Have you ever been face-to-face with a wild baby bison?
Kayla, the Freeway Gypsy, has. Kayla and her parents were visiting Custer State Park in South Dakota, which is home to a herd of over 1,000 free-ranging bison. Each morning at dawn they would wake up to watch them move from one location to the next.
On that day the giant herd surrounded their truck and a little calf approached.
“He was so close and our windows were down,” Kayla said. “He was just there licking the truck and staring at us, like ‘What is this? What are you guys doing here?’ It was such a neat experience. The bison were all right there with us.”
For some, an adventure like this might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For Kayla, it is her life.
We can definitely do this
Kayla and her parents are full-time RVers. One weekend they might be mountain biking in Colorado. A month later they could be watching the sunset in Key West, Fla. Even though they all work nine-to-five jobs, their lives are built around the desire to travel, discover and explore.
Just over a year and a half ago, the family lived a normal life with a house and office jobs. They had rented RVs for many years and they finally decided to buy one so they could take more weekend trips.
Around the same time, they all gained the ability to work from home. They soon realized they had an RV and the flexibility to work wherever they wanted.
“We had always joked about living in our RV,” Kayla said. “Then, we were like, ‘Wait a second. This is something we can take seriously. This is something we can definitely do. We can explore the country and still work our jobs. We will see things that most people don’t ever get to.’ Once we started the process, everything fell into place rather quickly and we left.”
Kayla and her parents hit the road in a Highland Ridge Open Range 3X fifth wheel. Their camper has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, giving them enough space to have their own separate work locations. They work regular hours during the week using Wi-Fi and cell service while their dog bounces between rooms. On the weekends they explore.
So much to see
They rarely step foot inside their camper once Saturday comes around. Instead, they will be out paddle boarding, discovering hidden treasures or soaking up the local atmosphere.
“Full-time RVing has given us the opportunity to see so much of the history of our country and find so many local joints,” Kayla said. “We love meeting all the great people, too. It is so fun to go to a restaurant, chat with some locals and find out what they like to do in the area. We get to learn just how different life is in other parts of the country.”
In one memorable journey, they traveled the full length of the West Coast on Highway 101 from Washington state all the way down to San Diego, Calif.
“The whole route was beautiful and so different,” she said. “You go from Washington with its massive trees and forests to Oregon and its rocky shoreline. Then, when you get to San Diego, you are seeing true flat beaches. That drive was one of our favorite things to do.”
We just want to keep going
Since they hit the road, Kayla has embraced the leisurely lifestyle full-time RVing offers.
“It’s a lot less stressful,” she said. She doesn’t have to worry about the day-to-day commute or chores like yard work. “Even though we are still working and have plenty of things to do each day, it is on a much more simplified level.”
With the allure of easy living on the open road in front of them, Kayla and her parents are in no hurry to return to a sticks-n-bricks house.
“When we started, we didn’t really think that we would want to commit to this for the long term,” she said. “But, now, we really don’t know if we want to settle anywhere. We just want to keep going. We have enjoyed it so much and there is so much to see.”
Follow Kayla and her family on her adventures:
Instagram: @freewaygypsy
Blog and website: http://freewaygypsy.com/
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All photos courtesy and copyright of Freeway Gypsy