Finally on the road!

I did it!

After quite humbling outpourings of love from the friends made over the last 7 years in the Grand Valley, I've gotten out. Not that there is anything I'm seeking to elude in Grand Junction. Nothing to escape. Just seems like time to get moving, and as the cliche goes-

The mountains are calling.

Im actually more keen to link my journey to an Avett Brothers lyric- "when you run, make sure its to something and not away from". There's a world of discovery waiting for me north of the lower 48.

Crossing into Utah, which doesn't take long from Junction, I'm already reflecting on all that I had established... as it fades behind me. I'm frustrated at not finishing all that I hoped to, and that I didn't see all the people that mattered to me, or didn't give them enough time to truly respect what we had. There's simply too much to try to draw neatly to a close in such a short period of time. The days had become increasingly busy, trying to finish the van while moving out of my apartment, with deadlines relentlessly approaching. I'm still sweating from the frantic last minute stuff as the miles start to accumulate on the dash. Im sure there are things left undone. but that is literally behind me now. All focus forward!

The desert passing by around me, the sweat cools and my mind starts to calm to only a few topics at a time, instead of frenetically bouncing off the confines of my skull. I notice the landscape is just a bit too green. I've driven this stretch of road countless times, often to set up for a week on one of Utah's rivers. I appreciate how lush it is, but it reminds me how wet our winter was and consequently our spring is. Somehow, every time I leave town, its a wonderful whitewater season. As that snow melts, the banks will fill and the water will awaken from its hibernation. This time I'll be on the road more than the river, I'm afraid.

Two years ago, when I left town to hike the Continental Divide Trail for 6 months it was similar. I missed a great rafting season. I came back to a year of significant drought. Now the snowpack is actually record setting and may cause flooding issues as the temps rise. Although it may read as bad luck, I'm one fortunate fool. I certainly won't complain (too much) about my lot.

I got a much later start than I'd hoped to, but I plan to make it through Salt Lake city at least. As I approach town, I reach out to an old friend from Atlanta that used to be very dear to me. Despite only being four hours drive apart, we've drifted. So it goes. But, she and her boyfriend are down to meet for dinner as I roll through and we catch up a bit, laugh alot, and eat some darn good curry.

Looking north out the window, the weather starts to look threatening. We say our quick goodbyes, and I point the nose of the van into the oncoming storm. The first part that hit was the wind It always surprises me how much a large vehicle, like my van, can get buffeted by wind. It takes a bit of focus to fight the gusts, but its not too bad. As it gets darker around the road, the rain starts. Between intermittent blasts of wind, driving rain and the bright headlights of cars in the southbound lanes, my exhaustion is catching up to me quickly.

At this point, I've really only got my own deadlines and expectations to live up to. Although I do have that part of me that desires making progress, checking boxes and completing achievements... there really isn't a good reason to push it further. I'm going to make the safe call and call it a night.

I make it just over the Idaho border and find a spot to spend my first real night in the van. Ive got this big hunk of foam I plan on making into insulated window coverings that is just loose in the van, rather annoyingly so. Unfinished business and all that. I wedge it across the back windows, creating a dark cave inside and crawl onto the bed. I slept like a baby. In my clothes. Night one down.