And Just Like That… I’m Free

26 Jun, 2026

Have you ever done something totally out of the blue… and felt fully at peace about it?

That’s exactly where I’m at right now.

I just told the campground I’m checking out on Sunday and I’ll be back sometime before the end of August.

Where the heck did that come from?!

The heat and humidity are ramping up…

Next week is shaping up to be brutal, with higher temps and humidity levels.

So a few days ago, after wrestling with the thought of living in my van with no AC, I chose comfort over mere survival and reserved a hotel for a few days.

Normally, when I spend a few days at a hotel, I keep paying for my (monthly) campsite and come back afterward. And that was the plan this time, too.

But last night…

I woke up during the night and couldn’t quit thinking about checking out of the campground on Sunday.

The only way to win that kind of battle is to agree with it… so I did.

Once I agreed to it, I went back to sleep.

Maybe this wasn’t actually about checking out of the campground. Maybe it was simply about giving myself permission to take time for myself.

I’m kind of excited yet strangely calm…

Feeling this calm without having a plan is not something I’m used to. But I’m loving it!

I spent my first few years of van life just wingin’ it - so it’s in my blood.

While I’m free, will I find a new campground? Or will I go to an extended stay hotel to beat the heat?

Will the heat actually be worse than usual in July and August? One weather app says heat and humidity will be brutal… another says below average temps.

So who do you believe?

I guess Mother Nature gets the final say.