Two Years A Nomad
by Kelley Delano
Two Hearts and Two Wheels Blog Post

September 6, 2019.

Today is officially our 2 year anniversary of being full time nomads. It hardly seems possible, the time has gone so fast. We have traveled over 100,000 kilometers, been in nine provinces, 35 states and three countries. We have dipped our toes in the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. We’ve scratched so many things off of our bucket lists, and added just as many more. And we have made wonderful life-long friends from one side of the continent to the other.

We have slept on mountain tops and desert floors. We’ve passed through rainforests, prairies, bayous and mesas. We’ve seen elk, moose, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, burros, horses, wolves, coyotes, bears, whales, dolphins, sea lions, pelicans and a California Condor, all wild, free and in their natural habitats. We’ve marveled at the sight of Giant Redwoods and Saguaro Cactus, and listened to California Palms rustling in the night breeze. We have witnessed the super bloom, where the desert becomes a kaleidoscope of color so intense, it almost hurts your eyes to look at it. We have been enchanted watching meteors streak across the sky, and Northern Lights dancing among the stars. We’ve stared in wonder at the surreal teal color of a glacier-fed lake, felt the awe-inspiring wonder of a thunderstorm rolling through the desert, and had our breath stolen from a peek over the edge of the Grand Canyon.

We have stood where Wyatt Earp faced down the Clanton’s, followed the trail of the ill-fated Donner Party, slept in the hideout canyon used by the great Apache Chief Cochise, and held items that came through the Hole In The Rock Trail with the first Utah settlers. We’ve followed most of Route 66, traveled down the enormous Scranton, PA hill mentioned in “30,000 lbs of Bananas”, and made it safely over “Galloping Gertie,” the Tacoma Narrows Bridge famous for collapsing in 1940. We have stood where great movies have been made, like “Rambo”, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, “Tombstone” and both “Star Wars” and “Return of the Jedi.” We have seen Elvis’ gold lamé suit, John Lennon’s eye glasses, Jimi Hendrix’s guitars, and we’ve stood on that famous corner in Winslow, Arizona.

Admittedly, not all days have been stellar. We’ve been lost, misdirected, and had terribly bad timing. There have been flat tires, snow storms, ripped awnings, and a new rear end for Hank. We’ve been on the wrong side of the continent when we’ve lost friends and family members. There have been difficult decisions that had to be made, and consequences we’ve had to live with. But for every negative experience, there have been oh so many positive ones.

We’re frequently asked if we have any regrets about our lifestyle choice. And we always answer the same:

“Of course we have regrets! We should have started sooner!”

Good and bad, I wouldn’t change one thing about our life together. Truth be told, I don’t think either of us have ever been so happy or content with how we’re living our lives.

Is it easy?

No.

Is it worth it?

Absolutely!

So what’s next? It’s been one hell of an adventure. And we’re showing no signs of stopping yet!

Bring on Year Three!