Where is Ben?

Two Week Vacation from Blogging

Just thought you'd want to know that I'm in the middle of taking a two week vacation from blogging. I'm trying to make many transitions and need to break out of my normal routine. I would like to get back into posting an image a day and more very soon.

Here's an image to tide you over until I return. This photograph was taken in Shamrock Texas. You can even see the bus in the background on the right. I'm nowhere near done with the image, but wanted something to post along with this note.

Finished Moving In

Today I was able to get all my stuff unpacked and stored away in various drawers, closets and basement storage bays. I was also able to simply relax and hang out for a while with a friend, which made it feel like I've really completed the moving process. I'll be heading to Miami for PhotoshopWorld early Tuesday morning.

3/4 Moved In

I returned the U-Haul trailer today and was happy to no longer see boxes scattered all over the place.

I have everything but my office gear unpacked. My first priority is to get everything secured so I can drive the bus without having something fly through the air each time I hit the brakes. That means securing loose objects with earthquake putty and adding grippy stuff to the bottom of most cabinet shelves (the stuff people use to prevent rugs from sliding on wood floors).

Movin' In

Tonight will be my first night sleeping on the bus. It's parked at the dealer where I bought it and I'll be here for a few more days so I can get used to many of the systems on the bus. Everything is a mess right now,but it should be more sane in another 24 hours.

Posted From: Liberty Coach, Stuart, FL

Made it to Florida

I made it from Atlanta to Stuart, FL today and will start the motorcoach orientation tomorrow morning. Tomorrow should also be my first night sleeping on the bus.

Posted from: Ramada Inn, Stuart, FL

Visiting Eddie Tapp in Atlanta

After dealing with some business details and getting my corporate taxes sent in, I hit the road at around noon today and drove all the way to Atlanta. I have one day of driving left before I arrive in Stuart, FL, which is where the motorcoach is located.

Posted From: Eddie Tapp's place in Atlanta, GA

We're Not In Kansas Anymore

I've made it to St. Louis after having my first travel snarl... the lights on my U-Haul trailer stopped working and I had to spend about an hour with someone I met at a gas station to fix the problem enough to be safe. I wanted to be a little further along in my driving, but it wasn't too big of a set back.

My goal for tomorrow is to drive to Atlanta, GA.

Posted from: Quality Inn, Caseyville, IL

Bye Bye Colorado

I left my Colorado home for the last time at 6:40pm on Monday and am driving to Florida to pick up the motorcoach. I've made it to Goodland, Kansas, which is about 19 miles over the Colorado state line. Now I have three days of intense driving ahead of me.

Posted from: The Howard Johnson hotel in Goodland, Kansas

My Last Week Living in Colorado

I'll be living on the motorcoach in exactly seven days. Here are a few things that should happen before I leave Colorado:

Last night was a little going away dinner that was put together by some friends... we had a five-course Moroccan feast at Mataam Fez in Boulder.

I'm still trying to sell a bunch of furniture and random stuff to friends and on Craigslist. It looks like it's not all going to sell in time, so more stuff than I'd like will be going into storage to be sold on my next visit to Colorado. It's been much easier to get rid of all the stuff that I've been giving away for free.

Most of my possessions are in boxes and the movers will be coming to bring things to storage on Sunday.

Today is my last day with an office at home... it will be packed up before the end of the day.

The key to my Jeep disappeared the other day (I bet it got packed away in a box somewhere). I don't have a spare key (the dealer never gave me one), so I had to have the Jeep towed to the dealer to have one made (they can't do it from the VIN# on this one). Keys for this car cost $138.45 plus $30 to have them programmed!!!! I'm having three made so I have two spares. Of course two of them wouldn't take the programming and the dealer is still working on it (they have had the car for almost 24 hours just to get a few stupid keys made).

I'll be having a trailer hitch installed on the Jeep on Friday and will be picking up a tiny U-Haul trailer to pack my possessions in so I can drive them out to the Motorcoach. I'll also have a tow bar baseplate installed so the Jeep will be ready to be pulled behind the Motorcoach. I'll also be having my last fix of BeauJo's pizza before leaving the state (be sure to try it on your next visit to Colorado).

If all goes well, I should start my drive to Florida on Monday morning. I might have to leave on Tuesday if any snow gets in the way of finishing everything up. It should take me three days to get to Florida, which is where the Motorcoach is located.

Once I get to Florida, I'll spend three days getting oriented with all the systems on the bus and having driving lessons before I head to PhotoshopWorld in Miami. It sounds like I'll be able to park the bus right at the convention center for the show.

I'll be spending the rest of March and all of April in Florida since I have three speaking gigs and a bus rally to attend. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any suggestions on what I should explore while I'm in Florida or have a place for me to park a 40' Motorcoach for a few days (there's an e-mail link at the bottom of the right column of this blog site).

Motorcoach Motivation

Some of you have asked why I've decided to turn in my house keys and trade them in for a life on the road. The answer to that question is something that's been rattling around in my head for a very long time. Why do I want to live like a rolling nomad armed not with a camel and saber, but with a camera and laptop? Below is the short answer... if you want the particulars, click the read more link and you'll get all the painstaking details, perhaps more than you might care to read, but this is, after all, my blog.

The Top 8 Reasons Ben is Chucking It All (well, most of it, the rest is going into storage):

• Ability to be more comfortable when traveling
• Living with just what I need
• Opportunity to explore and photograph National Parks
• A chance to visit friends that are scattered around the country
• Chance to live with zero debt
• To lower my personal expense by having more of my living expenses paid by my company
• A sense of adventure
• Ability to truly live a unique life