# Ditch your whole life & go - story swap



## MetalBryan (Aug 28, 2019)

I'm at the point I just want to blow up my tidy life & hit the road. I'd love to hear your stories about when you just left everything & everyone for adventure!

It was 2003 and I was 22. I was in a bad way with all the best vices. I had to leave town, no joke. Before I made the decision to leave, I was driving outside of the city every night to sleep at rest-stops just to feel safe. I had an extended cab pickup which was not ideal for sleeping anyone taller than 5ft or 1.5m. Sometimes during the day I would lay out in the truck bed if I found a nice park with just enough people to be "public" but not enough that folks would be hanging about making noise nearby. 

One morning, groggy from little rest-stop sleep, I don't remember why but I had all my money ($1,200) in my pocket. I was sitting in a room, listening to someone drone on with the same routine shit that had been driving me crazy day in and day out. I decided that if life was dangerous it should not also be boring. In the middle of the night I filled the tank up with gas, drove to an apartment complex near my house to park, and hoodie-snuck onto the lot where I was living. I packed up about a dozen boxes of "valuables" --- oh man, what I wouldn't give to go back and give that kid some advice on value lol --- and staged them on my porch. Like I was on a mission, I snuck back to the truck and drove like a maniac and tossed all the boxes in the bed as fast as I could. Damn, I was an idiot. Should have gotten friends to watch my back, but I wasn't in the right mind to trust anyone.... and then I just drove for hours. Ended up about 16 hours away from my starting point before I found a state park and took a break. Bathed for the first time ever in a public bathroom. I think I ate my last white bread, dill pickles, and yellow mustard sandwich. Didn't know shit about what could be refrigerated or not. 

Drove to Costco and got some beef jerky and dried fruit. Probably some granola bars or something. Literally drove circles around the center of the country, visiting old friends and sleeping in my truck. It was weird. Ended up at a friend's house and, sheepishly, I said to them "hey I just blew up my life, care if I sleep on your couch a bit until I figure things out?". My friend replied "My wife just left me yesterday. Stay as long as you want."

That was my very first experience hitting the road. I don't have a vehicle right now and no plans or $$$ to get one. Not sure how I'm going to walk away... maybe just take a plane to California or Europe. I can always stay with family for a month, which is both nice and too long in that place. I love metropolis and all the people, but there are a couple small towns where I could find a soft landing. From what I've read, you can "make it" in the Slabs with just a tent, appropriate gear, and enough cash to get to spring. I worry about being vulnerable out by myself without a solid shelter - like when I lived in a van at least I had a tin box for a castle. I also think there is a great community here - I've been invited to the PCNW to join the punk navy, though I've come to the conclusion that life on a boat is a lot harder than I really want to work. I feel the same about NYC - tons of friends but don't want to work that hard to live someplace. Anyway, I'll try to reply to everyone who puts in the time to share their stories and maybe we can come to some conclusion together or at least inspire one another! 

Peace and healthy feet.


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