Road Trip: Covering Miles and Making Memories

I didn’t want to do it.  The thought of planning another RV road trip and the details that go into it seemed overwhelming. Back in the spring, I had pegged the second week of July as our vacation week for the summer without knowing what we were going to do.  As spring turned into early summer, I still hadn’t made any plans.  When I asked my two teenage daughters what they wanted to do, they enthusiastically screamed “Road Trip!”.  We had been here before and I was not surprised by their reaction, but speaking honestly, I regretted asking for their opinion.

Back in the 2020, I had planned their first oversees trip for spring break of that year. We were to spend twelve magical days in Italy with stops in Venice, Cinque Terre, and Rome. What a perfect introduction to European travel for them!  I spent months planning it all out only to watch it all fall apart as the covid pandemic took over our lives and shut down all international travel plans that anyone had. 

I needed to pivot, so I booked an RV (before the rest of the country caught on and snapped them up) and launched out on the open road in early summer. We made our way to Oregon and spent ten days on the road with stops for hiking, paddle boarding, and soaking up the amazing Oregon Coast for the final stretch of the trip.  We all loved it! 

The funny thing is that over the next few years we did eventually get in some European travel. However, it’s the RV road trip they bring up the most when talking about favorite vacations.  There is a cost though. As the only adult on the trip, all of the planning fell on me: RV park reservations, activities, route choices, driving, meals in the RV and at stops along the way. It’s a lot and all worth it…but it’s a lot.

As summer of 2025 was quickly approaching, I still had not decided what we would do for our pending vacation time.  Like many of you, I was consumed by my long to-do list: work, podcast, and a pending High School graduation for my oldest daughter and all the activities that go with it. My plan was to hit the easy button: A few days in Southern California at a nice hotel…pool, beach, sunshine and something I could book in about 20 minutes. Easy. 

However, I had this road trip idea lingering around in my head.  One Saturday morning I woke up and it was the first thing on my mind. I had to do it. I had to make it happen.  I spent a few hours online and I was able to map out the general itinerary: rented a sprinter van (easier to manage than an RV and more mobile), located RV Parks for easy access and amenities, and mapped out the day to day driving schedule to hit Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, highlighted by quality time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. 

When I told the girls later that day they could not have been more excited. That moment right there told me I had done the right thing.  One of the best things about travel is the anticipation of it all and we talked about the pending trip almost daily.

As for the trip…it was even better than expected.  One of the reasons they were excited was that we were taking our dog, Max, with us and they loved the idea of having him along for the ride. We covered many miles and while they spent plenty of time on their phones and watching movies, the quality time was priceless.  Lunches in random parks along the way, fire pits and roasted marshmallows, epic hikes, horseback riding and cribbage at the picnic table at night are just some of the memories I’ll cherish.  We are already reliving moments and classic quotes form the trip and the many photos, with most of them featuring Max (who was loving it!).

 I think part of the underlying joy for us was that we all knew my oldest daughter would be headed out of state to college in August, and although none of us said it, we saw this as a last chance to do something together.

 My takeaway is that the things that we are procrastinating on, the things holding us back because of all the lame excuses we tell ourselves, are probably the things we need the most. Don’t hit the easy button. Looking back, I thought I didn’t have time to put it together, but I made time to put it together. In hindsight, it wasn’t that hard to plan after all and I’m so glad I didn’t let myself give in to my hesitation.

I’m hoping there will be many more great trips of all kinds, but for this moment…this summer…it was the perfect vacation for us.