Two years ago we put everything we owned in storage, packed a few things (which now I realize was a lot of things) and set out to travel the country via semi truck. I had zero expectations and zero understanding of over the road life and what I was getting into. No matter how prepared I thought I was, I wasn’t. The one thing I did know is I was beyond blessed to create a life in a 5×5 space with my best friend and the love of my life. That being said, living with a significant other on the road is not something I would recommend to many.
Roger and I learned how to make our relationship work, and last, while being on the road. We learned communication and patience. We respected each other and learned what an amazing team we really do make. Roger and I made a million plus memories while traveling the highways. I learned to cook on the road and had a blast doing it. For the first 18 months I used an electric skillet and crock-pot to make everything from ribs to spaghetti.
About 6 months ago I changed over to the Instant-pot and microwave. I love cooking in the truck and having that time at the end of our day to just sit and make something nice for us to enjoy. Let’s not be irrational, every day was not hot meals. Some days we had sandwiches or fast food due to our schedule. Regardless of how rough our week looked Roger always tried to plan for us to be able to see something and experience something. Together we enjoyed the beaches in Florida, The Cypress Preserve, Pirate Cruise in the Gulf of Mexico,The Smokey Mountains, The Appalachian Trail, Broadway in Nashville, Amish Country, The Hill Country of Texas, The Rocky Mountains and pretty much everything in between.
A few things that I think you can only learn from living on the road:
- Buy the funnel. Even if you think you will never use it, buy the funnel.
- There is nothing like home cooking, in a kitchen with running water.
- A hot shower can turn your week around.
I have made some amazing friends that have become like family to me here at DTS. I look forward to seeing you on the DTS Family Network Facebook page. I have appreciated everyone’s help and kindness as I have figured out this life through trial and error. To say I have been blessed is an understatement.
By Amy Willtrout
Check out more from Amy
