The voyage is starting to feel pretty real about now. Not that I’ve actually cast off my lines, mind you, just that I’ve cast off just about everything else. In general, shedding my possessions has felt liberating. In the particular, I already miss that beautiful orange bastard of a jeep. Goodbye, my friend.

In recognition of the fact that moving forward my bathing routine will consist of only-occasional (when I feel I can spare the fresh water) solar showers from a bag on deck, my locks have been shorn and are (hopefully) headed to do some good in the world.

The reality of the situation is that I still have an immense swath of detritus from my life that I’m leaving behind to populate the relative garages/storage areas of my relatives. I can’t help but be astounded: for the number of times I’ve uprooted and gone to work in the far corners of the world–ostensibly tidying, simplifying, and streamlining my life before I go–I still just have so much stuff. It truly boggles the mind.

Still, I have made significant inroads and have parted with many items once dear. I will be back (briefly) in the Northern California area in December for a friend’s wedding, so my intention is to take that opportunity to finish the purge. So just know, you pots and pans, you many many books, and even ye old furniture, you have reprieve but not pardon.

Coming soon: movement! Vallejo to SF on Friday. SF to Half Moon Bay on Saturday. HMB to Santa Cruz/Capitola on Sunday. That’s the plan, anyway, for whatever that’s worth.