What the Walrus said . . .

I have started, stopped, deleted and started again on this blog so many times . . . trying to get it right . . . the repeated failings are frustrating . . . but I really need to get this done . . . so . . . let us try this yet again . . .

After much soul searching, teeth gnashing, nail biting and innumerable sleepless nights, I have finally pulled the trigger and thrown in the towel on what was my “old” life. I firmly believe that twenty-seven years of doing the same job, day after day, week after week, etcetera, etcetera, is more than enough for any human to begin to question their sanity. I felt complacency setting . . . and I utterly despise complacency and what complacent people become . . . so . . . I RETIRED . . . 100%!!

Not only have I retired, but the family home has been sold and my apartment emptied and packed away. I am now living a life somewhere between a hobo and vagabond . . . not certain which, but I actually look forward to fitting into either of these titles. I have had COLLINS PERFORMANCE of Summerville, SC, put a 2″ lift kit on my 2020 Subaru Forester, along with 17″ All Terrain tires and off-road rims, skid plates fore and aft, extra light tree on the front, swing out fifth tire on the rear. I have a THULE roof top tent, a NOMAD Kitchen built into the cargo area, and heavy-duty coils in the rear to support the added cargo weight.

In two days, just a short skip in time when compared to my previous sixty-five years of earthly existence, I head out on my new journey, my “new” life . . . and I invite you to tag along!

So what does my “new” life look like? So far I am going to hopefully be photographing bears in Tennessee, wild horses on the beach in Virginia, wolves in New Jersey, moose in Maine, icebergs in Nova Scotia and the Aurora Borelis in Labrador. I will be seeking that fabled “All You Can Eat” lobster restaurant along the coast of Cape Cod, tour most every National Park in the United States, meander a plethora of State parks and historic sites, possibly belly through some slimy lime stone caverns, and roam a few ghost towns and Native American ruins. I need to sit on the rim rock above Yosemite Valley at Glacier Point, take a selfie at Angels Landings high above the canyon floor of Zion and stand below the towering Sequoias in King’s Canyon. So much to see . . . so much to do!

As this odyssey unfolds, I will be telling my tale here, in photos and anecdotes . . . lessons learned for those who may want to become a nomad like me. I hope you will follow along with me and enjoy being part of the journey.

Matt