I’m giving up a lot for this lifestyle, including what I thought was my dream job…

Today I will resign from store manager at the largest on-mountain snowboard shop in the world, a position that has been so rewarding and has helped me build life long friendships through snowboarding.  Having your office at the base of a world-renowned ski resort has been a fun ride, no pun intended, and it will be a tough gig to top.  However, my excitement for travel and the unknown is far too appealing to me.  

I want to live life to its fullest, outside of my comfort zone.  By not knowing what may happen next, you can really take hold of this scary, yet revitalized approach to life where you can create your own future.  Putting in my 2 weeks’ notice is a significant stride in my RTW trip planning, cementing all of the prior decisions and steps that we’ve made to turn this dream into a reality.  I’ve had this refreshing outlook on life whilst crossing off yet another first, and we haven’t even boarded a plane yet and left US soil.

The understanding and support from my co-workers have been very reassuring and a huge weight off my back.  What I will miss most are the people who I’ve met along the way living in Colorado.  Countless powder days can make for some magical times shared in the mountains.  The friendships I’ve developed over the years are very important to me and Vail will always feel like my second home.  The sense of community you get from working in the snowboard industry and living in a small resort town is like nothing else.  I will go from waving to everyone in the neighborhood, to being a foreigner in every country we visit.  

My whole life I have chased passions that fill me with adventure.  I think that is why snowboarding has had such an impact on my life.  Riding is a creative outlet that speaks to my soul and gives me a sense of freedom that is indescribable.  I am hoping the freedom of travel is similar to the freedom that snowboarding brings me, but I won’t know if I don’t try.  We will take a chance on something new, and realize the potential residing outside of our awareness.  If we attempt the extraordinary, we accept the possibility of failure.  It’s a positive message in an uncertain world.  Things aren’t what they used to be and you can create your own destiny by doing things differently.  Now, if only I could figure out how I’m going to fit everything I own into my Jeep.

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5/8/17