2024 was a wild ride full of plans, unexpected detours, and, as always, a dash of adventure. If there’s one thing we know, our travel plans are more like guidelines—because life on the road loves to throw surprises our way.
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2024 Recap
We kicked off 2024 with big dreams and shared them in our planning podcast. The goal was to wrap up wintering in sunny Yuma, Arizona, soaking up desert sunsets and quirky events like Howling at the Moon. We had plans to explore Lake Havasu, visit the wild-donkey-ruled town of Oatman (with Walter the Donkey as its mayor!), and then spend Kylie’s birthday in Vegas! The kiddos get to choose where to spend their birthday every year, and Kylie wanted to hang out in Vegas this year.
Next on the list was to check Death Valley off our National Parks bucket list—our only new U.S. park this year. Afterward, we’d head north through Nevada to Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains and revisit old favorites like Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
But—plot twist!—our Jeep decided Death Valley would be its final hurrah. It broke down in the middle of the desert. We towed it back to Yuma with the RV to get it fixed. Spoiler alert: we came out of this adventure with a new Jeep.
A fun side story: the new owner of our old Jeep found us through the dusty outline of our website sticker on its window and reached out. It gave us all a smile! Kylie even joked about visiting the Jeep.
Once we swapped vehicles, we returned to the open road, retracing our route through Nevada. We made the most of it, seeking out hot springs and off-road trails. After shaking off the dust of Nevada, we finally rolled into Idaho—a little behind schedule but ready to soak in its rugged charm.
The Sawtooth Mountains? Absolutely jaw-dropping! Every time we visit Idaho, we fall more in love. This trip was no exception. We’re already plotting our return to this slice of heaven because it’s just that good.
I (Kristen) had a work trip to Chicago, and the only reasonable airport we could fly out of was… Jackson Hole. Trust me, I scoured every option. Flying out of Jackson Hole meant an unplanned detour to the area—I got my way, after all!
We stayed there for a few weeks, and Jackson Hole Airport is hands-down the best airport I’ve ever flown out or into. Picture breathtaking mountain views as your pre-flight backdrop.
This detour did come with a trade-off. Unfortunately, we had to skip Yellowstone, but Glacier National Park more than made up for it. The timing worked in our favor as the Going-to-the-Sun Road opened right before we arrived, allowing us to make a few awe-inspiring trips into the park.
We even spent the 4th of July in Hungry Horse, Montana, where the celebrations were chaotic and unforgettable. There were fireworks, small-town vibes, and a little “what just happened?”
But Glacier wasn’t without its delays. Tony finally decided to sell his Nikon camera and lenses and switch to Sony. While the new gear was exciting, the shipping timeline wasn’t. We ended up stuck in the area longer than planned, waiting for the new setup to arrive. At least we had Glacier’s jaw-dropping views to keep us entertained while we waited!
Once Tony’s new camera gear arrived, we packed up and made our way into Canada—starting on the British Columbia side instead of Alberta as planned. This change of plans led us through some stunning spots like Kootenay, Yoho, Glacier (in British Columbia), and Revelstoke National Parks before heading to the famous Icefields Parkway and exploring Banff and the surrounding areas.
Jasper National Park closed due to wildfires and never reopened while we were there. Talk about a bummer, but that gives us an excuse to head back someday!
We squeezed in a couple of fun detours on our way out of Canada. First, we swung by Vulcan, where Star Trek fans can enjoy the town’s space-themed charm. Ttown’se made a pit stop at some filming locations for the TV series Heartland. Our kids loved this show for years, so seeing familiar spots from the series in person was a sweet little family moment.
Before crossing back into the U.S., we checked out Waterton National Park. After arriving in North Dakota, we planned a visit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and experienced a fantastic Dark Sky event.
Tony signed up for the Beet Harvest again, and as always, it was a whirlwind of hard work, dirt, and (let’s be honest) some pretty sweet pay. The good news is that we didn’t have a ladybug problem this year!
Once the harvest wrapped up, we started heading south. Along the way, we stayed at a few campgrounds in North Dakota before running into an unexpected winter storm in New Mexico.
Eventually, we made it to Cottonwood, where we spent time with visiting family and tackled some much-needed RV repairs. Because what’s RV life without a bit of duct tape and elbow grease?
We’re wrapping up the year back where it all began—sunny Yuma, one of the best places to soak up some holiday cheer. Christmas in Yuma is truly something special, and this year, we jumped right into the festivities with the light parade and squeezed in another Howling at the Moon event.
The girls took their first big step into the braces journey—Stage One is officially underway. Let’s say the “teeth drama” has begun, and we’re bracing (pun intended) for what’s to come. Wish us luck.
Looking back, 2024 was a year of revisiting old favorites and breaking new ground. While we didn’t add any new states to our map, we did tick off one new country—Canada—exploring two stunning provinces, Alberta and British Columbia.
National Park lovers that we are, we managed to visit one new park in the U.S. and six breathtaking ones in Canada. This year, we had the incredible opportunity to contribute to Trails Offroad by mapping eight excellent trails across the U.S. and Canada!
It was not a bad haul for a year that threw us more curveballs than we expected.
Here’s to an even more adventurous 2025!
Podcast Links
You can also listen to 2021, 2022, and 2023 wrap episodes.
Updates from The Faiolas
Episode 112: Behind the scenes of our family
Episode 114: Thunderstorms, Lake Havasu Adventures, and Howling at the Moon
Episode 118: Neon Dreams: Kylie’s 11th Birthday Bash in Vegas
Episode 119: Breakdowns to Breakthroughs: Challenges on the road
Episode 121: Buying a New JKylie’sFull-Time RVers: Our Journey and Lessons Learned
Episode 128: Updates from The Faiolas June and July 2024
Episode 138: Back with Updates from North Dakota!
Episode 140: Free Campgrounds in Nebraska, Family Time, and Sedona Jeep Trails
RV Guides
Episode 109: Exploring Utah’s Dinosaur Land and Beyond
Episode 115: Family Adventures in the Grand Canyon State
Episode 120: America’s lowest, hottest, Utah’sriest national park
Episode 122: Exploring Red Rock Canyon Near Las Vegas
Episode 123: ExploringAmerica’s Hidden High Desert Oasis
Episode 125: Twin Falls Adventure Guide From Waterfalls to Canyon Views
Episode 126: ExploringNevada’sWyoming and Scenic Route 89
Episode 127: Best Camping Spots and Highlights near Grand Teton National Park
Episode 129: Experience Yellowstone on a Budget: A Guide to Dispersed Camping Spots
RV Life + Tips
Episode 106: Bugging Out: Keep bugs and rodents out of your RV
Episode 108: The Ultimate Game Guide for RV Families
Episode 110: Essential gadgets and gear for the RV lifestyle
Episode 113: On the road with The Mad Nomads: Family, freedom, and RVing adventures
Episode 116: Homeschooling on the Road: New Adventures in Learning
Episode 124: Collecting National Park Passport Stamps and Other Keepsakes
On Canada:
Episode 117: Getting ready for our Canada adventure
Episode 130: Crossing the Border from the U.S. to Canada
Episode 131: Adventure, wildlife, and beauty in Kootenay National Park
Episode 132: Yoho National Park in Canada: Top Tips for a Family Adventure
Episode 133: Glacier National Park, British Columbia – Mountains, Wildlife, and Glaciers (Part 1)
Episode 134: Glacier National Park in British Columbia: A Scenic Drive-Through (Part 2)
Episode 135: Mount Revelstoke National Park, A Small Park with Big Beauty
Episode 136: A journey through time and beauty in the Icefields Parkway
Episode 137: Icefields Parkway in Canada: The Ultimate Drive-Through (Part 2)
Episode 139: Exploring Drumheller: The Dinosaur Capital of the World
Episode 141: Two Incredible Off-Roading Trails in British Columbia, Blaeberry and Redburn Creek
