I’ve never been extra grateful to have a powerful community behind me than when issues go sideways.
I wrote previously that I was very honored and excited to get to talk at this yr’s Chautauqua in Ecuador. I was honored and excited proper up till it bought cancelled toughly 36 hours earlier than I was going to depart for the occasion. The indigenous peoples of Ecuador felt the government was deal withing them poorly and never listening to their facet of issues, in order that they agreed the one method they might be heard was to make their presence felt and block all the foremost roads till the government agreed to speak to them. Fairly justifiably so, in my opinion. The reasoning behind the occasion getting cancelled was past our control, so there wasn’t a lot use in getting mad or upset in regards to the sudden change in plans.
Nonethemuch less, that left me with two weeks vacation from work and my mother on the best way down to remain at my place to maintain the cat for me whereas I was away. The Galapagos a part of the journey wasn’t cancelled, however it didn’t make sense for me to take one week off after which hopscotch my method throughout North and South America on 5 different flights for a week earlier than I needed to do it another time and are available dwelling. So… what to do on little discover and even much less cash?
It had been a very long time since I’d seen my good friend Stephen (the founding father of the awesome Camp FI occasions) so I thought I’d go see him, hang around for a few days, and take a look at the neighborhood his cohousing undertaking is figureing on acquiring in case I need to transfer there sooner or later when it will get going. My greatest good friend from college was tremendous excited I’d be so near her, however I mayn’t see her if I flew and her schedule didn’t line up with Stephen’s. However then I actualized not solely may I see her if I drove, however I may see other associates alongside the best way and BOOM! The Nice American Street Journey of 2022 was born.
A couple of Instagram messages, textual content messages, and cellphone calls later, my journey was all set. I spent 14 days on the street driving about 3,700 miles to see associates everywhere in the East Coast. I wouldn’t have been in a position to make this happen without the connections and the webwork I’ve shaped through the years of being within the FI community. I’m grateful to know so many people who had been flexible, willing and needing to see me final minute when my original plans didn’t work out.
Likesmart, to these I know on this community, for those who ever move by way of St Louis on a drive of your personal, know that you’re greater than welcome to crash with me and Bartholomew. This can be a very reciprocal kinda factor lest anyone suppose I take advantage of the people I know and never give again. I’m excited to see associates on their street journeys for 2 different days in July and a third visit in August. I’m proper downcity in St Louis with straightforward interstate entry and a spare parking spot in my parking storage! 🙂
The Journey
I stayed one night time at each cease with one exception. That meant a lot of driving, however I have a new-to-me automotive that’s tremendous enjoyable to drive, and I discover driving very meditative so I didn’t actually thoughts. (So long as I was moving and never caught in a traffic jam that added an hour onto my drive to go ten miles like happened the final day in Indiana.)
So as, I went to:
Nashville, TN
Atlanta, GA
Warner Robins, GA
Greenville, SC
Durham, NC
Washington, DC
NYC, NY
Portland, ME
Hartford, CT
Buffalo, NY
Cleveland, OH
Kokomo, IN (Not the Seaside Boys Kokomo!)
Among the people I visited I know by way of my very own life experiences, like former coworkers or family. Most people I visited had been associates by way of this on-line PF community, so I’d never been to their houses earlier than. (And most have never been to my place, both.) I discovered it was actually nice to have the ability to sit down with my associates and have actually nice, mostly uninterrupted conversations. We usually meet up at occasions the place there are far too many awesome people to speak to in far too little time, so conversations are usually sporadic and interrupted as other people arrive or one in every of us leaves for some breakout discuss. I actually loved the opportunity to have deep conversations with eachone. Plus, this was additionally their comfort zone, so I really feel like I bought to know my associates guesster. Plus, anytime you see your folks in PJ’s earlier than cofprice is getting to see the true them. I bought to fulfill spouses, see how they decorated their living areas, meet children and pets and see a snippet of each day life for associates. Since most of my stops had been to people within the FI community, there was a lot extra flexibility in availability than normal which meant we had a probability to exit and do an activity or discover their local people.
I stayed with someone I knew at each cease aside from one. I didn’t know anyone in upstate NY on the final minute, so I booked a camping web site on Hipcamp and had a nice time chill outing in nature in my tent for a night. Seeing associates is tremendous amazing and energizing, however it’s additionally actually good to simply sit in an Adirondack chair in entrance of a camphearth as properly.
Ideas and Highlights of the Journey
At every cease, I did somefactor with a good friend that was reflective of me and my relationship to that person. I went to a barcade, had delicious gourmand meals from talented associates, walked round greater than a few downcity areas, went bowling, went to a minor league baseball recreation (the place I happened to run into someone I’d identified since I was 7 years previous!), toured a home on the market, went to a farmer’s market, took a lengthy stroll down the Hudson River, went mini-golfing, performed video video games, went to Prime Golf and simply generally loved myself for 2 weeks.
Meals consumed covered native meals like Nashville Scorching Chicken, Thai, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Mexican and the usual American fare like burgers. I was additionally in a position to visit tasty gluten-free restaurants and luxuriate in treats associates made for me like gf peach cobbler, gf blueberry muffins and gf clementine cuptruffles. Surprisingly, I didn’t acquire any weight as a result of I was additionally doing lively issues at most locations. (I even set a personal step report in NYC at 22k steps!)
Some memorable quotes from associates included gems similar to “Automobile don’t care” and “Life is Uncertain — Eat Dessert First”. I had a system arrange for my stuff within the automotive. I probably introduced greater than I wanted, however as my good friend mentioned, the automotive don’t care what you place in it. I had a large swimsuitcase behind the automotive with all my garments in it. At every cease, I would get out what I wanted for the night time and the following day and put it in my a lot smaller in a single day bag. I had a cooler within the againseat that had an insulated bag in it the place I saved issues just like the aforemalestioned tasty treats people made me and the meals I introduced alongside to eat on the street. I didn’t cease at one quick meals restaurant whereas on the street. As an alternative, I would pull over for gasoline or a restroom break and get out meals from the cooler like fruit, cheese, meat, and a few form of chip or snack combine. A lot low-coster, a lot guesster for you, and method sooner than idling in a quick meals drive via. At every cease I’d usher in my in a single day bag, my meals bag, and my guidebag. This made it method easier to maintain monitor of my stuff and so far as I know, I didn’t depart anyfactor behind (which is a fewfactor I was notorious for doing prior to now). A little house within the fridge and freezer for my meals stuffs to remain chilly was additionally useful.
Is This a Cash Weblog or Not!?
Obviously I saved monitor of the money spent whereas on the journey. I reasoned if I was willing to spend $1k on a aircraft ticket to somethe place, I may afford a few tanks of gasoline and other miscellaneous expenses to see associates. Expenses had been:
Fuel: $420
Meals: $393
Misc: $244
Complete: $1,058
I finished up spending greater than I thought I would, however only a shade over $1k for 14 days away from house is actually, actually good. It averaged out to about $75 a day. The average worth of a gallon on the journey was toughly $4.65. The lowest I paid for gasoline was $4.09 in Macon, GA and the excessiveest was $4.89 in upstate NY. I did see gasoline for $3.99, however I additionally noticed gasoline at $5.40. You’ll want to use apps like FuelBuddy and iExit to ensure you can find the place a budgeter gasoline stations are. Additionally keep watch over state borders. Taxes differ wildly from state to state. It was value it to push my tank to E to get gasoline for $4.33 in Paducah, KY versus paying $5.40 in Illinois. At every cease, I tryed to pay for our activities or meals. Someinstances I was in a position to, someinstances I wasn’t. However I definitely didn’t need to come off as a freeloader and needed to thank my associates for letting me crash of their spare room, on the sofa within the living room, or within the basement.
Recap
All in all, I had a receivedderful time visiting associates and seeing the differing beautiful landscapes of the East Coast. Since I’m from the Midwest, I are inclined to get excited once I see anyfactor even distantly resembling a mountain. I drove by way of not less than 4 sepaprice mountain ranges in order that was tremendous exciting. Much less exciting for me was driving by way of the Holland Tunnel into Manhattan, however I survived!
I want I had been in a position to give my discuss The Power of Flexibility and Adaptability on the Path to Financial Independence, however honestly I really feel like all of us lived it by having all the journey cancelled. Ironic, eh? Fortunately, I had no plans for Labor Day this yr, so I will as an alternative be giving my discuss at Camp FI: Midwest in Minnesota! Come hang around with me and dozens of other cool people at a camp in Minnesota for those who’re obtainable!
As all the time, thanks for learning! Have you ever taken any cool journeys this yr? Pontificate within the comments beneath!
Love,
Gwen
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