Becky and her dad were planning on taking the entire month of October for an epic road trip across the United States. This isn’t something you just get up one morning and do, though, so they planned a short trial run in September: two days at the family property in La Pine, using the same rig and gear as for the bigger trip.

It was a great way to get to know the trailer and all the gear, as well as trying out being together. Becky has never done anything this big with just her dad and her, so the relationship issues were getting shaken out just as much as the equipment was.

Mostly they puttered around the property. Becky did some painting. The big trip was planned. Becky learned how to drive the truck with the trailer hooked up, and they went on a 7½-mile hike around Paulina Lake. The kinks got worked out, and they felt a lot more ready.