Today was my first day of work in Midtown Manhattan at my summer office job.
Three days ago I was dancing until the sun came up at a music festival.
One week ago I was at the tail end of a 900-mile drive from New York to Tennessee.
Two weeks ago I was in the middle of a 2,000-mile road trip from Colorado to Long Island.
It’s now halfway through June and this is the first time I have been able to reflect on all that has happened since leaving my home of 7 years on Memorial Day. The phrase “time flies when you’re having fun” has never been more spot on. Something tells me that long term travel will feel the same way. I’ve been so busy over the past few weeks that my mind hasn’t even had a second to register all that has transpired. Despite the lack of contemplation of late, interactions and good vibes with the amazing people I have encountered, both old friends and new, are what remain most vivid in my mind.
Those close to me have been asking if it feels crazy to be living back in New York, or if I am already missing Vail and the life I created for myself out there. The truth is I have been living for each day, staying in the moment, and haven’t really had time to look in the rear-view. The plan to backpack around the globe has been the goal for about a year now. With so much to look forward to, I cannot look back. Travelers always say you have to stick with your gut. You have to firmly believe that every decision you make is the best one, and will result in the best possible outcome. What I’m doing feels right in my heart and I’m trying to enjoy every moment until takeoff by keeping the recent momentum I’ve built going.
“About 2 weeks ago…”
I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to drive from Colorado to New York. I met Mikey during my first season in Vail, which was also his first. After seven years and hundreds of chairlift rides together, he remains one of my closest buddies…a friend who is always down for an adventure. Our 30+ hours in the Jeep included a nice sunset over the foothills of Colorado, a starry night through Nebraska, a sweet ass sunrise in Iowa, some scenic clouds hovering over the farms of Illinois, and not much going on in Indiana except for my first visit to a Culvers (a Midwest fast food joint which is well worth the stop if you come across one). There was also a pleasant stay at a $49 Econo Lodge somewhere on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, a few truck stops in Western Pennsylvania, a quick cruise through New Jersey and BOOM! Dead stop traffic the second we crossed the George Washington Bridge into NYC. Time to get into that New York State of Mind. But hey, at least we weren’t late for the wedding we were attending at the end of the week.
“About a week and a half ago…”
So about that wedding…Mike and Deb are an amazing couple of friends who are very dear to me, as I was there when they met and the three of us were roommates for two years in Vail (Shoutout to Mike for introducing me to snowboarding and changing my life forever). Their wedding would be the first time I have seen my hometown friends since Vito and I announced we would be traveling the world. The old gang is a supportive group who is excited to see what the future has in store for us and is eager to hear our plans. This was the perfect setting for the Bros to reunite, reminisce and dive into RTW details with our friends to hear firsthand. It was a beautiful reception on the North Shore of Long Island with a picturesque beach sunset, celebrating two of our favorite people. Man, I can’t believe I’m back. Wait. Actually, I can’t believe I leave tomorrow to head down to Tennessee for the 16th Annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. This will be my 5th time heading down to the farm, attending the 4 day fest in Manchester…only this time with a new perspective and vendor credentials.
“The next afternoon…”
Back on the road and riding shotgun headed to Nashville in a 2015 white Ford Transit Van we rightly named “Casa Blanco.” Filling out the vehicle are a group of dudes who have been to Bonnaroo all 5 times with me, and also a few first-timers in tow. This time will be different as this is the first time we are attending the festival as a Vendor. Our mission: to run a Trrtlz booth in the center of the festival. Trrtlz, owned and founded by a close friend named Joseph, is an incredible bracelet company with an equally incredible story. It’s going to be special to be at the festival this time around, being that in 2010 we attended our first Bonnaroo and handed out a few of the very bracelets we are now selling from the vendor booth. And to keep up with the theme of change, Trrtlz will be globally launching a brand new festival style band called Grooves. Bonnaroo is about making new friends, endless high fives, smiles for miles, dancing under the full moon and radiating positivity. This is what I live for.
The whirlwind of fun over the past few weeks will be hard to top. An unbelievable beginning to a quick summer before the journey we’ve been looking forward to for a year begins. No time to look back…because I’m not going in that direction.
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6/14/17