Dirtbag Dreamers

There has been a trend sweeping the nation. Perhaps this is aided by Instagram and other social media, but young people are retiring to the road and I can’t figure out how this is happening. Honestly, it’s likely my own jealousy that is influencing me to ask these questions.

From what I’ve gathered, these very lucky people fall into a few categories, just based on my observation:

Professional athletes, mostly skiers and surfers who have an “off-season”
The independently wealthy
Those who can make a a load of money in a short amount of time and wander around the rest (I know one of these personally)
Those who have a job inside a beautiful place (Yosemite National Park) or taking a traveling job (becoming a truck driver).
Successful bloggers/photographers or travel journalists (the dream!)

There was a time when I purged my Instagram account of these users. It started evoking more feelings of longing and jealousy that they were out there living the dream, while I was stuck working in a hospital and paying debts.

A fork in the trail, PCT/Crater Lake, Oregon 2013

One day I realized that I could learn a thing or two from them. I particularly enjoyed the women who were getting out there. These are now people from which I can take pointers, learn how to successfully blog and reach outside my comfort zone.

Yellowstone National Park, WY 2012

Although at this moment I cannot afford to drop everything and go out on the road (for more than two weeks), but there are possibilities for me. And realizing that opens up so many doors! Some of those possibilities: are taking a job with a travel therapy agencies where I would work at a facility for 13 to 18 weeks at a time, wherever I want in the US; another option I’m toying with is getting a 6 month job at a National Park before pursuing travel therapy.

Driving from Yosemite National Park to Los Angeles in a Nissan Sentra in 2013

Let these magical folks serve as inspiration instead of a point of resentment and dissatisfaction with your own life. And remember, everyone has downtime. The depiction of life on the road usually only highlights when things are happening, not the boring parts, which can give a false impression of this lifestyle.

Sunrise over Crater Lake, OR, 2013 and one of my favorite pictures ever taken.

Either way, life is short, and it’s only getting shorter. Fawning over these individuals (and couples) just makes your situation seem worse. Use it as fuel to live your dream, whatever it may be. There is hope, you just might have to change your way of thinking.