Foxfire & Freeways: Yellowstone Left Us Speechless

Some places are so beautiful that words almost feel unnecessary.

Yellowstone was one of those places.

A moose-t amusing sight greeted us early in the day—a mama moose standing deep in the river marshes, completely unbothered by the people watching from afar. She quietly went about her day as if we weren’t even there.

Further down the road, a magnificent elk stood grazing along the roadside, paying little attention to the steady stream of cameras pointed in his direction. It was almost as if he knew he belonged there… and we were simply the visitors.

Then came the great warriors of the plains.

Bison.

Massive, powerful, and somehow graceful all at once as they wandered across the landscape with their herd, carefully keeping their distance from the passing vehicles.

The rivers were just as alive.

Ducks drifted lazily along the Madison River while swans glided across the water with effortless elegance. Looking into the crystal-clear streams, we watched fish dart back and forth beneath the surface.

Everywhere we looked…

Life.

Then we heard it before we saw it.

The deep, constant roar of a waterfall carving its way through the mountains.

Standing there, watching the water crash below while rainbows danced through the mist, it was impossible not to be reminded just how powerful nature truly is.

And then…

Old Faithful.

The unmistakable scent of hydrogen sulfide filled the air as steam escaped from deep beneath the earth.

A low rumble.

A deep growl.

One final blech…

Then Yellowstone reminded everyone exactly why people have traveled here for generations.

Watching Old Faithful erupt was something I’ll never forget.

By the end of the day, I realized something.

I could spend hours trying to describe Yellowstone…

…but I don’t think words can fully do it justice.

Sometimes the best way to tell a story…

is simply to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Until Next Time, Montana

Well… that’s a wrap on Montana for now.

We’ll be back in October for Billings, but this weekend marked the end of another memorable stop on our journey.

This festival weekend was a little different than the others, and honestly, it was kind of nice.

The band didn’t play Saturday morning or afternoon like usual. Instead, they had an evening show at a local saloon—which obviously meant Bug couldn’t tag along. Before Chris headed off to play, we stopped at Red Lodge Pizza Co. for dinner.

And wow…

That place did not disappoint.

They had everything from burgers and pizza to chicken tenders, fries, homemade ice cream, and some incredible drinks.

Bug got a huckleberry lemonade and absolutely loved it.

I decided on a huckleberry cream soda…

Let’s just say I understand why huckleberries are so popular around here now. It was one of the best drinks I’ve had in a long time.

After dinner, the kids and I headed back to the camper while Chris went to perform.

Compared to some of our recent weekends, this one was pretty relaxed.

No complaints here.

Sometimes a slower pace is exactly what you need.

Today the band only had two sets at the festival, so Bug and I wandered over for the first performance before exploring the grounds a little.

Of course…

I couldn’t leave without grabbing one of my festival lemonades.

I think they’ve officially become a tradition.

Once the music wrapped up, we headed back to the camper to stay cool and start packing for the next adventure.

Tomorrow is a pretty exciting day.

Instead of driving straight through, we’ve decided to spend the night near Yellowstone and finally cross something off my bucket list.

I’ve never been to Yellowstone National Park, so tomorrow we’ll spend the day exploring before heading to Colorado on Tuesday morning, where we’ll be staying for almost two weeks before making our way to New Mexico.

And if everything works out…

The Grand Canyon may be next after that.

Another dream waiting to happen.

Being back in Montana also brought back memories.

The last time I stood here, I was very pregnant with Bug.

This time…

I got to introduce him to so many people who were waiting to meet the little boy they’d only heard about last year.

Life has a funny way of coming full circle.

Thank you, Montana.

We’ll see you again soon.

Yellowstone…

You’re next.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Montana at Last

After saying goodbye to Iowa on Wednesday afternoon, we made our way west once again.

Our first stop was Mitchell, South Dakota, before continuing on to Sheridan, Wyoming for the night. The miles seemed to disappear as we worked our way closer to Montana, and before we knew it, Red Lodge was finally just a short drive away.

The trip itself couldn’t have gone much smoother.

Bug slept through most of the drive, waking here and there just long enough to share a few snack crumbs with Sunna… whether we intended him to or not. 😅

Meanwhile, Sunna spent her time rotating between naps and watching the world go by through the back windows, making sure she didn’t miss a thing.

By the time we rolled into Red Lodge…

it was hot.

Really hot.

So the first order of business was cooling down, catching our breath, and figuring out the rest of the day.

Next on the list: laundry, a grocery run for a few essentials…

…and a fly swatter.

Apparently the flies around here missed the memo that they weren’t invited. 😂

Festival weekend officially begins tomorrow.

The plan is to wander through the vendors, see what’s new, catch up with friends, and enjoy the atmosphere before heading back to the camper during the hottest part of the day.

Hubs will be busy playing with the band, while Bug, Sunna, and I will probably be hiding from the afternoon heat until things cool off again.

Another festival.

Another chapter.

Another collection of memories waiting to happen.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Happy 1st Birthday to our little Bug. 🧡

It’s hard to believe that just one year ago you changed our lives forever.

In your first year, you’ve already done more adventuring than many people do in years. You’ve traveled through multiple states, attended 10 festivals, met hundreds of amazing people, and somehow managed to steal the hearts of nearly everyone you’ve met. No matter where we go, people remember your smile, your curiosity, and your happy little personality.

Watching you discover the world has been one of the greatest gifts we could ever ask for. Every day you’ve learned something new, grown a little bigger, and found another reason to make us laugh. You’ve taught us just as much as we’ve taught you.

We are so incredibly proud to be your parents, and we can’t wait to see what this next chapter brings. There are so many more roads to travel, festivals to explore, memories to make, and adventures waiting for us. We can’t wait to watch you grow up alongside Sunna and the chickens, getting into all kinds of fun (and probably a little mischief too).

No matter how big you get, you’ll always be our little Bug. The greatest adventure we’ve ever been on wasn’t moving across the country or traveling from festival to festival. It was becoming your mom and dad.

Happy 1st Birthday, Walter. We love you more than words could ever say. Here’s to a lifetime of adventures together. 🧡

Foxfire & Freeways: Arrgghh mateys! Ships ahoy!

Another fun weekend is officially in the books.

Friday afternoon we rolled into East Harbor State Park, and what a beautiful place it turned out to be. The campground is huge, with spacious campsites, large dump stations, a beautiful beach, and plenty of room to simply relax and enjoy being outdoors.

Saturday was spent at the very first Port Clinton Pirate Fest, and for a first-year festival, I think they did a fantastic job.

There were pirates everywhere.

Some people had incredible outfits that looked like they’d stepped straight out of a movie. Long coats, tall boots, tricorn hats, sleeves from wrist to shoulder… and even dreads nearly touching the ground.

All of this…

…during a 90-degree heat wave. 😅

I was sweating just looking at them.

One of the best parts of these festivals is unexpectedly running into familiar faces. We caught up with friends from the Ohio Viking Festival and several of our Indiana Renaissance Festival friends, and it reminded me just how quickly this community starts to feel like family.

Of course, we also made time to listen to one of our favorite bands, Pirates Creed.

If you ever get the chance to see them perform, I highly recommend it. They always put on a fantastic show.

Bug also got to see and feel some sand between his toes, he was not quite sure how to walk on it, then he enjoyed the water and wanted to sit in it but I didn’t have a change of clothes on me so I let him find some sea shells

Today we finally pointed ourselves toward Iowa.

We got a little later start than planned after waiting for another camper to move so we could get out of our site, but that’s just part of campground life.

One thing we’ve decided as a family is that we want to start making more sightseeing stops along our routes. The destination is always exciting, but sometimes the places in between become the best memories.

As the miles rolled by today, I found myself thinking about something.

A few years ago…

I never would have imagined this life.

Traveling across the country.

Spending weekends at festivals.

Being married.

Owning a home.

Raising our little Bug.

Sharing adventures with Sunna.

Building friendships in places that once felt so far away.

Back then, it all felt impossible.

Now…

I honestly wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Our next stop is one I’ve been looking forward to.

Iowa.

Not just because it’s another stop on the map, but because it means time with family.

Bug will soon celebrate his first birthday with his cousins, and I can’t believe we’re already here.

It feels like yesterday he was just beginning this journey with us, and now we’re planning birthday cakes instead of baby bottles.

I always love visiting Iowa.

There’s something special about spending time with family, cooking together, baking together, making things together, and filling the table with fresh vegetables and homemade food.

Sometimes the best destinations aren’t famous landmarks.

Sometimes…

They’re simply the people waiting for you when you get there.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Progress, Plans & Preparing for the Road

Today was one of those days where you can finally stand back, look around, and actually see progress.

With the help of some wonderful locals, we made a huge dent in cleaning out the basement. There’s still more to do, but it finally feels manageable instead of overwhelming.

We also managed to bring up quite a few boxes, so now comes the fun part—opening them, figuring out where everything belongs, and slowly making the house feel like home.

The goal over the next few days is to empty the living room so we can continue bringing more boxes upstairs before it’s time to prepare for the next leg of our adventure.

Once we return from our travels, we’ll dive back into unpacking, and if all goes according to plan, we may even start transforming the basement into a studio apartment over the winter.

Little by little…

One project at a time.

After talking it over, we’ve decided we’ll be taking the camper on this trip after all.

Now comes another round of planning—figuring out which cookware to bring, putting together a meal plan that works with our limited refrigerator and freezer space, packing enough clothes, and making sure all the little necessities are tucked away before we hit the road.

Travel days always seem simple until you start making the packing list. 😅

The current plan is to leave on the 24th.

Our first stop will be Port Clinton, Ohio, where we’ll get to see one of our favorite bands before spending the night.

From there, we’ll make our way to our cousins’ place in Iowa for a quick visit before continuing west toward Montana.

There are so many places waiting for us on this journey, but I’ll save those stories for another blog.

After all… half the fun is the adventure still to come.

The house still feels like it’s somewhere between “almost there” and “not even close,” but every day we’re making progress.

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Neither is a home.

And somehow, between unpacking boxes, planning road trips, raising Bug, training Sunna, and keeping up with Thelma and Louise…

We’re making it work.

One day at a time.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

🧡

Foxfire & Freeways: Our First Fourth of July Camping Trip

Our first Fourth of July camping trip is officially in the books.

Overall, it was a really fun weekend, even if it didn’t go exactly as we imagined.

Friday was a little rough for Bug. He wasn’t quite sure what to think about everything and spent a good part of the day fussing as he tried to take in all the new sights and sounds. That night, people around the campground started setting off fireworks, and bedtime quickly turned into… well… not bedtime.

Unfortunately, we weren’t in a spot where we could actually see the larger fireworks displays. The nearby town had already held their official celebration the day before, and campers were setting fireworks off all weekend—usually long after Bug’s bedtime.

We’ll know better for next year. Later that night as me and hubs laid in bed, the inside of the tent started blinking….it was fireflies that found a home under the top cover of the tent, softly glowing so it looked to me that I had the stars within an arms reach 🧡

Next time, I’ll make sure to reserve a campsite near the main fireworks well in advance so he can actually enjoy them.

Saturday felt much more relaxed. Woke up to various bugs just mosying around the top and sides of the tent. Caterpillars inching by, slugs leaving their marks across, ants scurrying around tryin to find food from us, jumping spiders playing and fireflies tryin to get some sleep after a long night 😂

We cooked breakfast over the campfire, heated Bug’s bottles over the fire throughout the day, and simply enjoyed slowing down.

Sunna had a wonderful time too. We tied her out so she could safely explore the campsite, and she spent the day running around, sniffing absolutely everything, and apparently deciding that undeveloped pecans and walnuts were a perfectly acceptable snack.

Dinner… well…

Let’s just say the steaks became a little more “charcoal grilled” than “charcoal grilled.” 😂

It’s been a while since we’ve cooked over a fire, so we’ll call it practice.

One thing that did surprise us was Sunna.

The fireworks didn’t bother her one bit.

The biggest challenge all weekend was definitely the weather.

Coming from the dry mountains of Colorado, we’re still adjusting to Ohio’s heat and humidity. Portable fans, bottles of water poured over our heads and necks, and a couple of cool showers throughout the day became our best friends.

Sunday brought rain from morning until night.

That meant our planned campfire dinner turned into a McDonald’s run instead.

When we got home today, I finally made the chicken and corn we’d packed for camping but never got to cook because of the weather.

After a long weekend, it was nice to simply slide dinner into the oven and enjoy a home-cooked meal without having to think too much.

The weekend also gave us something else to think about.

We’re seriously considering tent camping for the next three months instead of hauling the Wolf Pup everywhere.

It would save quite a bit on fuel and campground costs, and honestly, we’ve really enjoyed getting back to the simplicity of tent camping.

I already have a checklist started of everything we’d need, so we’ll make the final decision later this month as we prepare for the next leg of our tour.

No matter what we decide…

I’m looking forward to the adventure.

Thank you to everyone who’s been following along with our little journey so far.

I’ve also been thinking about adding some cooking and baking posts between our travel updates, so you might start seeing a few recipes pop up here and there.

Until then, I hope everyone had a safe, relaxing, and memorable Fourth of July.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

🧡

Foxfire & Freeways: Building a Home… One Coop at a Time

Today found me outside in nearly 90-degree heat, assembling a chicken coop for our two accidental family members—Thelma and Louise.

At one point I felt less like I was putting together a coop and more like I was trying to assemble the Avengers. There were parts everywhere, instructions that seemed more like suggestions, and enough screws to build a small spaceship.

Thankfully, by the time the sun started making its way west, it finally gave me a little shade.

It didn’t make it any cooler…

…but at least I wasn’t baking quite as much. 😅

As tomorrow marks the beginning of July, it also marks the beginning of another busy chapter.

This month is all about preparing for our three-month tour starting in August.

There are still projects around the house to finish, supplies to organize, and plenty of lists to work through before we hit the road again.

One thing I was especially thankful for was finding a few wonderful people willing to check on Thelma and Louise while we’re gone.

I told them they could keep any eggs the girls decide to lay while we’re away.

Seems like a fair trade…

Fresh eggs for them.

No surprise chicks for us. 😂

Little by little, this house is beginning to feel more like home.

The road will always call us.

But it’s nice knowing we’ll have a place to come back to when the adventure pauses for a while.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Life Lately

It feels like another festival weekend has come and gone in the blink of an eye.

First, I owe my readers a little apology for being so quiet lately.

Life has simply been busy.

Between trying to get the house organized, tackling projects, and preparing to be on the road again for nearly three months starting in August, social media and blogging have taken a back seat for a little while.

Sometimes you have to live the story before you can write it.

Even though it’s been quiet online, life around here hasn’t slowed down one bit.

Bug has been growing faster than I can keep up with. He has a third bottom tooth coming in, he’s almost walking on his own, has mastered high fives, waves goodbye like a little pro, and is doing his best to tell us stories in his own little language.

It’s amazing how much can change in just a few weeks.

Sunna is growing right alongside him. Training has slowed down a bit, but that’s part of having a puppy. She’s learning every day, gaining confidence, and becoming more and more a part of our little traveling family.

Thelma and Louise have gotten so much bigger too. We’re still waiting on their coop to arrive so they can move into their new home. Before long, we’ll hopefully be collecting fresh eggs from two chicks that were never supposed to become pets in the first place.

Funny how life works sometimes.

As for us parents…

We’re doing well.

Mostly just tired.

House projects have a way of making every evening feel productive and exhausting at the same time, but seeing each room slowly come together makes all the work worth it.

The Ohio Viking Festival was another wonderful weekend.

We met so many genuinely kind people, and one of the biggest surprises was discovering just how many of them actually live nearby. Ohio is already starting to feel a little smaller and a lot more like home.

One of the moments that meant the most to me personally was meeting several Deaf people at the festival.

For most of my life I’ve rarely had anyone to truly sign with. None of the people closest to me know sign language, and growing up I often felt like I was navigating that part of my world alone.

So spending time with people who understood that experience without needing an explanation meant more than I can really put into words.

Sometimes you don’t realize how much you’ve missed something until you find it again.

Bug made a new friend too.

He met another little boy who’s only two days younger than him, and since they live nearby we’re already talking about getting the boys together for playdates.

I have a feeling that’s the beginning of a pretty special friendship.

The weekend wasn’t without its challenges. The summer heat gave Bug a pretty good sunburn despite our best efforts—occupational hazard of being a fair-skinned little redhead. Thankfully the misting stations around the festival became his favorite place to cool off.

Now we’re counting down to another big milestone.

At the end of July our little Bug turns one year old.

I honestly don’t know where this past year went.

It feels like yesterday he was tiny enough to fit in one arm, and now he’s determined to walk everywhere on his own.

Next stop is Montana in August.

There are still boxes to unpack, projects to finish, and lists that somehow keep getting longer instead of shorter.

But that’s life right now.

Busy.

Beautiful.

Sometimes exhausting.

Always worth it.

And I’ve also been thinking…

Since I love cooking and baking, I might start sharing a few recipes and kitchen adventures here too.

After all, good food has been part of this journey from the very beginning.

We’ll see where that road leads.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Happy First Father’s Day to Hubs!

Last Father’s Day, Walter was still in the belly bakery, almost finished cooking and completely unaware of the chaos he was about to unleash on our lives.

Fast forward one year, and now he’s earthside, mobile, opinionated, and determined to inspect everything he probably shouldn’t touch.

This year has been a wild ride. We’ve moved across multiple states, survived festivals, long road trips, camper adventures, sleepless nights, teething, diaper explosions, and somehow added a puppy to the mix because apparently life wasn’t exciting enough already.

Through it all, you’ve jumped into fatherhood headfirst. You’ve been the jungle gym, the snack provider, the entertainer, the diaper changer, the cuddle buddy, and occasionally the designated distraction while I try to accomplish basic human tasks.

One of my favorite things is watching Walter’s face light up when he sees you. No matter what’s going on, Dad is still one of the coolest people in his world.

A year ago, we were waiting to meet him. Today, we’re chasing him around the house while he practices his newest skills and keeps us both on our toes.

Thank you for being such a great dad, partner, road trip companion, and for embracing all the adventures, planned or otherwise, that life keeps throwing our way.

Happy First Father’s Day. We love you, even if we’re both secretly responsible for most of your gray hairs. 😂🧡

— Lori, Walter, Sunna, and the rest of the traveling circus 🦊🐺🚐

🧡 Happy Father’s Day 🧡