Only a year ago, the Live Outside and Play project was just an idea, a seemingly unrealistic dream of a 20-something-year-old with an itch for something more, something different.
Now, thanks in part to the amazing network of family, friends, and followers, the Live Outside and Play project is over eight months old. From the coast of the Carolinas to the highlands of Pennsylvania, I’ve taken the SylvanSport Go and Jeep Cherokee over 16,000 miles through eight different states. Though this highlight reel certainly showcases the unforgettable adventures I’ve had, the one thing that has truly made this experience remarkable is the people. Friends old and new have opened up their hearts, their homes, and their backyard rivers and crags to me, which has in turn allowed me to share their world with you.
Though living on the road may seem like a vacation, there are days when I long for an armoire and not a trunk to store my clothes, a kitchen with a sink to cook my meals, a refrigerator so I can buy yogurt again, a normal bed with normal linens and not someone’s couch and a sleeping bag. But those feelings, those longings, are only temporary, for each mile of road leads me somewhere I’ve never been before and the passionate people I’ve met along the way inspire me to press on and see what’s around the bend.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. Thank you for feeding me, showing me down rivers, leading me up routes, and letting me wash my clothes. Without you, 2014 would have been just another year.
Happy New Year everyone! As Edward Abbey once wrote, “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.” Here’s to another year of adventures!
