From RV Life to Home Life: Our Last Stop in Mitchell, SD

After months of exploring mountains, deserts, canyons, and coastlines, our last official RV stop before heading home was Mitchell, South Dakota. It felt fitting that our farewell tour of RV life included one more quirky roadside icon—the Corn Palace. Driving by the building decked out in murals made of corn was equal parts impressive and hilarious. It was as if South Dakota wanted to remind us that even the simplest things can still surprise you.

From there, the highway stretched out in front of us, pointing east. We were finally on our way back to Illinois.

Coming Home

Pulling into our driveway after a year on the road was… strange. The house that had once felt perfectly normal suddenly felt massive. After living in such a small space, walking into our home was overwhelming.

The moment that really hit me was stepping into my walk-in closet. It felt like walking into the Mall of America with a blank check. Yet at the same time, it was confusing—I hadn’t missed all of this stuff in a year, so why did I have it? Still, I won’t lie: being able to stretch out on a full-sized couch again was pure luxury.

A Big Life Decision

But the biggest moment of coming home wasn’t about closets or couches. It was about Piper. She had lost her best friend Indy on the road, and while she managed, it was clear she missed having a buddy. We knew we wanted to wait before getting another dog, but Piper’s loneliness changed our plans.

We made the decision: while we were home, we’d add another four-legged member to the family. That’s how we welcomed Keva Fox—a blue tick coonhound-beagle mix puppy. The timing was perfect because potty training a puppy in an RV sounded like the worst possible idea. Having a house (with floors not on wheels) gave us a chance to start fresh.

Meet Keva!

A New Adventure Begins

Not long after, we road-tripped out to Amish Country in Pennsylvania to pick Keva up, starting a brand-new chapter. Piper finally had a partner again, and we suddenly found ourselves on a new kind of adventure—raising a puppy and getting her ready for future travels.

RV life might have paused, but with Piper and Keva by our side, adventure was far from over.