After spending the initial days of our journey soaking in nature’s beauty in Montana, it was time to visit our loved ones.
Our first stop was to see my brother in Idaho. We have been to Idaho several times, and it never fails to mesmerize us with its breathtaking views. According to https://visitidaho.org/, Idaho has over 130 hot springs you can soak in, 25,000 miles of hiking and backpacking trails, and twenty-eight state parks. Additionally, it has thirty-one scenic byways, the most of any state.
As we approached Monida’s Pass at the Montana/Idaho border, I felt a rush of excitement. My brother had a severe accident ten months ago, and we almost lost him. It was a wake-up call for Brian and me, reminding us of how uncertain life can be. We realized that we must cherish every moment, which was one of the reasons we chose a nomadic lifestyle. I couldn’t wait to see my brother and the progress he had made.
Unfortunately, our motorhome started to run rough as we pulled up to my brother’s house, and we knew something was wrong. We had to park the Big Tan Turtle as soon as possible, but it died before we could even get it into the driveway. I got out, gave my brother a big bear hug, and we went to work on diagnosing the problem. After troubleshooting, we got the motorhome running again and parked it.
Brian and I set up Sailor’s area in the motorhome and headed inside to visit the family. The kids had grown so much since our last visit, and my brother looked good, though he had to use a walker. We were all so proud of him and the progress he had made. The rest of the evening we just visited, enjoyed each other’s company, and thanked my brother and his wife for helping us get to Montana ten years ago. We feel grateful to call Montana our home.
The next day, we had to address the motorhome’s issue so that we could continue our trip. Brian and my brother worked together to figure out what was going on with the Big Tan Turtle. We had only gone 507 miles so far, and there were thousands more to go. However, we remained determined and positive. The problem seemed to be the fuel filter, which we replaced after a trip to the part store. Now, we could focus on helping my brother and his family.
One of the benefits of living a nomadic lifestyle is that we can help others when needed. Our loved ones have supported us throughout our journey, and this was an opportunity to give back. My brother and his family were moving to a new house, and he didn’t need to lift anything because of his injury. We helped load the truck and enjoyed some time in the great outdoors. It was a beautiful day to be outside, we all soaked up the sunshine and breathed in the fresh Idaho air.
We spent four wonderful days with my brother and his family. We had a lot of fun, took care of business, and cherished every moment with our loved ones. Now, it was time to prepare the motorhome for the next part of our cross-country journey to visit family. We stocked up on supplies, charged our devices, and checked that the Big Tan Turtle was ready for the road. After saying our good-byes and taking the motorhome for a quick spin around the neighborhood, we hopped on the interstate.
See you again soon my brother. Next stop, Utah for some more nature time.