So where have we been, and what have we been up to? In rough chronological order.
Jen had a second surgery to correct endometriosis (Early 2020). The second surgery was with a specialist ($$$$$), and the results from that have been good.
In June 2019 we accepted engineering positions in Charlotte NC. Our primary goals were to rebuild our savings, and to bolster our early retirement target.
Like everyone our plans have been drastically changed by the pandemic. Our target was to work for 2-3 years, and then take to the road again. Just shy of a year I was laid off as a cost saving measure. Jen's position followed shortly thereafter. While we continue to hunt for jobs locally, we have accepted the fact that it may be some time before we can find employment again. To add some additional complexity, we got the news on Jen's termination during the closing on a home. Being the conservative folks we are, we had to let it go.
The mindset of the traveler is one of flexibility and acceptance. So we may end up in the wind for a bit, but we are well prepared.
What has happened to the van? Well, he's been sitting quite a bit over the last year. We have taken some outings, and enjoyed a few nights in the mountains. Life and Jen's condition was the limiting factor for a while, then of course the pandemic brought its own restrictions. We haven't been idle though, some big changes have been underway.
The major time sink was a 4WD conversion. This was a custom job consisting of a front subframe with bespoke suspension, NP242 transfer case, Transmission main case swap, new driveshafts, and considerable CAD modeling.
This was a fairly involved project, the final result meets our needs. The rear axle was swapped, and combined with a AWD+4WD transfer case and front/rear differential locks, the van is quite capable.
What will the future bring? We aren't sure, our goals for the next few years have changed quite a bit, but you can be certain the road will find us, sooner or later.
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