As I left the waterfront hotel along the Columbia River, I realized I had been on the road for almost three weeks. Today, I checked into an affordable Airbnb inland, where I plan to stay for the next three nights. Max will get a little rest from the constant motion, and I’ll have time to catch up on my writing. Slowing down, I finally have space to reflect.

Today marked the beginning of something I’ve been dreaming about for a while: hitting the road and seeing where it leads me. Packing up the car felt both thrilling and strange—like closing one chapter and opening another. Max watched me with his usual anxious eyes, unsure of what all the commotion meant. Truth be told, I was just as unsure as he was.