How it all Started

When we tell people “We don’t have a house; we sold it and travel around the country full time,” they usually ask, “Do you have an RV?” From the title of this site, you’ve probably guessed that we do not. We travel in a regular, unmodified Honda Odyssey minivan. It’s unbelievable what you can get into all those nooks and crannies in a Honda minivan. Read on to see how it all started.

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The Birth of the Idea of Full-time Travel

Our dream trip had its origins in October of 1995 or 1996 when we met a retired couple at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fest who were working in national parks and staying rent-free in the parks. They worked as volunteers 3 or 4 days a week, and traveled the area the other few days. We were enthralled at the idea. “Hey, we want to do that!” But Keith and I didn’t do much camping or RVing, unless someone else was in charge – such as in girl scouts, boy scouts, or our friends who had an RV park membership.

Experienced Travelers

We did love road trips and traveling. When we had our two young boys, our friends thought that would curtail our traveling. But, somehow we took 2 kids under 2 to many places. Well, being only 21 months apart, they both fit in the large, fold-up stroller that we gate checked. That stroller had 22 flights in only a few years. We took them from Connecticut and New Jersey to Atlanta, California, and even Hawaii. Our boys knew how to pack their own toys and snacks in their backpacks by the time they were early elementary students.

When we moved to New Jersey in 1997, I declared, “Nothing goes in the attic. We’ll only have to throw it out when we start our roadtrip.” We only had a few things up there, and guess what! They landed in the give away pile when we moved out in 2018.

Turning “You Can’ts into You Cans”

The years went by. We raised our boys and lived a very traditional life: soccer, tutoring, driving them to the movies and games. We had 2 kids, a picket fence, and a dog. The boys grew up and went off to college, so it was time to start preparing – updating the house and getting it ready to sell, and getting rid of our things. Several times, people noted, “Rocky is old; you’re taking your old dog on the road?” Of course! He was an excellent traveler and enjoyed the frequent McDonald’s burgers.

So many hotels and vacation rentals allow dogs now–it’s a wonderful thing! And Rocky enjoyed the adventures as much as we did.

Keith and I weren’t sure if we should keep my midlife crisis car, an indigo blue Mustang. She’s a 2013 beauty similar to the 50 year anniversary model of 2014 and just too pretty to sell. We also didn’t realize we’d be in the old home area about 5 times a year where having 2 vehicles is necessary.

So, it’s in a storage unit along with our funeral and work clothes and off season tires. There are solutions to many blocks. Some solutions may not make financial sense, but you’re allowed to love a few material things and your dog! We are fortunate in that our 2 boys are independent and Keith’s mom has his two sisters right there, plus one of the sisters is a nurse. So, yes, the pieces all fell into place.

No End in Sight

After 3 years, we got tired FROM traveling, NOT tired OF traveling, but we’re not ready to settle down or have even chosen a place to live. We figure, like pets, it will choose us. One day, we’ll realize we haven’t moved around the country in a while, and that place might just become home. But for right now, “wherever [we lay] our head is our home.” (lyrics “Papa was a Rollin’ Stone,” sung by The Temptations)

Now that we’ve slowed down the pace, I have time to write and post about our adventures. This blog would not be possible or have materialized without having met Katherine, who is my coach, my sudden friend, my mentor, my knowledgeable tech person extraordinaire.

We hope you enjoy our adventures and are inspired. What an epic Odyssey it’s been!

For more on this topic, see our About Us page.