Now that I’m finally unrestricted by the 9-5 standard, my boyfriend and I mapped out a rough itinerary to spend the next three weeks or so on a work-cation to Mondakoming (Montana-South Dakota-Wyoming). What exactly is a work-cation you ask? Good question. I’m one week in and just starting to figure it out.

A work-cation means finding free wi-fi whenever and wherever possible. Whether it’s at campgrounds, Dairy Queens, or on the recently-purchased 4G Verizon Jetpack, the Interweb is key for a freelance writer and a online business owner. We take turn driving, depending on who has the most work that needs to get done. I’m starting to accept and embrace being tangled in wires in the passenger seat. I feel hypocritical writing about experiencing nature while being tangled in technology, but I can’t afford to travel and not work. So tangled it is.

Adjusting to life on the road means being low maintenance. Fortunately, I’m the kind of girl that doesn’t mind missing a daily shower or sleeping in a 20-degree tent. Sure, I might bitch and complain a bit from time to time, but I have full confident that I can make it.

Adjusting means snacking on beans out of a can on the side of the highway in Wyoming. Adjusting means peeing on the side of a trail and keeping a lookout for oncoming traffic. Adjusting means sitting in parking lots until the Internet works. Adjusting means gourmet lunches of cold soup from pop tab cans at the top of a cliff in Billings, Montana. Adjusting is easier than I’d thought it would be, and I can’t imagine wanting to be back “home.”

I feel like my Jeep, Chief Surfs With Manatees, is the happiest he’s ever been since I bought him nearly one year ago (1st birthday party 4/21/13!). We bought a last-minute hitch rack with a rolla bag to haul our camping equipment, inflatable kayak, snowshoes, etc. He makes a hell of a lot more sense out here than in Chicago, and so do I.

Tomorrow marks the completion of Week #1 of Project Mondakoming. I finally feel that I’ve gotten into my groove and plan to make regular posts about the journey, as much as free WiFi allows. We’ve camped in South Dakota, seen Mt. Rushmore, hiked Black Hills National Forest, hiked Devil’s Tower, hung out in Billings, and done everything in between.

In addition to the daily notes I take, my boyfriend gave me a writing assignment to keep up with every day. I’m writing a 6-8 sentence paragraph everyday about the thing that sticks out to me the most each day. It might not be the most impressive or most significant, but when I think about the one thing that I want to carry with me…that’s my paragraph topic. He’s been taking a crapload of amazing professional photos everyday too, so I’m looking forward to utilizing those in my upcoming posts as well.

It feels great to finally do what I’m supposed to be doing where I’m supposed to be doing it.

To be continued…