Feeling refreshed from a day off work and lungs full of warm desert air, I was ready to keep moving onward. The last 2 days in Big Bend were packed full of as much adventure and hiking as possible and I was feeling the effects of it as I left the park. I had also driven way over my 2-hour limit in the last 2 days, even though I had stayed within the park boundaries, because it’s such a gigantic National Park. So all of this added up to me only making it about one hour outside of Big Bend for my first day back on the road.
Van Life
Off to Texas
In my last van update, I mentioned how homesick I was for Utah. I had been in Florida for six weeks, and while Florida was really pretty good to us, I was yearning for some mountains. My heart knew it needed a change in landscape, and even though there were several states between me and those mountains, I knew I couldn’t wait to be out there. So, I drove and drove and drove, skipping over states and doing minimal adventuring until I made it to Texas.
Six Months
6 months ago, I turned the keys, backed down the driveway, and began the journey of a lifetime.
The Adventures of Van Girl and Flea Dog- Florida Part 2
Part of the goal of this vanlife journey was to see all the National Parks. I knew this would be hard as I made it up to Alaska because there are a few that can only be accessed by plane, but difficult National Parks would also be the case in Florida. Florida has 3 National Parks: The Everglades, Dry Tortugas, and Biscayne. The Everglades is the only one that’s accessible without a boat. And especially because it’s hot here in southern Florida, I couldn’t leave Dakota all day while I went on a boat excursion and she would obviously not be allowed to come with me. So, I embraced this fact and enjoyed what we could of the Everglades.
Let’s go to the Beach
This next chapter begins near Sarasota, Florida, where my parents spend the winter as snowbirds. My parents divorced when I was very young and have both been remarried for a while now. I am immensely fortunate to have two wonderful parents who, despite being divorced, still get along VERY well. I have sat through many celebratory dinners surrounded by my mom, stepdad, dad, and stepmom seated all around the same table. I know these family dynamics are unique and I’m thankful every day for it. About a year and a half ago, I had been talking to my mom and she told me the exciting news that she and my stepdad were buying a home down in Florida to escape to during the winter when the sun disappears from Michigan. My jaw dropped. Just a day earlier I had received an email from my dad with the details on the new home in Florida that HE had just bought! What a weird coincidence! But wait, it gets weirder. They both purchased homes 7 MILES from each other.
