4,365 Miles Later

Yes, you read that correctly. Our Southwestern road trip totaled 4,365 miles! We are so grateful that we decided to “turn off auto-pilot” and truly live. People keep asking us what was our favorite part of the trip. It is so hard to pinpoint one thing. Each state, each national park, each beach, each scenic route, each tour, each city is so unique.

We all agree that it is each moment that becomes so special and makes so many memories. Traveling has become a passion for us. It is where we not only learn about history, geography, other cultures, traditions, environments, but more importantly, we learn and enjoy being with each other as a family. It allows us to live up to our Barefoot Nation message of Keep Life Fun, Get Grounded, and Free Yourself for each apparel collection. In these moments we can focus on what life is truly all about.
Our road trip rules are:

  1. No definite plans
  2. No reservations ahead of time
  3. No final destinations
  4. No chain hotels when possible
  5. No eating at chain restaurants

These rules can lead to lots of nail-biting, but it makes the trip quite interesting! Sometimes, you have to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things. For example, in California, we were really only thinking to visit San Diego area. Once we were there, we realized how many other cool little spots and towns there were to see. We only learned about Ventura while traveling the coast, and it ended up being one of our favorite spots. Another time, we found the Apache Trail Scenic Route by accident and it was breathtaking! Then, one night, we were in a very small town in Arizona, and we thought the restaurant and food we were going to have to eat was going to be terrible. Ended up, we met the most interesting owner who had such a great story, and the food was delicious! Chain hotels can be nice since you know exactly what to expect. However, when we were able to find a unique inn, again, it led to such great people, stories, and intricate details of places, we could have never known of on our own. We could go on and on, but if we had made definite plans, we would have never encountered so many wonderful adventures.

Austin, Texas was our final stop and we surely enjoyed the area. It was nice to have the “big city” feel if you wanted things to do. However, the Hill Country and all the lakes and rivers were where we were able to live the Barefoot Nation lifestyle and enjoy the many activities it has to offer. So, yes, we are back home now, and school will soon begin for us. Even though we will be in a routine, we still have to remember to take the time to find those moments of Freedom For the Sole.

~Road Warriors