The Great State of Texas

After wrapping up our adventure in Arkansas, we had two good reasons to head to Texas. First, I had a flight to catch at DFW Airport for a work Christmas trip. Second, my sister Annie and her husband Clayton live in the Dallas area, and we thought it would be a perfect way to spend the end of November and December! Plus, we couldn’t miss the chance to reconnect with some childhood friends we hadn’t seen since Annie’s wedding a couple of years ago. 

We started our Texas journey without much of a solid plan, apart from visiting family and friends and catching my flight. But since the flight wasn’t for a couple of weeks, we had some time to explore. And what better way to spend that time than by relaxing near some lakes? Finding free camping spots in Texas, however, wasn’t as easy as we’d hoped—there aren’t many BLM (Bureau of Land Management) areas in the state, which is where you can typically camp for free. Still, we managed to discover a few great spots near Lake Whitney and Lake Granbury, both of which turned out to be amazing places to visit! 

Coming from the Great Lakes State, we’ve always loved lakes. Having our own little slice of lakefront property, even for just a few days, is one of the coolest perks of Van Life, if you ask me. During this time, we enjoyed some peaceful moments alone, got a better hang of life on the road, and began planning for 2025—it was right around the corner after all! While exploring, we saw our first alligator gar (thankfully, it was dead and washed up on shore), and we found out about sand burrs the hard way—they weren’t too kind to Bear’s paws. On a brighter note, this was where we learned to master Starlink, a game-changer for working remotely in areas with limited WiFi. 

After several stunning sunrises and sunsets by the lakes, we made our way into the city to visit family and friends. We met up with my sister and brother-in-law for dinner, and let me tell you—navigating the Dallas highway system is a wild experience! The construction there makes Michigan’s look tame, but we made it and had an awesome time catching up with them. Unfortunately, our time together was short as they were heading to Tennessee for Thanksgiving with most of my dad’s side of the family. And yes, I know what you’re thinking: “Why didn’t you join them?” Well, I still had that upcoming flight, and let’s be honest, gas isn’t free when you’re on a budget. 

Thankfully, the Boboltz family—longtime friends of my parents—invited us to spend Thanksgiving with them. Their hospitality meant we didn’t have to spend the holiday at Cracker Barrel, and for that, I’m forever grateful. We spent the next few days enjoying their company and relaxing in one spot. It felt like a much-needed pause after so much time spent on the road since leaving Tennessee. One of the biggest lessons I took from this time in Texas was the value of slowing down and taking a breather—it’s something we often forget when we’re trying to see and do it all. 

With just a few days left before my flight, Jill and I decided to base ourselves at a state park near the airport. We set up camp, got settled, and I took some time to teach Jill how to use the Starlink (I’m usually the one who handles it). As we were setting up, Bug’s backpack accidentally turned on our touch-screen stove, creating an insane amount of smoke! Thankfully, there was no serious damage—just a good reminder to be extra careful in such a small space. Once everything was set, I made sure Jill and the van were all good before grabbing an Uber to the airport. Side note: DFW Airport’s layout is something else entirely—definitely not my favorite. But with that, I was off to Las Vegas! (Stay tuned for a post about my Vegas adventures next week.) 

While I was away, Jill managed to keep things running smoothly—though not without a little excitement of her own. With our two fur babies in tow, things got interesting. After the almost-fire incident, Bug’s backpack ended up with a small hole. Jill tried her best to make it work by covering the hole with a shoe, but Bug still managed to escape. When Bear’s boundless energy scared Bug, she bolted toward the tree line. Jill swiftly put Bear in the van and made a mad dash after Bug. Luckily, Bug is both scared of her shadow and incredibly attached to Jill, so she froze at the tree line long enough for Jill to scoop her up and bring her back safely. 

Once I returned from Vegas, we met up with Annie, Clayton, and the Boboltz family again to celebrate Annie’s college graduation with my parents. Shortly after, we packed up and started our journey back to the Great White North for Christmas. 

Thanks so much for following along on our journey! Be sure to check back next week for a crazy story about my first time meeting my coworkers and my first Vegas adventure. Let’s just say... not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. 😉