Our adventure began in July 2023 in Delaware, Ohio, and ended in Nashville, TN, on December 6th, 2023, where we decided to stay for the winter months. The 5,781-mile voyage consists of 22 stops, with the highest elevation reached being 7,523 feet above sea level. 

We were fortunate that our voyage was incident-free. We experienced phenomenal views and learned a great deal about different parts of the country.

This was a 6-day stay; however, this was not the maiden voyage. We were in the process of moving into the Lonesome Dove after selling our home. This state park was a great start in our adventure, though it mainly was our transition phase.

Our official “Maiden Voyage.” A 7-day stop to rest and relax after our transition phase. We enjoyed the campgrounds and explored Mammoth Cave and the Historic Diamond Caverns. We also stumbled upon a creek where there was total silence it was quite amazing.

We spent seven days visiting April's old stomping grounds just off Kentucky Lake, between Dover and Paris, TN. The campground is very nice and peaceful. We went fishing and swimming and took in the nature surrounding us. We visited Fort Donelson National Battlefield and visited the Eifel Tower. 

April was still yearning for more Lake life, so we found this great place on the Percy Priest Lake outside of Nashville. Fun in the sun, fishing, and boating.

Bon Aqua as you may or may not know is where Johnny Cash's hideout was located. Just south of Bon Aqua, is the town called Centerville where Grinders Switch was located and the hometown of Minnie Pearl. Our site sat right off the bank of the Piney River. The resort was a prime example of “Being out in the middle of Nowhere”.  The staff were excellent. We visited a couple of local wineries and tooled around the countryside.

We booked a month stay here outside of Nashville. We used this time to take care of appointments, and other necessary errands that needed attention. This was our layover before we started trekking west. We also utilized this time so spend time with April’s family and kiddos.

Hello Memphis! we tried a dozen times to make reservations at Graceland's RV park, but no one would return our call. So, we stayed 10 miles outside of the city on the Arkansas side of the Mighty Mississippi River.  Went downtown to Beale Street to listen to some blues and to a dueling piano bar. We had such a wonderful time. We purposely went during a weeknight to avoid the crowds, and it was great. The next day we went to Graceland, toured the house, and enjoyed the Elvis complex. 

Hello, Hot Springs, Arkansas! This was another three-day stop to stroll the town's historic bathhouses. While strolling through the bathhouses, we ran across an educational outdoor event provided by the National State Parks Department. It was a great learning experience. A bonus excursion: We went zip-lining for the first time. The couple hosting this park was outstanding.

Our next stop on our travels was to visit Shirley and her family, one of Erich’s extended family members, in the rural town of Chandler, OK. It was a nice well-kept park, and you really could not beat the price. Most of our time was sitting around catching up. We had a great dinner (no gambling) at the Ioway Casino and collected large amounts of red dirt in the Lonesome Dove.

Fun fact! This is where we began traveling along the Historic Route 66.

This campground is a must-visit for all camping enthusiasts. This majestic canyon has countless beautiful views. The place is a hiker’s dream. Unfortunately, as this is a popular destination, we could only reserve for two days.  Listening to the wind and the coyote howls, it was amazing.

After all the short stays along the way, we decided to stop and take a seven-day breather. We needed to do laundry, restock food, and enjoy campfires with Pinion wood. We also strategically landed here to get a glimpse of the lunar eclipse. We enjoyed some green chili chicken enchiladas and drove up to Northern New Mexico near Taos to see “Earth Ships” and the Rio Grande Gorge. We also visited Tres Piedras, where the Horst family Sawmill (Custom Cut Sawmill) business was located. 

On our westward voyage, we stopped in Holbrook, AZ, for a short two-night stay to visit The Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert. 

We were very fortunate to find this RV Park and discovered that the town of Williams is a neat and welcoming place. The park operates a train, providing a daily Western-style service to and from the Grand Canyon. The theme typically reenacts the Wild West and gun fights between the law and bandits. We wish we had more time to enjoy everything Williams had to offer. 

 Photos will never capture the true essence of the Grand Canyon experience.

Viva Las Vegas! We have reached the most western point of our 2023 travels. The main plan was to spend a week in Vegas for April’s birthday. Erich has been to Vegas before, but April has not, and it was quite a sensory overload for her. 

During our visit, the city was preparing for the Grand Prix on the strip, so everything was in disarray, and some of the attractions were not operating. Additionally, the Vegas strip was not what it used to be—expensive and having lost its true charm. Beware of the dressed-up “models.” We spent one evening there, and it was NOT for us. We did see a couple of shows but did not spend any more time there.

Freemont Street did not disappoint. We celebrated April’s birthday evening there. Dinner, Live Music, and took in the Freemont Street Experience.

For the rest of our stay, we enjoyed the resort's amenities.

As previously stated, there were no incidents on our adventure. However, we were severely inconvenienced by most RV campgrounds in Casa Verde, AZ. We were planning to stay two nights. The two campgrounds we contacted had availability. Come to find out, no one would accept check-ins after 5:30 p.m. local time and would not accommodate. 

We rolled through Casa Verde at 7 P.M. local time and continued Interstate 10. Luckily, we found that RVs were also welcome to utilize 18-wheeler parking, which we normally would not do out of respect for our truckers. With no other choice, we boondocked on solar power in the truck parking at this Loves Travel Stop.

From Vegas to Benson, we did get to view Saguaro Cactuses throughout this part of Arizona.

We departed early from Benson, AZ., and started making our way toward Roswell. The topography changes were beautiful once we left Las Cruces on U.S. Highway 70. The slogan “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” is a load of crap! 

We got settled and were ready to explore all the things in and outside of Roswell when, the very next day, both April and Erich were sick and tested positive for COVID!

We spent most of our stay at the campground. Later in the week we did get to eat at Farley’s Food Fun and toured the Roswell UFO Museum.

We spent two nights at this RV park. Erich has a cousin who lives in San Angelo but was unable to coordinate a visit. This layover was intended as a jump point to our next destination. The park needs some TLC, but the owner was very nice and gave us a welcome basket. Ah, it is so refreshing to experience warm Southern hospitality.

Also known as Port A., we spend eight days here at this campground. It is maintained by Nueces County. The only downside was a lot of burrs, and we didn’t have a firepit. The positives, however, are a short walk to the beach, golf cart rentals are nearby, and we were staying in the off-season, which was cost effective.

PSA: Some restaurants in Port Aransas charge a credit card convenience fee, which is not clearly posted or communicated by staff. We experienced this at Castaways Seafood and Grill, where Erich engaged in an uncomfortable debate on negative business practices with the manager, where she basically said pay it or let the cops sort it out. Unfortunately, we were forced to pay the fee, but our server suffered via tip. 

We recommend Virginia’s on the Bay, which has higher quality food and service without the electronic convenience fee.

Our two-week stay at this campground just north of Houston was great! Nestled in the woods, with ducks freely wandering the grounds. They even decorate for all of the seasons, which gives that family-type feel. The staff were amazing!

We were in town to spend Thanksgiving with Erich’s side of the family.  April also had the opportunity to spend time with her sister, Stephanie.

A two-night stop to get some real Cajun cuisine and visit one of Erich’s close friends. This campground was the best in the area. Also, this route was chosen to begin traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway starting in Natchez, MS.

This stop is one of three along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Unfortunately, we arrived at dark and were not able to snap any photos. This location is at mile marker 54.8 on the southern end of the Parkway.

This was a very serene boondocking site in the secluded woods. At night, you can hear all the wildlife; other than the stars in the sky, it is pitch black.

The original plan was to travel the entire Natchez Trace Parkway. However, we were pretty road-weary and wanted to get back to the Nashville area to settle down for the winter.

So, we exited the Parkway in Jackson, MS., traveled I-55 to Memphis and caught I-40 East to Nashville.

We nestled in at the Four Corners Resort, celebrated Christmas with April’s side of the family, and rang in the new year of 2024.