Experience of a lifetime: our family RV trip!

This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)

This post has been sponsored by GoRVing, however, all opinions here are my own.

A couple of years ago at a conference in Miami, I met the kind people of GoRVing, a non-profit focused on promoting the RV culture among people who, like us, had never experienced it before. It occurred to me to propose to them a partnership whereby I would recount my first ever RV experience through all my social media channels, and they would, in turn, provide me and my family with an experience we would never forget. You see, my father has always dreamed of embarking on a family trip aboard a motorhome. It was a dream fostered by years of American films, songs, and iconography, as such camping culture is almost inexistent in our native Honduras. And so, for many years it was nothing but a distant, fussy dream we knew my dad entertained. But now, I could see the dream becoming a reality, and here’s the kicker: the trip would be a gift to my parents for their 30th anniversary!

The folks at GoRVing were thrilled for our first-ever foray into the wonderful world of RV’s. Needless to say, if left to my own devices, I couldn’t have planned a trip of this scope which entailed variables so unfamiliar to me, but the people of GoRVing took me by the hand and guided me as we crafted a wonderful and diverse itinerary through the American South West. After a few months of planning and waiting with giddy excitement, the day of the trip came. The Sierra Canales family convened in Las Vegas (my husband, daughter and I drove from Tijuana, while my parents and siblings flew in from Panama and Honduras).

We picked up our Type C motorhome at El Monte RV, where they gave us a quick rundown on the operation of said vehicles. We were initially fazed by their size and wondered if would be able to navigate them out of Las Vegas. Our worries were mostly unfounded, as we quickly grew accustomed to the vehicles’ size and instinctively modified our driving habits.

Driving a motorhome is only half of the RV experience. The other half is learning how to operate a little house on wheels while on the road and once you arrive at campgrounds. Without realizing it, I ended up learning plenty about electrical systems, generators, plumbing and sewage, leveling, efficient storage habits, etc… Hey, I hope this doesn’t intimidate the inexperienced reader; I too was a complete ignorant on all things RV but found the whole trip to have a very gratifying learning curve. And in case you’re wondering: Yes, the beds are super comfortable, and the kitchen can come fully equipped!

When we weren’t on the road through Nevada, Arizona, or Utah, we were busy visiting those beautiful states’ most iconic sites. We were completely awed by the Grand Canyon (both North and South rims), and its unfathomable scale. We found the North Rim to be more secluded and quiet, perfect for contemplation, rest and inspiration. The South Rim was equally spectacular, with more dynamic attractions to spice up the excursion. These included the historical Kolb studio, the nerve-wrecking glass bridge, and several spectacular lookout points with views to the Colorado River. To get the to South Rim, we rode the Grand Canyon Railway, an old-timey train that departed from Williams, AZ (where our campground was also located). The train ride was a gem, complete with country music performers and even a simulation of a robbery straight out of a Western film! Yes, you read that right: bandits seized the train mid-transit the trip back to Williams, and had all of us passengers “stick ‘em up” as they went about collecting their loot (read: tips). Of course, the whole thing was a pantomime filled with humor and charm, but at one point my toddler daughter really believed we were being robbed and began crying inconsolably!

Fortunately, the marshall was in hot pursuit, and got there in time to save the day, much to the relief of our little Isabelita. The marshall’s heroism, along with countryman’s J.J.’s live performance of Zipadeedoodah, and the sight of several deer outside (“Bambis!!”, in baby lingo) were enough to calm our little girl’s spirits.

We also had the pleasure of visiting the breathtaking Bryce Canyon, a geological site with beautifully shaped and colored rock formations. My adventurous brothers quickly descended into the creeks below like intrepid explorers, while the rest of us stayed put above enjoying the views and making the most of the many photo ops. Of all the sites we saw, Bryce Canyon turned out to be my father’s favorite. In terms of scale, it may not hold a candle to the Grand Canyon, but those fantastically-shaped rocks have an otherworldly quality that is impossible not to marvel at.

My husband’s favorite site was Monument Valley. In fact, its inclusion in the itinerary was an express petition of his in the early days of planning the RV trip, as he knew it was a mandatory pilgrimage for any worthy cinefile. And so, we drove to the heart of Navajo nation to witness not only one of the most cinematic landscapes on Earth, but also a very sacred region for the Navajo people. This is a place that inspires reverence and contemplation. My husband simply couldn’t get enough of it, urging me and my mom to hike as close to the famous buttes before sunset, and even waking up before sunrise to capture a timelapse of the dawn.

We stayed in cozy wooden cabins with frontline views to the valley and slept ever-so-soundly in the presence of such a peaceful and grandiose manifestation of millions of years of geology at work. And don’t get me started on the stars!! The sky was so clear it was peppered with thousands upon thousands of them, with the Milky Way visibly splitting the night sky in two. Our little Isabelita is something of a stargazer, and at home she routinely asks us to take her outside to view and say goodnight to the moon and stars. Needless to say, in the starry desert night, she was quite literally a happy camper!

The last two days of the trip we visited the masterpiece of engineering that is the Hoover Dam, and had a chance to wind down in Las Vegas before turning in our homes –I mean, the RV’s!! I find it hard to pick a specific favorite part of the week-long RV trip.

Being able to grant my parents such an unforgettable gift was indeed special, and so was seeing all of us bond after so many years of living in different parts of the world. Then there were the little things like seeing Isabelita marvel at the sight of a coyote afar, or smile with glee as she smelled the cookie-like aroma that came from the pine tree’s resin at the Kaibab Camper Village near North Rim.

Another unforgettable facet of the trip was the people we meet, from the cheerful retirees that were our neighbors in Bryce and let Isabelita walk their dog in the fresh morning, to the Navajo community that welcomed us in their land and gifted our girl with a traditional ocarina. I think I’ll just resolve in saying that the whole trip was EXCELLENT. In fact, I would go as far as to say it was perfect if it wasn’t for the fact that it did leave all of us craving for more. Rest assured, this won’t be our last time RVing!