RV Tour – What a Year on the Road Taught Us

November 28, 2025

Mission accomplished: we’re home—and we’re different.

David and I have been back from our year-long camping tour for nearly three months. A few days after we pulled into the driveway, our daughter Michaela and her boyfriend Christian moved in for a stretch. It was a whirlwind of noise, laughter, shared meals, pickleball, and beautiful hikes—the best kind of chaos. They left just over two weeks ago, and now the house is quiet again. With that quiet comes space to reflect on what this adventure meant to us and what comes next in these blessedly healthy retirement years.

One year, 30,000 miles, 107 stops, and 37 National Parks. Every dot on this map holds a story.

Michaela goofing with her dad!

Enjoying the last days of summer with Michaela and Christian on the pontoon.

Celebrating Michaela’s 33rd with Michaela, Christian, Alex, Heather, Aunt Nancy, Uncle Steve, and Michaela’s Minnesota Nanny (Donna) and Bud. Being home means being wrapped back into the people we love—and it’s been such a gift getting to know Heather, who is an absolute dear.

First off, for the data lovers, here are a few trip stats based on the most common questions we’ve gotten:

• Total miles driven (truck): 30,000+

• Total miles towing the camper: 17,106

• Average campground fee: $44.95

• Total campground fees: $16,360

• Diesel cost for towing: ~$5,000

• Utilities saved (thanks, house sitter!): ~$4,700

• Estimated trip cost beyond normal living: $16,660(No, I didn’t include depreciation of the truck and camper. That is just depressing.)

• Estimated miles hiked: 620+

• Estimated miles biked: 400+

• Camping locations: 107

  • National Park campgrounds – 29

  • State/City parks – 20

  • Harvest Hosts – 5

  • Private campgrounds – 48

  • Family/Friend driveways – 5

• National Parks visited: 37

• Families visited: 30

• Number of places where people visited us on the road: 10

• Weight gained on the trip: Me: +7 lbs; David: 0. (Men!)

• Weight lost since returning: Me: –7 lbs; David: 0.

• Things I missed most: My laundry room. My shower.

• Favorite park: Impossible. The famous ones are famous for a reason—Acadia, Zion, Bryce, Arches, Yosemite, Grand Canyon. But the “surprisingly spectacular” category included Shenandoah, Big Bend, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree. Honestly? Not a single disappointment in the bunch.

What This Trip Taught Me

1. I learned to stop over-managing life.

This trip deprogrammed my “project manager brain” and rewired it into a “don’t worry, be happy” brain. My career trained me to see risks everywhere and plan for every contingency—a useful skill when raising kids, juggling work, and saving for retirement. But at this stage of life, it turns out you can just…be.

And things did go wrong—truck breakdowns, trailer problems (some self-inflicted), snowstorms, battery failure, internet blackouts, canceled reservations. The usual chaos. But David and I became a rock-solid team: he’s the MacGyver; I’m the researcher. We stayed calm, used our strengths, and solved one problem after another. Somewhere along the way, I stopped bracing for disaster and started trusting us. That trust feels like freedom, and I carried it home with me.

2. Simplicity is its own luxury.

Our trailer was about 250 square feet. Everything had a place; everything had a purpose. I expected to miss my “stuff,” but I didn’t.

Before leaving, we’d moved most of our belongings into one room we used as a “storage locker” to make room for the house sitter. When we returned, the house felt airy and uncluttered… and I couldn’t bring myself to drag all that stuff back out. We donated much of it. Now my closet is half full, the things in my cupboards are visible, and my garage no longer resembles a disaster zone. We still have two junk drawers—there are limits to personal growth—but overall, life feels lighter. My new rule: when something non-consumable comes in, something goes out. Wish me luck.

3. America is breathtaking—and Americans are, too.

Online, we can look like a mess. In real life, though? People everywhere were kind, helpful, generous, and deeply decent. Every region, every background—we met good humans across the board.

This past year helped me realize that while we feel divided, we’re not broken. But we do need to start showing up for each other again. So I joined Braver Angels, an organization dedicated to bridging the partisan divide. I can’t fix the world. You can’t fix the world. But each of us can choose something—one thing—to put our heart behind. For me, that’s Braver Angels and my home community at Bethel of Mound United Methodist Church. It feels like a good place to start.

Judy exercising free speech at the No Kings Rally

Conclusion: Coming Home Changed

After 12 months, 37 National Parks, 107 campsites, countless trails, and thousands of small human moments, we came home with more than memories—we came home with perspective. This country is vast, beautiful, complicated, and full of people doing their best. And now, as David and I settle into this next chapter, we’re carrying that sense of possibility with us.

The circle is closed. The journey continues—just with a different view out the window.

Sunrise from our own window—something we missed more than we realized. After a year on the road, it looks even more beautiful with fresh eyes and a new perspective.