A DESTINATION

This story is not new.  

I am twenty-something female who works a 9-5 staring at a computer all day. And like so many millennials the fear of missing out is a constant dance of guilt, running, keeping up, and never dropping the ball.  
Until one day you wake up and you realize that you can drop it. That the life that lives in the back of our minds that we label "someday" can be created today.  That we don't need to wait till we get our next promotion, till our stock is vested, or we find the right person. 
So that's what I did. That's what I'm doing. I quit my job. I bought a van. And even though this story is not new, it is new for me.

So how is this story different?

Why should you take the time out of your day to read this, to follow me as I wander around the West and eventually the world?  Because I’m in the business of listening, relaying stories, relaying experiences, and showing all of us that we have something in common, that behind the guise of different cultures, different languages, different everything, that all we want is a life full of more happiness than sorrow - we want to forge connections. We want to be heard. I want my story to be a beautiful mural of the people I meet.  The lessons I learn. The things I wish I had known.

Growing up in the wild mountains of the Pacific Northwest with parents who view travel as the greatest teacher, it's not hard to imagine I was predisposed for a life of adventure.  When I was 16 I attended a boarding school for elite athletes, at 18 I took a gap year in Europe, and since then I have made travel the love of my life. 

So if I can say one thing about what you will take away from following me, it’s this: we all have a story, we all have a mountain we want to conquer, and we all want to learn from each other. 

Penny, is a 2000 Eurovan and she's probably the coolest bus on the block.  Initially Penny wasn't for sale, she was simply in a shop for service, but after reaching out to the owners they decided it was time to part with their beloved van.  She had 4,000 miles and endless potential.  She's had some adventures since then- dirt roads and rocky mountain highways that have resulted in some necessary changes.  Click on the link to learn about the upgrades, Dad inspired modifications, and dirtbag innovation. 

Van life can be really hard. In between great photos and inspiring hashtags, there's the real shit that happens.  The tire that pops, the cabinet that breaks, the over heated-radiator, thing's that can make a person throw their hands up - beyond that there are the people. The people that help with no expectations, that share a cup of coffee or a story with you. The people that pull over, that are inspired, that support you.  Support comes in many ways, sometimes monetarily, sometimes in an email describing a great camp spot... there's no such thing as too little support when you're on the road.