I hate leaving cars in parking lots overnight. Partly, it just makes me kind of sad to think of the car all alone over one night, or two, or three, in a strange parking lot in a wild place. I also hate the possibility of the car not being there when I get back. There’s the pain and inconvenience of tracking it down but also, sometimes, there’s water in there that I was really looking forward to drinking.
Ethan and I rode bikes in a big circle from Lake City a few weeks ago–we left the car parked on a street in town. And it was funny to think about: how this time there was a trail of left things: his car in the lot with both of our stuff in it, my car at his house which had some of my stuff in it, which I had driven from my house which also had some of my stuff in it. So much stuff scattered all over. And in order to get back to the beginning everything had to still be where it was in order to get to the place before. Traveling light had somehow become so complex.
One thing I always loved about bike travel is that is shows you how little you need. You don’t need that many clothes, books, shoes or condiments to actually take care of yourself. You don’t need much to be happy: a warm sleeping bag, a pretty tree with yellow leaves, a crunchy apple at the top, a good long downhill. The car still there in the lot when you get back.
Anne Foster 
I love you Anne 🙂
Love you ❤
I always breathe a sigh of relief at the end of even a day hike to see the car exactly where and how I left it 😊
There is so much to be said about traveling light! The less we carry is Indicative of what we truly need and what we can allow ourselves to let go of – that which we find ourselves convincing ourselves we need but ultimately really don’t. Here’s to cutting ties with that which tethers us thus keeping us from that which is truly important in life. Trust me – doing so is such a freeing experience.