A Leap of Faith in Myself


A Leap of Faith in Myself

Or how I quit my job and decided to travel across the country with the savings I had left.

We've all thought about it. What if I just quit my job, put all my shit in storage, dipped into my savings, and traveled for a few months. This is what popped into my head in early July, on a river rafting trip in Utah. I was talking to one of our guides, a 24 year old named Lily. She'd been a raft guide for 5 years, living in her van, working river trips, and spending her free time outdoors across the country. 

"Maybe I should do that..." I said to my dad as a joke. But behind every joke there's an inkling of truth, and it got me thinking; why can't I do that? What's stopping me? Now, I'm not saying I'm going to abandon my aspirations to be a full-time raft guide.

But I started thinking about when I've been at my happiest over the last few years; hell, my whole life. A river rafting trip in Utah, a cabin on the lake in northern Wisconsin, hiking in the Rocky and the Appalachian Mountains, going for long runs in my hometown forest preserve. All these experiences, and many more, revolve around being outdoors, surrounded by nature. 

I've always thought about moving somewhere where this could be more of my lifestyle; Denver, Portland, Seattle, Asheville, etc. But I could never make it happen... didn't have a job lined up, didn't know many people there, too busy with work, tied to an apartment lease in Chicago that would be a pain to get out of. Plus, life was pretty good! I had a good job, group of friends, and Chicago is a beautiful city in its own right. But COVID brought my true feelings about living here to the surface. It was time for a change.

So I started planning. What do I need to do to make this happen? Buy a car, find a subletter, move out of my apartment, quit my job, figure out what I even want to do. It was a daunting checklist, but I had resolved that I need a change, and just as important, I need a BREAK. The world is so bonkers right now, I feel like I'm not doing enough to help, and time to reflect will do me a lot of good.


Fast forward 6 weeks and here I am. No job, no apartment. Just a car full of camping gear, a heart full of excitement for what's to come, and determination to figure out what I want to do with my life.

So if you haven't figured out by now....
I'm going on an adventure! It will be 3 1/2 months long, spanning 14 states, 19 national parks, 8 cities, and thousands of miles. I'll be stopping at different cities to visit friends, and some people are coming to meet me for legs of the trip, but the vast majority will be just me and the open road. 

In 2 days I'll be off to the first stop, Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota, spending 4 days paddling across a system of lakes, islands, and waterfalls. It's going to be a great time, filled with stunning scenery, wildlife, and hopefully lots of amazing memories.

I'm not exactly sure what this blog will turn into. Realistically it's just a place for me to spew my thoughts so I don't drive myself crazy. I'll be keeping a journal for the more private themes and goals of this trip, but I'll be glad if you join me as I chronicle my journey online.

Of course, I need to recognize the immense privilege I have to pack up my life and go on a multi-month road trip to experience the wonders our country has to offer. What a treat that we have 432,016 square miles of protected land to explore. I'm hoping this trip will result in greater knowledge and appreciation for our planet's wilderness, which is so quickly dwindling. And I'll be actively looking for ways I can contribute to protecting the planet from further harm, AKA the greatest threat to humanity that's ever existed 😃

If you're interested in seeing more of my actual route, and the parks I'll be visiting, check out this post: The Official Pre-Trip National Park Hype Rankings.

- Ry, the gratitude lad.

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