This year is going to be full of big changes, all already in progress. I’m entering a new chapter and am at a point where I am examining different options and asking myself, once again, “what do I want?”

Art is going to play a bigger role in my life. Opportunities to create and make a living off of my work are beginning to present themselves. It helps that I live in Austin and happen to know some pretty badass, independent ladies who also happen to be artists. But that’s for another post.

I’ve been questioning how to live, where to live, what to do. The process of grieving opened me up to question everything…but especially such concerns as “what is a good life?” and “how should I spend my lifetime?” I joke that everyday I have a new five-year plan.

I’m feeling much more settled and restored now than I did a month or so ago. My natural interests and rhythms have returned, signaling an end to the depression. And when I ask these deep, philosophical questions, my answers are more fun.

The possibility of changing my home has sparked fond memories of life on the road. Nostalgic and intriguing conversations with friends who currently live on wheels have only stoked the fire. Recently, I eagerly read along as my favorite blogger took her RV to Joshua Tree National Park (a place I have wanted to visit for years). Then, during the SXSW music festival, Austin was inundated with nomads of all types. I’ve been daydreaming about the possibility of getting my very own rig and driving into new adventures.

Though it doesn’t jive with my art plans and I really just don’t want to leave my people, it is fun to think about. Maybe one day…but not now. So, for the time being, I am content to chart out spots I might want to visit later.

I saw a lot of amazing places on my travels out west but, despite my energetic adventuring, I missed out on a lot of great stuff (mostly transportation-related as driving an RV twenty miles down a dirt road isn’t usually a good idea). So I kept a running list of reasons to come back:

Antelope Canyon
On Navajo land near Page, Arizona. One of the most photographed slot canyons, only accessible via private tours (reservations required and should be made ahead of time).

 

Rainbow Bridge National Monument
In southern Utah, also near Page, Arizona. A 290 foot-tall land bridge accessible by a 2 hour boat ride or a 2+ day hike. Permits are required from the Navajo Nation and should be applied for in advance.

 

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Slot Canyons
Deep, narrow, secret folds in the earth you can hike into and through (if you can find your way there). Requires a 4WD/high-clearance vehicle and long hikes, sometimes climbing.

 

Waterfalls In The Grand Canyon
There are a number of waterfalls at the bottom of the canyon and along the way down. I’d love to visit one I could swim in.

 

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Guided and self-guided tours. Reservations recommended.

The Wave Rock Formation
Sandstone rock formation in Northern Arizona. A permit is required to hike in the area and permits are limited to ten a day, rewarded with a lottery system.

 

And then of course there is the coast of Northern California, Joshua Tree, and Saguaro National Park to see…