Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. My dad headed home last week a few days after the kids. Ray had a business trip, so it was just the two of us for a few days. He and I are a lot alike. We geek out over the same stuff, like the night sky and our love of all things sci-fi, so binging Star Trek Picard became a priority. After Yellowstone, the Tetons were our next stop. My dad and I appreciate the majesty of nature in a similar way, and seeing something like the Teton range, and the beauty that surrounds it, was a breathtaking experience, one I’m really glad I could share with him. It’s been a long time since I’ve had my dad all to myself, and it was really lovely.

2. We’re still in Wyoming near the Tetons, so Ray and I got up early Sunday and went into the park. It was a good call because in addition to being far less crowded at the ass-crack of dawn, the animals made a great showing. A giant elk watched us from her place on Signal Mountain, a mama dear and her twin fawns grazed by the side of the road near Jenny Lake, and the bison were hanging out contentedly in the fields. I think early mornings in these parks might be the way to go.

3. Huckleberry everything is popular in Montana, and also here in Wyoming. I’ve recently learned I have a taste for huckleberry infused beer. Yum!

4. Daisy dog is a great travel companion. We take her with us pretty much everywhere unless we’re doing a serious hike where we might encounter wild animals. She’s super popular. The other day an older women who’d recently lost her elderly pup stopped and asked for a cuddle. Daisy happily obliged and I’m sure made that woman’s day. When I picked Ray up at the airport, Daisy was so excited to see him, she yipped, spun in circles, and gave him her biggest smile. We should all strive to be worthy of a dog’s unconditional love.

5. If I’d lived out here in the mountains, I might have become a geologist, and I definitely would have taken up rock climbing. Growing up on the ocean, I didn’t think any type of geography would capture my imagination as much as the coastline, but the mountains sure have come close.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Our itinerary subject to change:

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Palm Springs, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - 9: San Francisco, CA

October 9 - 30: Portland, OR

October 30 - November 15: Seattle, WA

November 15 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA