and is truly my companion on this trip. He is so easy going hahaha he sleeps until we get to each destination and then pops up the moment the truck stops, all ready and excited for the next adventure. He really is an amazing creature!

Mount Rushmore, hmm…. A bit disappointed here. Most areas were under construction (everything truly) and you pay to park for a few minutes to revel in the craftsmanship and that’s about it.  It is cool I saw it in person; however, I would have been fine just looking at a picture.  Seemed that was all I could do was take a picture. Glad I went though, I will never wonder if I missed out on something lol. I had had enough and decided it was time to continue on, I could feel things brewing for my future I think.

The drive through South Dakota was INTENSE!!! Storms Storms and more Storms! Good grief, the wind and rain and hail are amazing and terrifying all in one. I did have a scare between  Rapid City and Sioux Falls. I stayed at a rest area until it passed by on each side of me. The next morning there were trucks blown over and many campers too, cars were blown into ditches and stories were told everywhere I went the next morning. SO glad I stayed where my gut was telling me to. This is new for me… following my gut instincts.  I usually blow them off thinking its just ME being ME and overreacting in my brain. However, I have been realizing more and more that the more I really am true to myself the more I trust my instincts. Things seem to work out better so far doing this. Its one of the many self-discovery journeys about myself that I am exploring. Trusting myself. It is HARD!!!  

One thing I think we as humans forget is to stay in touch with what feels right. We have so much outside pressures to be a certain way, think a certain way, dress a certain way. We work so hard to pay bills that I think it is easy to get off track and follow what we think is right, rather than what our heart KNOWS is right… for ourselves. It is hard to trust our own paths with so much technology around and TV shows making everything work out with a happy ending and news making everything so damned. How confusing this life is anymore. Life is meant to live our own way in order to grow. I am working on this. J

Cody Wyoming

So far it has been a great trip. I have stopped at many places along the way and enjoyed things I know I would never have seen if I had not gone this direction. . Cody is such a fun place to stop and explore. Sturgis was going on so I had the opportunity to meet many bikers! I decided to take a quick trip to Yellowstone since I was so close. That didn’t turn out so great because the elevation was to high for Shorty. I often wonder how this little dog continues. His heart is so huge and I have to be so careful to prolong his life so that he can do what he loves… traveling!  I know one day, this little guy wont be here with me and I often contemplate what that will look like. How I will handle such a loss. It is a darker place I seem to go more often than not. Perhaps it is good that my mind tries to prepare for his time instead of just one day it happening?

Anyway, life is beautiful! It is messy and scary and crazy amazing all wrapped in one! I miss my family but I also know this is where I need to be currently. I feel a bit more disconnected in Cody and am ready to continue on. I am terrified of the mountain I must cross hahaha its 9,666 feet high which I KNOW you Colorado people laugh at that! Pulling a camper with a dog that cant do elevation however is troublesome for me.

Made it over and out just fine and am now heading to Devil’s Tower and Mount Rushmore! I find myself listening to the same few songs on Spotify over and over again. I find the words soothing and comforting as well as appropriate for my mind. I would share these songs but I am not ready to open up that much yet.

Montana

Family and catching up! So much fun seeing everyone and walking with my dad every morning. My heart is full. I am so grateful to have the support of my family in this journey. I am a lucky lucky lady!!

Banff and Jasper

As I head to Banff, I decided to take the hwy up through Kamloop instead of the main road (advice given by many J). I definitely agree! I took my time and found wonderful rest areas to stay the night at. Most had spectacular views!  As I got closer to Lake Louise I found it difficult to find a spot to camp, so I ened up in the overflow parking lot lol. For 10 dollars you get to park your rig and unhitch to go explore. It was a gloomy day but the water was still a spectacular blue/green. Definatley worth the overnight!  When I finally got to Banff, I stayed at Tunnel Mountain Village Campground. I highly recommend it! It is close to town and easy to unhitch and go explore this quaint town. There are so many places to sit outside and eat or people watch, so it was no problem with my little pup, Shorty. I walked the river, the town and enjoyed the many stores. Charming little town.

I was on the fence on heading to Jasper, but everyone said it is worth the drive. My gosh they were not joking! This was one of my favorite drives yet! Stopped at the Icefields and soooo many viewpoints that just took my brain to a relaxed place. Stunningly magnificent views!  Jasper itself was full as far as campsites go (naturally with all this beauty), so I stayed at the overfill campground a short drive out of town. It was perfect! No electric or water for my creature comforts but it was just fine. Great little camp area! I met a friend there and we had a campfire and dinner at his camp and discussed places to go and life. So fun to meet people! Jasper is such a friendly place and not quite as touristy as Banff. Loads of little black bears that seem to adapt with people well. I believe they are more afraid of us, than we are of them lol. What a fantastic area to explore!

It was time to head out to Montana, and the weather was crazy, rain that pounded the roads and made it very difficult to see. I did take the storm mountains route so at least the name lived up!  I drove 12 hours to Polson, Montana to relax and visit family.

Minnesota

Made it to Redwing, Minnesota where my dad grew up. This was an important stop for me. As kids we don’t really understand how our parents lived.  I often wonder how people will look back at how we currently live. Over the years I have gotten to know my dad more and more, and I think is getting to know me as well. I was a tough kid to level lol. I have always had this unsettled feel in me. Like I didn’t belong, or felt out of place. I have been working on being my true self and my gosh its hard with all the pressures of life on you. Everyone putting their thoughts of what’s right or wrong. I found I often did what I thought was expected of me, yet I never felt true to who I am meant to be. I often feel my dad maybe was thrown into the world alone to explore this about himself. I have had such an amazing experience watching him change throughout his years, and him me. He is a remarkable human and has had a HUGE impact on my life. I needed to see with my own eyes where he grew up… the environment, home, surroundings. It was truly an emotional time for me. I met family I have never met, which was wonderful! I know a lot about my mother’s side, but my dad is quieter with his stories unless asked. This led me to the little town of Redwing, Minnesota. This is also where things started to get real for me.  I realized that I was carrying fear here and loneliness. I also was getting to know my dad in a place of his youth. Where he was learning who he would become. It was surreal and calming. I loved every single minute of this adventure! I believe we all have a path to take, and need to follow it no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Life is supposed to be a journey of growth and growth needs room to make mistakes, experience sadness and fear, experience surroundings and gain knew knowledge of how things in this world work. It is truly ALL emotions tagging into one another. This allows growth and change.  Knowledge I sought out to learn about my dad, through his stories.

I decided to meet up with one of my sons friends (who lived with us a short time years ago)  who also lives in Minnesota (Rochester). This was special. We talked and talked and caught up on each other lives. He has a 5 year old and is an absolute wonderful parent. He too has been through a lot in life. He was in the Navy and I saw how things affected him. One being… goodbyes. I wont go to much into this because it is not my story to tell, however, I wish him so much love and calmness in his life. He is an amazing human, one I have missed. I know I was meant to cross paths again with this beautiful man.

This is where things got a little weird for me lol I thought I was ready to move on but was having a hard time wanting to… as if I was not meant to leave yet. I had not gained or given what I was completely meant to here in Minnesota. Forces were at work because my converter went out. I needed power to continue and hotels rarely allow dogs, yet here I was waiting for a part for 2 days so I could move on. This is when I met a man that offered to let me go to his dairy farm. I was in awe of how it all worked! I wanted/needed more.  I wanted to work with him and milk cows, cut hay and learn his life. His HARD WORKING, NEVER STOPS kind of life! He is by far the most sheltered, wholesome man I have met in my life. I didn’t even know men like this existed ( I am certain there are VERY FEW left in the world like this). Naturally, he was teaching me. I knew there was a lesson here with him.  I stayed about 4 days and was ready to head out when early that morning , my carbon monoxide alarm stopped working, and it was Saturday and no one in the shop to fix it. I was here until Monday that meant. It wasn’t time to go, which meant I had not given or taken the real reason for this pause.  He taught me about how life should be simple yet rewarding in hard work and I taught him how to stop and enjoy the moment of a sunset, or a parade (one he had NEVER been to his entire life in the same small town it took place). It was a give and give lesson on both ends. I bathed in these lessons and found a special place in my heart for this gift of a human. I love him. He loves me. Its that simple. Nothing more, nothing less…. We  bonded in Spring Valley Minnesota, over life.  Nevertheless, I was not finished with this journey and needed to continue on. So I left. I left my new friend and all the lessons and memories. I would treasure those moments and apply my new knowledge. You see….. Minnesota brought me love. Love of my fathers hometown, love of an old friend that needed validation he is a great person and dad, love of new knowledge and humans. Love… the STRANGEST word in life. What is it? If I say I love someone, I truly do. Love is not love to me the way people see it. It is not a complicated word to me. It is simply love. Pure and simple adoration of a person, place, object, circumstance, moment etc. It is a moment in time I feel my soul is full and I am true to myself. I love people. I often find it odd that we as a human race do not say it more openly. It is a beautiful way to express. We throw the word HATE around constantly… but the word LOVE? Hate/Love an antonym we do not use correctly (in my opinion) we are so careful with our words to not offend others yet the word HATE is such a powerful angry word that is used multiple times a day by many. Why is the word LOVE used so rarely and so easily misunderstood? Just my thoughts today.  Feel free to share your thoughts about this. Help me see your views !

Today I headed out on a life journey. I have always been a bit nomadic and am continuously seeking knowledge and truth in who I really am. Uncertain if this decision is the right one, but are we ever truly certain any decision in life is the right one? I was nervous and excited all in one. From the moment I pulled out with my little R-Pod camper, my dog Shorty, and everything I own in storage, I could feel the freedom take ahold of me. I was breathing. I decided to drive up to Canada and check out some of that area to start my journey. Banff was where my heart was taking me for the moment. As I waited for about an hour and half at the border, I met an older gal, ironically, pulling an R-Pod as well. She rolled her window down after giving me the thumbs up (approving of my rig I imagine) and we chatted about our upcoming adventure for a bit. She was traveling with a group called “single adventures” or something similar. It is a site where you can meet up with other single travelers and go on adventures in a big group. Sounds pretty cool! My first friend along the road that added to my knowledge of travel  I eventually needed to stop at a rest area where I met this great older couple, taking their lab on her last hurrah. They told me about how their pup, Bella, is 15 and not doing well. She has bad hips and could barely walk. I watched the love and attentiveness this couple gave their adoring Bella. Pulling out a special hand made step for the van they drove so she could get out. The poor pup struggled immensely at walking, but you could tell she loved her adventure. The couple told me she would be put down in a week and they wanted her to have her last favorite drive. Broke my heart, as I know my little guy’s time is coming. The beauty shown to this dog brought tears to my eyes. Just amazing love! I decided to stay at a rest area down the road to save some money. This is where I met a guy from Sweden. He was on a huge road trip! He had already drove in a van across the Canadian side from Niagara Falls and was heading to Alaska then down through North America into South America. The stories he told were incredible. I wish him much luck on his adventures. It has been only a day and I already have seen such a thrill for life in so many people! I am convinced this is the right decision. My fear is still very real yet, I believe it stands from going against what is familiar and what the norm is, and taking a step in a different direction for a moment in time, but my heart and soul is needing a taste of peoples souls, seeking out the deeper meaning and appreciation of life. I am taking a break from a life that felt like I was suffocating, just living to work. I guess it makes sense why I chose the name “ Nomadic Soul Seeker” as my instagram name  feel free to follow me for loads of pictures and take this adventure with me! Live The Life You Love, And You Will Love The Life You Live 