If you have any questions about my journey that aren’t answered here, please feel free to ask using the Contacts page!

Who ARE you?

My name is Kathleen, but most people call me Kat.  I’m originally from upstate NY, and have been living and working in Adelaide, South Australia for about 15 years now.  I hold a BS in Electrical Engineering, an MBA in Technical Management, and a PhD in Engineering.  I’ve held some very interesting roles in my career, mainly in defense and national security, but also in management consulting.  I’ve had some incredible work experiences, including moving to Australia on an international exchange assignment, deploying to both Afghanistan and East Timor to work on data systems for the Australian army, flying in a blimp and living in remote locations to test experimental radar systems, managing major programs of work for commercial companies, and leading some truly innovative programs for new systems development.

I’m a reader, a hiker, and an incorrigible home renovator.  A couple of years ago I purchased a stone cottage in the Adelaide Hills, and have completely redone the bathroom and the kitchen, doing all the work myself, and also changed the gardens significantly.  I love my Makita power tools.  Although I’m not very experienced, I’ve also enjoyed buying a 1974 Daimler Sovereign and getting it running again.

My companion at home is a lovely greyhound named Bonnie Jean, who was bred to race, but refused to chase the bunny and chose a domestic life instead.

What are you doing exactly?

Well, the short answer is that I’m taking some time off from my career to travel around the US, visiting national parks and other interesting places, blogging about my experiences, and hoping to raise awareness for the charities I endorse along the way. I’ll be traveling by car, and camping in my car as much as possible.  To do this I’ll be selling my house, finding my dog a new home, and quitting my job.

Why are you doing this?

There are several reasons, really…

1. I want to. How many times in life do you get to do something outrageous just because it’s what you want to do?  It feels liberating.
2. I need to. I really struggle with working a 9 to 5 job in an office, even when that job is interesting.  I’m looking for alternatives to being a hamster in a wheel, working just to provide myself with food and shelter, so that I can go back to work again.  There has to be more to life than this, some greater meaning, and I’m going to see if I can find it.
3. I can. Having worked my whole life, I’m now comfortable enough financially to do this, and I’m still young and energetic enough to look forward to the challenge.
4. Maybe I can do some good for others along the way. Due to a variety of events in my life, I’ve been impacted by anxiety and depression, and so have many of the people I know.  Cancer has also made occasional unwelcome appearances.  In both cases, I strongly believe that lifestyle can make a huge difference in a person’s ability to recover.  When you feel in control of your life, in possession of the information you need to make decisions for yourself, and able to act, then you are much more likely to rise from depression and recover from, or better endure, cancer.  Perhaps my journey, based as it is on making difficult but liberating decisions about my lifestyle, will inspire others to do what they need to do to help themselves and the people in their lives.  Please see my supported charities page for more information.

Where are you going?

I’m starting in Tennessee, where I have connections that will give me a home base.  I’ll buy a vehicle there, set it up for long distance driving and camping, and probably do some small local overnight trips to tweak the system until I get it the way I want it.  From there I’ll head up the east coast to visit friends and family in New York, Massachusetts, and Maine, visiting parks and attractions along the way.  After that I’m hoping to travel across the northern states from east to west while it’s still summer, and explore southern states as it gets into the colder winter months.

That’s the rough plan, at the moment.  As this adventure is very much about NOT punching a timeclock, I don’t want to be held to a strict itinerary either, and will vary my plans from day to day as it suits me, and as opportunities present themselves.  Doesn’t that sound wonderful?!  So the best way to find out about where I am and where I’m going will be to follow along with my blog posts!

How long will you do this?

This becomes another difficult question in light of my goal of not sticking to a strict itinerary.  At the moment, the best I can say is: probably more than 6 months, possibly a year, and then I’ll reassess. How long is a piece of string?  It depends on how long a piece of string you need!  I’ll keep going until it feels right to stop, and until I find a place I want to stop in.

How exciting! How can I get involved?

I’m so glad you asked! Here are some ideas:

• If you see me, feel free to say hello and tell me your story!
• Visit my blog often and invite others to visit as well.
• Please consider visiting my sponsors and donating to my supported charities – you can find them listed on the Sponsors and Charities pages.
• If you or your organization would like to join me as a sponsor or endorsed charity, please use the Contact page to get in touch.
• Feel free to offer suggestions for interesting places that might be on my route!

Perhaps most importantly, remember that you are the one telling the story of your life.  What do you want that story to be?  Go make it happen.