It had already been what I coined an epically “Aussie” day. It started at an animal sanctuary in Hobart, Tasmania, where a six foot kangaroo nearly de-pantsed me while I was “commando” (not wearing underwear). I turned around to see two other kangaroos having sex.
Prior to being partially de-pantsed by a kangaroo (while commando) or fleeing fist-sized spiders in Tasmania, I fought long work weeks. At one point, my most significant daily inconvenience was pushing through rush hour traffic in Chicago, Milwaukee, or Madison. Fast forward a month and inconvenience looked like me running down a trail in Glacier National Park as some sort of Condor or Vulture swooped at me with what must have been a six-foot wingspan. There I was, blowing a whistle and waving a stick in the air for “protection” like an imbecile. I was very new at outdoor living.
THE DIRTBAG CHRONICLES ARE COMICAL, TRANSPARENT EXCERPTS OF MY TRAVELS, FROM MY JOURNAL TO RIGHT HERE. The following took place on 7/07/2015 in Desolation Wilderness...
I’ve always been a bit of an extremist. Until recently, I left little space for gray areas. I suppose those closest to me would say that I don’t half-ass anything, which has afforded me many opportunities while also laying the foundation for what folks now call “burnout.” My loved ones would also probably acknowledge that, though the last few years have brought life lessons to show me the gradient, I’m not completely over the hump of the all-or-nothing mindset.
For example, late in 2014 I started feeling like I needed a change. So, I began silently scheming. Come June of 2015, I rid myself of most of my belongings. I left my familiar life close to my roots to embark on a solo journey around the western states, living in a tent. If you know me, you likely know this story. Unbeknownst to me, three and a half years of continuous travel would follow this departure. Whatever prompted this ambition and gumption to initiate and sustain a lifestyle change like this is a mystery to me. However, I suspect this mystery may also be the birthplace of my emotional distress. But let’s back up a bit to my earlier years.
(more…)
I had been traveling for over three years. First, living in a tent in National Parks, then my SUV in Moab, UT, and wherever I sprawled out to from there.…