Date: 1/21/22
Training Day: 47
Miles: 3.2 (strides)
Time: 39
Shoes: Altra Lone Peak 4.5
Weather: High 30s

How It Felt: The side road I took had softer dirt than the main road, which made the run a bit more laborious. Despite Garmin telling me I was unproductive, I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and challenging run.

Commentary: We scratched our hike for the day due to weather. About the time I was starting to get my poop in a group for the hike, I noticed it was snowing. The road to the trailhead was softer dirt with some steep ups and downs. The added moisture falling from the sky would eventually turn it to mud. We feared the van wouldn’t make it out, so we hightailed it out of there back to the main road.

The trailhead for our Saturday hike became our new home, which much to my delight, had a vault toilet. Earlier that day before the snow started, I had to grab the shovel and dig a hole in a hurry to make a deposit. Not that it was a big deal, that’s what we do when we’re in the van, hiking or backpacking. But if you can still be camped out all by your lonesome with the convenience of a toilet, why not?

Much of our time was passed playing games, either on our phones or a board game. Later in the day I convinced my husband to go for a walk with me, and we both wanted to take the cat with us. We bundled up, grabbed her bag of treats, and hit the trail.

She really is the most amazing and wonderful cat ever. That little furrball kept us in her sights, and when we got a wee further away than she cared for she ran down the trail to catch up. If she got a wee further back than I cared for I’d yell, “Kitten!” and she’d come galloping towards me.

We didn’t go far, but it was enough to stretch our legs and be amused by our advanture cat. The walk also inspired me to finally go for a run. I’d been procrastinating, saying it was too chilly. After the walk I knew it wasn’t too chilly and didn’t have any excuses.

About two years ago my husband and I sold most of shit and loaded up the van with the intentions of living the full time vanlife. Then the pandemic hit. Out of fear of never finding a job again, I applied for the job I have now. Our vanlife dream was pushed down the road.

Although we’ve only been living in the van a short time on this trip, it reminded us of why we wanted to do this full time. Life is simpler, we eat healthier (no excuse for why we don’t eat better at home), get outside more, are more active (well, my husband, I’m usually active no matter what), and the freedom we feel is indescribable.

The goal is to move into the van in early 2025. I once thought keeping our house in Idaho Falls as a home base to spend the winter. After this trip I say fuck the house. Instead, we’ll drive south towards warmer weather. The desert and canyonlands are gorgeous, and in these cooler months they can be enjoyed without throng of people.

Until then, I’ll fantasize about quitting job and continue to count down the days – 1140 days left with my last day being March 6, 2025. I also plan to refocus on this goal and stop spending so much damn money on domesticated living (i.e., home gym, yoga room, and who knows what other useless shit I spend my money on) and save more. That way once I quit, we can not work for as long as possible and adventure more.

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