It feels so nice to be on the road again. Paco and I left our safe self-isolation home in New Mexico at the beginning of June. We traveled slowly through Colorado, taking a quick dip through the northeast corner of Utah before moving into Wyoming. I greatly underestimated Wyoming. All this time, I’ve been so focused on getting to Montana, that I didn’t give Wyoming much thought beyond the National Parks. I haven’t even explored all it has to offer yet, but am already thoroughly impressed. This certainly is a very special place that has quickly staked a claim on my heart. 

I found a great campsite in the Bridger-Teton National Forest and thought I’d stay a couple of nights but ended up staying five days. I met fellow vanlifers who arrived at the same area shortly after I did, and we ended up sharing a campsite and many fireside stories. Four vans lined up along a ridge, each wonderfully unique. It has been great meeting people who have been doing this for years, and I’ve tried to glean as much information from their experiences as possible. Paco even had other van dogs to play with, and they ran wild across the countryside in search of prairie dogs, butterflies, and swims. 

Our vans were perched atop a small rise that overlooked a swift-moving creek. Beyond that, the landscape rose with a blend of green meadows and tall coniferous trees that climbed and disappeared over the ridge. Snow-capped mountains surrounded, keeping watch over the canyon below. A bald eagle visited the campsite every day. Elk, deer, and cows grazed in the open fields, and wildflowers of every color painted the landscape. We were even lucky enough to experience a wild thunderstorm that ended with a vibrant double rainbow that arced over our vans. It was so close we could see where it ended along the water’s edge. Unfortunately, none of us were able to locate the pot of gold. 

Needless to say, it has all been pretty incredible. 

I’m now sitting in Jackson, Wyoming, where I have a phone signal for the first time in more than a week. My next stop is the Grand Teton National Park, and eventually, we’ll make it up through Yellowstone. I’m hoping to spend multiple days in both parks and really take in as much as possible. I may move more slowly through Wyoming than originally planned. The weather is perfect, there’s so much to explore, and the vast landscapes force me to slow down and appreciate them.