Habits - can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em

I've had the opportunity to become more aware of my habits on this trip because of the challenge of either maintaining them. Or changing them. Or creating them.

For example, I'm sitting in the truck for hours each day when we're on the road. I make a decision I'm not going to cross my legs. And within minutes I look down. And I'm crossing my legs.

It's a habit of a lifetime, and not necessarily a healthy one, just from an anatomical point of view.

Habits are also what make my life smooth and easy at home. I don't have to think about where my toothbrush is, or the laundry detergent, or my coffee mug. Which leaves some brain space to think of other things.

But I'm finding this kind of travel is sucking all the bandwidth out of my brain just to maintain the day-to-day details of living, probably the first tier of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Too much stuff going into too small a space?

The frustration of living close to survival mode got to both of us at about the same time yesterday so we unloaded everything out of the back of the truck in the afternoon, everything out of our bins and bags, and started over. There has to be a more efficient, pragmatic approach to life on the road.

Repacking the truck definitely wasn't what we wanted to do with our afternoon, especially when our camp chairs were facing the Colorado River as lots of rafters and kayakers and paddleboarders were going by, just for our entertainment.

But we got it done and we're hoping that we won't be spending as much time  (or all our time) searching for the olive oil, my sunscreen, my hat, the paper towels, my book, my hat, a power cord....

This morning we awoke to our New World Order (I hope!) and my new habit (three days already!) of walking the three miles along to the Colorado River to downtown Glenwood Springs, Colorado before it gets too hot. Michael takes the time to write, then meets me somewhere for lunch.

This morning, since part of my brain was a bit more available –– everything was apparently in its place –– I decided I had to go have some fun. A vacation from my vacation.

The green slide was a blast. The blue slide? Terrifying!

About five trips down an AMAZING slide into the Glenwood Springs hot springs pool, screaming and laughing all the way down, I felt revived.

I needed that!

We also had a great visit this week with Jason Fitzgerald, Michael's son, who brought his dogs and his tent and spent the night with us on the river on Tuesday night. He lives just up the road a bit. We'll stop to see him tomorrow as we continue our trek eastward.

It's taken us about 10 days to find our stride. Stay tuned for the next leg and we'll see if it's still working.

Jason and Dad and the pups