News from Jules | 10.03.2023 | The Whimsy Way: Part 2
With everything I’ve seen, experienced, and grown through in the past four weeks, the first two destinations of this road trip—to my family reunion on Whidbey Island, Wash. in August, then to Wyoming for backpacking and rock climbing in September—feel like a lifetime ago.
By now, I’ve traveled over 5,000 miles through seven states, five National Parks, and every possible emotion from exhaustion to elation as I continue choosing the winding and indirect route—the very opposite of a shortcut—on my whimsy way through the West.
Read The Whimsy Way: Part 1 here.
During my fifth and sixth weeks on the road I meandered through old favorites and new discoveries in Wyoming, including Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, Jenny Lake, the Wind River Range, Lander, Sinks Canyon State Park, Popo Agie Falls, and Saratoga Hobo Hot Springs.
Departing Wyoming I headed to what I thought was my third and final “ultimate” destination in Taos, New Mexico. I visited Taos twice during my 2022 road trips—the day I discovered it in May on my way East and then again for a week in December on my way West—and there was still a sense of curiosity stirring in me.
While living in the high desert of Central Oregon this year, I kept noticing how much it reminded me of Taos—the pine trees, the open spaces, the rock formations and mountains, the blue sky, the brightly colored art, and the friendly faces. So many of the “topophilic” elements which give me a strong sense of being and thus a special love for certain places, as Arthur Brooks described in his excellent Atlantic Monthly article, “Find the Place You Love. Then Move There.”
I knew I needed to spend more time in Taos this year to satisfy my curiosity. And, I also knew I needed to keep my heart open to other places. During a few long days, I drove through most of the cute mountain towns in Colorado that others had recommended I check out.
The seventh week driving through Colorado I discovered Storm Peak Brewing, Steamboat Springs, Leadville, Buena Vista, Soulcraft Brewing, Salida, Poncha Springs, and Pagosa Hot Springs.
Hiking to explore the nearby natural beauty and talking to locals at breweries and coffee shops has been the best way for me to learn a new place quickly, but I was quickly running out of energy for anything besides getting from point A to point B.
When I set out, I imagined there’d come a point when I would be tired of traveling.
That day had come.
There were dark skies hovering over Poncha Springs when I arrived and it looked like rain. I decided to try sleeping in my car for the first time. I figured it was silly to pay for a campsite just to park, so I stayed on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land which is free to all. As I lay in my little Volkswagen Rabbit surrounded by all of my gear, cooler, suitcase, and more, I assessed my situation.
My legs and back ached from all the driving and adventuring. My savings account had shrunk faster than expected due to high gas, campground, and food costs. My body missed the comforts and conveniences of a bed, couch, WiFi, and indoor plumbing. My mind was starting to get lonely. My heart yearned for the certainty of coming home to one place.
Yet, only days before arriving in Taos, I was still hitting dead ends on leads for housesitting and cleaning gigs to subsist there for a whole month as I’d hoped. It was clear that I needed to come up with a new plan.
At the last minute, a friend of a friend graciously offered her Tiny House about an hour south of Taos as a base camp, so I could at least explore the area further. It meant that I was still driving a lot, I was still spending money, and while indoors, I was still sleeping on the ground and using an outhouse, but I dug deep into my energy reserves given I was only there for five days.
Just like my previous two visits to Taos, as I followed my curiosity and interest I magically found that one random recommendation or encounter led to another. The visit fatefully wove itself into an inspiring tour of other artists’ lives—the way they lived that motivated and supported their meaningful and self-expressive contributions to the world.
The eighth week I meandered through old favorites and new discoveries in New Mexico, including Echo Amphitheater, Ghost Ranch, Taos Ski Valley, Manzanita Market, Chokola, Taos Art Museum, Los Luceros, Plaza Blanca, Georgia O'Keeffe Home & Studio, and Chimney Rock.
What I thought was the next destination turned into a stop. And yet, I still left with my curiosity satisfied for now.
I keep coming back to what researcher and professor Brené Brown wrote in Atlas of the Heart:
“I believe that with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves even when we don’t know where we are,” said Brown.
I still don’t know where I am in life, but I do know where I am today.
See beautiful photos from my adventures in Colorado and New Mexico on Instagram.
I am writing from a coffee shop in Denver, Colo., within walking distance of the home where I’m staying with one of my best friends and her family before we all head to Oregon soon for her wedding. Thus, Denver became my third “ultimate” destination on this trip. Off the road for a few weeks, I’m very grateful to rest up, save money, stay put, and start preparing for the winter.
May you gravitate to where you find a strong sense of being this week.
Love,
Jules
P.S. Read (or listen to) the whole series, including: