Fourteen years ago I couldn’t take it anymore. It. Running the hamster wheel. The commuting, the dead-end job, the endless work and the loneliness. That stuck feeling. The empty nest. Wondering if I would ever feel passion for anything again. Passion for living.
So I sold my house and got rid of my stuff. I quit my job, bought a motorhome and hit the road with my dog. I wanted OUT. The American Dream was a nightmare for me. I wanted freedom. I wanted to put my life in slow motion for a year. And I did.
But then a year wasn’t enough. My one-year adventure turned into two years, then three. Then it morphed into a five-year road trip. And it changed my life. My feelings of hopelessness disappeared. I rediscovered my passion for living. I experienced joy. I felt ALIVE. I could SEE again. The magic of bio-luminescence in the rain. The thrill of watching animals in the wild. The beauty and wonder of nature that I had lost sight of in my emptiness. The kindness of strangers. My sight returned, not in a mad rush but in a slow seeping awareness, until I realized I had found my lost self.
But I wondered if it could last. If I could hold onto that newly found happiness after the motorhome was sold and the demands of making a living, family and relationships began pecking away at my new foundation of happiness. Would I ever want to get another motorhome and just hit the road again with no particular destination in mind, just the thrill of no schedule, few responsibilities and the open road calling my name? The answer: YES.
Heidi Eliason 
Wow, this certainly sounds like a teaser so can’t wait to hear what’s coming next!
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Thanks for the comment! If you’ve read my book then you probably remember my frame of mind when I left everything to hit the road. Even though that was a life-transforming adventure, it doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes long for the freedom of the open road. What comes next hasn’t revealed itself yet but I can see things stirring in the pot. Stay tuned!
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What a thoughtful, soul-felt piece you have written, Heidi. Your third paragraph says so much, and so beautifully – and the ending is so revealing, and yet you leave us hanging, waiting for more. How will this unfold? I’m definitely staying tuned!
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Thank you for the kind words, Nancy. I didn’t realize I was writing such a cliffhanger but I do want to write about this some more.
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And I definitely want to read about it some more!
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Oh my, what a powerful teaser! Can’t wait to learn more about what’s next!
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Alicia it wasn’t meant to be such a teaser but I will be posting more about this.
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It sounds like the road is calling your name again. I know there will be more adventures for you . The question is when and how?
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That is the million dollar question, Julie.
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I agree. One year is not enough! Glad you were able to extend the trip and then share it with us. My dad loved road trips and I have many good memories of our family doing them. You see things you just can’t see from a plane!
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I had a few family road trips as a child although not in an RV. Agree that you get to see so much more on the road. That is, if you can get your dad to stop!
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