From Traci:
Today, May 16th marks our one-year anniversary of being on the road. It does not seem real to me that it has been this long. I am proud of us for doing this, because it was a huge step to take. Especially me. Most of you know that I am a pretty routine, structured person, so quitting my job, selling the house and leaving the comforts of home was not really in my master plan. Traveling, yes, but this extreme move, no. So, I must thank Mike for pushing me out of my comfort zone and leading the charge on this because I never would have done this without him. It’s funny, one of the most common questions we get from people (besides ‘what is your favorite place so far’ and ‘how are you able to do this’) is ‘how are you able to spend this much time together?’ We are both a bit amused because it isn’t even an issue for us. It seems normal for us and doing this together is the best part of it. Sure, we need our separate space at times, but I believe we complement each other nicely and have definitely found our groove. You have to, living in a 340 square foot space! It has been freeing to rid ourselves of all of the superfluous stuff and live minimally and on a budget. Sure, I miss my dishwasher and washer/dryer, but otherwise we have all the comforts we need. TV/DVR is probably the biggest thing we need to let go of, but at this point, not gonna happen (I love my shows). I do feel I have made progress on being more flexible and spontaneous, but it takes awhile to undo 45 years of habits!

So far, this has been an amazing adventure and we are so fortunate to be doing it. Meeting new friends, visiting old friends and having others come meet us have really made the trip special. Our choice to see our own country was the best decision we could have made. There is a lot to see here at home which I would highly recommend to anyone! 26 States and 2 Provinces down. I think we have another 6 mo’s in us, but you just never know! Thank you to everyone who has supported us and shown interest in what we are doing. The blog has been a lot of work, but it a perfect way for us to stay connected with friends & family.  A labor of love!

My top 5 experiences have been (in no particular order)…
1. Kickoff in Portland watching the WVC Knights win it all!
2. Kentucky Derby
3. The Nashville Scene
4. Hiking in Utah’s National Parks
5. Chillaxing in Key Largo

From Mike:
When I read this quote below, it sparked me even that much more to try and find a way to see the world!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain

Re-reading it again, it still holds true, even more so than it did some three years ago when I came across the words. It has been one full year, a full year that we have been out on the road! I could not be happier that we are able to enjoy this time, share these memories, and go to some of these places that I would have never imagined, all within our own country. We have met some great people along the way. We have also been welcomed into many a friends’ home for a meal, a huge luxury to us that we can not say thank you enough to those we have been lucky enough to see along the way. There have also been a few visitors that have made the trek out to join us, and that is so amazing, we can’t try to explain what it means to us! I end this simply; we sit back and enjoy one of our favorite meals, tacos, I with a shot of my 1942 Don Julio Tequila (Thanks again MIL for the b-day gift!), and a glass of wine to end our first year on the road. Cheers to you all, and I look forward to the rest of this journey, seeing more places, and meeting up with more friends along the way!

P.S. – My top 5 experiences have been (in no particular order)…
1. The Masters!
2. Hiking in Utah.
3. Taking time to enjoy a lost favorite, fishing everywhere.
4. The Florida Keys.
5. The diversity of weather we have experienced.