I did it.

Survived another summer exile in the Arkansas of the Northwest and am soon to be blasting, well puttering- it is an old Subaru, back west across the desert to Bend.

While the fire season was dismal here the time spent was not a total loss. I picked up Thumper, something I’ve been desiring for nearly a decade, and managed to get in some fun/challenging rides to maintain sanity.

Having spent the bulk of the past 25 years as something of a vagabond, picking up, packing up and heading out is fairly routine. Still rather surprising how uncomfortable it can be when it seems I have ‘too much stuff’ to pack. Half a poorly packed soob is hardly hoarding, but my brain can’t help but look at half of that shit and try and find a way to ditch it. Being down to essentials and gear, there really isn’t much to ditch. Goddamn brain.

I’ve got to commit to a place to call home. This yo-yo shit has been old for a while, but has been maintained through financial necessity. Hard to pass on a gig that will put $30k in your pocket for 3 1/2 months work while you’re in school. Well, that was last year, not so hot this season. Bend may well be the place again. Despite it’s horrifying growth and severe Californification there is still much of the old Bend there if you know where to look. Not to mention a horde of friends.

Time to finish packing, turn in all my shit and get my performance eval then hit the road. Should be there by 9 pm. Hot damn!

And next week I get to do the drive all over again to get Thumper home.