Should I stay or should I go?

The freedom of our lifestyle continually has us pose the same questions we all consider.  How confining is FREEEDOM?  Kathy's college teacher once said, "A free man will spend his entire life trying to give his freedom up."  She vividly remembers that quote as we make our decisions about where we go on our journey.

When I decided no more cold winters, Kathy asked her boss if they had a need for her services further south.  I located a volunteer gig for us at Tonto National Forest near Mesa, AZ.  Her boss said super! We left Bellingham for good. 

We decided to take the long route and enjoy the scenery in our transition.  Time to tick off a few more National Parks along the way.  Mount Rainier, previously only seen by plane welcomed us near the end of the season, which such empty campgrounds and road construction. 

Beyond the beauty of this snow-covered volcano the views are eternal enchantment. 

 
We arrived before the Visitor's Center even opened so a very friendly Ranger snuck us in so Kathy could get her Passport stamp.  We have to go back and check out the museum some other time. 

Washington State

The evergreen state lived up to its name with farmlands, trees, politics, and the sometimes aegon color of the Pacific Ocean.  

As residents of Bellingham, Mount Baker a dormant volcano became our playscape and I found my field of Joy on Whidbey Island, our place of work and respite.  

The state parks and national parks are welcoming and affordable for camping even if families swarmed them like ants in the summer; we enjoyed many of them spring and fall.  

We built friendships and a local life which was hard to leave but we took what we love with us and left the disappointments behind.