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When a "home" is made of windowed walls, you get up with the sun. I unzip my sleeping bag
in my car & look out, enjoying a moment when only the birds are awake along with me.
Flip flops on, I walk through frigid dew to reach the river I slept by last night. I watch
it run rapidly, feeling grateful to wake up here.
I tune in. Winter here was dark, so a report of sun & warm temps has me stoked.
I throw on some gear to test and head out to hit the trail. It winds through woods and
lots of mud as it's still early Spring. I jump across some stones to avoid sinking in,
then cross a tiny brook that's being rehabilitated. Incredible place, New Hampshire.
Lots of people think I play all day, but even as an outdoor journalist and traveler, you
still have to live somewhat in the real world. There's responsibilities to take care of,
and no matter where I am, I can't escape them.
Today it's locating packages without a tracking number and taking care of a very problematic
The packages at the post office aren't too difficult to locate (surprisingly) but the
lady isn't too keen on my not knowing the local ways. I shrugged it off. I guess I don't
like in my homestate tourists much, either.
The grocery store was completely different. I walked in to a cheery fully stocked store,
almost as good as Whole Foods back home. Organics options aplenty. I usually hold back, but
I went into the store hungry which cost me nearly triple what I spend for the month.
I'm blaming it on the kimchi. I really didn't need fermented cabbage, but it when you're
hungry... Consolation prize: a coupon for $0.75.
Stocked up, I mix up a shake for lunch. Almond milk, tap some cocoa powder in from the container,
two scoops of ViSalus non-GMO soy protein and shake, shake, shake. Afterwards, I realized
I didn't really need everything else I just bought. Those are the kind of realizations
that don't come easily living on a tight budget.
Internet is hard to come by on the road unless you learn the hotspots. McD's, mid-budget
hotels and today, the library. I open up the Mac to catch up on social sites & respond
to a growing list of emails.
As evening sets in, I am given an offer I can't refuse- some extra space in a washer
and dryer at the laundromat. For someone who has been washing clothes by hand, this is
irresistible. Bonus: there's free wifi and a view of the mountains while the clothes
tumble around. I make myself comfortable; there's a story about hiking that a guest
writer from England has submitted and it needs editing. I work dilligently. The night darkens
while the clothes get cleaner.
I head out with a small bag of clean clothes. The night air here feels just as refreshing
as the thought of fresh laundry. Crickets are chirping — the first time I've heard
them since last summer. I walk into the dark to get closer, but they remain at large. I
zip into my sleeping bag for the night. A lot was accomplished today, but mostly I feel
best about the time I spent enjoying the river, the run, and now these night sounds. Time
to tuck in; when the sun goes down, so do I.