Introducing: A summer adventure
8 weeks out of a rental car (don't worry: I live it; you get to read about it)
Van life? Hah. That’s weak sauce compared to what I have lined up for this summer’s adventure.
Consider the following. Flying cross country with a minimal set of gear. Renting a Kia Soul (boxy car the size of a sedan) or similar. Buying a tent and/or mattress and/or foam padding from Facebook Marketplace or Target. Driving out into the mountains. No hotels. Really.
This is the crunchiest of crunchy trips. The diablo of Taco Bell sauces.
This is not the first time I’ve voluntarily lived out of a vehicle (van, boat, car). I understand the challenge and (to some extent) the stigma. I was in Florida for over two months this winter living mostly out of a car and tent. (I did visit a very nice house for part of it).
You may be thinking, okay, Rey, you’re off on one of your wild trips again. Does that mean you won’t be sharing trans content for a bit? Before you breathe a sigh of relief, sharing my story of my travels (as a trans, nonbinary person) is trans content. Perhaps even, trans joy!
In California last winter, snow reached record-breaking heights. The snow is still melting from the mountains. Tioga Pass has not been fully plowed yet, which is very unusual for July. I expect the mountains to look different this year, which is great - I get to learn about the ecosystem all over again.
Our itinerary this summer has not fully solidified yet, but some places to go back to include: Lassen, the Eastern Sierras, Mono Lake, the hot springs, the ancient bristlecone pines, Monterey, the redwoods, and the coast.
If you want to get the full experience of the trip, I suggest to like, follow, and subscribe to my videos on one of these social media platforms:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reywrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reywrite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rreykatz
YouTube (mostly shorts): https://www.youtube.com/@reywrites
I’m a little terrified of how this whole scheme is going to work out but I’m also excited to be going back to some beautiful places. Thanks for joining me (virtually) on this adventure!
If you’ve enjoyed this issue of Amplify Respect, please, do me a favor - share this with a friend. If any part particularly resonated with you, copy a quote or take a screenshot and share it on Substack or other social media. I’d love to get the word out.
Thanks so much for reading my newsletter. It means a lot to me.
Take care,
Rey