nikki hodgson

They say people living the nomadic adventure life are running from something. She says she’s running to it.

I have always had trouble saying “no.” I keep my thoughts to myself and swallow my emotions whole. My grandmother had heard about the way the horses work—how they coax courage out of cautious hearts. She signed me up for riding camp when I was seven. For 25 years, I have been sweeping dusty coats with horsehair brushes, untangling manes, tightening cinches.

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But, for all the horses have taught me, I still have trouble with the word “no.”

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What’s wrong with wanting some alone time in the middle of an expedition?

When the first pangs of anxiety hit, my default is always a suitcase and a ticket to anywhere.

I've lived in Colorado for one year, four months, three weeks, and two days. I’ve watched each day pass, waiting for my restlessness to return. But it hasn’t. People tell me it’s brave to go, but I know it’s harder to stay.