First Half of 2025: Slowing Down, Saying Goodbye, and Finding Our Pace

On the Road Again

If you asked me at the start of 2024 what this year would look like, I probably would have said “busier, more places, more stories!” Turns out, 2025 had other plans. Now that we’re halfway through, it’s clear this year has been a different kind of adventure.

Slowing Down (For Real)

Last year, we hit 25 locations by June. This year? Just ten. For us, that’s practically standing still. But honestly, we’re good with it. Slowing down was the plan.

We spent two full months bouncing between only two parks in Arizona. That little bit of settling in meant we could actually live in a place for a while, meet people, and not feel like we were constantly packing up and heading out. For once, we weren’t racing the checkout clock.

A Hard Goodbye

The biggest change wasn’t our pace—it was saying goodbye to Jazmine in January. Letting her go was the hardest part of the year. The kids might be out of the house, but she still kept us grounded. Now every travel day and side trip feels different—like we’re missing a responsibility. In a way, we are.

Route 66, Utah, and Family Milestones

After Phoenix, we headed up through Needles, California—a town on old Route 66, now mostly Dollar Store territory. Not exactly the grocery mecca, but it gave us a story.

We spent a couple of weeks in Hurricane, Utah, then settled into South Weber for a while. That timing was no accident—we wanted to be there for some major family moments.

• Carter’s Graduation: We watched him walk, then saw him off to his first day as a full-time mechanical engineer at PCC. A big milestone for him (and us).

• Next up, we hit the road for a reunion in Bozeman, Montana.

• Then it was back to South Weber for more celebrating:

• Chloe’s 21st Birthday (yes, we were there for the first legal toast)

• Carter’s 24th Birthday (he’s collecting milestones this year)

We also managed to squeeze in some house projects, maybe more on this in a later post.

Montana: Where Slow Feels Right

From there, it was north to Montana: a week in Anaconda, and now a couple of weeks in Eureka. This pace—two or three weeks in one spot—just works for us. It gives us time to work, time to explore, and (best of all) a chance to actually experience a place instead of just driving through.

What’s Next?

We’re aiming for Washington next. After that? We’ll see where the road leads. If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that slowing down lets you really appreciate the ride—and the people you share it with.

Thanks for following along.

See you down the road,

Chad & Ann

(with a little extra room in the RV and a lot more time for what matters most)