“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.”
John Muir
It’s hard to believe that we have officially been on the road for 18 months! There have been good times and bad, hardships and so many rewarding moments, hesitations, second-guesses and instances that took our breaths away.
Our country is so incredible. Each region offers ever-changing scenery, a plethora of different wildlife, an abundance of interesting plants and a lifestyle unique to each corner of our great nation.
Looking back at 2023, we can’t help but be thankful for where the road has taken us. We’ve still weathered a few storms… but when you choose this lifestyle, you have to remind yourself that there will be hardships. Issues with our rig grounded us for a total of four months this year. But, in the eight months in between, we shared so many incredible memories.
Here are some of the highlights:
–States: We’ve driven through 24 states and camped in 8 new states this year! We’ve driven up and down the East Coast, skirted the gulf of Mexico, seen the Rio Grande at its source and at the border, and done a cross country trek FOUR times!
–National Parks: We’ve visited 12 in this year alone! TWELVE! I am still in disbelief. While many were repeats for Dan and I, they were new for the kids. But, we rerouted our trip this fall to introduce a few new ones. We’ve come face to face with alligators in the Everglades, hiked to the top of desert mountains in Big Bend, sand sledded in both Great Sand Dunes and White Sands, learned about our ancient ancestors in Mesa Verde and ogled at stalactites and stalagmites in Carlsbad Caverns.
–Wildlife: We have greatly enjoyed seeing the wildlife specific to each region of the US. We have been so lucky to come face to face with so many species on this trip of ours! We’ve snorkeled with manatees in Florida, kayaked with crocodiles in the Everglades, fished lobsters out of traps in Maine, heard the yips of coyotes and meep-meeps of roadrunners in the southwest, stared in awe at the multitudes of bats in Carlsbad and heard elk bugling at the tops of the Rocky Mountains.
–State Food Tour: Something we started with the kids when we went on the road was to vow to try different foods specific to each state we visited. What a tour 2023 brought us! Key lime pie in Florida. Fried alligator and catfish in Mississippi! Jambalaya, crawdads, etoufee, and so much more in Louisiana! Fresh lobsters in Maine! Bar-be-que in Texas! Red and green chiles in New Mexico! And, most recently, Navajo tacos in Arizona. If I can recommend you do anything while you travel – taste the local cuisine.
-Small Town America: It has been such a breath of fresh air visiting small town America. While the big cities often get the draw of crowds, the small towns are what America is really about. We have been so blessed to be a part of small town moments across the country. We ate snow balls in Bay St Louis, MS, watched the 4th of July parade in Lake City, CO, sat on the beach in Port Aransas, TX and went holiday shopping in Jerome, AZ.
–Mickey Mouse, Harry Potter, Balloons, and More: When you are traveling towing your home behind you, it often makes staying close to major attractions much more affordable! We’ve been able to visit some family bucket list items, simply because it was cheaper to camp! We spent a wonderful week in Disney, meeting all the characters and riding all the rides. We surprised Levi for his birthday and went to Universal a week later, spent time in Hogwarts, and sipped on some butter beer. We followed the Gulf of Mexico coastline and went swimming in some of the coldest months! We attended two rodeos and the girls did mutton busting! And we were able to wake up early and see hundreds of balloons rise over Albuquerque, NM during the annual Balloon Fiesta.
What Should You Add to Your Bucket List?
Here are our top things we think you should add to your bucket list, based on our travels this year!
1. See the Grand Canyon: There is no moment greater than the first time you experience seeing the giant hole in the ground. North or South Rim, either view is well worth a visit.
2. Attend the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: Taking place the first weekend every October, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is the largest balloon festival in the world. Hundreds of balloons are set off from the grounds, right next to where you are standing, until the sky is dotted across the horizon with balloons. Words can’t describe the feeling of seeing them, and pictures do not do it justice.
3. Go to a Rodeo: Being from the East Coast, we don’t get a lot of chances of attending a rodeo. If you ever get a chance to see one in person, do it. They are so incredibly fun, everyone stands for the flag and the rodeo clowns are often hilarious.
4. See the Bats in Carlsbad: A moment that took my breath away. Thousands of bats roost in Carlsbad Caverns during the summer months. And in the evening, without pause, they come flying from the cave entrance. We sat watching bats exit the cave for over a half hour as the light faded around us. Bat programs are run daily, and you can sit at the entrance for free and watch this phenomenon. The species is migratory, however, so once it gets cold, they will have migrated south!
5. Drive the Million Dollar Highway: The stretch of road between Ouray, CO and Silverton, CO is dubbed the Million Dollar highway and for good reason. You literally are surrounded by million dollar views. Ouray is nicknamed the “Switzerland of America” because it is surrounded on three sides by mountain peaks. Pictures, once again, do not do it justice. Just believe us when we say that it is worth the drive.
2024 – Here We Come
When we started this adventure, we wanted this to be an experience our family would treasure forever… and we have definitely made memories that will last a lifetime.
While we don’t know how long we will continue this lifestyle, or what 2024 has in store for us, we are thankful for every moment we’ve shared together. The funny thing is, we’ve still barely scratched the surface of all this great nation has to offer. There are entire regions of the US we haven’t even begun to visit. And the states we’ve already checked off… we want to go back!
So, while I don’t know exactly what 2024 will bring for us, I extend my love and thanks to all of our family and friends who have encouraged this crazy idea, supported us through the ups and downs and followed us on this winding road.
If I can encourage you to do anything this year, it is to book the trip. Time doesn’t slow down. Go see the things you want to see and do the things you want to do. And, let us know – if we’re close by, we just might drive to meet you!
Many blessings in the New Year.
The Pickett Family
Our Pickett Fences 