Some trips are about the destination, but this one was about something bigger. My husband, Ryan, wanted to do this for his dad—one big adventure before time and his declining health made it impossible. His father had spent years watching others travel the country on YouTube, dreaming of the places he’d never seen. So, while we still had the chance, we packed up the in-laws and our son in an RV and hit the road.

What we didn’t expect was just how rough the journey would be.

The Behemoth, as we affectionately called our 30-foot RV, was 8,000 pounds of stress on wheels. I was immediately banned from the driver’s seat. Ryan, the only one brave enough to handle it, trucked his way through 176 hours of drive time across 7,634 miles around the United States. Our prayer life grew with every steep descent, especially those 10% grades down mountain roads.

RV life is not for us. It took exactly one night to realize that. Not to mention that our rental came with free cockroaches, which was not advertised in the listing.

But if the driving didn’t break us, the sewage situation nearly did. Here’s a tip: when emptying the waste tank, do not, under any circumstances, let the entire hose slip down the dump station drain hole. Trust me, what comes back out is not what you want to be dealing with. Also, five people in one RV? You can do the math.

Oh, and they try to sell you on the idea that you can cook and use the bathroom while driving for efficiency. Tell that to the burn on my arm from trying to cook while literally surfing inside a moving house. And let’s just say, one small pothole while using the toilet, and you’re no longer on it. Lesson learned.

But despite bumped heads and other sound effects that we won’t speak of, there were moments that made it all worth it. We stood beneath the St. Louis Arch, gazed up at Mount Rushmore, explored the vast beauty of Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Teton and the Grand Canyon. Ryan summed it up best when he said, “There’s nothing quite like standing at the base of Half Dome or looking over the canyon and experiencing the stillness.” We took breaks just to breathe, to soak in the silence and take in all the beautiful sunsets.

This trip was exhausting, uncomfortable, and at times, outright miserable. But it was also unforgettable.

The bumps, bruises and burns will fade, but the memories will last forever. If there’s one thing this trip taught me, it’s don’t wait. If there’s something you’ve been putting off, do it now. Take the trip, make the call, chase the squirrels. Time is not promised and regrets don’t make great souvenirs.