The stuff is sold off or given away. The U-Box is packed and shipped with the few possessions we still own. Our carry-on suitcases are packed, the house is rented, the friends are hugged, the kids are grown, the two beloved, ancient little dogs have both lived out their long lives.

It’s time to go.

We launched our new nomadic lives on July 10, 2023. We spent the first few nights in Cooper’s Rock, WV. We woke up and went out to the overlook, which we had to ourselves, to see the early morning mist flowing down the Cheat River valley.

Tomorrow, we’ll be somewhere else.

The feelings around all this are something like the buzzing rush of a million tasks leading up to our wedding day, then whoosh, the clear blue quiet of our honeymoon. Except this time we’re a lot more seasoned as travelers and as travel partners.

Nomad life is off to a good start.