August 8, 2021
Vanlog, Lancaster, PA
We left Cracker Barrel in Springfield OH shortly after 7 PM in search of a Tim Horton's that had my favorite Canadian maple donuts. Alas, while we found several Tim Horton's, the Canadian superior alternative to Dunkin' Donuts, none of them had my favorite flavor. Today was all driving, six and a half hours (if straight through) back home to Lancaster, PA. We pulled back in our driveway about 4:30 in the afternoon after giving Vanna a good bath at the local car wash and tanking her up one last time. Did it feel good to be home? Yes and no. Yes, it felt good to be back safely, feeling truly blessed that there were no accidents, breakdowns, major illnesses, or speeding tickets. But also sad that it is all over now, and the real work begins--prep for school, doctor's appointments, yard work, gardening, laundry, and cleaning. There is an overwhelming amount of work to do where just a day ago my only care in the world was driving safely and where to pull over for lunch. I have learned that I love this lifestyle of vanlife. I have been away from home for 44 days and except for missing the people, I could well have gone another 44. I wasn't bored or sick of the confined space. On the other hand, it made me feel comforted and safe. And I loved waking up to a new venue every day. It was especially nice being on the West coast where public lands are readily accessible and there are such amazing places to boondock for free. I know that I live a blessed life being able to travel like this, but I also believe that our time on this earth is incredibly short and we need to make the most of every second of it. A trip like this was truly living my best life and taking advantage of the time to refresh, recharge, and reconnect with God and nature.
Final stats for the trip: 44 days (June 26--August 8), 22 states, 11 national parks, even more national park units, and 12,409 miles. I climbed Half Dome, a feat I never thought I could accomplish at my age. I spent three weeks alone in the van and didn't really feel all that lonely. I made new acquaintances along the way, connected with old friends, hiked a lot, and took tons of beautiful photographs. What more could a person ask for in this life?
My top ten favorite photographs from the trip follow.