We did it! George and I actually left as planned on July 24th, packing up the rest of our belongings in our temporary rental home on wheels (thanks Lost Campers!), and drove due north. (Note: In September we will get our Sportsmobile for the rest of the journey)
https://fireheartmusic.com/swzq3y4zxe It took weeks, but all of our stuff is happily in the hands of friends and dozens and dozens of people from craigslist. We realized our stuff, even really nice things, aren’t that valuable, and we ended up giving away much of our things to nice strangers on Craigslist. It was a very fun experience to give people cool things, much better than dumping it at the goodwill or throwing it away. Jenine even found a nice home for her left over christmas wrapping paper, now that is recycling!
Before we get into the first leg of our adventures, I want to answer the number one question we get asked: How did you decide to DRIVE to Argentina?? It started as a common goal George and I shared: take a timeout to travel before starting a family. We got married one year ago, and we decided that it was now or never.
https://masterfacilitator.com/knoj3crdx We assumed we’d take 4-6 months to go “somewhere”. George asked, “Where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world?” My immediate response — South America — to which George replied with what would seem like a ludicrous and unattainable idea, “Why don’t we just drive there?”
When we met a young Alaskan in Los Bariles Mexico riding his bike/kayaking from Juneau to Argentina (blog), we decided we could definitely do it by car 🙂 and we decided to start getting ready!
https://gungrove.com/ropqqyjyqg And there you have it. Early 2013 and the seed is planted. Much to our surprise, we learned that many adventurers before us had completed the journey (major shout out to all of you that left great blogs, books, and info in your wake!). And suddenly our 4-6 month time-out has snowballed into a year-plus lifestyle change that involves living in a van and getting rid of almost everything we own. We couldn’t be more thrilled.
So what have we been up to? We made it to Oregon to spend a weekend camping with my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew at Detroit Lake. We tested out our inflatable paddle board (so fun!!), George checked off his annual wake boarding session, and I was reacquainted with the cold water of a snow-melt lake (wish I could say I missed that cold). The weather is just beautiful here (warm nights are a rarity in SF!) and we sat around our first of many MANY campfires that are surely in our future…so happy our first campfire of the trip was with my amazing family.
https://mmopage.com/news/je00iqzw5ko Oh, and can I just add a shout-out to Aunt Tami for her campfire cooking tips, and to my Grandparents for their willingness to experiment with a new cooking method (steaks directly on coals?? say what?). It was a complete success by the way. Cooking steaks on coals
https://sieterevueltas.net/q0wdhkzkt We are leaving Oregon today and heading to Vancouver Island. We plan on staying there for a few weeks surfing at Tofino and Kiting at Nitinat
Awesome Jenine and George. You two are going to absolutely love Vancouver Island. So much natural beauty. Enjoy.
Thanks! And thank you again for letting us park the truck for a month, and for the lovely lavender that is making our vehicle smell sooooo good 🙂
http://www.wowogallery.com/whcg6izvkx and so it begins!
Diazepam 10 Mg Order Great first post. Didn’t realize you were sleeping in the minvan. The sportsmobile is going to feel like a mansion!
https://manabernardes.com/2024/tlyeim2g3x7 There are so many wonderful things about the minivan, but I can’t tell you how many times we’ve already said, “Wow, the Sportsmobile is going to solve this problem…” Its going to be a rad upgrade for sure
Congratulations!! This is a monumental life change and epic exploration! You’ve completed the hardest steps already, now it’s time to settle into the groove of following your hearts, souls, the waves and wind, and all the little and big things that make you smile, laugh, and feel alive! Be good to each other, treat each stranger along your road as a friend and you will be treated so, and continually remind yourself that it’s in the journey not the destination! Happy, Healthy, Safe and Expansive Travels!! Truly looking forward to hearing your updates, reflections, and adventure stories!
Thanks Chris! Appreciate your kind words and we’ll be sure to take it to heart 🙂
Your bed looks super cozy!! I’m so excited for you guys. Can’t wait to see what you do in Vancouver Island! I’ve been wanting to go to Tofino etc. Brrr, surfing in that cold water though!
Shawna
Yeah, you did leave an amazing place behind (your apt looks awesome!) but you do have an unforgettable experience in front of you. All the best from Dublin guys!
Congratulations on setting off on your life adventure! I miss you already! Can’t wait to see what adventures await you two!
xoxo
Shannon
Hi Jenine,
Yay, you guys are off! No more planning! Guess what – we changed our plans. We’ll leave this December. Tired of waiting around! We are shooting for a departure in the first couple weeks so we can get settled in somewhere in Baja before the holiday rush. So our paths may actually cross on the road. Definitely swing by on your way down so we can meet.
Karie
Thats great Karie! I’m sure our paths will cross and current plans have us on staying in Baja till after the New Year. Looking forward to meeting in person (and for our Sportsmobiles to meet!) I’ll reach out when we are driving back through the bay area late August, or early-mid September. Will keep you posted!