Traveling In A Trailer
(Still Curious at 67 & 77)
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Everyone travels differently. Some people fly across the country in a weekend. Some people plan every minute of a vacation months in advance. BigDog and I fall somewhere in the middle. At 77 and 67, we’ve learned that travel doesn’t have to be fast to be meaningful.
In fact, our favorite trips are the ones where we slow down enough to notice things. That’s really the heart of our style of travel. Slow, curious, and practical.
Slow Travel Works for Us
We’re not trying to check off as many states as possible. We’re trying to experience the places we go.
That means:
• Taking scenic routes instead of highways
• Stopping when something looks interesting
• Sitting longer at overlooks
• Starting the day slowly with coffee outside
Travel doesn’t have to feel rushed to feel exciting. Sometimes the best part of the day is simply watching the sun come up from a campsite.
Our Travel Trailer Makes It Possible
Traveling with a trailer changed everything for us. Instead of constantly packing and unpacking hotel rooms, we bring our little space with us.
Our own bed.
Our own coffee.
Our own rhythm.
It’s simple, comfortable, and practical — which matters more the older we get. Sometimes we dry camp under big open skies.
Other times we stay in RV parks when we want hookups and long showers. Having the trailer gives us flexibility. If we like a place, we stay longer. If curiosity calls, we hitch up and move on.
Cooking Outside Is Part of the Adventure
One of my favorite parts of traveling with the trailer is cooking outside. Our trailer has an outdoor kitchen, and we use it a lot. There’s something about preparing a simple meal outside that just feels right when you’re on the road.
Morning coffee while the sun comes up. A simple breakfast on the griddle. Dinner cooking while the air cools down after a long day of exploring. Cooking outdoors slows things down in the best way. Meals don’t feel rushed. They feel like part of the experience. And honestly, food tastes better when you’re sitting outside with a view.
BigDog’s National Park Goal
One thing that shapes our travel style is BigDog’s goal. He wants to visit every national park. And when he talks about it, he gets excited like a kid.
We carry the Passport to the National Parks book, and the first stop in every park is the visitor center to get our stamp. Five stamps so far. A long road ahead. But that’s part of the fun.
We Like the Weird Stops Too
Not every memorable stop is a national park. Some of our favorite moments have been roadside oddities.
Places like:
• Cadillac Ranch in Texas
• Meteor Crater in Arizona
• Giant statues along quiet highways
• Small-town museums
Those unexpected stops break up the drive and give personality to the trip. Sometimes the best memories come from the places you didn’t expect much from.
Photography Is Part of the Journey
I’m the photographer of this group. So, when we pull over somewhere interesting, I’m usually the one saying, “Hold on, let me get a picture.” Photography makes you pause.
You notice the light.
The landscape.
The little details.
And later those photos become reminders of places we once stood together.
Luna Joins the Adventure
Our little road trip companion Luna is starting to join us more often. She’s a small black Chihuahua and Blue Tick Hound mix with floppy hound ears and a little white stripe along one side of her nose. Traveling with a dog slows things down even more.
More walks.
More sitting outside.
More watching the world go by.
Which honestly fits our travel style perfectly.
Travel at This Stage of Life
Travel in your 60s and 70s looks different. You plan a little smarter. You appreciate comfort a little more. You don’t rush through places the way you might have years ago. Instead, you take it in. You notice the view. You sit a little longer. You enjoy the moment.
What Makes Travel Work for Us
Over time we’ve learned a few simple things that make road trips easier:
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Good coffee gear for mornings outside
• Simple outdoor cooking tools
• Lightweight travel chairs
• Guidebooks for national parks
• A flexible mindset
Because the best travel plans always leave room for curiosity.
Still Curious
Our style of travel isn’t about luxury. It’s about freedom. Freedom to explore. Freedom to pull over when something catches our eye. Freedom to cook a meal outside and watch the sunset from our campsite. At 67 and 77, we’re not trying to rush across the map. We’re simply following the road.
