We had the pleasure of celebrating Christmas and the New Year with friends and family in the Greater Salt Lake City area. It really was a pleasure. We chose to just pack the truck and drive up, leaving our Airstream in storage in Las Vegas. Leaving our house behind required us to stay as guests with those we visited, and our time spent visiting was richer because of it. Had we brought the house, our time would have been shorter as we attempted to get back home at a reasonable hour, and it would have required more time spent driving hither and yon each day.

We spent the bulk of the time with Jess’s parents in Sandy, UT which is actually where our legal address is. Amid the celebrations were dentist appointments, truck maintenance, and drivers license renewals, and other logistical activities.

Our drive back to Vegas to pick up the house seemed shorter than the drive away from it. It took a shockingly short amount of time to mount the bike rack and bikes, tow to a nearby RV park, and shuffle all the stuff.

I woke up in my own bed, listening to the sound of rain on my little tin roof. It is good to be home.

I have a few observations from our time visiting friends and family, and I’ll share one here:

Of all the time we spent at home, the time I felt most comfortable was when were were out adventuring or running errands. For some reason, errands in particular had this effect. I had a few moments walking around a grocery store, in Target, Costco, or Walmart where I forgot that we were not out traveling. I forgot for a minute that it was below freezing outside. I forgot that we haven’t been on a hike in a month, and that most of the recent days I hadn’t seen my kids for but a few moments here and there. Those moments could have happened in any city and the country, and I missed them.

There is no place like Roam.

For our family, it is the activities, not the places, that make us feel ‘at home’ and comfortable. Though we enjoyed our time over the holidays, I’m glad to be back Roam.