This summer has been a strange one. Not bad, not great — just… different. Instead of long road trips and nights in the woods, I’ve been navigating a slower pace, thanks to some feet issues that knocked me off my stride.
Some days the pain was unbearable, the kind that makes you want to throw in the towel. Other days, I managed close to 10 kilometres and felt like myself again. Healing, I’ve learned, doesn’t move in straight lines. It zigzags, stalls, and sometimes surprises you.
Chronic pain isn’t just the physical stuff — it’s the mental toll too. Weight gain from less activity, the stress of constant discomfort, even the frustration of watching your body feel older than your years. I’m 57, but some mornings it feels like I woke up in an 80-year-old’s frame. My brain still thinks it’s in its 30s, ready to charge ahead. Balancing those realities isn’t easy.
Still, I keep moving. Walks when I can, the occasional campout when conditions allow. This summer’s been tough on that front too — the woods have been closed for weeks with heat waves, drought, and wildfires keeping us out. The trails will be there when they reopen, but man, I’ve missed them.
The silver lining? Time to start reviving an old friend.
The Explorer has been sitting, waiting, and I’ve finally started the repairs to bring it back. Not a flashy custom build, not a ground-up transformation — just a return to its stock form. And honestly, that feels right. This truck doesn’t need reinventing. I know every nut, bolt, and weld on it. Every rattle has a story, every sound has a reason.
I realized just how much I needed it after a trip to Martin Head with the Volvo. Let’s just say I didn’t do myself any favours — W mode, 3rd gear, not the best combo. We made it out, but it was a reminder: when roads get rough, I want the Explorer under me. That’s the rig I can trust.
So here I am, easing my way back to health while bringing the Explorer back to life. It’s not road-ready yet — no hero shot on the coastlines, no triumphant mud-slinging adventure. But it’s coming. Piece by piece, bolt by bolt, I’m working toward that moment.
In the meantime, I keep the routine simple. A spoonful of CBD oil in my morning coffee, a short walk when my body allows, and patience. Lots of patience.
This summer hasn’t been the adventure I planned. A side gig that was supposed to fuel my travels fizzled out early. Crown land closures cut off most of my usual haunts. My body reminded me, daily, that it calls the shots. But I’m still here, still moving, still building toward the next chapter.
The Explorer will ride again. And when it does, I’ll be ready.