Roadtrip update: Almost one month down!

A few quick stats from our first (almost) month on the road ...

• 2,700 miles

• 6 states (but mostly Nevada)

• 3 amazing national parks

• 10 destinations

• 9 weird and wonderful roadside attractions
  

We have done so much living in this short time frame that it is almost hard to believe! And we are absolutely loving it. I notice the joy that takes over in simple moments, like stretching on a picnic table, or cooking a particularly delicious meal in our camper, or just simply sitting down outside in the sunshine and taking in the scene around us. I deeply appreciate how lucky we are to be doing this. It is a long-time dream come true that is living up to all the expectations and then some.

Our little camper at Valley of Fire

We are also learning a lot and getting good at our new routines, like setting up and taking down camp in an organized and timely fashion. Or managing two needy corgis as they get settled into their new lives. And the unmatched sense of accomplishment that comes from finding the ideal storage and placement of every single item we brought with us. :) One thing remains true, always, we miss and love our friends and family!! So we wanted to take a moment to share an official Amber and Ben update and answer all your burning questions. (Like how is Ben's man bun coming along?!)

Cozy corgis on a windy day in Joshua Tree National Park

What places stand out as favorites?

This is already surprisingly hard to commit to because each place is different and wonderful. BUT ... Death Valley. We loved the wide variety of landscapes and geological phenomena we had never seen before. And Zion. The light there! And the beautiful colors. We especially loved our death-defying Angel's Landing hike and our first look at the park when the mountains were just barely visible through the mist. It built up so much excitement for the rest of our visit.

What we love most about our new life (so far ...)

We feel so much less rushed than we used to. Even though we have been moving pretty quickly and doing so much, there is a marked difference in our ability to take a deep breath, take our time, and enjoy the moments as they come. Spending so much time together has also been incredibly rewarding. We are lucky to have so much love in our lives and to have this chance to become an even stronger two-person and two-corgi team.  

What is the biggest surprise about life on the road? After 20+ years of career life, we were worried about adjusting to this big change in routine. But it has been a refreshing and positive shift. We feel healthier! We are eating cleaner, sleeping better, drinking less, moving more, and spending the majority of our time outside.

What are we most looking forward to? The non-obvious answer is using some of the gear we have had less opportunity to play with so far. We are excited to camp near a lake on a day when it is warm and calm enough to head out in our kayak. And to stay in a place that offers the opportunity for longer bike rides.

What have we learned? The residents at Ben's retirement community were so right.  We are glad to have made this change while we are strong, fit, and well enough to really make the most of it. Everything we do requires movement and manual effort. We are so grateful to be able to say yes to the harder hikes and not shy away from any opportunity due to ability or health. What is the best meal we have made? At Death Valley we made a miso glazed seared Ahi with stir-fried vegetables and noodles that was pretty darn delicious. Close second: Chicken shwarma with toasted flatbread, sauteed onions and mango chili slaw.

Other fun facts

• Amber's top skill is supply management and her weakest is remembering to turn off the water pump in the trailer after using it.

• Ben's top skills are setting a mood in camp, making fires, and some pretty amazing on and off-road driving.

• Nuts have become a primary food group. We eat them just about every day.

• Organization is critical for happiness when you live in a small, mobile space.

• We absolutely love the variety of seeing new places and the inspiration it brings.

• Moose barks every time we park the car, maybe to announce our presence to the world?

• Moose loves to lay himself down in full sploot, right in the dust, while Millie is not happy unless she is perched in a chair, and preferably covered in a blanket.

• We have barely had any extra time to take on hobbies beyond exploring new places, but Ben did start playing the ukelele as of last night and my starting out plank time is at 1 minute, 10 seconds. :)

• Gas is cheaper when you are off the West Coast.

• We have learned that we don't need to shower as often as we did at home, but have also discovered the upper limits of our tolerance ... 5 days.

• The sheer beauty and variety of the world around us is mind-blowing, and we are just getting started.

And finally, Ben's man bun ... Both the hair and the beard are growing out, but we have not reached man bun status yet. At the current rate of growth, I estimate it will take 3-4 months to get his hair long enough to give this a try. Cheer us on!

If you have questions for us this post did not answer, hit the comments or just send us a text. We love and miss all of you so much!!

Hello from our camp at Gold Butte National Monument!