It is Friday and the first day of Autumn.
For the first time since last Thursday, I have time to so sit, write, sip coffee, and catch up a bit.
I have a slate of articles I’ve been meaning to write and things to do.
But setting up a new home can be time-consuming.
Boxes to unpack, sort, and (much to my chagrin) crap to get rid of that is no longer part of my current life. A few bags of stuff can now be found in the local thrift store. Too much stuff I’ve carried over the years. Both metaphorically and physically, now that I think about it. 😉
I did procure a favorite and mandatory piece of gear. in Moab, however.
Last week I made a quick run to the Front Range and emptied out the storage unit. Any physical ties to the Front Range are gone.
The best part? I did manage to get in a last minute, two-night camping trip to Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Only thirty minutes or so away from many parts of the Denver metro area, the park feeling surprisingly isolated considering the location. A place I’ve spent quite a few memorable days at during my time in Colorado.
The weekend featured peak aspen, cool Fall nights, and (the best part) my friends all spent the weekend there, too. An unexpected and joyful way to say “so long” for a bit. All within a quick drive of my storage unit.
My friends and their children played on Saturday while I unpacked. And on Friday night and Saturday night, I enjoyed a bit of camping, beer drinking, and even a quick hike at one point.
Upon my return to Moab, we unpacked all the belongings, sorted, and made this house a home. Even while unpacking mementos from further in my pre-Colorado past. 🙂
And now everything is unpacked. The house is set up. And I should get in my first backpacking trip this weekend as a Utah resident.
The year-long journey I took now feels officially over.
The Road Rules from a favorite book comes to mind now that I’ve, more or less, settled in The Homestead:
Road Rule 26: The final value of any expedition is not what you failed to discover but what you found in its place; the important thing is not so much the dream you pursued but the fact that you pursued it. Looking back on your journey, what you remember most is not what you were searching for, but the search itself.
The search led to a new home and another chapter. I’m glad the logistics of moving and setting up the home is over. Now I can enjoy, and work at, making Utah the place I call home for a bit.
You now have the most important piece of new gear!
However, the autumn doesn’t begin until Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7:54 pm MDT. You missed an additional day of summer!
http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-september-equinox