North Lake Tahoe

To beat the heat, I took a drive to the big lake nearby.  I wasn't the only one thinking the same thing.  As I approached Kings Beach, the parking lot was full but I managed to grab a spot.  This was my first time on the North end of the lake and it was beautiful.  There were so many people out enjoying the day, swimming in the water, playing with their kids.  It's a perfect family vacation destination.

There is something about Lake Tahoe.  The redwoods grow near the water and even though you hear motor boats all around, you know you are still in the forest.

I walked along the shore, observing everyone on vacation having a good time and snapping pictures along the way.  I have to admit that this was the first time I felt lonely.  Don't get me wrong, I love being on the road, seeing the sights and meeting interesting people but sometimes when you are in such a beautiful place, it would be nice to spend the moment with someone you know.

That feeling got me thinking.  For the past three years, I've spent about a year being on the
road, traveling to various places.  Once I quit my job, I was off and running.  Since then, I have never really grounded myself where I live and consequently, some friends are constantly surprised to see me in town.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised at their reaction since I am traveling a lot, but it does sadden me a bit.  All of this uprooting makes it difficult to nurture relationships or grow seeds with new ones since I can't spend the time it takes with people to be in their lives while I am out, wandering about.  I do have a few friends where it doesn't matter how much time goes by when I do see them, but I am not in contact with them on a daily basis.  So, seeing people together having fun on a beach makes me a tad nostalgic of the times where I stayed home long enough for friends to invite me to such gatherings.

Yet once again, I choose to make the road my home for now.  I love to travel with Max, but sometimes it takes some planning, depending on the weather.  It was too hot to take him on this day trip, so he stayed at the cabin while I toured around the lake.  There weren't many dogs out and I am not sure if they are allowed on the beach, but they should be.  I am glad I took the trip to see the lake.  Lake Tahoe is truly a beautiful place. Now it's time to look at a map and figure out where to go next.  Thank you to those of you who take the time to read about my journeys.

How it Began

How did I make the decision to quit my job and travel the country? It wasn’t easy. It took several months to put my life dream into a reality, but I did it. You know what? You can do it as well!

I was working in a job for the past 7 years that was challenging at first, but since the company merged with another, it just wasn’t the same anymore. It got too political, wasn’t creative, and my interest in selling the product was non-existent. However, the flexibility and compensation were hard to abandon.

It all started at the beginning of the year. I continued to go through the motions of work, but my body had something else in mind. I went for a normal routine doctor visit to find that I had a softball size tumor in my uterus that would continue to grow if I didn’t do something about it.

In February, I had a myomectomy.

I spent a month lying on my back with nothing to do but think. That’s exactly what I did. I thought about my life. Where I’ve been, where I want to go, what I want to do. I am so thankful that this happened to me because otherwise, I would have just continued the day in, day out grind. Most people don’t have the opportunity to take the time to think about their life and what’s really important. In a way, the fibroid tumor was the best thing that happened to me. I was able to start a new life.

I quit my job.

I packed all of the things I thought I would need and grabbed my dog, Maggie for an adventure of a lifetime. We embarked on a journey across the USA in my little 4x9 teardrop trailer. Little did I know how much I would learn about myself. Not always easy. In fact, some things were a little surprising to me. Pushing my limitations. Every night wasn’t a, “yay, campfire time” experience, although I did have those moments.

I didn’t have a plan. There were a few places I wanted to go and a few people I wanted to see. Other than that, it was my planned dream of not planning. I would wake up, look at a map and decide in the morning where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. This is not a “normal” life, but what is “normal” now and days?

Today is day 3 of being home on a “pit stop.” I am still recovering from being on the road for 117 days. I think it’s because I have a hard time relaxing, among other reasons. In the next few days, I will share with you some of my thoughts and findings of being on the road.

I hope that through my experience, you may realize your own dream. It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. However, because I made the decision, it gave me an experience I may not have ever realized in my life. I look forward to the next chapter and sharing it with you.

Living in "Trailie" For 117 Days

Since I’ve been on the road for over 100 days, here are an additional 50 facts and tidbits on this journey thus far (Visit www.mytripjournal.com/alisontravels for more). Although I am heading towards home, this is not the end. I plan on entering the Southern route once the weather doesn’t threaten to sweep trailie away.
50 Facts and Random Figures (part 2):
1. 117 Days
2. 13, 479 Miles
3. 25 States visited
4. 31 Different Campsites
5. Stayed at 11 Homes
6. Motel 6’d it 6 times
7. One oil change…whoopsie
8. Spotted 2 bald eagles, numerous buffalo, elk, deer and squirrels!
9. 100 bags of ice
10. Backed trailie into 1 barn
11. 1 pedicure (I know, gross)
12. You can start a college fund with the amount of money spent on tolls on the East Coast
13. In Provincetown, you are either gay, Canadian, or lost
14. I like to think that animals are just sleeping on the side of the road
15. Best Quotes from people about trailie…
a. “You can win those on the price is right!”
b. “Is that for your dog?”
c. “Do you sleep in there?”
d. “Does it pop up?”
e. “Is there a bathroom in there?”
f. “Can you stand up in it?”
My response to all of the above: YES!
16. Reconnected with 2 people I haven’t seen in years
17. Met up with 5 My Spacers
18. Met one man who lives in his van full time
19. Watched 13 Concerts
20. Swam in 8 Lakes
21. No TV for 100 days
22. Cindy (Navigator) “redirected” me to 3 dead ends
23. Rode a bike through a 1.8 mile tunnel in complete darkness with sides that dropped off
24. Spotted 19 mullets in one day in Spokane
25. Was interviewed on 1 radio show
26. Lake Disappointment is really not a disappointment at all
27. Not a good idea to give dog treats to raccoons, unless you want the entire family over
28. Skip Sturgis
29. If you want Amish people to run away and hide from you, put a bathing suit on
30. In Oregon, there is no self service gas pump. Not a good idea to argue who is going to pump gas
31. Sang Karaoke once
32. Saw the world’s largest picnic basket located in Ohio
33. 12 sushi stops
34. 24 winery visits
35. 3 Maggie Baths
36. Overheard some funnies…
a. A man was buying a few things in a grocery store in Missouri and tried to pay with Canadian coins. The cashier said, “These are Canadian quarters” and the man said, “Yeah, that’s where I live.” Ummm….duuuhhhh….
37. Wall Drug offers you “free ice water”” they have 50 billboards on the road to prove it
38. Wrote 23 blogs since I left home
39. A Bar of “Dr. Brommers Magic Soap” lasts 22 showers
40. One blanket can be a “house sled” for 2 kids
41. A retired Cowboy can be your sushi chef in Cody, Wyoming
42. Washington and Oregon do have sunshine!
43. Trailie traveled on one Ferry
44. Met a convicted felon who says he’s innocent from terrorist threats to the mall (“um, ok. Bye”)
45. Flat tires= 0 (knocking on wood)
46. Costs $2 for a shower in Yellowstone
47. $10 to see Mt. Rushmore for the entire year (I will send pass to anyone planning on going)
48. Favorite Campsite = Vermillion in South Dakota
49. Favorite National Park = Yellowstone
50. Being thankful that I can live my dream = everyday