Jim
Chief Route Planner, Driver, and Chief Mechanical Officer.
Jim is the mastermind behind getting us from Point A to Point B and making sure we take the scenic route whenever possible. He spends plenty of time tinkering with his beast of a truck, keeping it road-ready for whatever adventure lies ahead.
If there’s water nearby, you’ll probably find Jim in it, on it, or headed toward it. Lakes, rivers, oceans, mountain streams—you name it. Boating, paddleboarding, and just about any water sport are at the top of his list of favorite things.
Jim is also constantly on the hunt for great barbecue wherever our travels take us. In fact, he’s such a fan that he doesn’t just enjoy eating BBQ—he loves smoking his own and is always looking for ways to perfect the craft.
As for Big Bertha, he lovingly tolerates towing our home-on-wheels because he knows that’s where Lauri is happiest. Truth be told, Jim could probably set off on an adventure with nothing more than a mattress in the back of his truck and call it good. But because every great expedition needs a comfortable base camp, Big Bertha comes along for the ride.
Lauri:
Logistics Solutions Specialist, Chief Research Officer, and Keeper of the Plans.
Lauri is the organizational force behind our adventures. While some people decide on a trip a few weeks ahead of time, Lauri has been known to plan an adventure up to a year in advance. Routes, campgrounds, attractions, reservations, backup plans, and backup plans for the backup plans—she loves turning a good trip into a great one through careful planning and attention to detail.
When she’s not researching the next stop, you’ll often find her sewing. A travel sewing machine frequently finds its way into Big Bertha because you never know when there might be time for a project. Naturally, this means that quilt shops have a way of appearing on our route just as regularly as barbecue joints do for Jim.
Lauri is also the official trip historian, carefully organizing travel records, photos, notes, and memories from each adventure. She believes that the stories are just as important as the destinations.
As the crew librarian, she is responsible for keeping a steady supply of audiobooks loaded and ready for the road. Countless miles have passed while listening to great stories together. After all, a good audiobook makes the miles fly by and is far more entertaining than playing the Alphabet Game for the hundredth time.
Ruby- the wonder PUP is our three year old Cavapoo. She has been lovingly trained and enjoys going everywhere with us. She is one of those Velcro dogs and is happiest in our lap. She loves exploring towns with us but prefers a good dog park with some playmates. She is so much more than a pet.
Ruby
Chief Security Officer, Campsite Inspector, and Wonder Pup.
Ruby is our three-year-old Cavapoo and a beloved member of the crew. Lovingly trained and always ready for adventure, she goes just about everywhere with us. She’s a true Velcro dog whose favorite place is right beside—or preferably on the lap of—Jim or Lauri.
Ruby enjoys exploring new towns, meeting people, and checking out every campground we visit, but her favorite stops usually include a good dog park and a few playmates.
More than just a pet, Ruby is family. She brings joy, companionship, and plenty of smiles to every mile of our journey.
Big Bertha
Chief Comfort Officer, Mobile Storage Unit, and Occasional Source of Unexpected Projects.
Big Bertha is the largest member of our crew and the reason we can travel in comfort instead of living out of the back of a pickup truck. She carries everything we need and quite a few things we probably don’t.
She serves as our home, office, sewing room, reading nook, dog kennel, coffee shop, and emergency snack storage facility. While she occasionally requires a little extra attention, maintenance, and colorful vocabulary from Jim, she always gets us where we need to go.
Big Bertha may be a bit high-maintenance at times, but she keeps Lauri happy, Ruby comfortable, and gives us a cozy place to call home wherever the road takes us.
Amandus on the Loose! 