Westward Ho! It's good to be Home! (Day 43)
We broke up our last long drive with a wonderful brunch stop in St. Louis to see Caleb's cousins! It was so good to be with family again. They treated us to a St. Louis staple: frozen custard from Andy's. Delicious and the perfect treat for a hot, humid Southern day!
Back on the road, we found ourselves on a familiar stretch of highway. It was on this exact same drive, almost one year ago to the day, that Caleb and I first hatched the crazy idea of buying a camper. How fitting to end this incredible trip right where the dream began.
Pulling into Huntsville after dark, the noise inside the van was deafening—the kids were singing at the top of their lungs as they recognized their hometown. We were greeted by the sight of our driveway, cleared of a fallen tree by our amazing friends and neighbors. A beautiful reminder that seeing the world is an incredible adventure, but there is truly no place like community and home.
The first thing everyone started yelling about? Which Piper & Leaf tea blend they were going to get to fill up their nalgenes first! It’s good to be home.
Ever wonder what a trip with 10 people across the country really looks like? Here's our journey by the numbers!
- 10 People: That's 8 awesome kids and 2 grown-ups! (Plus Grands for a while!)
- 7,200 Miles: That's enough miles to drive across the entire United States more than twice!
- 3,000+ Pictures: So many beautiful memories captured!
- 1,500+ Tea Bags Given Away: Serving joy to new friends all over the West!
- 1,000+ Bathroom Trips: Let's be honest, it was probably way more!
- 800 Eggs: That's a whole lot of breakfast to fuel our adventures!
- 770 Gallons of Gas: Keeping our adventure rolling!
- HD Van & Camper = More than 50ft long! AKA trusty home-on-wheels, 'Buzz'!
- 18 Emotional Breakdowns: Hey, it happens! Mostly from the kiddos...and maybe a few from the grown-ups too!
- 3 Mechanical Breakdowns: A few bumps in the road, but we were assisted along the way (And we paid it forward to others in need!).
Some of the Highs & Lows:
- Favorite Campsite: Boondocking bliss at Cook's Mesa! The kids loved the red sand and endless rocks for climbing.
- Wildest Animal Sighting: Grizzly Bears & Bighorn Sheep!
- Tastiest Treat: The fresh pies from Gifford Homestead in Capitol Reef!
- Silliest Moment: The kids hiding from giant mosquitoes inside a bear-proof food locker!
- Craziest Mishap: Lorna eating a cactus spine! (She's okay now!)
After a whole Year of planning, it was the adventure of a lifetime!
We saw so many amazing things, met wonderful people, and learned that even when things go wrong, it's all part of the story. Thank you to the family & team that kept things running while we were gone. We can't do it without you.
Thank you for following along with our beautiful, chaotic journey!
