Travel

700 | The Dirtbag Diaries

10/07/2015 by John

“I was looking for no less than a new way of living in this world for our entire society,” says Clay Shank. “Like, ‘What’s the alternative to this capitalistic system that we have here? Today, we bring you “700,” the story of Clay Shank’s ambitious goal to find a new way of life and his unlikely method: skateboarding 700-miles through the state of California, hiking the 210-mile John Muir Trail, climbing Mt. Whitney and Half Dome and, all the while, capturing a video portrait of the people living in California. But, first, Clay had to learn to talk to strangers.
Source: 700 | The Dirtbag Diaries

As a former (and hopeful to one day be again) skateboarder, I particularly liked this episode.

The Journey So Far

09/25/2015 by John 2 Comments

Since leaving Asheville back in May, our trip has taken us from the depths of the Grand Canyon to the heights of the Empire State Building. Along the way, we have traveled over 10,000 miles and crossed the borders of 23 states and 1 foreign country. It has been a memorable journey so far.

It has been a gift to have the time and resources to make this trip. We have had some amazing experiences including participating in the Bryce 100, canoeing down the Green River, and bicycling into Quebec. Our travels have given us the opportunity to reconnect with old friends now far flung across the country and to spend extended periods of time with our family.

We are back in the Southeast now, and as the heat of summer finally begins to dissipate, a new phase of the journey is about to begin. Our bank accounts won’t allow us to continue traveling indefinitely and for now, our restless urges are satiated. We are preparing to get back to work. We will spend October working bicycle tours in the Outer Banks before settling down for the winter months in Southwest Florida where Mary will work as a nurse in Naples and I will cook for the staff and students of North Carolina Outward Bound in Everglades City.

Although it has been challenging at times, being homeless and living The Dirtbag Way has not gotten old yet. We will enjoy being in one location for a few months, but we have no intention of staying put long term anytime soon. The freedom and lightness we are experiencing right now is far more appealing to us than the weight of responsibility we were feeling as full-time employees and home owners. So as we wind down into a period of relative stability, thoughts of the next adventure will fill our days and our nights will be consumed with dreams of the road.

The End of Summer: A New Season Begins

09/11/2015 by John Leave a Comment

The summer has ended and as I sit here on the shore of Lake Taghkanic, New York, the chill of fall is in the air and the leaves are turning from hues of green to those of amber and fire. The changing of the season is often a time of reflection, and as I settle into the tranquility of this nearly abandoned state park, I find myself thinking back over the past three months, the places we’ve been, the people we’ve been with, and the experiences we have had. There is a certain amount of regret of the things left undone, the words left unwritten, yet each day is the chance to start a new life, and there is no use in worrying about the past.

When we began this journey back in late May, I had intended to publish a written piece at least once per week and to keep up a steady stream of posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. My goal was to document our journey and by doing so perhaps inspire and educate others about how they too could live “the Dirtbag Way”. Though I got off to a fast start, posting of any kind has been sporadic at best and any long form material virtually absent. I have struggled with trying to fit writing and other healthy habits into the constant transitions of life on the road. I also worry that I might not be fully present for an experience if I am too focused on trying to document it. Finding a balance between living my experience and sharing it with others is something I will continue to work on.

So enough with regrets. So much has happened over the past three months and there is a lot to say if only I do the work required to get it down in writing. Today is a new day, a time to start again. It’s the first full week of September and I pledge to post at least one article a week from now until the end of 2015. Please feel free to hold me accountable and I hope that all of you are enjoying the changing of the season.