Key West, Family, and Another Adventure on the Road
After months of staying close to home, it felt good to finally put some miles behind me again.
The RV was ready.
Bandit was ready.
And on July 3rd, we loaded up and headed south.
But before we really started the adventure, there was an important stop first — spending the Fourth of July with my grandkids.
One of the things I love most about life right now is that adventure doesn’t have to mean choosing between places and people. Sometimes the best trips include both.
From there, we continued south.
This was the first big trip in the RV since the remodel, and I was excited to finally stop working on it and actually enjoy it. After weeks of fixing the skylight, sealing the roof, redoing the ceilings, and giving the bedroom a whole new look, it was time to see how it handled the road.
And it did exactly what I hoped it would do. It took us somewhere.
Of course, Bandit came along.
He’s not the tiny puppy who came home last September anymore. He’s becoming a real adventure dog — settling into the RV routine, exploring new places, and making himself comfortable wherever we end up.
Our destination was Key West via Flagler Beach to pick up my parents. It was nice to have another driver for a while!
My aunt lives in Key West, and the reason for making the long drive south was to spend time with her and celebrate her. The trip itself was fun, but getting to share it with family is what made it special.
Key West is one of those places that feels like its own little world.
The water. The sunsets. The laid-back pace. The feeling of being as far south as you can go.
And of course, there were the unexpected moments that make a trip memorable.
Like the hibachi restaurant where the chef turned an egg into a rooster and rice into a lobster.
Completely unnecessary. Completely fun. Exactly the kind of thing you remember later.
The trip home was not about rushing back. We took our time.
We spent more time with my parents, enjoyed more time outside, and found a few more places to explore along the way.
There was kayaking, beautiful scenery, and those quiet moments that always remind me why I love being near the water.
And through it all, Bandit was right there.
Every stop gave him something new to investigate. Every day he seems a little bigger and a little more confident.
By July 21st, we were home.
The memories were made.
The RV was parked.
And after everything that had happened earlier in the year, it felt really good to get out, explore, and spend time with people I love.
Sometimes the best adventures aren’t the ones where you go the farthest or check the most things off a list.
Sometimes they’re the ones where you get to slow down, enjoy the people around you, and remember how lucky you are to be living the life you’ve built.
