A few months ago Tyler and I were talking about what we wanted to do with this time of our lives. While we are both still working and our schedules do not exactly mesh, we agreed that we needed to get out and see more. I said that I would be okay if I never travelled overseas again, but I really wanted to see more of the United States. What surfaced in our conversations was that first of all, we did not have a good travel vehicle. Tyler has an electric car which makes sense for his work, but honestly, the two journeys we took in it were somewhat frustrating because you pretty much need to stay close to main thoroughfares. It is not that I want to do off-roading, but it seems to me if you are going to be journeying about, it is nice to have the option to explore. My Elantra is not much better. An RV seemed out of the question. They are large and expensive to buy and maintain. We have friends who love their RV's but they just seem too much for us. Pulling a trailer also has no appeal.
Tyler is a patient researcher, and what surfaced was the idea of installing a wedge camper on a Tacoma truck. While I have never really done much camping, I decided that we should give this idea a chance. We bought a low-mileage used Tacoma truck, and Tyler discovered Harker Outdoors in Salt Lake City, who was offering a sale on the construction and installation of wedge campers. Last week we drove to Salt Lake City to have the camper installed. Because we were travelling in the first week of January, and because I am pretty wimpy in the cold, we knew that we might not actually camp on this trip. That is what happened, but more on that later.
We spent two nights in Salt Lake City so we were able to visit Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. The weather was chilly. However, when I stepped out of the Tacoma with my goose down jacket zipped, a wool cap in place, and some binoculars around my neck, I knew my life was changing, and that felt very good. We spotted bison and pronghorn antelope. I also found myself pondering lichen. I have been reading Robin Wall Kimmerer's book, Braiding Sweetgrass, and among numerous subjects she discusses is lichen, and how it is a bellwether of how healthy an environment is because it is very sensitive to air pollution. I am learning to take nothing for granted.
I will write more about our trip as this week progresses, but today I will include some pictures of the camper both opened and closed, and a couple of photographs taken at the beautiful Great Salt Lake. I also posted almost daily on Facebook during this trip. That was a lot of fun, and I felt deeply connected to those who regularly added their comments and prayers.
"Our Indigenous herbalists say to pay attention when plants come to you; they're bringing you something you need to learn."
Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer
I think this is pretty much true of all that comes across our paths, including our dreams.
Yes, I have fallen in love with a truck.
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