vagabond vivant

wherever you go, be there

[vagabondvivant]

While puttering around Portland today, I happened upon another Ford E-150 "custom" job that looked incredibly like my own van.

[vagabondvivant]

One of my favorite things about van life, much like with backpacking, is the people you meet along the way. Solo travel is pretty solitary by nature, and I really appreciate the opportunities to connect with other people, especially ones I click with.

Earlier this week, I pulled into a hidden spot off 101 with the intent of just spending the night. I was headed to the coast to dodge the heat and wildfire smoke, and didn't really plan on sticking around past the morning. Instead I wound up staying there through Thursday, in what can only be described as an impromptu mini-commune campground with three other wonderful people that had also pulled into the spot, also with the goal of a brief stopover.

Those four days were filled with great conversation, mutual support through various challenges both mechanical and personal, to shared sighs of relief when a caravan full of vibe-killing people turned and drove away when they saw there was no room for their large RVs.

It's impossible to summarize all that happened in those days (and harder still to convey how much it meant), but it was easily one of the best things to come of my last three months on the road. The inherent solitude of vagabond life is a lot easier to navigate when you know connections like these could literally be around the next bend.

[vagabondvivant]

Maple Pass Loop Trail, North Cascades National Park

An absolutely stunning hike that's apparently even more ridiculously beautiful in the Fall. We'll have to come back and see.

[vagabondvivant]

[vagabondvivant]

I'm a little behind on updates. Apologies to my reader.

Currently in the general Chilliwack area in British Columbia. Very much enjoying the Matt Foley Special, so I may stay in this roadside spot another night or two before moseying on.

[vagabondvivant]

Berry Creek, just a random stream seen from a random roadside pullout in North Cascades NP. Wild.

[vagabondvivant]

This is my photo of Multnomah Falls. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

[vagabondvivant]

Link Lake — not a bad sight to wake up to

[vagabondvivant]

Made it to Oregon, where the county parks charge six dollars but the public lands are still free.

[vagabondvivant]

[vagabondvivant]

Tonight's camp spot. Likely tomorrow's, too. And maybe Thursday's.

[vagabondvivant]

[vagabondvivant]

Scenes from Highway 1

[vagabondvivant]

[vagabondvivant]

After last week's test trip out to Tahoe and El Dorado (and a brief stop back home to make some last-minute tweaks to the van), we are finally back on the road in earnest, sauntering vaguely north.

The ultimate goal is Seattle and Vancouver, but it'd be nice to be able to continue on to Alaska, gas prices willing.

We're taking Highway 1 for now, as we're both suckers for beaches—especially moody, broody ones like today's visit to Blind Beach (though yesterday's sunny stop at Dillon Beach was also much enjoyed).

Not sure how long we're gonna spend getting to WA & BC. I don't really have a deadline, so I'm trying to just take my time and not rush things (which I normally do). Only spent about an hour and a half on the road yesterday. Aiming for about the same today. Just gonna leapfrog our way up the coast, one boondock at a time.

[vagabondvivant]

Tallac Historic Site was still closed for the season, but that just meant that we—like a number of other cars—needed to park at the side of Highway 89 and hoof it the rest of the way.

And since it was "closed," the only other people we saw while we enjoyed Kiva Beach were a handful of locals and other adventurous souls. Otherwise we had the place entirely to ourselves.

[vagabondvivant]

How could I title this photo of wildflowers growing in the shadow of a dead forest anything other than "Gold bloom"?