Hey do yourself a big favor. Meet yourself where you’re at. The first night’s adventures freaked me out enough to book campsites for the rest of the trip. Van life doesn’t have to look like some heroic epic tale. For me it’s about these planned road trips, the way light moves in wide open spaces, and stepping into a bit of discomfort. This van life shit straight up freaks me out. I am not some brave gritty woman with a thirst for the wild, and being alone out in these beautiful places is far from something I have mastered. Negative self talk and anxiety seem to be lurking at every turn during these adventures. You should know that I find houses and showers incredibly comforting. In fact, I love having a roof over head with expertly curated living spaces. They make me feel safe and creative and full of joy. Honestly, having people over for dinner might actually be my favorite thing in the entire world. So before you go off and feel too small for your dreams, check in on your limiting beliefs and see if you can find a bit of space to expand in the smallest way that feels safe. Partnering with giant ideas in this way keeps me moving forward. Cheers ya lovelys!
I found a space to crash on this huge bluff overlooking the Pacific. Welcome to Wind Dance Ranch and Horse Sanctuary. I gave myself plenty of time to dive into the light that evening and the next morning. I wanted to practice shooting table top still life commercial photos outside, because somewhere in my daydreams I decided to be an adventure lifestyle food photographer. Baby I got so lost in the sauce I couldn’t tell you how long I shot or what I was doing. I can still feel the light from that day. A woman, her machine, and something that only can be described as flow state. That etherial space where we press pause on our thinking brains and loose all perception of time, space, reality. Drink her up. I had a blast watching her steal the show.
After a brilliant morning, I packed up and set off toward Santa Cruz.
