The Miles That Made Us
29,000 miles, 44 National Parks, and the lessons we brought home to four walls.
June 2025 - June 2026
Everywhere USA
"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." Psalm 24:1
Turns out the road trip is the ultimate conversation starter or sustainer. We covered so much ground and experienced so many things that I can almost always find something in common with total strangers. At a minimum, people are generally intrigued by the idea of adventuring on the road for a year and want to know more.
The most common question we get is, “What was your favorite place?” It’s a valid question, but it only scratches the surface of our experience. After several months of reflection, I think the question we are thinking about is, “What did you learn?”
So, here are the two takeaways that stand out to me.
You Are Capable of More Than You Think
When we started the trip, a two-to-three-mile hike would elicit groans and protest from the kids. By the end, hiking 10+ miles up to a mountain peak and back was no big deal. How did we get there? By gradually pushing our limits and showing the kids that they were physically capable of much more than their minds would initially lead them to believe.
Weary hikers after over 20 miles down to the Colorado RIver and back up at the Grand Canyon
While this wasn’t a new lesson for me – it is truly the defining concept of Navy SEAL training – it was really fun to watch the kids learn it in real time. I believe that their ability to overcome obstacles while hiking, biking, rock climbing, paddleboarding, and skiing will translate into a lifetime of resilience for the future.
After hiking/scrambling for 5 hours to reach a glacier in North Cascades National Park
Don’t Believe Your Feeds
Over 29K miles, we didn't just see the changing landscapes of America — we met the people who define it. We shared conversations and campgrounds with people from across every imaginable spectrum: race, age, and religion; political ideologies and economic backgrounds; rural towns and urban centers.
Contemplating a Puebloan Kiva with strangers in a cliffside dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park
Yet, the most profound lesson from the road was how quickly those dividing lines blurred. Whether sitting by a campfire or chatting at a trailhead, we discovered that regardless of where people fall on a map or a demographic chart, they generally want the very same things out of life: safety for their families, a purpose for their days, and a better future for their children. Ultimately, we returned home with a profound truth: As God’s children and as Americans we have far more in common than we have differences.
Inside Old Faithful Inn (Yellowstone), the largest log structure in the world
We learned firsthand that social media is an entirely inaccurate barometer for the hearts and minds of real Americans. While online algorithms thrive on conflict, studies show that only a tiny fraction of people (3-7%) actually post the polarizing, controversial content that dominates feeds.
A welcoming church group who graciously shared their ropes with us near Mount Rushmore, SD
Nate helping neighbors who locked themselves out of their RV
Qualitatively, our experience supports the thesis that the vast majority of the country isn't fighting on the internet; they are working, raising families, exploring the outdoors, and quietly helping their neighbors.
Roberts on the Road
For those just finding us, hello! Inspired by the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25, our family went on a yearlong RV road trip in 2025-2026 to celebrate my husband’s retirement after 20 years in Naval Special Warfare, as well as our 24 years together during the ups and downs of it all.
With our 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son in tow, this trip to explore America’s national parks and beautiful places helped our family reflect and reset as civilian life begins.
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For background info on who we are and why we went, we’d love for you to read the intro post. Our wrap-up post sharing stories from the entire trip is here. The full list of road trip blog posts can be found here. Thanks for stopping by!
