life based on the star-rating system

checkpoint!

my last day of work:  April 22, 2011 (one year ago today!)
time spent so far on the road:  11 mos. (we didnt actually hit the road until June)
longest time spent at someone's house:  2 mos (THANK YOU AGAIN NOAHHHHH!!!!!!)
longest time spent in Nessa:  4 mos.
longest time without a shower:  7 days

so how is it going?
i love living in a van!  absolutely love it.  who knew that life could be so simple.  i have everything  i need to sustain me within a 5' x 10' space.  in fact, i have a lot of stuff in here that i don't need, and havent even used.  of course, it took a little while to get used this living style.  no space.  no privacy.  limited electricity.  no running water.  no bathroom.  no shower.  no mirror - ew, i know there are days when i look nasty rugged.  no internet.  no tv.  intermittent cell service.  no money.  the list continues..

so what i do have:
freedom.  time.  health.  sunshine.  chocolate.  ;)  and its wonderful!

what's it like?
we go grocery shopping every few days.  our staples are:  bananas, eggs, veggies, pasta, frozen chicken, tortillas, and bread.  (don't worry, we each a ton of other things.  those are just the staples!)  our cold items are kept in a cooler, so we have to replace the ice every few days, as well.  we use baby wipes to wipe our faces and feet, and sometimes the body if i feel particularly dirty.  also, we've heated up water on the stove and used a washcloth to wipe down.  that actually feels pretty amazing.  i may wash my face in the bathroom if we make a stop somewhere.  otherwise, we try to shower every third day.  ive gotten used to the dirt and just being dirty.  my tolerance is much, much higher than it ever used to be - even since we started this trip last year.  laundry is done at laundromats found on google maps - maybe 1-2 times a month.  so far, we've chosen a place based on how many stars it gets.  the star-rating system also goes for restaurant choices on the seldom occasions that we decide to eat out somewhere.  and of course, when picking a climb out of a guidebook.  ;)  i started cutting my own hair.  we get internet at McDonald's.  we hang out in the van and read.  ive started stargazing.

of course, i'm climbing all the time, but there is so much more.  i see parts of the country that i would have never seen otherwise.  most of the climbing areas are in smalltown, america, so i always notice when i'm back in an urban area - chain restaurants, malls, traffic, etc.  there is a ton of farmland.  there is a lot of poverty.  there are RV parks everywhere - there are multiple parks at the bottom of Death Valley.  you can tell how much money a state has by how the highways are maintained.  ive really grown to love a view of the mountains.  i take notice of the different types of trees - ok ok, yes, jason is usually pointing it out to me ;)  however, i have come to know how to distinguish a few trees and the scents of certain bushes!  the desert canyons are beautiful.  and the high plains - what an interesting concept.  we've been hearing this type of bird making his little bird calls - its almost like this sing-song squawking that ends in a grunt.  hilarious!  we finally saw a desert tortoise!!  we saw a very intimidating rattlesnake that was rattling, coiled and ready to strike at us!  there are towns full of cheerful people who smile and wave hello to every stranger.  we've met people who are interesting in farming - who knew that people wanted to spend their lives working a farm! there are still people who care about the environment.  i want to personally thank those who built the trails that we use to hike in and out of climbing crags - some of those trails are really, really well done.  it is now the little things that make more of an impact on my senses.  i guess i just have time to "enjoy."

the biggest lesson learned so far:
patience.

favorite climbing spots?
my favorite climbing spots remain the same, and are on the eastern half of the country.
- New River Gorge, and the Red River Gorge.  of course, i'm probably biased ;)  afterall, this is where i started climbing.
- SE bouldering of TN, GA, and AL

as for the runners up in the West:
- St. George, Utah and the surrounding areas - who knew that limestone could be so fun!
- The Homestead, AZ - more limestone, actual tufas.
- Bishop, CA and the surrounding areas - the setting is beautiful.  a small mountain town in the Sierras, so you wake up in the morning surrounded by snow-capped mountains.. that says it all.  the bouldering is also super sweet.

awesome non-climbing areas:
- Black Hills, SD - such friendly people!
- Moab, UT or anywhere in Utah - very, very beautiful place, possibly the most beautiful state in the U.S?
- Carlsbad Caverns in NM - huuuuuuge caverns, this place is amazzzzzing!

this trip has been an amazing experience.  i'm still working on how to do this forever :)