I Found a Little Piece of Me in Yellowstone National Park

I found a little piece of me here in Yellowstone National Park. I found it amidst the meadows, geysers, the scouring of the treetops for grisly bears and Bison romping in the middle of the road creating a traffic jam of entertainment that lasted 7 minutes.

Everywhere I look, there is awe to be had. It is June here. I slurp my morning coffee to the sound of chirping birds, and a steady river flows outside our bus. What’s not to love?

Each day it rains in the afternoon, making it near impossible to workout outside. When I do, though, it’s in front of everyone. Jeff, a retired postman in his fifth wheeler on our right and a couple in their Airstream, Brad and Shannon (who swear they’re not stalking us) to our left. We met them at our last stop in Missoula at Jim and Mary’s RV park. They too, come from Colorado. 

There’s a secret handshake in the RV living world. It’s in the knowing that what was once considered odd is now considered entirely acceptable. Like if you want to walk around the park in your PJ pants, or walk your dog with a glass a wine, or place a kooky carved wooden sign on your awning, or stake pink flamingo garden ornaments outside your RV—go at it. Or if you want to do a routine of step-one-two-and-side lunge with 10-pound weights in your hands outside your bus, or empty a container filled with urine down a hole to the side of your bus, have at it. 

There’s no judgment in the way we choose to live here because all of us have jumped the wall from what is considered the American dream with the white picket fence—with two cars in the garage to actually living our real dream of being free.

It’s quieter here, with roads and roads of open space to think—or not to think. I can breathe a little better, think a little clearer, and be a little more.

I’ll miss you, Yellowstone.

Written by @robyncruze 

Photos by the gorgeous @sustainyourrecovery 

A special thank you to our partners, Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavior Health for supporting Wide Wonder for a year.