Two 12 hour days of driving brought us through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, a bit of Colorado (thanks to someone missing an exit. Spoiler alert: it was me), and finally Wyoming.

The kids did great, for the most part. A few tense moments inevitably occurred, but show me a family that wouldn’t get on each other’s nerves after that many hours sharing the same 25 square feet! Not gonna lie, I may have considered pawning one of them off in eastern Wyoming.

We had originally thought Alyssa’s explorer capable of handling the haul, but no way. Not in these mountains. Somewhere along the way the engine, transmission, brakes, or all of it would’ve simply given up the ghost. I am so grateful things worked out for us to get the truck. She doesn’t have a name yet, but I’m working on it. Stay tuned.

Thanks to a tip from some new friends and RV veterans (shout out to the Austin family), we managed the climb to an absolutely stunning campsite with panoramic views of the Tetons. The road to the top of this plateau was little more than a rocky, rutted path intent on jostling your innards and strewing your possessions throughout the camper. But totally doable at 5mph with 4×4. The kids found the ride to resemble a bumpy roller coaster, so no complaints there. And once you crest the hill on the final switchback the path opens up to a gorgeous meadow, rewarding your patience with views meant for gods.

I can’t imagine waking up to a more majestic view. Laying in bed, breathing in the sage scented breeze, coffee in hand, I may just spend the day in bed, and possibly several more beyond it.