It turns out that it’s kind of impossible to write as much as I’d like to while living in a van.
At least in a van that’s parked on a beautiful BLM road way up in the hills, looking out over everything. It’s winter still, and cold; I don’t have much of a kitchen; I spend a good amount of time just getting my basic needs met; there isn’t anywhere to charge my computer. I sleep amazing, but it’s very difficult to write. And then it rains, and the water leaks in the back doors, and my bed platform molds in a fantastic way.
It turns out I need a comfortable chair, a heat source, and my basic needs met, in order to write.
A friend has a nice, new RV on his land (we use it for camping, he says) and he agrees to rent it to me for two months. The place is in the manzanita forest at the end of a long, rutted dirt drive; my job is only twenty minutes away. I move in, astounded at my clean bright house with all its fancy, new amenities. (I have an oven! A shower! And hot running water for the first time in years!) So now, instead of living for free, I’m paying rent AND I have the most inefficient commuter vehicle imaginable. But at least I can crank the heat, make a cup of tea, and work on my book.
So my plan was to save enough for my thru-hike this year by living for free in a my van, and that plan has failed. But! It is the future and amazing things are possible, for example selling advance copies of my book via indiegogo. I haven’t yet found a literary agent, or a publisher, or begun to publish it myself as I am waiting on the literary agent or publisher who may or may not be interested in it, but the book DOES exist and it IS amazing and I’m totally selling signed copies for less than the cover price will be! And the e-book version is only a dollar, which is basically free! So I get to hike and you get a discount on the book. Win/win/win. The campaign, if funded, will pay for my flight to San Diego and for my food on the trail.
You love my thru-hiking posts, yes? Me too! If everyone who follows this blog buys a copy of the book, the campaign will be funded instantly, and I will be able to continue to do what I love to do- have adventures in the nature and document them for you. Win/win/win/win/win!
Or, if you’d like to contribute to my work directly without going through indiegogo, you can always donate-
Also! I have a piece in the spring issue of the Pacific Crest Trail Communicator, if you can get your hands on a copy. And I’m training for the PCT via training for an ultramarathon…. kind of. I ran eighteen miles yesterday! More on that in another post.
And thank you for reading my blog! And for your awesome, unending support. And all your nice comments!! There are no words for how satisfying it is to share my adventures with my readers. To not only have the adventure but to share it too- there are few better feelings than that.
CARROT QUINN 
Hey Carrot~ This article may be of interest to you:
https://www.pw.org/content/agents_editors_amy_einhorn
It’s an interview with the editor/publisher of “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” by Jenny Lawson…a.k.a: The Bloggess (http://thebloggess.com/).
First, if you’re not reading the Bloggess already, you totally should be! She’s hysterical, sad, crazy, not crazy, etc. And her memoir has been, maybe still is, number one on the NY Times Best seller list.
So, if you could hook up with her editor/publisher…or at least glean a little sparkle of helpful info…well, that would be fabulous.
I can totally see your book being on the NY Times Best Seller list!
Thank you, Carrot, for being so inspiring. Life means so much to you, and it is plain you are willing to suffer to the ends of the earth to get the most out of it.
I hope my advance purchase of your book will help you get back out there. Food/gear doesn’t need to be expensive. There is a salvage/repack company in my town that sold me quality dehydrated refried beans for a dollar a pound, and slightly outdated protein bars for a buck fifty per pound. Excellent, perfectly fitting trail running shoes at a thrift store, 5$. Anything to make it happen, right?
Yes, I’m going off on some big adventures of my own this summer. My gear is cobbled together from years of day hiking and camping, far from ultra-light, and my finances are little more than fumes. But you’ll make it as long as you really, really want it. I recall you saying that at some point.
I’ll reach Crazy Cook sometime around April 4th, and Yogi will guide me north. The CDT sounds like it will fit my brooding, introverted, loner personality. Maybe we’ll both hit Canada at the same time, since I start earlier than you. My goal is also September 1st, so I can run the Imogene Pass Mountain Marathon on Sept. 6th with my friend. You should look into that…
Thank you again for your writing.
Carrot—– Best to you in all your new and continuing adventures. Thanks for the opportunity to order an advance copy of your book. Your thru-hiking posts have been fabulous. Keep at it (all of it!) and keep absorbing all that you discover.
Dogs, Sean, Ira- Thank you for your kind words!!