One of the quirks of being a traveler is that you have to cram a bunch of stuff into a finite amount of time. The assignment here in Saranac Lake is only 3 months long. That means we have to; explore the area, show it off to family and friends, settle into a job, make sure our pets are safe and happy, and accomplish any looming projects, all while planning for the future. No easy task! The question is then…how are we doing.
All things considered I think we’re doing pretty good. We’ve figured out small town living again. We’ve had some lovely visits with our parents, and the cats are doing really well. What about the other big things? What about exploring the area and building out the van?
Let’s start with the exploration part. I am kinda loving it here! The weather has been surprisingly good, I love being at a lower altitude, the fall colors are great, and shirtless running/hiking season was longer than I expected. I can’t believe how much I missed trees and green and being around water again. I’m digging the humidity, my skin feels great, and my mood is elevated. I can’t speak for Chrysa, but I’m having a great time hiking the Saranac 6, checking out Lake Placid, and taking a road trip to Burlington, VT. I liked Burlington so much in fact that I might give it a solo post. The biggest reason I have been so productive here is due to my regular work schedule. I’m working at a Mexican restaurant here in Saranac Lake. I work Tuesday through Saturday, I walk to work, and I’m out by 10ish. It’s a pretty sweet deal. So far I’ve hiked 4 of the six local mountains and I’m sure I can squeeze the last 2 in before we go.
I’m happy to report that the van build is going well too! The floor is in (it’s Richmond Oak) and it’s beautiful. Chrysa’s father has helped us with the bed platform and he build the storage unit. Additionally, the kitchen unit is built. Walls and ceiling are next and then this phase is done. Finishing work will probably be done in Georgia. Which leads me to the big news…next stop is Georgia! As much as I like it here I’m just not a winter guy. I need a temperate climate to thrive and it just so happens that my family lives in the south.
So that’s the plan. After time well spent in NY we’re going put on our sweaters, pack up our stuff, move to the south, take off our sweaters (hopefully), and start our next adventure. I can’t wait.
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