To kick off this new blog of mine, I imported my first blog, from 2005/06. It’s the story of a twenty something who has been working in the business skyscraper world but fell in love with rock climbing. She daydreams of living on the road, only existing as a climber. She dares herself to make the move and then finds out that life on the road on your own can have it’s challenges. It’s only in retrospect that she realizes how tough that experience actually was.

Quick links:

Where it began (the first post)

Categories: Big Fat Roadtrip

one hell of a year

Jessica Evans

Posted on December 13, 2006

I just have to post today… it’s been exactly one year since I drove away from Toronto in tears, not really sure why I had to go, but just knowing this was a trip I had to take. December 13, 2005: I threw away my life and started over.

The roadtrip was one thing, but the time since then that I’ve been living in Vancouver on my own has been something else. (I’ve started a new blog that I think about posting to quite a bit that’s linked on the right navigation bar.)

Nevermind learning about myself, I have a new career in a new field. I work full-time and go to school part-time. Last week I just decided that I’m going to stay in school part-time and work on getting my degree. Why not? Learning never stops.

A number of people have told me that they respect what I’ve done – a five month solo roadtrip followed by a move to a new city! That’s pretty tough, isn’t it! Well yeah, yeah it is. Sometimes I just smile to myself. A solo roadtrip. Of course it was hard. Silly girl, good for you.

Categories: Big Fat Roadtrip

Tagged: camping, climbing, roadtrip, rock climbing

here i am

Jessica Evans

Posted on June 30, 2006

i’m sitting in my apartment, just looking around. every so often i just sit and consider how much my life has changed in the last 6 months. Yes, in only six short months, you can change your entire being!

I’ve started a job that, when I describe it to people, sounds like a dream job. It’s less money than I was making in Toronto, but I just had a few months of living in my car and stressing about the price of bread, eating mayonaise that had been in the cooler for 2 months, and sneaking into continental breakfasts at hotels. I’m working in an office again – something that I swore that I’d never do again – but it’s different. I can wear what I want to work, and there’s a good mix of familiar work and a brand new career path. It’s a small company who provides a lot of perks for the employees in exchange for hard work. The office is in loft space with floor to ceiling windows. I look up from my monitor and see the mountains along the coast. I think I like it there.

I was honestly concerned that when I finished the trip and began my re-entry to civilization, that I would snap back into the person I was before the trip. All the life lessons and truths would be lost and erased. So far it isnt’ so, and it’s taken a lot of work. I still love meeting new people, and I still like to see what I can learn about myself as I learn about them. When I was unemployed I stood and chatted with an eccentric gentleman for about 20 minutes on the street. When speaking with a complete stranger, you can say whatever you’d like. I’m always careful to be nice, but it’s a great opportunity to throw anything into the conversation. See how they react. See how their first impression of me was, and how I can mold that impression based on what I say. I learned a lot about people on the trip, and it’s fun to see if my first impressions of them were accurate.

It’s still pretty hard at times, of course. Sometimes the entire situation is very overwelming, and sometimes I mistake being overtired for being sad. All I need is a little time just to myself with nothing to do. On the trip I perfected the art of sitting around, and it’s something I need in my life.

It’s great to be a cycle commuter again. Vancouver is very bike-friendly, and I love the exercise. I spent so much time in the car on my trip though, I’m looking forward to going climbing this weekend. Climbing and I have had a love-hate relationship since the roadtrip – the complete opposite of what I and most others were expecting. I’ve had to pull back from it a bit, and I was really hoping I would find some other sports. Well, there’s alot to do out here and with any new sport I’ll be, well, a newbie. So instead of turning into a beach bum who goes to the gym, I’m going climbing everyday this weekend. When absolutely everything else in my life is brand new, at least climbing is familiar.

Categories: Big Fat Roadtrip

Tagged: camping, climbing, roadtrip, rock climbing

cold feet

Jessica Evans

Posted on June 20, 2006

Well, I’m going into work today. I can’t help but reflect on the past year or so of events. In September I decided to quit my job and take a roadtrip around the states. I worked to get things arranged in my life so I could get away. My last day at work was in early December – almost 7 months ago now and now I’m going back.

I just hope that my experiences with the corporate world were negative only because of the company I was working for. Hopefully this company is a little bit more progressive.

I wanted to come to BC and live a low key life as a server, have a simple existence and climb as often as I could. On my trip I experienced what it’s like to be poor. I learned not to judge people by appearance – based on how people reacted to me when they thought I was just a dirtbag climber contributing nothing to society compared to how they treated me when they found out that I left a corporate stable job. I’ve realized that being paid to use your brain to make a living is not all that bad. I’m extreme by nature, in case no one’s noticed by now.

So. Now I’m going into work to accept my offer. Life is going to be terribly busy quite soon and I’ve enjoyed my time off. Part of me can’t believe that I’m returning to the work force, and the other part is quite excited to use my brain – and get paid for it! This company is sponsoring my education and I have some brand new skills to learn.

I’m scared. I can’t believe I’m going back into the work world. It’s been two months since I crossed the border back into Canada. Here we go, a brand new adventure. I just have to follow my gut instinct to navigate the currents of life. My gut instinct told me to return to the career world, so here I go…

Categories: Big Fat Roadtrip

Tagged: camping, climbing, roadtrip, rock climbing

job on the horizon

Jessica Evans

Posted on June 17, 2006

Well, that was a good six months away from full-time employment, but I’m afraid that it’s time to go back.

I think i scored meself a job today. I’ve been thinking about it for the past couple days, getting psyched up about it – it was a third job interview with two VPs of the company. The company is small, but they’re rather particular.

“Why haven’t you called my references?” I asked. Trying not to sound cocky, and being quite sincere. “I call them to tell them about other job interviews and they say they haven’t heard from this company yet.” “If you have any doubts in your mind, which i hope you don’t, just talk to them.
I’ve negotiated a raise in three months, based on a review process that i want outlined in the offer letter. And, they’re paying for me to be certified in the trade.

So, I guess that’s that. I’ll adjust to reality when i sign something.

I guess this girl on the road is switching to girl in the city.

Categories: Big Fat Roadtrip

Tagged: camping, climbing, roadtrip, rock climbing

The roadtrip that was…

Jessica Evans

Posted on May 16, 2014

one hell of a year

Jessica Evans

Posted on December 13, 2006

here i am

Jessica Evans

Posted on June 30, 2006

cold feet

Jessica Evans

Posted on June 20, 2006

job on the horizon

Jessica Evans

Posted on June 17, 2006