Left LA and headed for Vegas after brunch with my aunt. She gave me a gift from my mom, that completely summarizes all the hope I have at this beginning....

drove in cool and steady! No overheating! yay! Feeling weird about parking Medusa and staying at a hotel, although I still haven't camped in her yet. When I parked her, there were a few other vans parked in the lot that are obviously being slept in... Maybe I'll try that next time!

Staying here for an extra night to connect with some folks and then off to the real van life! Scared but feeling ready. Feeling super introspective right now, after a month or two of a lot of extrovert time... I think it will be good, and challenging to spend some time with myself in nature!

I got Medusa back today and it wasn't expensive at all! The radiator cap was cracked... so new radiator cap and I'm good to go. The owner of the shop said it's a great van and should be good for a couple of years without any major repairs!

Before I picked her up, I walked around Santa Monica listening to the Women on The Road Podcast.... It gave me so much confidence and reassurance... It turns out that other women also experience the same things I am experiencing...

I am SO FREAKING SCARED RIGHT NOW!

I mean, yes, not paying rent today for the first time in my adult life was pretty awesome. I also threw away my schedule!

But oh my god this is very scary.... As a strong independent Amazon, I am not practiced in saying I am scared, and really I often am made to feel shame when I do. But listening to that podcast made me remember that we are all scared most of the time, and sometimes, we just have to do it anyway.

So, I bought a paper road atlas, and got Medusa back!

Then finally I had the time and space to organize and I found a place for everything!

Well, I guess the sabbatical has begun, and much like with all transitions, it was full of the discomfort of the liminal.

I awoke after 4 days of 16+ hour working working working to get the van ready, packing and getting my stuff in storage to see that there was road work out front (where I intended to park and pack my van)....

Alas, I talked to the workers and they let me pull up in the closed area.

I (as expected) had to downsize, but ran way late so I shoved everything in Medusa Van, and drove to my storage and downsized there.... Then off to Pismo beach and a fancy hotel I gifted myself.

I sure am grateful I decided to ease into it because my tummy was not happy, and I really just needed a sweet night and an ocean view. I can't really express how grateful I am that I can afford that luxury right now. It was lovely and the sound of the waves as we slept did this moon child good.

In good news, we made it with no mechanical issues!

Out of an abundance of caution, I decided to take Medusa to the doctor...

Twenty two years ago, I had the opportunity to break down with my mom and my kitties and all my worldly possessions in Bakersfield, and I do not care to repeat that experience.... Hopefully the cooling system is okay, and it will be cheap! Either way, grateful AF that this isn't a crisis!

Found a great mechanic who was working on another van when I dropped her off (yay Edwin of Tony's Motor Repair in West LA!).

Fingers crossed that it's cheap, but grateful AF that this isn't a financial crisis anyway...

After dropping her off, I went to Venice Beach-- my happy place. I would really love to come back and stealth camp in Venice for a month... Being that I have yet to stealth camp, that is something for the future, but fingers crossed!

All in all, a good day in LA!

Before I could get everything together, very early in my van  experience, my poor van got towed!!! :( Watch the interview with Dawn (and please subscribe to her channel so she can get that fancy advertising money!! $$$$):

https://youtu.be/lb7dYG2H4Bg

I really can't tell you how this happened, other than years of hard work and planning.... and a ton of support from colleagues and friends.

I applied for and was awarded the only sabbatical this year, so off I go on a journey of a lifetime.

There are plans.
There is an intention to be flexible and spontaneous.
There is fear.
There is excitement.

Right now: a few months on the road doing Van life; a few months on the east coast; a few months traveling internationally.

Easing into Van life has been scary and thrilling, but that's where we are starting this era of my life.

Meet Medusa the Van:

She is a work in progress, just like me.

Stay tuned for more!