Sharing our road trip adventures!

Life on the road has been calling to us, ever since we bought our little camper in Quebec and drove across the country to bring it home in 2014. We loved the freedom, adventure, time outdoors, and the uncommon ability to follow our whims each day as we explored Niagra Falls, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, the Badlands, and more, with many sights, campsites, and small towns in between. In addition to picking up the camper, we were also first-time homebuyers that year. As excited as we were about our new home, something happened to our hearts and minds on that trip. After getting unpacked, both Ben and I were drawn back out to sit in the camper. It felt more like home in that tiny space than it did in our house, and we both wished for the freedom to just keep exploring. From that moment on, we knew life on the road would suit us just fine, but the demands of our jobs always kept our trips on the shorter side.

Looking at our new teardrop trailer

The keys to our new trailer

The view of our XTerra from the trailer window

Ben and I are dedicated, ambitious workers who have each other's backs. If one of us was ready for a job change, we rested easy knowing the other had it covered. We had counted on this security for more than 15 years when, despite working alongside amazing people, we suddenly found ourselves experiencing remarkably similar feelings of burnout and exhaustion at the same exact time. At first, this realization only added to our stress and anxiety, but it eventually led to a tremendous upside. We were forced to think about our lives differently for the first time in years. We have also learned firsthand, through painful loss, that you need to make the most of each minute and live life to its fullest. Rather than waiting until we were retired and potentially less able to enjoy all that the world has to offer, why not seize the opportunities now? Taking a year off to travel existed like a fantasy in our minds, but we finally started putting the dream to the test. We started turning our long list of questions into goals, a timeline, fresh energy, and natural motivation as we built a plan and carried it out. Now, the moment has finally (almost!) arrived for us to get started. We are traveling across the country with our dogs and our camper and could not be more inspired and hopeful for what the trip will mean to our lives. Of course, despite all the prep and planning, I won't believe it is actually happening until we pull out of the driveway, but the countdown is officially on. So much more to come ...