I just camped for 12 days in my minivan, solo. It was wonderful.
My first camping destination was Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia. The autumn foliage was just starting to get going there in earnest:
Those first couple nights, I was adjusting to #vanlife - the slow and deliberate process of making meals and then cleaning up afterward, the hours of the day stretched out with no agenda and no requirements. It took some time to catch the new rhythm. I kept forgetting where I had stowed everything in the van.
My next stop was Loft Mountain Campground, on the Skyline Drive in Virginia:
The campground is at 3000’ (1000m) elevation. During the days I was there, the sky was crystal clear. Nights were cold and crisp, with low temperatures around freezing. I could see Mars vividly in the eastern sky after sunset. It was just after the full moon, but the moonrise didn’t happen until well into the night. In the meantime, the stars were incredible. (They were also beyond my photography skills. Sorry for that.)
During the first week of the trip, I slept 10+ hours every night. I also took some naps during the day. I read books, cooked food, built fires at night. Campgrounds were full - I’m far from the only one who had this idea. People are generally keeping to themselves other than a wave at a distance. There were friendly people all around, but I was very much by myself.
The last leg of the trip took me into the Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina:
There, I got to visit with some family and friends. Cooked some more food. Read another book, and cautiously dipped my toes back into the churning waters of the Internet. Then I took my toes back out, and went into the woods just a little longer.
This trip was a ridiculous privilege. I have the right kind of job situation, enough money to make it happen, a family who can tolerate - and perhaps enjoy - me being gone for all those days. I was camping solo, but I was doing so with support and encouragement from many of you.
I have no idea how we are going to make it possible for each other to recharge under the conditions of life right now. All I know is that we need to keep trying. It’s so important. I hope you find some ways to recharge a little bit today, and tomorrow, and the day after that. I hope you get the support you need to recharge.
The Nap Ministry
If you aren’t already familiar with The Nap Ministry from Atlanta, this seems as good a moment as any to introduce you. Founder Tricia Hersey is a trained chaplain who decided to focus her practice on rest and rejuvenation. (Video is 2 minutes)
Her Twitter feed is about to go silent for a two-month “sabbath” starting November 1st, but her timeline is a worthwhile - and challenging - read on the relationship between rest and liberation.
And Finally…
This is also the right moment to introduce the song “It’s A Good Life” from KONGOS, which has always felt to me like it a little bit of a nod to “Revolution” by The Beatles. (Video is 4 minutes; a little bit of swearing in the lyrics, fair warning.)
Have a restful weekend, friends.
- Michael
Did you receive this as a forward from a friend? Build Notes is published on Thursdays, which are 100% the best day of the week. Subscribe to future updates here: