The job is in the rearview mirror, and it feels great. The last bits of income will trickle in throughout the month.
Just a few days after the job ended I had a wonderful backpacking + car camping trip with a friend. It was a nice way to celebrate the beginning of this new chapter.
My PCT hike begins in late April, and I'm planning to spend a few weeks on the Arizona Trail beforehand to dial in the gear and get the body and mind used to the concept.
Prior to these hikes, I'll be spending some time with family in Arizona.
The apartment will be vacated at the end of the month, the car will be disposed of soon after, and the things I own that won't go on the trail with me should fit in a duffle bag or two. Looking forward to being home-free and vehicle-free, at least for a while.
Several ways of living appeal to me at the moment, and I'd like to try them all over the next few years/decades:
Backpacking, as a hiker, in the wilderness
Backpacking, as a traveler, very slowly, throughout the world
Living in a vehicle or boat
Living in a home/cabin, at least seasonally, with room to garden and maybe have animals
It's hard to predict the future, but I'd guess each of those options, with my frugality skills, will come with a lower price tag than my current situation, mostly due to eliminating ~9k/year in rent.
Both NW and Spending went the wrong way in January, but no worries here: