ROAD TRIP WITH MOM
My mom’s sudden purchase of an RV happened almost as quickly as the idea for this trip formed. This is a woman who is actualizing what she wants and needs in her life. We’re not talking nomad life here. We’re talking about someone who wants to keep the exploration going in search of new places and continuations of meaningful relationships, old and new. I am damn proud of her for what she has been through and where she is right now in her life. Grateful to have a parent I look up to as a role model.
Back to the RV and the catalyst of this photo essay. A trip was planned that would take her, WeBe (dog), and her new travel carriage, “Free Bird,” on the open road across the country to visit her family, many of whom still live within a few counties of each other in rural Ohio. This is a trip Mom has done many times, and solo at that. The difference is that back then, she was driving a Toyota Prius. Now she has a 23-foot Class C motorhome with a full kitchen, bathroom, bedroom with a queen-sized bed, and many more things that add weight and enormity. I couldn’t let her go on this maiden voyage with only a dog, who has very limited driving skills, and a AAA card.
Our road trip started at her house in Chandler, Arizona, and ended in Ohio, with a stop in Mountain Home, Arkansas, for Aunt Becky, and a quick trip to Flagstaff and back to see my big bro. Our adventure took us to Mom's birthplace of Wayne County, Ohio, where we visited aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, creating lasting memories and an even stronger bond between us.
