Been Busy: An Update

Posted on by Casey Yardley

Since I last wrote, I’ve been staying busier than I’d like with school and work. However, we’ve also had a few grand adventures, listened to/read a few good books, completed another semester of school, and taken a road-trip to Washinton state and back.

I figured I’d write a few shorter posts and schedule them over the next month with a few highlights from each thing I mentioned above. Not the most exciting content to read, but I want to write about them nevertheless. I suppose you might say I’m writing more for myself as a way to remember my life than for an audience, but if there is enjoyment and value that can be found here for others, welcome!

Martijn Doolaard in Zion National Park, Utah, USA.

Currently, I’ve been staying entertained reading a few books by Martijn Doolaard, a Dutch adventurer who has spent a few years traveling long distances by bike. His first book, “One Year on a Bike: From Amsterdam to Singapore” and his second book “Two Years On A Bike: From Vancouver to Patagonia”. I read his books in reverse, starting with his journey through the Americas and his experiences bikepacking through my home country and a few of the latin American countries I’ve visited.

Since learning about this adventurer, I’ve learned he has created a series around his life in the Italian Alps repairing a few old stone cabins. If you’re interested in home restoration, you can watch his beautiful work here: https://www.youtube.com/c/MartijnDoolaard

Thanks for reading,

Casey

Failing To Follow Through: Where I Am.

Posted on by Casey Yardley

I like many others start out a new year with ambitions to do more of ____, less of ____, and just enough of ____. While I set off each year with good intentions somehow I only see about half of my goals through. This becomes increasingly frustrating year after year and seems to set my vision lower each year as I fear I cannot reach a high bar and see it through to completion.

If I’m being honest I feel like I’ve started out this year much the same as mentioned above. My mind dreams up big opportunities and rarely do I write these down or move them past the idea stage. It causes me to spin in place, become distracted out of necessity, and finally a little less confident than I was before. This is a strange place that I never thought I would be in as an adult and a younger me might have a few thoughts on how unproductive and unsuccessful thirty-one-year-old Casey is.

There isn’t a lot of fear in sharing these truths because I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. I’m not alone in feeling things have happened differently than I expected them to.

All I know is where I am today and where I hope to go moving forward. I’ll share more about my desired destinations in my next post. Until then enjoy this graphic I found on LinkedIn.

-Casey

I Can’t Believe It’s Twenty-Twenty Two.

Posted on by Casey Yardley

It feels like yesterday I was wearing glow in the dark glasses that welcomed the year 2000 running around my grandparent’s yard lighting fireworks then trying to fall asleep before we made it home so that my dad would have to carry me into bed. Now I’m 31 years old living out of a thirty three foot travel trailer with my partner and two dogs and this is not how I expected to be living, but this has been one of the best experiences I never knew I needed. I’m not a extraordinary writer but have always wanted to share experiences, stories, and random thoughts as a writer so as always, here goes nothing.

Taken at Farwell Bend State Park on September 11th, 2021. This was our first BIG outing and we drove from Utah County, UT to Grays Harbor County, WA.

Last July we sold our house, boxed up the things we wanted for our next home then ventured out in a 33ft travel trailer built in 2007 to find new things out about our home state and the Western US. We spent 3 weeks in Washington State and learned we were underprepared foreverything but had the time of our life exploring small coastal towns and meeting new people. We spent more time than hoped parked in driveways but were able to connect with family through the few feet that separated their homes and our trailer.

I could keep rambling about the past year and more specifically the past six months but I figure you are more interested in the here and now(You know, whats happening right now as I write this out. It’s -2 degrees and the floor of our trailer feels akin to an ice rink.) This year is going to be something special and I can feel it in my boots and look forward to sharing more with you as I experience it. You can expect to hear about my partner, our dogs, the places we visit, the food we eat, and the ups and downs of traveling through the well to little known parts of the US and wherever else we roam. Thanks in advance for being here and wanting to read about these experiences.

Casey