Hm, that's a short time at home... at least from my experience. I'd love if someone with a similar schedule to RBV could share their perspective! I'll break my thoughts into two for the two questions
- I do about 80/80 and I feel that it takes me around a week to start feeling semi-normal at home again, so from my experience that really only gives you just over two weeks of home time. Thinking about my next vacation (I'm at sea right now), I don't think I could do anything I'm planning on doing in the span of two or even three weeks, especially if I'm going to be gone again for 41 days right after. If I did a road trip for two weeks it would be the entire vacation, not leaving time to get stuff done around town (see family, friends, etc). If I did stuff around town, it wouldn't leave time for a trip. If you continue to feel like you don't have time at home during your off time, it might be worth re-evaluating where you are working, and maybe trying out somewhere with longer hitches?
- Not wanting to travel alone is so real. I'm not sure what else to say, except to say fuck it and try and move past that feeling? I've done a lot of road trips around the PNW by myself and with others and it's a very different feeling between the two. There's a certain freedom that comes from doing it alone - stopping whenever and wherever you want with zero discussion, wake up and go to bed when you feel like it, and no discussions about where to stop for lunch or dinner. Being an individual human stranger out and about in the world is enjoyable to me too, but I do try and make conversation with folks at the table over when I'm at Denny's, or on the stool next to me at the bar. I've had am amazing conversation with a retired teacher from Sacramento State that just came to mind. I find trying to talk with folks helpful (and most seem to be interested when I say I'm a sailor so that can be an easy segue), and we all don't know each other so there's no expectations or whatnot.
I hope some of that is helpful and that you figure out a work/vacation schedule that works for you!
