One foot in front of the other while I wait for an answer

I spontaneously decided to hike South Mountain late this afternoon. I did it because there was nothing else left for me to do. I’m ready to commit to plans for the summer, but life is telling me I have to wait.

To meander or not to meander? That is the question.

I researched new routes to Seattle last weekend. I touched based with a few road trip buddies. I put feelers out for someone to watch my house while I’m gone. I even set a return date of early August (though admittedly that was mostly a result of ASU publishing its Camp Tontozona schedule).

And then I discovered a temporary opening for a wannabe digital marketer like me. It’d be an incredible opportunity to learn from some of the best marketers in town. It’s an opportunity I wouldn’t pass up, even if it meant a summer of rush hour traffic and triple-digit temperatures.

I interviewed on Thursday. I was told I’d hear back Friday. My phone never rang.

So, now I wait. If I get the gig, I’ll spend the next three months in Phoenix. In August, I’ll mini-meander with a friend through southeast Utah’s national parks. Then, I’ll follow the ASU football team to Albuquerque and Boulder with art stops in Santa Fe and Taos.

If I don’t get the gig, I’ll leave for Burbank in early May and slowly work my way up the Pacific Coast Highway to Seattle. This year, I intend to zigzag less and sit still more. I’m especially interested in spending more time in small towns where I can work, practice yoga, and get a feel for the community.

Which will it be? I have no idea. And that’s a bit frustrating.

Alas, life doesn’t provide the answers on my timeline. There were times during last summer’s meander that I was confused, or lonely, or just in good ol’ fashioned pain. But I learned that I can always kill a few hours climbing a mountain while I wait for tomorrow. One foot in front of the other …

A saguaro at sunset in South Mountain

As Yosemite reveals itself, the Meander begins

I left the city in a mad rush. The dash from Fresno’s airport to Fresno’s REI was frantic. I needed more food, more fuel, and warm socks before heading to Yosemite. And I hoped to get there before dark.

The Meander officially began on May 9, but it was vastly different than I’d expected. It was busy. Too much company and commotion. Too much Griswold-ing. I divided 18 days between tourist time with Jamie and my dad in San Diego, then fun time with Keena’s family in Burbank, then three go-go-go days with Jamie driving the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur. These were positive experiences, but whew …

Mt. Watkins reflects in Mirror Lake.

Mt. Watkins reflects in Mirror Lake.

Finally, with 60 miles of open road between me and three nights alone at Yosemite, it was time for the Meander to begin. Except, it didn’t. I was ready for my cathartic moment. I tried to prime the pump with the Into the Wild soundtrack. Nope. With sun setting, I played the second side of Darkside of the Moon. Still nothing.

And then, as Roger Waters let out his last long “mooooooooooooon”, I rounded a corner and the sign for Yosemite National Park appeared. Finally, I started to cry. Soon, I was preparing for bed at Wawona Campground about an hour south of the famous Yosemite Valley.

That night I dreamt that access to the valley itself had been barred. The entry point immortalized by countless Hudson River School landscapes and Instagram selfies was closed. All I could see was ferris wheels, roller coasters, and other commercial recreation in the distance. Wally World was closed. I was crushed.

Day One

I woke up to the light tapping of rain on my tent. I stepped out of my tent into a pine forest and learned my first lesson of Yosemite. Never separate from your camera. A deer stood less than 15 feet away. Welcome to Yosemite!

My first item of business was a stop at the campground reservation office. To my surprise, I was able to extend my stay to a fourth night and relocate to the coveted valley floor the following morning. Not wanting to spoil the surprise of the valley before moving, I honey-badgered coffee from the nearby lodge and headed to the scenic south rim of the valley en route to Glacier Point.

4,000+ feet of Yosemite Falls.

4,000+ feet of Yosemite Falls.

The hour drive toward Glacier Point meanders through thick forest as it ascends 3,500 feet from Wawona. It was under 50 degrees and the whole place smelled like a Christmas tree lot. I stopped for a short stroll to a meadow where I hoped to see more wildlife. I watched trout (?) swimming in the stream for a while before heading to a five-mile loop hike that passed scenic overlooks Taft Point and Sentinel Dome.

Ignite Phoenix presenter Indiia Wilmott said, “I hate the phrase ‘Words can’t describe.’ Of course they can. They’re words. That’s what they do.” So, I’ll avoid hyperbole and accept that words can indeed describe Yosemite. However, I will not accept that words can do it justice.

After two miles at 7,500 feet, I was a tad short of breath. When I made the final ascent at Taft Point, the rest of my breath was literally taken away. I shed multiple tears and cracked a wide smile as I stared across the valley floor 3,500 feet below me to Yosemite Falls.

I’d never seen anything like it. Not even close. The water doesn’t cascade. It free falls 1,400 feet. It doesn’t form a smooth ribbon. It’s blown, spread, and turned into mist by the wind before collecting in a basin.

Half Dome from Glacier Point.

Half Dome from Glacier Point.

I was mesmerized. Imagine my surprise when a few hundred yards later, I discovered that I only saw the upper falls. Beneath the basin, the water falls further – 2,425 feet in total – before collecting and cutting through the valley floor below.

I spent the rest of the day similarly amazed by the setting. From Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point, I saw the back half of the valley. More waterfalls. More granite formations. Snow-capped mountains.

Day Two

The next morning, I packed up my tent, honey badgered another cup of coffee, and embarked on the hour drive to my new campground in Yosemite Valley.

Just before I entered, I was offered a brief glimpse of the valley and then shoved into a mile-long tunnel. When I emerged above ground again, I was treated to an unreal view – and a sudden turn into Valley View overlook.

The valley opened before me. A light mist shrouded the valley floor, adding a surreal quality to the scene. On each flank, granite cliffs El Capitan and Sentinel Rock protected the entrance like the Argonath river statues in Lord of the Rings. Bridalveil Fall dove 620 feet to the floor. Half Dome peaked out from behind the guardians. In the distance, the snow-capped peaks of the high sierra were partially covered in clouds.

The entrance to Yosemite Valley.

The entrance to Yosemite Valley.

As I parked, I instinctively looked away. Why? I have no idea. It was incredible. I shed another tear or two. John Muir said, “It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of nature I was ever permitted to enter.” I won’t argue his point.

I determined that my next stop would be the reservation office, where my stay was surprisingly extended for a fifth night. A Friday, no less.

With three guaranteed nights on the valley floor, I suddenly had all the time I could possibly need. That’s when time stopped. There were no more points of interest to get to. There were no more sights to see. The play-by-play blended together into an infinite series of tress and trails and rivers and mountains.

The Meander had finally begun.

Too many pics and 5 answers for the Business Journal

San Diego succulent photobomb

I enjoy bombing other people’s photos. I don’t enjoy taking a ton of my own and posting them to Facebook. Click the pic to see one per day — no more, no less!

I’m one week into The Meander and loving it! Alas, it hasn’t been much of a road trip yet. I’ve spent the last week at my dad’s place in suburban San Diego.

Over the weekend, Jamie and I saw the sights along the north county coast. Since then, I’ve enjoyed spending casual time with my dad.

I doubt I’ll update this blog every week. If you’re ever curious where I am or what I’m up to, I’ll post one photo per day (no more, no less) to this album on Facebook. You don’t need an account to see it. Just click here.

I’m off to my cousin’s place in Burbank next week followed by a four-day drive up the Pacific Coast Highway and a week camping at Yosemite and Sequoia national parks. I’ll post again soon.

In the meantime, here’s a career-focused interview I did with Hayley Ringle of the Phoenix Business Journal.

Bulbstorm’s former marketing director takes technology on tour
View article on bizjournals.com here.

Matt Simpson, the former marketing director with social media software startup Bulbstorm, left this week for a six-month, meandering trip with no set itinerary and no firm end date. Simpson, 34, of Tempe, will be blogging his adventures at www.mattmeanders.com.

Where are you going?
I’m driving north up the Pacific Coast to Seattle and returning south through the Rocky Mountains. I should be back sometime around October. From October to April, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than my home state of Arizona.

Why are you going?
I was Marketing Director with Bulbstorm as we grew from six employees to more than two dozen en route to acquisition. It was quite a ride! When Bulbstorm was acquired by Detroit’s ePrize in March, I finally had the free time and excess funds to take a break and do something crazy. Six months on the road seemed a great opportunity to see the country and recharge my batteries before resuming my career.

What are your plans for the trip?
Nothing is set in stone, but I plan to hit as many cultural attractions and natural wonders as possible. One day I may be in an art museum in San Francisco. The next I may be camping at Yosemite National Park. From a business perspective, I’m hoping to explore the West Coast’s other prominent startup communities and bring what I learn back home.

What are your plans when you return?
My only firm plan right now is to not plan. That said, I’m mindful of the fact that I’ll eventually be eager for a new challenge. To that end, I’ve been engaging with the Phoenix startup community to ensure I’m kept abreast of opportunities. And I’ve been keeping my tools sharp by contracting with Ubiquity PR, a Phoenix firm that works with high-growth B2B technology companies across the West.

How will technology play a part in your trip?
In addition to camping and staying with family and friends, I plan to book accommodations through Airbnb and Couchsurfing. I’ve hosted travelers through both services and really enjoyed the experience. If you know of a couch I can crash, please let me know!

Also, I’m a communicator at heart, so I’m always eager to share my adventures with others. I’ve built a travel blog on WordPress and I’ll be keeping friends and colleagues up to date through Twitter and Facebook posts and an email newsletter. The challenge for me will be unplugging. Fortunately, Yosemite and Yellowstone don’t have wi-fi … yet!