trishlaplaca Originally posted September 20, 2022
You may be wondering what the heck Jeff and I were thinking, selling our beautiful property in Ecuador. We were so happy there! Spoiled living high up in the Andes mountains with astounding views and utter tranquility, it was freeing to be able to enjoy a slower pace where we got to actually feel life. We were also blessed to have known so many people who we’d come to treasure like family. Who could possibly require more?
Me. What happened was me. I longed to be part of the energetic flurry of life again. I needed to feel that rush of excitement I get every time I experience a new place, something novel, or meet new people. In short, I just wanted to feel more awake and alive again.
Still, Jeff was happy. He’d built two custom homes on our mountain paradise along with a greenhouse, vegetable gardens and more. Around every corner awaited a new project or challenge to stimulate his mind and body. Jeff would go crazy standing still. He thrived on everything the site brought him – from the joys of building and creating to jumping up onto his tractor or excavator to make more magic. The idea of asking him to sever those very roots that fulfilled him felt criminal
But I did. The solution, then, was to find an adventure that would keep both of us happy and energized. We turned to the ocean for the answer, knowing that its awesome strength and tranquility have flowed through each of us all our lives. When we heard about something called the America’s Great Loop, our new path became clear.
From there the planning started. We would purchase a boat, head up the East coast from Florida, into the Hudson River to Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence Seaway, up into Canada and then to the Great Lakes Region. We would then work our way back down to Florida through Chicago and the river system, starting out in the Mississippi and then Tennessee, winding our our way back down to the Gulf of Mexico and eventually to Florida. The trip typically takes a year or more, especially if stopping to explore and experience the high points along the way.
It sounded like just the perfect adventure for us. But are we crazy? Can we do really do this??
