Most of the time, when I tell people about our nomadic lifestyle.. the response is ‘You’re living my dream’. But every so often I get the ‘Why would anyone want that’ response.
Let me explain my evening.
No, that’s not complicated enough. Let me explain my day.
Last evening, we were driving down the very scenic historic highway 30 – a twisty windy road built just after WW1 with scenery placed as a higher concern than cost (don’t you miss the ‘old days’?), down the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge. The fir forests lined with stunning waterfalls turns to grasslands around The Dalles, it’s amazing to see such a shift in geography manifest within a few moments. We approach our intended landing spot for the evening.. the Maryhill State Park just over the river in Washington. It’s pretty full up, more expensive than the website eluded to and the sites so crammed together it might as well be RV-Hell.
So, we decide to move on and check out the Army Corp of Engineers campground up the river we inquired about earlier in the day as we were enjoying a private tour of a hydroelectric plant by the park ranger. We arrive to high winds, but confirm we found the spot and it has a safe feeling. And it’s free, to our delight. We fall asleep shortly thereafter.
Even in full moonlight it’s difficult to fully assess your surroundings.
In the morning, I awake. We’re still in the gorge.. cliffs running up one side of us, mountains up another, a huge dam to one end of the river and a stunning view of Mt. Hood to the westward view.
We decide to spend the day at our newfound special spot – a chance to switch out our wardrobe from summer to winter, set up our new technology (we acquired a new color photo printer and digital camera while in Portland) and generally take a non-travel day. And besides, all three of our cellular internet connection devices have stellar signals. A good place to stop and work too. I do some work during the day, as well as catch up with good friends via IM (thank you to those of you who helped make my day magical).
The sun is threatening to set, and I decide it’s time to take a dip in the Columbia River while the air is still warm. I walk down our rocky shoal to the river in my Crocs, and dip my feet in to the chilly snowmelt fed river. I await my love to join me as I skip river rocks across the light current, and when he arrives – we both immerse ourselves in the river for a refreshing rinse and swim. There really is nothing so refreshing to the body and the soul as a dip in a chilly clear water river.
We exit the river, and I start to prepare dinner by enhancing our lunch leftovers with other ingredients. Chris is working on setting up our new photo printer.
As dinner is heating and nears completion.. the song on the radio, which I actually notice, is ‘Don’t Blink’ – by George Strait, I believe. It touches my heart and tears of joy run down my face as I realize – these are the moments that make life worth living, and I am definitely not blinking.
I step back. And I realize how perfect my life is.
Try to imagine this scene if you can. I didn’t take pictures. Not a single camera of ours (now 3) had battery power or available memory for me to capture. It’s left only in my memory.
To the west is Mt. Hood perfectly silhouetted in the setting sunlight. The colors of the reds and oranges stun me.
To the east is a full moon rising over the dam, the moonlight is reflected back from the water as if the dam is spilling sparkling silver water towards me.
And in between, is my home – Tab, Jeep and my love, Chris.
And Chris has succeeded in setting up our new photo printer. His first photo to print via the power of the sun? The picture of the Cubatron that I took at Burning Man that now has 68 ‘favorites’ on Flickr in a 8×10 format. It will replace a photo of his that hangs in Tab.. further making our home… ours.
Don’t miss a moment of the special moments in your life. They will pass by quickly.
Make sure the life you are living now is the life you want.. the one that brings you infinite joy and happiness. Life is too short for anything else.
I’m nearing retirement, and suddenly realized (door opened? lightening bolt?) that I want to travel full time when I retire. I’ve been reliable and responsible in one place forever, it feels, and I hunger for seeing new things. I do expect to work on the road, still. So, anyway, I told each of my grown sons. who ALL thought it sounds great, ending with the middle one, who is super reliable and steady, and he was silent, and then said, “You speak to my soul.”
Thank you for speaking to my soul too!