Back to My Roots: Leaving Vermont for the Road
Last November, I moved into a farmhouse in Vermont. It was everything I had been dreaming about… until it wasn’t.
After three years of living on the road in a tiny van and a year of being in limbo, I finally put down some roots. To my own surprise, it’s in the first state I explored when I hit the road by myself in 2021. I was still new to van life and I was still a little scared. I had never been to Vermont and it was far enough away to make it seem like I was really committing to the road but close enough to comforts of home in Connecticut if anything were to go wrong. I’ll never forget that day when I crossed the state line. I took one look at the map and just took the dirt roads that felt right. I planned for a few days but I I ended up spending a few weeks adventuring around the most beautiful part of New England I had ever seen.
There was a charm in every nook and cranny of Vermont. The forests were lush, the towns were quaint and the people were friendly. I felt a peace I didn’t know. I immediately wanted to move here but I knew I was not to give into my impulsive behavior just yet. After all, I had a whole country to see. I carried on to New Hampshire, Maine and eventually the west coast. I’m glad I kept driving because when I finally did return to Vermont three years later, everything aligned for me in the most incredible way. A way that seems too good to be true. And too good to be true it was…
My Dream Porch
Embracing each season.
This was the first time in many years that I had stayed put long enough to watch the change through my window. It was needed. I was living simply, quietly, and finally planted roots in a place that felt truly aligned.
I used the winter to nest, decorate, tap into new creative energy and hobbies, while going outside to embrace the snow. The winter was long though, and I was definitely itching for green again by the time April rolled around. It was close but nothing really became lively until mid June. That’s when I deeply felt the magic of Vermont and was gently reminded why I made this move during the harshest season.
Creating my dream porch
In May, work started to become more busy and I found myself immersed in creative projects that really fulfilled me. I truly felt like I was living my dream. It made all the years of brokenness and uncertainty worth it. I had the privilege of creating my dream porch where I ended up spending most of my time on when I wasn’t swimming in the river. I filled it with rocking chairs, flowers, a planting station, rugs, and privacy curtains. It was my favorite part of the farmhouse.
What I did all summer…
The summer was honestly a dream… until the end.
I was anticipating the end of my lease but not my relationship or my time in Vermont. My life got majorly uprooted randomly one day in late August. I was in shock. I was broken. I was lost. I spent the next two months slowly packing my things and figuring out a new plan for myself. I looked at vans, other apartments, and even a few places for sale. I didn’t have the money but I just wanted to make sure I tried all of my options. I ended up finding this van on Facebook Marketplace early September. I went back and forth on it for awhile, mostly because I wasn’t totally sure I wanted to leave Vermont but in the end, it felt too heavy to stay.
It was a very tough decision to leave because I truly loved living here and the life I was building, or so I thought I was building. I just don’t know how to stay in places that have hurt me. I never have. Every corner holds too many memories. Everywhere I go, I am reminded of what could’ve been.
And so my “new” plan brought me back to my old self… in a good way.
back to the road, back to my roots
Mid September, I ended up buying the van. I poured everything I had into the conversion. I always knew that I would want a camper van again someday but more so as a part-time travel rig. However, I had to embrace the shift and make a decision that I think would be best for at least the winter. To me, hitting the road made sense. An adventure into the unknown again. A chance to immerse myself in nature and heal my deepest wounds. A chance to reconnect with my nomadic community. A chance to embrace the unknown and fully surrender to whatever was next.
Did I wish things turned out this way? No. Am I still excited for whatever is next? Yes. I loved my last chapter on the road. When I moved to Vermont, I honestly was worried about getting restless but I’ve grown to appreciate both lifestyles. They both served different purposes that I need in a balanced way.
Being rooted somewhere for the first time in years helped me grow as a person and as an artist. It made me a better photographer and I will carry those lessons with me wherever I go from here.
The First Day
With a heavy heart and teary eyes, I left Vermont on November 1st, 2025. I officially hit the road in my old gal Franny later that month. The frame above is the one and only photo I took the day I moved to Vermont last November. I thought I had advanced the film enough when loading it but I didn’t. Initially, I was bummed about the photo but eventually saw the accident as a symbol of my new chapter. Film always has a way of sending simple reminders... that sometimes things don't turn out how I hoped they would but eventually, I can find something positive about it. And if i don't... well it's better to have taken the photo than to not at all.
Thank you, Vermont. I hope to see you again someday and maybe in a different light.
The first two months of the road were a proper mix of beautiful and brutal. What trip isn’t though? Initially, I was going to head straight to the warmth of southern California but at the last minute something within me shifted. I felt called to begin my trip in the place I ended road life last: Bend, Oregon.
Even though winter was creeping in Bend, it’s where I have a lot of community that I haven’t seen in years. A big purpose of this trip was about just that. I didn’t want to go off the grid and isolate myself as I had done in the past. I was going through a really hard time and I knew I needed to be around positive energy. I drove across the country in about four days, antsy to get back in the thick lushness of Willamette National Forest before the snow covered it.
I spent a month between Bend and the national forests, exploring and creating at every chance I could get. When I was in town, I said yes to any social event I was invited to— trivia, art nights, parties, Christmas caroling, and so on. It filled my cup and lightened my heart. These memories override Fran’s transmission going two weeks into my trip and costing me $4k to repair. They also override all of my film cameras crapping out at once too and being deemed unrepairable.
It was really hard to leave this chapter, these friends, and this state. I might not have if it wasn’t for the winter weather that came in fast and strong. Fran isn’t winterized so I had no choice but to head south. I adopted a cat while I was in Bend so it wasn’t just about me anymore. I needed to do what was best for her too. Overall, my month in Oregon was very healing. I’m so grateful I trusted myself enough to go where I feel called despite a previous plan or idea of what road life looked like for me this time around. That’s really the whole point of being on the road. I have the luxury of going where I feel called at the drop of a hat… so I may as well use it while I can. It just might lead to a really amazing road.
As always, all of the film shot for this blog was developed and digitally scanned by Negative Lab in Los Angeles. I have been sending my film here for 3 years now and I am always pleased with the quality and consistency of my scans. I cannot express the difference the lab makes! If you’re interested in giving them a try, use ‘WILD15’ for 15% off your first purchase. For transparency, I do not make any money when you use this code but I do receive a discount off my processing services by spreading the good word. Whether you’ve read this post, gave a like, purchased a print, or use my code, every little bit helps keep me doing what I love. I thank you so much for being here. For more work and easier updates, follow me on Instagram. Until next time. With love, stay wild ~ Jess.
