Polly, We’re Not In The Desert Anymore….
“20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain
Change, transitions, passages…they are a natural part of life. In fact they’re the only part of life you can rely on (well, except for death and taxes of course). I’ve always been someone who’s loved change and I consider it a rare gift. Just to give you an idea of the kind of gal I am I’ll tell you a short story. When Paul and I first started dating 17 years ago, he got a job offer to move from USA to Europe. This happened in the first month of our relationship and the poor boy fretted and sweated over how to break this to me for about 2 weeks before he finally let the cat out of the bag.
“Errrm, honey {gulp} I errrhmm {much fidgeting} got a job offer in Europe” he muttered
“AWESOME” I answered within the millisecond “when do we leave?”
You should have seen the expression on his face….priceless…A month later I had quit my job and we were living in Belgium. As it so happened I got another job offer the week after (with the same company) and it ended up being one of the best career and personal experiences we’ve ever had. Now, my nonchalant approach to this massive change should not diminish the struggle of the change itself. Being ready to embrace change does not mean you have no fear of change. I mean that’s part of what makes us human. The status quo is safe, known and comfortable. Change by definition is scary, unknown and uncomfortable. It involves overcoming your inner fears and adapting to new things. Every change I’ve made in my life has allowed me grow as a person & left me with life experiences that I would not have had otherwise (and I’m including the changes that didn’t work out in that bucket). Also every change I’ve made has taken at least 6 months to get semi-comfortable, about a year to really get into it. Change takes time too.
Goodness, gracious how did I get so darn philosophical all of a sudden and where am I going with this???
Well, the trigger for my random rambings was our move this week. After a fabulous 6 months or so in the desert we’ve come to a transition point in our travels, an all-time favorite campground of ours called Washoe Lake State Park just south of Reno, NV. This gorgeous park is nestled at the beginning of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains next to sand dunes and a crazy abundance of Sagebrush. Everytime I come to this park whether going north or south (and it’s been our transition path many, many times) I feel the stirrings of change. The air is crisp, the sweet smell of sage (which, by the by, is a herb traditionally used to cleanse spirits and flush ones system of all impurities), and the soft sounds of birds fills the air. It’s the call to something new, something different. It’s the call to change.
Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, it was different this year allright….
Remember when I said I might even be missing the rain? Well, clearly what I meant is that I might be missing the snow??! The day after we arrived here temps dropped and snow fell. This was an unexpected twist, but we embraced it with glee. Out with Mr.Buddy Heater, on with the puff jackets, up with the Reflectix and snuggle in we go. We passed the days hunkered down in the rig reading & drinking hot chocolate interspersed with eating Asian soups in town (Vietnamese Pho at Pho Country and Taiwanese Beef Noodle at 101 Taiwanese -> both highly recommended). Two days later the snow had melted and temps were rising so we switched gears and took the opportunity to drive up to South Lake Tahoe to immerse ourselves in the deep blue of the lake and the gorgeous aroma of pine trees. A short hike by Emerald Bay was followed by a romp on the sand at Kiva Beach (dog friendly) topped off by an excellent lunch at Taqueria Jalisco ($8 for the two of us, including a beer!!!). Ahhhh, what a joy!
These were small transitions, welcome ones, easy ones. We’ve been here before and we know we love it so I guess in many ways, despite the unexpected weather, it’s like putting on a well-worn glove. Our drives from here will be new and unexplored, and what the rest of the summer holds has yet to be revealed. It may be smooth sailing all the way, it may be wrought with unexpected surprises (good or bad) or something could happen that will change everything. We really don’t know. The future is unclear, but whatever happens I hope to embrace the change as I’ve always done.
No matter what is happening in your life -> maybe you’re going through unexpected transition (bad or good), maybe you’re planning to fulltime (I know many of you are), maybe things are changing outside of your control and the fear of the future is within you. Well all that is normal, perfectly normal and you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t feel it. Face the fear, give it time and hopefully you’ll find peace and unearth experiences that will enrich your life forever more. Explore. Dream. Discover.
P.S. If you’re wondering how I managed that last shot. I took 3 “bracketed” exposures (one dark, one medium, one light) of the same scene on my tripod and then combined them in the nifty Photomatix software. Kinda fun & the software is only $39 for the basic version. If you like this kind of thing, you can download a free trail version to try it out. No affiliation, by the way.
That last shot is stunning. Thanks for sharing the editing info. It’s been years since we’ve been to the Lake Tahoe area. Your beautiful photos reminded me we should return. Great post – Happy trails!
You know the last time we visited Tahoe (before this) was over 10 years ago! It’s just as gorgeous as I remember. The main difference I noticed is that the Nevada side has up-scaled quite a bit. I’d love to come here and spend a longer time in the rig. We scoped out Fallen Leaf Campground (National Forest) and it seemed like the perfect base.
Nina
Small world! We have reservations at Fallen Leaf Lake for later this month. We love Tahoe. Lived there for five years in the 90’s. Did you get to Grover Hot Springs? It is near Markleeville. Smaller state park on eastern side of the Sierras. Nice campsites, good hiking and a hot springs.
Sweet spot! That’s definitely where we would go if we come back and camp in the area. We have NOT been to Grover Hot Springs so I’m going to go look that up. Sounds like our kinda place!
Nina
Lovely pictures, I especially like your pic of Rand and the HDR image (and you didn’t overdo it like many people do). Hopefully that is the last of the snow. 😛 I could get used to a view like that.
Thanks! This is my very first (ever) HDR attempt, so I’ve got to work at it some more. It was fun to experiment though.
Nina
Awestruck at that last shot indeed!
You are so taking me back in time with this post. Not only the philosophy (something I’ve tended to share), but your location takes me back to the roughly five years spent in Placerville in the mid to late 70s. I wandered much of the forests around there and all around Lake Tahoe…. wonderful times and memories! Me and my Siberian Husky roamed those hills in winter and summer in my trusty little VW bug. Later, when I met my sweetie, we zoomed along those wonderful back roads on the motorcycle. Fantastic fun in a heavenly location.
What wonderful memories Gunta! Thanks so much for sharing them!
Nina
You guys always seem to find beautiful spots no matter where you go! Thanks for sharing. We always try to embrace the changes and opportunities that have come our way and have never regretted taking those leaps of faith. We look forward to our own upcoming RV adventures and are always inspired by your posts. Thank you!
This particular park was one we discovered by complete accident several years ago. Total hidden gem. We love it here!
Nina
First off, I love your writing style, I felt like I was reading a book. I think you should philosophize more often because today’s subject hit home for both of us 🙂
My wife and I are getting ready to embark on our fulltiming journey in August. We have been preparing for it for many years and now all the stars are aligning and it’s time to take the first big step.
I’m a bit of a dichotomy because I yearn for change yet I’m quite comfortable in my predictable day-to-day existence. Living on the road will shift all that because there really isn’t any routine (as I know it right now). Maybe after a few years of fulltiming, there will be routine but not for the foreseeable future.
I sometimes fear giving all of the stability of a sticks and bricks life up but the pull of a life on the road full of adventure is a huge force that keeps my feet on the ground.
What I have learned from my own experience and blog posts such as yours is that you really have to go with the flow. Resistance is futile as the Borg say (for you Star Trek fans). I don’t know why we resist the opportunity for a better life but we do. It’s that fear you mentioned and most of it is grounded in our belief that we will fail. So what? If you have a go-with-the-flow attitude, there really is no such thing as failure. In its place is an attitude of “well, that didn’t work, let’s look at Plan B and see if that’s any better.”
Thanks for the inspiration and fortifying our belief that this is the best possible decision we could make in our lives right now.
Lovely sharing of thoughts! I do believe the more you can go with the flow, the easier (and more enjoyable) life becomes. It’s not always easy, and it’s often very difficult to let go of what we know so well. Hope this transition turns out to be a good one for you with all the positive experiences you’re dreaming of. Give it time, especially once you get on the road. We’ve met many folks who struggle the first few months…some end up coming off the road prematurely, but those that make it past a year typically end up loving it. Good luck with everything!
Nina
Yow! That last shot is simply beautiful.
Glad you like it. It was a fun little experiment and I think I’ll be trying more of them.
Nina
Thank you for putting into words how I feel about change yet can’t express. We thrive on change, feel more alive with every new place we visit. We grow, learn and become better people by experiencing the changes that our RV travel lives offer us. We are leaving the East headed out west for territory we have never been and can’t wait for the new adventure to begin. A lot of the places on my bucket list are from your blog post. Washoe Lake State Park will on my list for sure. Thanks for your inspiration!
Love the way you think Charlotte! Enjoy your trip out West. Hope you make it to Washoe as well!
Nina
I think this is my favorite of all your posts. Just had to say so. Couldn’t agree more with what you have to say about change. I too am one of those rare birds who love it. I live up in big bear lake California and we too had a shift in weather. About 4 inches of snow and a couple cups of hot chocolate later, the snow is already melted. Love the picture of your kitty too. I travel with two sometimes. We are all new to RVing. I’ve learned a lot from your blog and enjoy it so much. Thanks for your sharing.
You sure sound like kindred spirit! That’s beautiful county you’re living in too.
Nina
Beautiful post Nina, putting into words what most of us feel, but can’t seem to express. Wishing you great joy in change: continue to explore, dream and discover.
Gorgeous photos!
Thanks Sheila! Wishing joy to you too!
Nina
After one learns to embrace change many anxieties fade away.
Very true and very potent. Such a simple thought, yet for many so hard to do.
Nina
That last shot is beautiful.
I agree, change is inevitable and acceptance is key. I say, Roll with it baby!
Good attitude Lisa! You and Hans definitely live it too.
Nina
The quotation at the top of this Blog entry is a wonderful sentiment, but it’s not from Mark Twain.
http://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/09/29/you-did/
The most recent publication of this quotation so far found is from 1990, in a book by best-selling Author J. Jackson Brown, Jr., in which he attributed it to his mother.
Goodness, how interesting. I always assumed this was a Twain quote and it’s listed as such in most places. Just goes to show…you can’t believe everything you read on the internet, even if you wrote it yourself 🙂
Nina
You weren’t the only one.
my two favorite Mark Twain quotes:
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
and
“Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.”
Here’s another one for you. We lived in the Bay Area for many years and I used to love the quote “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” (it’s so true too). Always thought it was a Twain quote, but apparently not so….
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/twain.asp
Nina
Nina…Your sentiments on change are magnificent….I have a wife that doesn’t exacty share them with you but I certainly do. Thank you again for sharing your life and travels…Peter
It’s hard when partners differ on something like this especially if one really likes to travel and the other doesn’t, for example. Hopefully you can find a happy medium.
Nina
My wife was less certain than I when I first mentioned the idea of full-timing. Now, we are both planning for it, although I’ll admit to be a bit more anxious to hurry and get on the road.
Wonderfully said, Nina:) It is too bad most people are afraid of change. They truly are missing out on so many opportunities. Yes, it is scary but as Lisa said, “Roll with it, baby!”
Love the sunset photo(s)!
Couldn’t agree more 🙂
Nina
Love the Tahoe area and your pics and sentiments. Your post really hit home for me today. We’re in the midst of preparing to uproot from the lives we’ve known for decades and, while we’ve always tried to roll with the punches, it’s still a bit scary to give up our current certainty. Getting the house ready for market, deciding upon our life possessions to give away and sell, planning for our new full-time life on the road… Most of the time we’re positive and focused, but occasionally fear and second-thoughts encroach (such as today). Your post came at the perfect time and helped banish the negatives. Back on track!
Well I’m happy the post was timely. It’s a big change you’re going through and it’s hard not to have second thoughts. I think most people do! I jumped right into fulltiming (loved it from the get go), but it took Paul about 6 months to get into it even though he was thoroughly committed to the idea. He just needed time to find his grove and disconnect from his old life. Just take it one step at a time and give it time. Good luck with everything!
Nina
You’ve got to tell me where you got the noodles and boba. Love, love, love that stuff. I wasn’t aware of any places that served that in these parts.
Nice pictures by the way. Winter hangs on around these parts until June, even July sometimes.
I actually put the link in the post, but I’ll add it here again. It was 101 Taiwanese in Reno. The soup was very tasty and completely satisfied my beef noodle craving. Highly recommend!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/101-taiwanese-cuisine-reno
By the way we’ll be hanging around Washoe through the week-end if you want to meet-up. I know we’ve crossed paths (and just missed) several times now.
Nina
Duh! I must’ve been too busy looking at the picture of food 😉 I’ll see if we can’t get out that way. Be nice to meet you in person.
We’ve got time tomorrow, Friday or Sunday. If you guys will be around tomorrow, we’d love to come visit. If not, maybe Sunday.
Paul just flew off to a bachelor party today, but I’ll be here with doggie all day tomorrow. Come on over! You can’t miss us…only a handful of rigs in the park at the moment.
Nina
Will do! Probably around 1 or 2-ish.
Great philosophocal advice, and reminders, for all of us. And all so very true! Thanks for the motivation.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of your posts about the deserts of the last six months, and the reallity of a warmer and dryer winter while still enjoying the wilds of Mother Nature all along the trail. But these photos of the mountains, lake, snow, blue sky, ect… Makes my heart sing. Fabulous photos, and I too did a few repeat looks at that last one. What an awesome play with light. Congrats.
My heart is singing for mountains and green now too. I’m feeling the change, baby!
Nina
Hi Nina,
Most that are out in the RV changing up the views are the adventurous types and take on all that comes their way. The exceptions don’t last that long.
Enjoy every minute of it and keep sharing those wonderful thoughts.
Love the great pics.
Mike
That’s an astute observation. Those who thrive on adventure take to RVing like pigs to mud, whereas those who are true homebodies rarely adapt (I’ve met a few who have, but it’s a rare thing). We’re all different, thank goodness 🙂
Nina
Nina,
Connie, my better half mentioned the other evening that the happiest she sees me is in that big drivers captains chair when we’re pulling out in the RV for a nice trip. I know some type of an adventure is brewing. I think of all the good times we shared and the memories built on those trips and how lucky we truly are.
Mike
Timely post for us as well. Something to think about. Sure do love the Tahoe area but Reno not so much. Will be in Reno for a couple of nights later this week before heading down to Bishop.
Donna you’d like the park we’re in now, if you haven’t been here before. Check out Washoe Lake. It’s just a few miles from 395 too. Weather is perfect right now.
Nina
On embracing change … we couldn’t agree with you more! Mike and I believe that’s what keeps us feeling young. We also appreciate all the changes (good and bad)that we went through in our separate lives which led us to each other! -Linda
And you folks live it too!
Nina
Hej Nina,
Great post and very timely! It sure hit home as I spent the first two thirds of my life embracing change and challenging the norm. However, my world has since become a little too predictable and it is time to change it up. Thanks for the reminder!
Anna
I’m glad the post came at the right time. Have fun switching up that life of yours 🙂
Nina
show me a set of fulltimers and I will bet at least one of them simply adores change! I am the one in our nest…
Very true, very true. The wonderlust is an affliction of the wondering kind 🙂
Nina
For now I dream of snow and mountains, I take that over the unpredictable weather, read…tornadoes… in the south 🙁
When I have time (not that i don’t) I’ll study HDR and bracketing shots. Your HDR shot is something to behold and learn.
The weather in your area has been particularly bad & scary. Stay safe out there! HDR is SUPER easy, especially with that software I mentioned. Just take 3 shots, upload them & play.
Nina
ohhhh, Nina….once again you’ve touched a common thread in his group that follows you around. I know we have many beliefs, but mine has shown me much and that is: that before we land here on earth we have already picked our experiences….sorta like a college catalog of choice….those that will support and progess our sojourne here in the human experience. As so, there is no good or bad…it just is and it is something that you yourself gave yourself because on the other side of that experience you are different. I’ve needed this because some of what we have experienced has not been something one would call ‘good’ with our human understanding. It just is so much easier to not judge an experience and remain neutral…not an easy task but gets better with practice.
Thank you, again, for pushing your own boundaries on this blog. Traveling with you and Paul, the paws and all is such a rich experience. My husband and I both read and await each post while we await our dream to fully materialize. You give us vision, hope and joy with words and pictures to boot. Thank you, dear adventurous soul. FLAME ON!!
Your beliefs about life are actually quite close to my own. This is getting into the spiritual realm of things, but I do believe much of what we do on earth is something we’ve decided ahead of time. Call it Karma, or fate, but I’ve felt moments of it in my lifetime.
Nina
Nina,
Nice post about change! And agree that even though it is unsettling sometimes, once we realize (again) that we are not in “control” everything turns out ok! We are just getting settled in at Wildwood Recreation Site near Mt Hood, OR, beautiful!! It is a day-use site, so a sweet location and sweet gig. They are looking for a couple of additional hosts if you and Paul are interested for a month or so??
Oh sounds like a gorgeous spot…and the perfect time of year to be there too! We’ve already got plans for the month otherwise I’d take you up on the post.
Nina
These past 5+ years on the road have been our best! When we went back to our old home town and visited with friends it was like a time warp. Nothing had changed with them but we felt so different after all of our experiences on the road. To all of those fulltime RV wannabes I say go ahead and give it a try. You might just be in for some of the happiest times of your lives.
Oh man….you and Nina have given us SUCH hope. We literally HUNGER for the time out there with you all. Say, in all the blogs you all read, do you know of anyone doing the east coast to the Mississippi? OR, maybe that might me your grounds. Looks like we may have to limit our travels for a year to that area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Caryl,
Quite a few of my blogger buddies are travelling in the East right now. Check out
Paint Your Landscape
The Lowes RV Adventure
Both should be spending the summer out there I believe.
Also, I’ve got a few posts from our 1st year travels to the east. Just click on the “Travel Tales” tab (at the top of the blog) and chose the state you’re interested in. We went through parts of IA, IL, KY, GA, NC & SC.
Nina
Great sentiment! I know what you mean about that time warp feeling, and I totally agree.
Nina
A cat picture!!!!! “HUUUURRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAYYYY,” cried the children. (excerpted w/o permission from practically any of Dav Pilkey’s great books.)
LOL..I’ve been sneaking more kitty pictures into the posts recently, but I admit the one of Rand is a special treat. She’s a timid cat and very hard to get a good pic of. Love the reference, by the way 🙂
Nina
WoW! I loved your HDR shot!
Glad you liked it…my first try too 🙂
Nina
This is the season for change for sure. From spring cleaning and remodeling of the our Beast, to the discarding of jackets and donning of sun hats. The clouds are wispy light here along the Oregon Coast. Your photos have me missing Nevada a tad bit.
Tee hee..and here I am dreaming of the Oregon coast 🙂 it’s a good thing I have the wheels to take me there. Won’t be long now…
Nina
Change, your post was spot on. Reminds me of what my Dad always used to tell me (taken from Charles Darwin I think)…ADAPT OR DIE! Change is the only constant in the ‘life equation’, embrace it or prepare yourself for a miserable life!!!
G
You dad sounds like a wise man 🙂
Nina
Change. Yes. But not always what you want to see. My 87 year old mom travels with me and I alway said that we would travel as long as both of us could get in and out of the rv. Well she is starting to wind down, so to speak. Bummer. I had hoped to have a few more years traveling with her. Sigh. Changing times that’s for sure. Love your blog.
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. Not all change is easy, that’s for sure. I totally admire that you’ve gone on this adventure with your mom. What an amazing set of memories for both of you. The best of wishes for you during this difficult transition.
Nina
Is the pic of you at Emerald Bay from this trip? Love the HDR picture. Mark Twain loved the Tahoe area. Great quote. You are such an inspiration to us. Your blog has provided entertainment and inspiration. We get out to hike and camp as much as we can, but cant wait for our fulltime days.
Yup, that pic was just taken a few days ago when we visited. Weather was puuuurfect that day. Nice & crisp with snow still on the mountaintops. We had a total blast.
Nina
Change can be frightening but also quite liberating if we approach it in a positive manner. It certainly is an opportunity for personal growth. This is a wonderful post Nina and that last photo is fabulous. I seem to recall a spectacular sunset shot from your last visit to Washoe. 🙂
We ALWAYS seem to get great sunsets here. It’s a very special place.
Nina
Nina, you and Paul are in one of our favorite areas on earth! We’ll be in Carson City on the 16th on our way to South Lake Tahoe for the summer. If you are still in the area, would love to hook up for a night!
Sadly we’ll be gone by then. The State Park here has a 7-day stay limit and we’ve got to get moving into Oregon so we can make our hosting jobs on the coast in June (we like to move slow, ya know). Enjoy your stay here. We love it too.
Nina
Interesting article about change and travel with your Danish background. After I had retired to Oregon for a few years, I realized that I wanted to return to world travel once again, this time by getting an advanced degree in ESL (English as a Second Language) and teaching in the Middle East. As part of my thesis research, I found that many of the Americans who presently work overseas were originally raised in families working for the military or diplomatic services. We all started travel abroad at a young age, went to schools overseas, and generally participated in a highly stimulating but challenging environment where change was a necessary part of everyday life. RVing is a lot like that and suits some people but is totally rejected by others. I love the insights you share as part of your personal journey and the necessity of adapting to change along the way.
Great observation David. Our family traveled a lot when I was young and I’m sure that was the start of my life-long love of travel. There’s no doubt the exposure I had (when young) to different cultures & environments has helped me to be more adaptable as an adult.
Nina
P.S. Teaching English in the Middle East sounds like fun!
I liked this post a lot…many points hit home…
You two are definitely like-minded when it comes to this stuff. We would never have met if it wasn’t for RVing and yet we connected right away. I’ve created so many new bonds and friendships through this lifestyle.
Nina
Nina & Paul,
I’ve been enjoying the blog and living vicariously through it for the past several months, since Linda L pointed me to it! I’d love to do a year of this lifestyle at some point. Will keep taking notes from your posts! Take care.
Great to have you along for the ride, Bill!
Nina
Perfect quote, great stories, and being snowed in unexpectedly sounds romantic. Love the photos of Rand and the sunset!
It was actually quite romantic 🙂 Weather warmed up these past few days and it’s been near-perfect here. We always have a great time at this park.
Nina
Nice post on change, Nina – I, too, am one of those people who thrive on change, always have, I’m sure always will. Reading through the comments made so far, it struck me that it’s good to know there’s so many of us out there! Sometimes, it can feel like we’re alone in our love of change.
I used to live in Reno many years ago and just want to say thanks for the walk down memory lane! I loved living there, but change reared its head after a couple of years and I was on the move again. I haven’t been back for about 10 years; nice to know it’s still as gorgeous as I remember it.
Loved the pic of Rand! What a face…
— Lois
We’ve met so many like-minded folks on the road and I guess it makes sense. Most of the people who seek this kind of lifestyle are pretty adventurous to begin with. I’ve felt more instantly “in synch” with RVers than almost any other group I’ve met (backpackers come the closest).
Nina
I might have suggested this eatery the last time you were in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe, but it’s worth repeating, and that would be Firesign Cafe in Tahoe City. It’s our #1 favorite in the entire area. There’s also some wonderful bike paths on the west shore. Have you ever considered a bike trailer for “doggy”?
http://www.firesigncafe.com
Oh yum. We only had the one day on Tahoe so we didn’t get to do much more than a hike, the beach and the tacos. But I definitely want to go back and spend more time in the area. Thus will go on the list.
We haven’t considered a bike trailer for Polly. She’s still young (and very active) so if we go biking she usually runs alongside next to us. Maybe when she gets older..
Nina
Enjoyed this post and the comments…..
so agree with it all…
You guys definitely live the life, and have never been afraid of change either. I admire that.
Nina
Me too. Enjoyed this post and the comments that it. Seems there are more and more and more people heading out for full timing on the road. I wonder if the uncertainty of everything from the environment to the economy has us realizing there is no security beyond ourselves. I never traveled one bit in my childhood. My parents idea of a vacation was to go to a lake an hour away in Ohio. I dreamed of traveling my entire childhood and was at it as soon as I was 18. It’s just born in some of us. Wish I’d known about full timing 15 years ago. It’s the perfect life for me. Great post Nina!
I’m always impressed by folks who’ve never traveled and yet always known they wanted to. It’s a fascinating thing! I think for some folks travel is learned, for others it’s somehow part of their genes. I think I would have ended up with the travel bug regardless of whether or not I’d traveled as a kid, but you never know. Good for you in getting out there!
Nina
Wow…the Mark Twain quote says it all! Perfect words to live by.
Nina, wonderful post!
It was 41 years ago almost to the day that my dog Rocco and I were dropped of at Emerald Bay, the start of a 3 year adventure exploring the high Sierra. We each had our backpacks and $40. By the end of the first day the snow was so deep Rocco would get stuck floating on his backpack full of food, oh well, what’s another 30 pounds to carry. The mountains are great teachers of life, thanks for the post.
That sounds like the beginning of an absolutely amazing adventure! I’m sure you could tell a few campfire stories from that time. Paul and I were avid backpackers before we started RVing. We backpacked all over the Western US, Alaska, New Zealand…and have so many fabulous memories from that time. I love the comfort of our RV, but sometimes miss the raw adventure of backpacking.
Nina