Overland Expo: The Last Day

Overland Expo, Loveland, Colorado //

It’s the last day of Overland Expo, and last-day energy is in the air.  Many camps around us are breaking down, packing up, and departing this morning.  Every fellow instructor we cross paths with is just as tired as we are.  However, the show is still on from 9 a.m. – 3pm and our most detailed presentation is yet to come.  

At 10am we attend @overlandforgood’s “Understanding Patagonia” class.  During their in-depth, hour-long presentation, we learn that flying into Chile, renting a vehicle, and exploring the Patagonia region for a month or two is a surprisingly affordable and accessible thing to do.  I can feel both Mark and I light up with excitement about the possibility of taking such a trip.  This is what Overland Expo is all about: getting inspired and forming dreams you may never otherwise have thought up without hearing from others what’s possible.

At 1pm it is our turn to hopefully plant that seed and form that dream for others.  In our presentation titled “135 Days in Mexico,” we share in detail, alongside a curated collection of photos to tell the tale, what it was like exploring Mexico by truck camper for 4.5 months.  Last year, in this same room, we were diving into our first-ever public speaking experience, and I was afraid I might pass out from nerves.  Today, the nerves are non-existent, and the speaking comes naturally.  It’s delightful to experience that kind of progress and learn that I deeply enjoy sharing about our travels in person.

When 3 p.m. rolls around and the show is officially over, a flurry of activity ensues.  Vendors begin breaking down their exhibits, and the grand exodus begins.  We had every intention of leaving alongside everyone else until we got wind of all the instructors who were taking advantage of the option to stay one more night.  That meant the opportunity for some more intimate socializing and the chance to wind down.  

Once we have the green light to move vehicles, we relocate our truck from the dusty parking lot over to the thick green grass that hosted the Vehicle Showcase for the weekend.  From there, we are able to easily congregate with friends while the show continues to pack up all around us.  Even though we all share a mutual exhaustion from the weekend’s events, we enjoy sharing stories around a propane fire until nearly 11 p.m.  

While the days at Overland Expo were filled with activity, crowds, and commotion, the last four evenings spent getting to know new friends were some of the best nights I’ve had all year.  When we arrived on Thursday, I was questioning whether this event was something I would ever want to do again.  I was feeling like maybe three Overland Expos were enough for me.  But after these last few days, it’s hard to imagine not coming back.  As a nomad who’s chosen a rather unconventional way of life, it’s a balm for the soul to have the opportunity to share time and space with so many like-minded folks.  

What an incredible weekend.

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