Blogs from Marysville, Washington, United States, North America

65 . . . . . . . . . . . . Days 11,454 . . . . . . . . Miles driven (approximate – we forgot to write down the starting mileage) 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . States $2,716.69 . . . . . . Gas 1,741 . . . . . . . . . Pictures taken 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . National Parks and Monuments 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . Museums 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Memorials 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nights in Walmart parking lots 1 . ... read more

We're two weeks away from embarking on our first extended vacation and we've already hit a roadblock. We've discovered that leaving on a Saturday doesn't bode well for making campground reservations. Imagine that! By postponing our departure 24 hours the probability of making a reservation increases dramatically. Realizing this (with a slap to the forehead) we anticipate spending our weekend nights in various parking lots across the country. The extra day at home will give us more time to make the necessary repairs we (I) have been putting off (re-sealing the top edge of the shower stall because my first attempt failed). It will also give us more time to forget to pack something.... read more

So when I felt a calling to just go out on a limb and take the journey I am about to enter, there were a lot of fears. After all, at that time, I was preparing myself for the next step on the job market through a recruiting firm that works specifically with military officers. My career marketing skills were being sharpened so that I would leave the Navy and make a smooth transition into the corporate world. As a matter of fact, at this moment, I would be at a career conference in North Carolina. I was also flirting with the idea of teaching and coaching and at one point before then, considering law school (indecisiveness has always a weakness for me!) Heck, even now, I sometimes it is tempting to just abandon my tramping ... read more

So I know what some might think reading my very first blog on TB ever: "Why would he tell everyone such a personal and potentially embarrasing story?" Some of you think I may want you to feel sorry for me. Others may feel I am just begging for attention. In my world, those motives get you nowhere. As I stated in a previous blog, last spring a Navy psychiatrist finally diagnosed me with Bipolar I Disorder. There are quite a number of misconceptions about this so-called "impairment" so I want to share more about it. First, BPD is a mood disorder and is far different than a personality disorder. A mood disorder deals with disturbances in someone's mood no matter what kind of person they are. In the case of BPD, the moods cycle over time ... read more

So this is the first official entry (as you may see) and I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by! I plan on updating this at least once a week while traveling. Before I leave I may post some odd n' ends about packing and planning. If you want you can subscribe to my journal by hitting the "Subscribe" button to the left just under my picture. This will send you an email every time I update my journal (in case you forget to check it). I will be posting pictures and stories of my adventures, thanks for joining me! You can also comment on any of my posts by clicking the "Add Comment" button to the left. Hopefully that is enough to get ya'll started! "It's an experience we shall always remember, or an ... read more