I updated our little travel map yesterday. Grey colored in states are states we have driven the camper through. We just hit state #30 last night with Kansas!
Yellow state abbreviations are states we have camper-camped in. (About to add Colorado!)
X’s over the National Parks are the NPs we have been to. (Not necessarily with the camper… there’s about 4 that we did without, about to be 3… headed to Rocky Mountain this week with the camper). We’ve done 21 National Parks of 63 total in the US.
Unfortunately the SE section of our US map didn’t get any camping with our accident in a March.
*Note- Amelia got her Make-a-Wish camper in September 2020. Our National Parks visists started before then, but obviously all the camped in states/states we have driven the camper through have been in the last 2.5 years (considering we were without a camper for 3 months this spring). Not bad!
Jackson took Messi on a walk around the KOA this morning while we were getting ready to depart. Messi came back happy with filthy paws. We promptly washed them off and got Messi settled in the truck.
DJ has been playing a game at the gas pump. On our trip from San Diego to Virginia, he was trying to end on the even dollar amount. This trip DJ is trying to get the numbers to be repetitive… like $47.47, $58.58; etc… and he apparently was winning this little game until I watched. Lol.
Almost. Apparently I jinx him. Oops.
Now that we have Messi, our gas station/potty break routines have changed while road-tripping.
Jackson takes Messi to use the potty wherever there is grass nearby. I run into the gas station by myself to go. When I come back, DJ is usually done getting gas and Jackson is done with Messi…so Amelia, Messi, and myself head into the camper to have Amelia use the bathroom. (Amelia hates shoes and public bathrooms are gross, so she uses the camper to avoid a lot of stress, germs, and struggles).
We just started hooking Messi’s leash to the bunk bed frame so that he can’t escape when the camper door opens and closes frequently during the gas station stops. We are definitely finding our groove with our puppy.
We then get snacks/lunch/dinner/etc… prepped from the camper and then all load back up in the truck and start driving again.
One of my favorite things we did after Messi escaped on us twice at home, was we got him an AirTag and it’s attached to his collar. It’s already buzzed twice now to my phone and watch when Jackson and Messi are kinda far away from me at gas stations. It’s definitely a peace of mind. Especially as it tells the last address too and obviously you can open up the “find my” app and use it to help locate Messi if needed.
We made it to Colorado! It is always fabulous to be back. We love this state and it definitely still kinda feels like home, since we lived here back when the babies where little and DJ was finishing his undergrad.
Ironically, a year ago yesterday we were doing the exact same thing. We got to DJ’s sister’s house and had Fuzzy’s Tacos for dinner. What did we do tonight?… Had Fuzzy’s at his sister’s. Tonight I got the veggie Baja ltacos, super yummy!
3 of the 5 of us are driveway camping tonight. Messi and Jackson are staying inside (we all could have, but it’s easier to not move all of Amelia’s stuff).
Messi is having the best time with his new bestie dog friend Willy. (More to come tomorrow on this). It’s getting late and I’m headed to bed!
Adventuring with Amelia 