Will and I have been on a slow move for almost six years. We’ve lived in Taiwan, Peru, the United Arab Emirates, Panama, and now Mexico. We’ve visited more than 30 additional countries. We went to Chernobyl. We visited the Pyramids at Giza. We met then Secretary of State John Kerry at the home of the US Ambassador to Russia in Moscow. We took three road trips through Europe. We’ve seen more places than most people will see in a lifetime.
And I’m bored. We both are.
I hate saying that. I hate feeling that way. Here I am, privileged in a way that few people are and I’m bored.
Our intention was always to avoid our mutual perceptions of life in the United States. We both dreaded the life that often feels forced, a constant cycle of consumerism, work, bills, and little time to feel free from those constraints. However, as time has moved forward, I’ve found that this is exactly where we are now. Although that life takes place in Mexico, it’s still a work week much like any other, with a slapped together dinner and TV until bedtime.
It was only just a few weeks ago that we visited Sumidero Canyon, one of Chiapas’ most famous and beautiful natural wonders. It’s only an hour away from our home and we’ve been here for almost nine months.
When we were living in Huanchaco, Peru in 2011 I met a woman through a mutual friend. It was a brief personal meeting but we became friends on Facebook and I began following her blog. She and her husband had driven from California and were now in Peru. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had always known that people did that, but I hadn’t ever actively followed someone’s Pan American Highway journey. I read her posts voraciously, not only because she’s a fantastic writer but also because I marvelled at their freedom. I wanted that, but I wasn’t sure I had the guts for it.
A few years later when we were living in Panama we were introduced to the Sparks family through a mutual friend. They were on their own Pan Am journey and we needed a housesitter. They arrived at our house in a customized van, a mobile fortress in a way, and with their young son. Before they became parents they had driven from the UK to South Africa. I loved listening to their stories, but I still wasn’t sure that was a lifestyle that I could handle.
Back in February Will and I took a much needed week at the beach. While he’s rarely writing on the blog anymore, I awoke one morning to find that Will had written a post. All of a sudden the idea of our own overland journey was back on the table and Will attacked it with gusto. He began scouring the internet for vehicles that he thought might be a good fit for us, and I sat in the background, jonesing for the adventure I knew we needed but still unsure how it would all play out.
The weekend of April 10th we took a long weekend in Mexico City for our anniversary. While he did take time off work Will’s vehicle hunt hadn’t ended. He’s whittled down his focus in a big way, and was convinced that a Nissan Titan with a camper of some sort was the best choice. We sat next to each other on the bed, and while he browsed car dealerships I logged onto a Facebook group for Pan Am overlanders and saw an ad.
“Are you dead set against a Ford?” I asked. I showed him the ad, I messaged the seller, and a few hours later we were on the phone with him. As I listened in on the conversation, not able to completely make sense of the talk of batteries and propane, a little tilt was going on in my brain.
This was it. I just knew we were going to buy this truck. Will put a flight to San Francisco on hold and we agreed to decide the next day if that flight would be purchased.
It was. We returned home to San Cristobal and Will left a few days later to go meet the truck and her owners. I felt very small in our big house that weekend, waiting for the WhatsApp notifications that kept me on the fringes of the loop that was swirling thousands of miles away.
Exactly one week ago today I woke up to an email. The subject line read “You’ and the body of the email simply stated, “Can announce.” My heart leapt and my then uncaffeinated brain struggled to comprehend what had just happened but I knew on a deep down level that this was it. We were going to take on the responsibility, the stress, the joy, the wonder, and the adventure that we so desperately need in our lives.
This is Moby.
Will drove away from her former Northern California home and headed for Wyoming to get shiny new license plates and registration. He’d WhatsApp me during the drive, hinting at rookie mistakes that he’d already made. He’s still not home, in fact, he’s probably in the air as I write this, but I’m sure he’ll tell me about things that are going to be the first of many mistakes. After all, a trip of this magnitude is not without its struggles, but I know that the joys will far outweigh those.
Right now, Moby is in storage in Salt Lake City. She will remain there until August when the lease on our house in Mexico is up. Exact dates and locations are still up in the air, but that’s part of the bliss that comes with this kind of freedom. Outside of a few restrictions, we can go where we want, when we want.
And as a relationship whose cornerstone is and always will be travel, I know that this journey will affect my marriage in profound ways. Although six years abroad has not been without its challenges, it’s also been a relatively comfortable and easy life. We always had our personal space, we always had enough of what we needed, and we always had people willing to help.
This has all changed. Now we have to reduce our lives to fit into a camper. There will be no room where one of us can go and shut the door when tension erupts. There will be problems; situations that force us to work together and navigate unknown territory. There will be disagreements, and the inevitable silence that’s deafening when you’re trapped in a vehicle with someone you’re currently irritated with.
But all of that aside, I am overwhelmed with how right this feels. This is exactly the decision we needed to make, at exactly the right time. I’m ready, Will is ready, and our relationship is ready for this next step, where we discard what we no longer need, carefully pack the rest, and hit the road.
I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
TammyOnTheMove says
How exciting! I can’t wait to follow your adventure. Sounds epic, and I am sure even though you will live in a confined space, you can still do your own things when you are not driving.
George Ferreira says
I will definitely follow you along as I am dreaming of the same. Not one day goes by that I don’t think about it. I have traveled across the USA on my motorcycle, I went to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska in 2012 but now dream of even bigger. I too am looking at getting a Ford-F-150 so this is of great interest to me. Did you get the new EcoBoost V6 or the V8? I am really interested to find out as I’m not too sure about the new V6. Good luck, keep safe, keep blogging, I will be reading.
Will Brubaker says
Howdy George,
The truck has the V8 – I didn’t really give any particular consideration to this engine vs. that engine but I’m happy with what I ended up with. My only real consideration was “will it run on whatever fuel might be available…”
George Ferreira says
I think you have a good truck. I’m probably going to buy the V8 too, the EcoBoost with the twin turbos could be trouble down the road and that’s the last thing you want in a long trip.
Can’t wait to see more photos.
Will Brubaker says
More photos are going to have to wait – I had time constraints while in the US and presently the truck and my camera are separated by thousands of miles – make sure to check back in with us in mid-August – the trip should be starting in earnest around that timeframe (but we are a bit fickle….)
Yasha Langford says
Reading this gave me ‘goose bumps’. It brought back so many memories of our own journey towards the journey. Now I find it hard to imagine living life any other way.
Enjoy the process – the learning and the new experiences every day.
I don’t know you and yet I am really excited for you.
Cate Brubaker says
Thank you so much! As a newbie to the overlanding experience I have goosebumps too! Feel free to follow us on Facebook or friend me!
Will Brubaker says
You and me and Moby makes three 🙂
Peter says
Sounds great! Looking forward to following your journey.
We’re a couple from Wales, UK and have been living in a European motorhome and travelling in Europe for 3 and half years now… Dreaming of North America and perhaps the Pan American in the future.
Happy travels,
Peter and Elaine.
Cate Brubaker says
Thanks so much! I’m beyond thrilled that we have this grand adventure right around the corner!
~Cate
Fred and Elisabeth says
It sound great,but is also great to be with all the other nomads. We have been now on the road allmost 23 months. And loving it every minute.
We are driving a 1957 Mercedes with a Ten trailer. You can follow us
http://Www.facebook.com/Classicstrider.
Maybe we will see you somewhere on the road. Happy and safe travels.
Fred and Elisabeth.
Andrew Wikel says
I remember hearing about this in Miami, and super happy that it’s happening!
Susan says
I also currently live in Mexico, by myself with 2 dogs, and have been here several years in one city. I, too, recently felt that I had gotten everything out of it and was bored! At first, deciding to live in a foreign country was so exciting and new. Now it all seems very routine. So I recently started dreaming of getting an RV of some kind and trying out living in a house on wheels, which I have never done. My dogs would love it too. I am very interested in a more detail description of what you purchased and why, and also pictures of the interior.
Cate Brubaker says
Hi Susan! I’m going to write a post this week detailing all the specs and features of Moby, our new truck. Stay tuned!
Will Brubaker says
Howdy Susan,
I can offer a bit of insight in to the why we purchased what we purchased. The main consideration is that we will be shipping around the Darien Gap. There are a couple of ways to do this but we are opting for the shipping container so we are restricted by what will fit inside a shipping container. There is a good article here that details the various options: http://www.drivetheamericas.com/wiki/vehicle-shipping-across-darien-gap
As to the interior – it’s the maid’s day off so I haven’t got any photos that I’m comfortable sharing, but it’s a Northstar TC650 – not the same model year as this, but the manufacturer has lots of photos: http://www.northstarcampers.com/products/pop-up-truck-campers-tc650
As described by the previous owners “It’s the smallest of the big and the biggest of the small” – there are several similar campers but so far as I know this is the only one that offers a “north/south” sleeping arrangement vs. an “east/west” configuration plus so far as I know this is the only one that allows you to leave the bed (more or less) alone when bringing the top down. Most of the other ones that I looked at would require you to re-configure the bed before bringing the top down.
dave says
Cool!
Pamela says
I will eagerly await news of your new journey.
Cate Brubaker says
Thanks Pamela! We’re so excited!
Jeannine says
You are turning me into a professional voyer. As I am shackled to a desk 70 hrs a week I find escape in your words and pictures. I remember the day we met, November 4th, 1991, the day after my 21st birthday. You were wearing a hippie skirt, Birkenstocks and bells around your ankles and saying: “hitchhiking….coooool!” I’m deeply happy that your wanderlust is still going strong and that you’ve found a soul mate to share in a life full of adventures. I can’t wait to see where this new journey takes you. Much love and light to you both. ?
Cate Brubaker says
Thank you, my sweet friend! If you ever feel like joining us for part of the ride let me know! xoxoxox
Rhonda says
So glad to hear you got Moby! We just live Toby and Chloe and are glad their ride is going to a good home. Camper life is not without challenges but then , what is?!
Cate Brubaker says
We’re glad that we got Moby too! She’s just about as close to perfect as it gets!
~Cate
niCk Hamblen says
A wonderful read. Cannot wait to follow the journey!
Will Brubaker says
Howdy Nick,
We can’t wait to get started!
Davide says
Happy for you guys, probably we wont meet on the road but I wish we did. I’ll try to follow your trip while finishing mine!