But the real question isn't when to do them, it's how.
How in the world can I pick up and disappear for several weeks, even a month at a time. My wife can work where ever there's internet so that's simple, but I got into building my own business not a short while back as a home inspector, which kinda limits me to staying in this immediate area for the next 10 - 15 years. As with all things, I should have done something on my own years ago. But that's for a different topic.
My wife and I have two children of my own, a step-daughter and dogs. We normally like to take our dogs with us where ever we go but also know that not every place is dog friendly nor would we want to have to need to care for them at every venue. All of our children wouldn't necessarily be up for the adventure either, especially my step-daughter. But she's old enough to make her own decisions and decide on what she wants to do and not do. Our other children however, have other ideas as to what's important.
We've raised our kids to be outside as much as possible. Every birthday party was held outdoors, took our son on his first backpacking trip when he was 1, trips to the beach, kayaking and day hikes have been a part of their lives from the beginning. But technology, complacency and friend's hold them put. Rarely do they complain when we get ready to go somewhere, but they're not always happy to be camping. Lucky for us they make friend's where ever we go, but then they don't want to leave, so it's a double whammy.
In my perfect world, I'm traveling around the US and Canada backpacking, mountain biking, kayaking, climbing, overlanding and photographing as much as humanly possible. That's the dream to me. Having a home base to come back to is great, but it can also become an anchor. I don't know how people live full time on the road with kids, home schooling them, working, etc. It's got to be exhausting. I don't need to be traveling full time, just several months out of the year would be nice. This country and world are just too nice to ignore behind a computer or desk. As the saying goes, no one ever talked about how awesome a video game is when their 50 - 60, they talk about the great experience's they've had in life. I want, desperately to make those experience's available, both for me and my kids. Big trips and little ones. Epic and subtle.
I feel like I've already wasted a lot of the good years of my life by not hiking the AT out of high school when I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. There were trips that I could have gone on if I only let myself go, but was too scared to do them. I don't want the next chapters in my life to be that way. I'm not sure how to go about it, but I'm planning on finding a way.
