I mentioned to Caitlin that I feel like, with unlimited funds, I could do this for quite a bit longer. All our basic needs are met, as well as some basic comforts. Limitations are there… but don’t seem to get in the way. Brendan and I have talked about, with the exception of internet access to keep up on topics that interest us and communicate with our friends, that we’ve pretty much figured everything else out. The excitement of finding a new place , and meeting new people of all stripes is limitless. There is also an attraction to the feeling of not being tied to any one place, job, or well…fill in the blank.

Spending time in the mid and proper west have given me a parallel perspective on this. Self sufficiency is the connection. Modern life is full of comforts, but they generally come a monetary price or at least the requirement of some ‘thing’ or ‘item’. Being on the road has forced us to be self-sufficient. We’ve conquered bathing, cooking, shelter and electricity. Of course these activities all require ‘things’, but there is something different about carrying it all and not just pushing a button or grabbing it off the shelf.

As a kid, I have vivid memories of forcing my brother to play all sorts of games with me. His interest level rarely mattered to me as my goal was merely to keep myself from being bored. It was the participation in what I was doing of another human being that I was after. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate solitude, quiet, and the like. Appreciation of these things has only served as a compliment to this social drive though. It has evolved into adult speak of cooperative activities, cooperative learning, sports, adventure & experiential education.

All these wonderful freedoms however do have a flip side for me. The lack of social interaction and a feeling of home at nightfall. When the world around us darkens…everyone but Brendan and me is bedding down for the night. As we ride, the darkness seems to close in around us, swallowing the scenery. Mountains, virgin stands of pine, and canyons are all draped in this cloak of shadows. In large doses, it makes my mind turn inward and I focus on the people I miss. I miss friends, family and the ability to talk to these people. I miss the warmth and light that these relationships bring…they would certainly have the power to light things back up.