This is a story about living in the unknown, about letting go of a structured life for awhile and jumping into the loose flow where beauty reveals itself most naturally. The road beckons with adventure, unexpected encounters and great lessons, it is a place of discovery and understanding of the world and one self.
We are Colby and Alita, and more than a year ago we decided to listen to our hearts, follow our passions and start a new life on the road in our Toyota Landcruiser: Sheila "The Green Beast". Wander With Me is the name of our overland expedition and an invitation to journey with us through the images we love to make.
This is a story about living in the unknown, about letting go of a structured life for awhile and jumping into the loose flow where beauty reveals itself most naturally. The road beckons with adventure, unexpected encounters and great lessons, it is a place of discovery and understanding of the world and one self.
"I love the solitude of nature as much as the cultural explosions that generate around people. I get lost in thoughts about the infinite and I'm amazed by the perfection in small things. I have always had a calling to go to far away places and I had been traveling solo for a while until Colby happened and a new chapter began..." ~ Alita
"I clearly remember the wonderment of exploration into nature as a boy - a luminous existence with little sense of time, thought or self. This journey has greatly been a return to this, yet with my best friend and co-conspirator in hand." ~ Colby
The process of learning to live outdoors is a journey unto itself. Figuring out efficient ways of cooking, showering, keeping things organized...we have discovered the beauty in simplicity, in keeping to what’s necessary and remembering to slow down. It is important to honor each others rituals, such as a moment of quiet reflection in the early morning, a walk in the woods, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee.
We are often immersed in the sounds and silence of the natural world. The Troopy acts as our indoor living space, yet because it is small and with many windows, it invites us outside to explore the terrain.
While driving through the dusty backroads of Eastern Oregon we ran into a spectacle of cows and cowboys that seemed lost in time. Alita jumped right into the middle of it with a wide angle lens. Unplanned moments are welcome and often magic!
The tent is a great place to relax with a book and observe through the window...the landscape it frames is constantly changing.
Time out to truly see the little things.
When its cold we build a fire, when the sun is burning we find shade for refuge. We’ve given up many commodities to find they were just that: commodities. A deep relief comes in finding much of what we thought was needed, wasn't.
The more time in a camping environment, the better we know the creatures inhabiting it. It may come in the form of a tarantula that took shelter from the rain in our wheel well, a sea turtle that buried her eggs before the truck on a long deserted beach or this owl taken in by a woman devoted to rehabilitating injured wild life.
Learning to take care of a Troopy: Our first day into mainland Mexico and a tire sheered clean off the rear hub of our Toyota - we found a loose lug nut to blame. It took several hours to get ourselves and the truck to a small town, where a mechanic and his family helped us back on our way. We camped two nights in front of the mechanic’s house slurping down ramen soup with chiles and getting to know some of the neighborhood characters.
We found this two burner stove for about 200 pesos in a Mexican market, and so far it has held up extremely well. When we cook, we're fond of stir fries as the ingredients and taste change with what is available. Roadside stands and markets often carry an amazing variety of fruits, veggies and staple foods that can be stored longer, such as rice and lentils.
Our eyes are tuned to the landscapes and capturing them as a photograph. We may hike, bike, or boat away from the beaten path to find the remote and untouched places. Light is best in the early morning and evening and so too follows the sleep cycle - early to bed and up with the suns first light.
We rarely plan ahead when searching for a camp spot, so it's thrilling to chance upon a piece of paradise all to ourselves. If we’re aiming to camp in one place for several days we’ll look for a clean water source so it is easier to wash our dishes, clothes and ourselves. Onboard, our sink connects with a 15 gallon water tank and filtration system. Our refrigerator and shower are both solar powered.
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