Not unlike the wild horses in the photo above, I have just completed a journey that felt, at the beginning, like jumping off a tall cliff into the great unknown. I last wrote to you about starting out on “The Great Farm Hutch Adventure” which would take me across the midwestern United States to my home in Ontario to bring back a treasured piece of Henderson Family history, a farm hutch. After visiting family, I would drive the hutch back north of the 49th Parallel, across the vast Canadian Prairies and then home to Coquitlam British Columbia. I am pleased and a more than a bit stunned to report that I made it! There and back again. In just under 6000 miles and just over two weeks. It was the adventure of a lifetime!

Just before I left a friend reminded me to “never travel faster than your guardian angel can fly.” This was brilliant advice that stayed with me as I drove my rather large pickup truck across interstates and highways on my cross-country quest to return home to family and friends. The journey was an emotional one with grateful memories often bringing tears as I pressed forward, knowing that I would arrive home exactly one year to the day since my Dad passed away. In his lifetime, Dad never got a chance to travel far, but when he did take to the road, he always enjoyed the journey just as much as the destination. I knew he would have loved this journey of 6000 miles across some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen. I often felt him with me in my big old truck, cheering me on and doing what he liked to do best, “crop-gawking” as the miles flew past. And I truly believe that he was my guardian angel as I struggled through some challenging driving conditions and even a close call with a tornado! This trip gave me the chance to appreciate life and the stunningly beautiful and wild world we live in. It was a gift of time to remember and appreciate the good fortune I have had to have this kind, gentle and loving man in my life. I have returned with a grateful, lighter heart.

I have also returned with some suggestions for others who would like to take to the open road on a far-flung driving adventure across the US and Canada. Everyone’s experience should and will be different but here are a few take-aways I have to share before you start out.

Tip #1: Give yourself lots of time; you will need it! I started thinking about this adventure a year ago but was surprised and largely unprepared just days before I left. Work and life intervened. But if I had more time (and a bigger budget) I would have taken a month, not two weeks. There is SO much to see and do and so many people I wished I had time to visit. I am blessed with many cherished friends and family and I regret not having the time to stop in for even a brief visit as I passed by. But on this trip, time did not allow, and I do hope to get a chance to do this again very soon so I can visit more. A good friend along the way reminded me that the world is indeed beautiful, but it is the people you meet along the way that you remember most when you return back home. So, if you can, save up and take a month. Better yet, take two!

Tip #2: Tied very closely to Tip #1, this tip will sound like a cliché (it is) but it IS true: take the road less traveled! Since I had just two weeks, my days were tightly orchestrated and very long. I needed to travel 10-12 hours to make it there and back in the time I had. That’s a long day in any vehicle, let alone a pickup truck. I took the interstates across the US, and the Trans Canada Highway halfway home for a reason. These roads are two lanes wide each way, and move very fast. They are intended for speed. But there are few places to stop and smell the roses and in taking these highways, you miss much of the most amazing spots along the way like character-filled mid-western towns, or gorgeous mountain villages. It wasn’t until I got on the quiet, wide-open Red Coat Trail in Manitoba, that I really had the chance to explore and more easily pull over and take photos. If I had more time, I would have investigated which roads would bring the most value for an explorer. Sites like Road Trippers for instance, can really help you plan for an extraordinary and fun adventure. Plan ahead; you will enjoy it!

Tip #3: Document your experience! Now that many of us have smart phones that allow us to take and share photos with relative ease, there is an ongoing debate over whether you should put the phone away and enjoy the moment, or document as you go. I fall on the side of documenting, as you likely have guessed by the number of photos I shared on Instagram and Facebook. I even created a Twitter hashtag for this journey #TheGreatFarmHutchAdventure, that will help me go back and find my shared photos more easily. But this is not the point of this tip. One of the best, yet most emotional days I had while home was the day that my sister Jen and I sorted through family photos, deciding what to keep and what to scan. Many brought back fond memories and more than a few tears, but I absolutely cherish all of the photos that remind me about our family and all the fun times we have had together, especially now that I cannot see them as often as I would like. It really doesn’t matter what device you use to capture these treasured memories. Remember, the best camera you have is the one you have with you! As an habitual snapper, I really appreciated the quality of the photos I got with my iPhone 6+ and enjoyed being able to share them with you as I drove along. I also brought along my “serious camera” that has a very wide lens and 20 mega pixels, which will allow me to make a photo book of The Great Farm Hutch Adventure, and maybe even print a photo off for my walls back home. If you would like to see the snaps from my “serious camera” I’ve gathered the best of them on my photo website when you have a chance to take a look.

Lastly, I just wanted to share a life lesson learned. The road through grief to gratitude is a long one! Full of many peaks and valleys, tears and laughter, hugs and heartaches. On this two-week adventure I thought often of my Dad, but I also visited a dear friend who recently lost his wife. Every summer for 12 years I would visit this couple on Manitoulin Island to rest and regenerate from a hectic year of publishing. They would welcome me in to their lovely cottage perched peacefully on Lake Huron and we would spend a day exploring the island together. The empty chair at the table is SO very difficult, and I wish the road through grief was shorter with more peaks than valleys for my dear friend. Back home in Alvinston, my sister’s family had to endure the loss of a sweet family pet who brought so much love and light into our family’s lives. Ben, the beautiful golden retriever, always knew when he was most needed. I still can picture him climbing up onto Dad’s bed at the hospice to be nearer to the one that needed him the most. It is so very hard saying good-bye!

Which brings me to the close of this adventure. It WAS so very hard to turn my truck around and head back west to my new home in Coquitlam. Seeing my family grow smaller in my rear view mirror will always be hard, I know that. And so I leave you with one last wish for all of us. Life is so very short! Enjoy each moment you have with your loved ones. Treasure them! Hug a little tighter. But never be afraid to start out on an adventure when you get the chance. You will never regret the memories you make along the way!