Now that I had officially accepted the new job, it was time to start thinking about how we would actually make the move. Given my baseline high anxiety, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I have many worries about this process. Here are the pieces we're currently working though:
1. Packing. We know we need to "stage" our house, so we've been busy packing up boxes of stuff and storing them in our garage. We already have the garage mostly full, and our house still looks packed to the brim! Who knew that we (with our multitude of hobbies) are such pack rats?! Apparently we can make 833 square feet (on the main level, plus the basement) hold a LOT of stuff for three people.
2. Realtors. It's a HOT market right now. So does it make sense to have a realtor (and pay the realtor's fees), or should we consider a FSBO? What can a realtor offer that we can't figure out ourselves, particularly in this market? We want to maximize the money we can put toward our next house, but also don't want to screw ourselves over if we are completely unqualified to do it ourselves.
3. Listing. We have been hard at work packing, but we also have a lot of things left to do. We want to list it as soon as possible, but we also want Husband to be done with teaching so he can easily clear out of the house for showings once it's listed. (Like getting Cat and his litterbox out, which would be impossible if we are both at work.) But at the same time our street is scheduled to be torn up this summer (around the same time Husband's school year is over) in order for the sewer lines to be replaced. Will potential buyers be able to look past the construction mess once it starts??
And this doesn't even touch on the mess of buying a new house...
Friday, March 31, 2017
7. so much to worry about
Now, lest you forget, I am still an incredibly anxious person. So although my last couple posts might have implied a relatively easy job search process (and in many respects it really was), I have nevertheless been plagued by my constant companions, anxiety and self-doubt.
On a whim I decided to jot down a few of the anxious thoughts that I have perseverated on in the last couple weeks:
what if it's the wrong city
what if I get laid off again
what if I hate the job
what if I hate the commute
what if we don't make friends
what if all our old friends forget about us
what if the ACA is revoked
what if the country goes to war
what if something happens to my parents
what if the schools stink
what if we hate everything about it
what if I'm not outdoorsy enough
what if we can't get any internet access
what if Husband and I end up hating each other
what if it's colder and cloudier than they tell us
what if we can't have chickens
what if Cat hates it
what if our dog isn't born in time to make the move
what if we never get back to MN/WI for Christmas
what if we never get to stay in MT for Christmas
what if Husband can't find a truck in our price range
what if he doesn't actually know how to build a house
what if we kill each other from living in a small rental
what if I can never get licensed
what if they revoke the job offer
what if I miss the VA too much
what if we're meant to be closer to family
what if my parents decide to stay in Wisconsin
what if I miss the lakes
what if Husband doesn't want to be a homesteader after all
what if all of our things get broken during the move
what if I regret selling the piano
what if I regret bringing the piano across country
what if we get rid of too much stuff
what if we move a bunch of crap for no reason
etc. etc. etc.
I decided to stop this exercise after only about 7 minutes. Seriously! All those thoughts in only seven minutes. (Yes, it can be exhausting to be in my own mind!) Let's just say that mindfulness, staying present, and letting go of future worries is still a work in progress for me. Clearly, even psychologists need to practice what they preach.
On a whim I decided to jot down a few of the anxious thoughts that I have perseverated on in the last couple weeks:
what if it's the wrong city
what if I get laid off again
what if I hate the job
what if I hate the commute
what if we don't make friends
what if all our old friends forget about us
what if the ACA is revoked
what if the country goes to war
what if something happens to my parents
what if the schools stink
what if we hate everything about it
what if I'm not outdoorsy enough
what if we can't get any internet access
what if Husband and I end up hating each other
what if it's colder and cloudier than they tell us
what if we can't have chickens
what if Cat hates it
what if our dog isn't born in time to make the move
what if we never get back to MN/WI for Christmas
what if we never get to stay in MT for Christmas
what if Husband can't find a truck in our price range
what if he doesn't actually know how to build a house
what if we kill each other from living in a small rental
what if I can never get licensed
what if they revoke the job offer
what if I miss the VA too much
what if we're meant to be closer to family
what if my parents decide to stay in Wisconsin
what if I miss the lakes
what if Husband doesn't want to be a homesteader after all
what if all of our things get broken during the move
what if I regret selling the piano
what if I regret bringing the piano across country
what if we get rid of too much stuff
what if we move a bunch of crap for no reason
etc. etc. etc.
I decided to stop this exercise after only about 7 minutes. Seriously! All those thoughts in only seven minutes. (Yes, it can be exhausting to be in my own mind!) Let's just say that mindfulness, staying present, and letting go of future worries is still a work in progress for me. Clearly, even psychologists need to practice what they preach.
6. multiple job offers
Now that we had a 3-5 year plan, and a visualization of the general area we wanted to live in, it was time to get serious.
Right about that exact time (November/December 2016), there was a job opening for a governement job in my field in rural Wyoming. The work sounded pretty good, so I got my CV up to snuff and threw my hat in the ring! I was a little concerned about possible culture shock (town of 18,000?), particularly given the first thing that pops into my mind when I hear the word "Wyoming" is the horrific killing of Matthew Shephard and the ongoing issue of hate crimes and LGBTQ discrimination in rural America. (Not to mention anti-Muslim discrimination!) But then I would remind myself that Yellowstone and Grand Teton are in Wyoming, and that we had enjoyed our drive through the state last summer. Besides, maybe bringing our "blue" votes to a rural state would be helpful, and perhaps the exposure to new ideas would broaden our own horizons as well! (see: urban/rural political divide) If I got an interview, we'd have a chance to test out whether the city would be a good fit for us, right?
The gederal fovernment moves agonizingly slowly, so as I waited to hear back about that position I continued to look for other opportunities. (I'm the breadwinner in the family, so it was up to me to find a good job in a good city.) Within a few weeks I had ruled out a large number of possibilities, but also applied to two really promising places: a job in Spokane, WA, and a job in Great Falls, MT.
Then in February (2017) the pace suddenly picked up for all three of the positions I had applied to. In a relatively short time frame I found out I did not get the job in WY, I was offered the position in Spokane, and I was offered an in-person interview in Great Falls. It took some finagling, but I was able to negotiate enough time to make a decision about Spokane in order to interview in Great Falls. (Spokane wanted an answer almost immediately, and did not even want the delay of me scheduling an in-person visit, with all costs paid by yours truly. It would have been a leap of faith!) In some ways, I was only planning on the Great Falls interview as a formality and out of respect/politeness (because I was pretty set on the Spokane job, based on both my phone interviews), but I was really trying to keep an open mind.
And it's a good thing I did, because both Mike and I were blown away by Great Falls!
The people were amazing, the scenery was breathtaking, the town was just the right size, and the job description turned out to be even better than expected! Not only that, but the salary offer was great, the benefits were wonderful, and they offered to pay all our relocation expenses. When we sat down to do a side-by-side comparison of Greats Falls vs. Spokane on all the variables we cared about, it was a complete 180 from what we had expected going into the interview weekend, and Great Falls won by a landslide.
All of the sudden, in March of 2017, the 3-5 year plan had apparently morphed into the 3-5 month plan! We were going to be moving to Great Falls!!
Right about that exact time (November/December 2016), there was a job opening for a governement job in my field in rural Wyoming. The work sounded pretty good, so I got my CV up to snuff and threw my hat in the ring! I was a little concerned about possible culture shock (town of 18,000?), particularly given the first thing that pops into my mind when I hear the word "Wyoming" is the horrific killing of Matthew Shephard and the ongoing issue of hate crimes and LGBTQ discrimination in rural America. (Not to mention anti-Muslim discrimination!) But then I would remind myself that Yellowstone and Grand Teton are in Wyoming, and that we had enjoyed our drive through the state last summer. Besides, maybe bringing our "blue" votes to a rural state would be helpful, and perhaps the exposure to new ideas would broaden our own horizons as well! (see: urban/rural political divide) If I got an interview, we'd have a chance to test out whether the city would be a good fit for us, right?
The gederal fovernment moves agonizingly slowly, so as I waited to hear back about that position I continued to look for other opportunities. (I'm the breadwinner in the family, so it was up to me to find a good job in a good city.) Within a few weeks I had ruled out a large number of possibilities, but also applied to two really promising places: a job in Spokane, WA, and a job in Great Falls, MT.
Then in February (2017) the pace suddenly picked up for all three of the positions I had applied to. In a relatively short time frame I found out I did not get the job in WY, I was offered the position in Spokane, and I was offered an in-person interview in Great Falls. It took some finagling, but I was able to negotiate enough time to make a decision about Spokane in order to interview in Great Falls. (Spokane wanted an answer almost immediately, and did not even want the delay of me scheduling an in-person visit, with all costs paid by yours truly. It would have been a leap of faith!) In some ways, I was only planning on the Great Falls interview as a formality and out of respect/politeness (because I was pretty set on the Spokane job, based on both my phone interviews), but I was really trying to keep an open mind.
And it's a good thing I did, because both Mike and I were blown away by Great Falls!
The people were amazing, the scenery was breathtaking, the town was just the right size, and the job description turned out to be even better than expected! Not only that, but the salary offer was great, the benefits were wonderful, and they offered to pay all our relocation expenses. When we sat down to do a side-by-side comparison of Greats Falls vs. Spokane on all the variables we cared about, it was a complete 180 from what we had expected going into the interview weekend, and Great Falls won by a landslide.
All of the sudden, in March of 2017, the 3-5 year plan had apparently morphed into the 3-5 month plan! We were going to be moving to Great Falls!!
5. awaiting retirement
Clearly we couldn't move anywhere until retirement, because we were settled! We have lived in our home since we got married 14 years ago, we both have good jobs, and we have "roots" in the midwest (MN/WI). It would be crazy to pick up everything and leave!
And yet we still shared this vision for our future. We would idly chat about when and how we could afford to take a trip out west again. We wistfully thought about how amazing it would be to live within driving distance of "our" beloved Glacier NP. We daydreamed about leaving the hub-bub of a major metropolitan area. We both fondly recalled our upbringings in smaller towns. We wondered what it would be like to have a slower pace of life, with much easier access to the outdoors, maybe even with some chickens in our backyard.
We even sat down one day and compared our visions of where it would be "ideal" to live. Amazingly, we had each come up with almost the same mental maps:
I decided to sign up for updates on government jobs that could open in that area (i.e., WA, ID, MT, WY, OR, or CO). Sometimes when I was bored I would search for jobs in my field on websites like indeed.com. But mostly Husband and I just kept up with our usual routines, continuing to live our regular lives every day.
Looking back, we both identify the 2016 election as the thing that pushed us over the edge: If the world was going to go to hell in a hand basket, we figured, we might as well be living our lives to the fullest in the meantime.
So we had some heart to hearts. Did we really want to do this? If we shared this dream, why were we going to wait 30 years or so until retirement? Did we want to model living boldly to Kid or not?!
That's when the search started in earnest. Given the type of work that I do, we figured it would take a good 3-5 years for our "go West" plans to come to fruition. But 3-5 years was definitely better than 30 years, particularly if we were actively working towad our dream. By the end of November/beginning of December (2016), we were actively embracing a new vision for our future!
And yet we still shared this vision for our future. We would idly chat about when and how we could afford to take a trip out west again. We wistfully thought about how amazing it would be to live within driving distance of "our" beloved Glacier NP. We daydreamed about leaving the hub-bub of a major metropolitan area. We both fondly recalled our upbringings in smaller towns. We wondered what it would be like to have a slower pace of life, with much easier access to the outdoors, maybe even with some chickens in our backyard.
We even sat down one day and compared our visions of where it would be "ideal" to live. Amazingly, we had each come up with almost the same mental maps:
 |
| centered on the Northern Rockies (of the US), taking out SLC and Denver |
Looking back, we both identify the 2016 election as the thing that pushed us over the edge: If the world was going to go to hell in a hand basket, we figured, we might as well be living our lives to the fullest in the meantime.
So we had some heart to hearts. Did we really want to do this? If we shared this dream, why were we going to wait 30 years or so until retirement? Did we want to model living boldly to Kid or not?!
That's when the search started in earnest. Given the type of work that I do, we figured it would take a good 3-5 years for our "go West" plans to come to fruition. But 3-5 years was definitely better than 30 years, particularly if we were actively working towad our dream. By the end of November/beginning of December (2016), we were actively embracing a new vision for our future!
Thursday, March 30, 2017
4. road trip
I haven't had the most positive work experiences over all. After getting my PhD, I was laid off from my first job (after less than a year!) during the height of the 2008/2009 recession. Thankfully I got a new job really quickly and really enjoyed it for a few years, particularly with the flexibility it afforded me as I pursued fertility treatments. But then I took on a leadership role without realizing that the company would basically be willing to pay me to work myself to death; it was only after getting totally burnt out (and clinically depressed) that I was able (through the help of my amazing therapist) to see how the work environment was not a good match with my personality, particularly given my spectacularly impossible job description. So I regrouped and took on a new job back at the place where I had done my postdoc many years prior. It started off great, but I quickly discovered some interpersonal dynamics on my primary team that ultimately interfered with my ability to do my job and, quite frankly, started to negatively impact patient care.
Seriously! Enough already!
So, to cope, Husband and I decided to plan a massive road trip vacation. Or, rather, we decided to take a massive road trip vacation, with me doing the bulk of the planning - because that's what I like to do, and because planning would help distract me while I figured out what to do next about my latest terrible work situation.
It was around late winter/early spring of 2015 that we (I) started to plan, and we (I) pretty quickly settled on a two-week trip highlighting the national parks of the north. I had had such a great experience at Yellowstone, and I wanted to both share the awesomeness and also test out whether other national parks would be similarly awesome.
After reading MANY guidebooks and even more websites, we ultimately landed on the following itinerary:
Packing my tiny car with all the food and gear we needed was no small feat, but we did it. And the whole trip was amazing!!!! It turns out that national parks are really, really cool. Who knew?!?! :)
We also learned so much about ourselves. The three of us travel well together, and we're entertained by similar things. (Okay, so Kid wasn't quite as stoked about long hikes and Husband and I were, but she was a trooper! And someday she'll enjoy hiking, darn it!) We also all enjoy similar scenery: the combo of mountains and water was a grand slam for all of us. While we enjoyed the Badlands, Black Hills and Yellowstone, we really fell for Grand Teton, and were absolutely, 100% in love with Glacier.
As we started our drive home, Husband and I both agreed that if there was ever an opportunity to live in Montana, particularly near Glacier, we would jump on it. Too bad we wouldn't be able to seriously consider such a thing until retirement.
Or could we?
Seriously! Enough already!
So, to cope, Husband and I decided to plan a massive road trip vacation. Or, rather, we decided to take a massive road trip vacation, with me doing the bulk of the planning - because that's what I like to do, and because planning would help distract me while I figured out what to do next about my latest terrible work situation.
It was around late winter/early spring of 2015 that we (I) started to plan, and we (I) pretty quickly settled on a two-week trip highlighting the national parks of the north. I had had such a great experience at Yellowstone, and I wanted to both share the awesomeness and also test out whether other national parks would be similarly awesome.
After reading MANY guidebooks and even more websites, we ultimately landed on the following itinerary:
| Day # | Day | Date | Event | Sleeping | Cost |
| 1 | Sat | 6/18/2016 | drive to Badlands | Cedar Pass Campground | $20/night |
| 2 | Sun | 6/19/2016 | hike in Badlands | Cedar Pass Campground | " |
| 3 | Mon | 6/20/2016 | explore Black Hills | Horsethief Lake | $26/night+$9 fee |
| 4 | Tue | 6/21/2016 | explore Black Hills | Horsethief Lake | " |
| 5 | Wed | 6/22/2016 | drive to Grand Tetons | Colter Bay tent cabin | $65/night |
| 6 | Thu | 6/23/2016 | explore Grand Tetons | ? | $25/night |
| 7 | Fri | 6/24/2016 | explore Grand Tetons | ? | " |
| 8 | Sat | 6/25/2016 | explore Yellowstone | Old Faithful Inn | $115/night+tax |
| 9 | Sun | 6/26/2016 | explore Yellowstone | Old Faithful Inn | " |
| 10 | Mon | 6/27/2016 | drive to Glacier | fish creek | $23/night |
| 11 | Tue | 6/28/2016 | explore Glacier | fish creek | " |
| 12 | Wed | 6/29/2016 | explore Glacier | rising sun motor inn | $165/night+tax |
| 13 | Thu | 6/30/2016 | explore Glacier | rising sun motor inn | " |
| 14 | Fri | 7/1/2016 | drive to ND | Cottonwood Campground (South Unit) | $14/night |
| 15 | Sat | 7/2/2016 | explore TR NP | Cottonwood Campground (South Unit) | " |
| 16 | Sun | 7/3/2016 | drive home | home! | FREE |
| 17 | Mon | 7/4/2016 | buffer day at home |
Packing my tiny car with all the food and gear we needed was no small feat, but we did it. And the whole trip was amazing!!!! It turns out that national parks are really, really cool. Who knew?!?! :)
We also learned so much about ourselves. The three of us travel well together, and we're entertained by similar things. (Okay, so Kid wasn't quite as stoked about long hikes and Husband and I were, but she was a trooper! And someday she'll enjoy hiking, darn it!) We also all enjoy similar scenery: the combo of mountains and water was a grand slam for all of us. While we enjoyed the Badlands, Black Hills and Yellowstone, we really fell for Grand Teton, and were absolutely, 100% in love with Glacier.
 |
| crappy cell phone photo from the parking lot at our glacier hotel |
As we started our drive home, Husband and I both agreed that if there was ever an opportunity to live in Montana, particularly near Glacier, we would jump on it. Too bad we wouldn't be able to seriously consider such a thing until retirement.
Or could we?
Saturday, March 25, 2017
3. photography at Yellowstone
In 2008, I still very much owned stock in the "city girl" identity. Proximity to Lands' End, Whole Foods, and Ikea were all very important to me. I dreamed of owning a house in a walkable neighborhood - close to a lake, maybe in a carriage house, and definitely with high density housing and good public transportation.
But I was also ready to explore! I'd been backpacking a few times (Superior Hiking Trail, Itasca State Park), and "the outdoors" was starting to get into my blood. My weekly-ish walks around the city lakes just weren't cutting it anymore. It was time to dream big. It was time to get out of the state. It was time to try out a NATIONAL park.
And that was the year that Husband bought me a winter-photography-themed trip to Yellowstone for Christmas! (Husbands don't get much better than this - it was a jackpot of a gift!!)
I'd heard of national parks before, but I'd never been to one. If you look at a map of all the NPs, you can see the Wisconsin (where I grew up) is dead center in the drought of NPs in the midwest. Seriously, I challenge you to identify another location that would be harder to get to a NP than the "thumb" of Wisconsin (particularly considering that Isle Royale is accesible only by boat or plane).
So, having had no experience with National Parks, I had no idea what to expect. In my mind, I think I imagined Yellowstone as some sort of weird cross between Jellystone and Disneyland. Like, not really nature nature, but more like a glamorous spin on nature that's full of friendly wildlife. Like talking bears.
Um, yeah.
So when I actually went on my trip that February, I was BLOWN. AWAY. Seriously. I flew into Bozeman, and had the first three days all to myself: I swam in hot springs, I went dog sledding, and I took a billion and a half pictures. It was my first time in "real" mountains, and I couldn't get over the beauty of the Yellowstone River with the Absaroka Range in the background. Before this, I thought I was more of a beach girl, but the mountains quickly stole my heart. This was when I first fell in love with Montana.
And then I actually got to Yellowstone. Let's just say that it was nothing like a Disneyfied version of Jellystone - it was huge, it was beautiful, it was...dangerous! The snow on the ground contrasting with the boiling thermal features...it was otherworldly and literally took my breath away. I burned through two memory cards of photos, and I still could have taken even more.
Why had no one ever told me about National Parks? Or if they had, why hadn't I listened???
It would take me a few years to get to my next one(s), but my next visit would be a turning point...
But I was also ready to explore! I'd been backpacking a few times (Superior Hiking Trail, Itasca State Park), and "the outdoors" was starting to get into my blood. My weekly-ish walks around the city lakes just weren't cutting it anymore. It was time to dream big. It was time to get out of the state. It was time to try out a NATIONAL park.
And that was the year that Husband bought me a winter-photography-themed trip to Yellowstone for Christmas! (Husbands don't get much better than this - it was a jackpot of a gift!!)
I'd heard of national parks before, but I'd never been to one. If you look at a map of all the NPs, you can see the Wisconsin (where I grew up) is dead center in the drought of NPs in the midwest. Seriously, I challenge you to identify another location that would be harder to get to a NP than the "thumb" of Wisconsin (particularly considering that Isle Royale is accesible only by boat or plane).
So, having had no experience with National Parks, I had no idea what to expect. In my mind, I think I imagined Yellowstone as some sort of weird cross between Jellystone and Disneyland. Like, not really nature nature, but more like a glamorous spin on nature that's full of friendly wildlife. Like talking bears.
So when I actually went on my trip that February, I was BLOWN. AWAY. Seriously. I flew into Bozeman, and had the first three days all to myself: I swam in hot springs, I went dog sledding, and I took a billion and a half pictures. It was my first time in "real" mountains, and I couldn't get over the beauty of the Yellowstone River with the Absaroka Range in the background. Before this, I thought I was more of a beach girl, but the mountains quickly stole my heart. This was when I first fell in love with Montana.
And then I actually got to Yellowstone. Let's just say that it was nothing like a Disneyfied version of Jellystone - it was huge, it was beautiful, it was...dangerous! The snow on the ground contrasting with the boiling thermal features...it was otherworldly and literally took my breath away. I burned through two memory cards of photos, and I still could have taken even more.
Why had no one ever told me about National Parks? Or if they had, why hadn't I listened???
It would take me a few years to get to my next one(s), but my next visit would be a turning point...
2. my second backpacking experience
Husband has always been an outdoorsy guy. He likes to watch survival shows on TV, and likes to tell me things like how to start a fire from wet wood and other tricks that I hope I will never need to know how to do. And I truly believe that the difference between him and a typical armchair enthusiast is that he probably could actually survive for more than a few hours if he was dropped in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the shirt on his back. Me, on the other hand? As much as I like looking at nature, most of the time being in nature is far less enjoyable. There are bugs and there is dirt. Lots of dirt. And I am happy to avoid bugs and dirt whenever possible.
But I'm also someone who likes to prove that I can do things. It wasn't enough to graduate from college - no, I had to get my PhD. It wasn't enough to try to take up running in my 20s - no, I had to run a half marathon. (And then promptly swear never to try to run ever again.) I even tried for a "natural" birth, but I'll admit that once I was 24 hours into labor I called "uncle" and asked for the epidural - but that's a different story for a different time. But you get my point - I like to think that I can do anything if I put my mind to it, even if my only chance of being an Olympian at this age is if I pick up curling -- at least I still have a shot!
So when Husband suggested that we try camping, it wasn't enough for us to try glamping or even car camping. No, our unique combination of "his desire to use his survival skills and my efforts to prove that I can do anything" led us to an epic backpacking journey along the Superior Hiking Trail.
Honestly, I don't even remember how far we went. But I do remember that we hiked for hours and hours and hours every day, and there were many, many times I thought I was going die. Yet I also remember the solitude and serenity. The serendipity of seeing baby black bears, and of almost being trampled off the path by a running moose. The incredibly crisp and fresh air. And how well I slept (mostly from sheer exhaustion) every night.
It snuck up on me. I expected to prove I that I could backpack, but I didn't expect to (gasp) actually enjoy it! It was that trip that started the wheels turning in the very back of my mind. So small and quiet at first that I didn't even realize it. But a little nudge of a gentle suggestion that (whisper) maybe city life isn't all there is...maybe the outdoors will beckon...maybe the bugs and dirt are worth it...
But I'm also someone who likes to prove that I can do things. It wasn't enough to graduate from college - no, I had to get my PhD. It wasn't enough to try to take up running in my 20s - no, I had to run a half marathon. (And then promptly swear never to try to run ever again.) I even tried for a "natural" birth, but I'll admit that once I was 24 hours into labor I called "uncle" and asked for the epidural - but that's a different story for a different time. But you get my point - I like to think that I can do anything if I put my mind to it, even if my only chance of being an Olympian at this age is if I pick up curling -- at least I still have a shot!
So when Husband suggested that we try camping, it wasn't enough for us to try glamping or even car camping. No, our unique combination of "his desire to use his survival skills and my efforts to prove that I can do anything" led us to an epic backpacking journey along the Superior Hiking Trail.
Honestly, I don't even remember how far we went. But I do remember that we hiked for hours and hours and hours every day, and there were many, many times I thought I was going die. Yet I also remember the solitude and serenity. The serendipity of seeing baby black bears, and of almost being trampled off the path by a running moose. The incredibly crisp and fresh air. And how well I slept (mostly from sheer exhaustion) every night.
It snuck up on me. I expected to prove I that I could backpack, but I didn't expect to (gasp) actually enjoy it! It was that trip that started the wheels turning in the very back of my mind. So small and quiet at first that I didn't even realize it. But a little nudge of a gentle suggestion that (whisper) maybe city life isn't all there is...maybe the outdoors will beckon...maybe the bugs and dirt are worth it...
Saturday, March 11, 2017
1. my first backpacking experience
If you had met me in high school, you would have known me as a city girl. I certainly wasn't a "girly girl" (I've only ever had one manicure in my life), but I definitely preferred my creature comforts. A vehicle to get my from my parents' garage to the nearest mall, hot food on the table at meal times, cozy flannel sheets, and a good book - such was the stuff of life!
When I went off to college, I was nervous about meeting new friends, so I had signed up for a pre-freshman year orientation trip. Depending on space, enrollees would be assigned to a Habitat for Humanity-type building trip, a canoeing trip, or a backpacking trip. The Habitat trip was clearly at the top of my list, because it was the only option that involved some semblance of civilization, even if "civilization" meant saying on a cot in a gymnasium and using communal showers. Meanwhile, the canoeing trip was clearly at the bottom of my list, due to my genetically endowed lack of any upper body strength whatsoever. Backpacking? Meh. I could take it or leave it, I thought.
When the assignments came a few weeks later, I was ambivalent about being assigned to my middle choice. Huh. Backpacking, I thought. How hard can it be? My parents had taken me camping a lot as a kid and I liked going for walks on our neighborhood paths, so I figured I would be good to go.
Of course, for anyone who has actually been backpacking, you realize immediately that there is a world of difference between a pop-up camper and actually carrying a tent on your back. Here I had thought I had been roughing it as a kid with our 3" mattresses and flush toilets all the way over at the center of the campground. I was completely unprepared for the realities of true "leave no trace" principles, such as our group of 12 women having to finish off ALL of the refried beans (a portion clearly intended for a whole football team of hungry men) from our burrito night dinner, else the bears would smell our food and come after us. Well, let's just say that the bears smelled us all right, and they left us alone! And let's also mention that meandering strolls on the neighborhood paths is nothin' compared to hiking up and down hills with what feels like three elephants strapped to your back, particularly when wearing Doc Martens (it was the 90's...) as "hiking boots."
There were multiple times during this trip that I contemplated jumping off a cliff so a helicopter could come rescue me from my misery.
As a result, once I got out of those god-forsaken woods, I swore I would never look back. Zoos, city parks, and a pet cat would be all the "nature" I would need in my future. And that's exactly what I did. At least, until a few years after my husband and I were married....
When I went off to college, I was nervous about meeting new friends, so I had signed up for a pre-freshman year orientation trip. Depending on space, enrollees would be assigned to a Habitat for Humanity-type building trip, a canoeing trip, or a backpacking trip. The Habitat trip was clearly at the top of my list, because it was the only option that involved some semblance of civilization, even if "civilization" meant saying on a cot in a gymnasium and using communal showers. Meanwhile, the canoeing trip was clearly at the bottom of my list, due to my genetically endowed lack of any upper body strength whatsoever. Backpacking? Meh. I could take it or leave it, I thought.
When the assignments came a few weeks later, I was ambivalent about being assigned to my middle choice. Huh. Backpacking, I thought. How hard can it be? My parents had taken me camping a lot as a kid and I liked going for walks on our neighborhood paths, so I figured I would be good to go.
Of course, for anyone who has actually been backpacking, you realize immediately that there is a world of difference between a pop-up camper and actually carrying a tent on your back. Here I had thought I had been roughing it as a kid with our 3" mattresses and flush toilets all the way over at the center of the campground. I was completely unprepared for the realities of true "leave no trace" principles, such as our group of 12 women having to finish off ALL of the refried beans (a portion clearly intended for a whole football team of hungry men) from our burrito night dinner, else the bears would smell our food and come after us. Well, let's just say that the bears smelled us all right, and they left us alone! And let's also mention that meandering strolls on the neighborhood paths is nothin' compared to hiking up and down hills with what feels like three elephants strapped to your back, particularly when wearing Doc Martens (it was the 90's...) as "hiking boots."
There were multiple times during this trip that I contemplated jumping off a cliff so a helicopter could come rescue me from my misery.
As a result, once I got out of those god-forsaken woods, I swore I would never look back. Zoos, city parks, and a pet cat would be all the "nature" I would need in my future. And that's exactly what I did. At least, until a few years after my husband and I were married....
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)