It was another eventful week here on the road, and we have some exciting updates to share.
First, we think we have officially left our tiny trailer intruder behind in Louisiana! We have not found any signs of our little mouse friend since arriving in Texas, and that makes us very happy. Hopefully, he decided Louisiana was a much better place to live than our pantry.
This week, all three puppies made a trip to the vet. Like many young puppies, little Marble was diagnosed with worms. Fern ended up having ear infections in both ears, while our little shaky-headed Ivy was given a clean bill of health. After everyone got their shots, medications, and lots of love, we were able to continue on with our week.
Now for the major announcement we have been teasing...
We bought a new truck!
That’s right! We are now the proud owners of a 2026 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Dual Rear Wheel.
At first glance, it looks very similar to our previous truck, but it comes with some major upgrades. The decision was not exactly planned. After leaving Florida, we stopped at a weigh station and discovered we were overweight by approximately 1,200 to 1,500 pounds. Needless to say, that was not good.
Once we realized the situation, William immediately started searching for a truck that could safely handle our setup. After a lot of research, he found exactly what we needed at Group 1 Buick GMC South in Houston, Texas.
The entire buying experience was incredible. William did not have to visit the dealership to complete paperwork or negotiate. Everything was handled remotely, and all he had to do was show up and pick up the truck. It was waiting out front, ready to go.
A huge shoutout goes to Jose, our salesman, Willie in finance, and Jonathan, the finance manager, for making the entire process seamless. They even helped us address some contractual items in the agreements to make sure we are covered while on the road, which made the experience even more stress-free. It was honestly the easiest vehicle purchase either of us has ever experienced. From start to finish, the team at Group 1 Buick GMC South went above and beyond to make sure everything was handled smoothly, and we could not be happier with how it all worked out.
With the purchase of the new truck came a change in our travel plans. We decided to stay an additional week in Columbus, Texas, while we got everything settled and put some miles on the new truck.
That meant we had all day Saturday available for an adventure.
Since the new truck needed about 500 miles on it before towing, Krysta started searching for things to do nearby. Before long, we found ourselves headed to Space Center Houston for Breakfast with an Astronaut.
And wow... what an experience.
The astronaut hosting breakfast that morning was Colonel Bill McArthur, a veteran NASA astronaut who flew on four spaceflights. He spent time sharing stories from his career before opening the floor for questions.
One of our favorite moments came during the Q&A session when someone asked him which mission was his favorite. Instead of answering directly, he looked at a woman in the audience and asked, “Are those your two children?”
She replied yes.
He then smiled and said, “Okay, now tell me which one is your favorite.”
The entire room burst into laughter.
He followed up by explaining that any time an astronaut gets to be in space, it is the best mission. It was such a perfect answer and gave everyone a glimpse into his personality.
The breakfast itself was delicious, featuring eggs, fruit, waffles, hash browns, fried chicken, and cinnamon rolls. Everything tasted great, although it could have been a little warmer.
After breakfast, we spent the next five hours exploring the rest of the space center.
One thing we quickly learned is that you truly do not understand how massive the Saturn V rocket is until you are standing next to it. Pictures simply do not do it justice.
William’s favorite exhibit was the Falcon 9 booster display. The booster on display was B1035, the first booster ever reused for a NASA mission and the seventh booster SpaceX successfully reused. It previously flew missions CRS-11 and CRS-13, making it a significant piece of spaceflight history.
By the time we finished touring, our heads were filled with stories of astronauts, space exploration, and dreams of future missions to Mars.
Since we were already in the area, we decided to continue south to Galveston and ride the ferry across Galveston Bay. The ferry was enormous, and it was fun driving right onto the boat and crossing the water.
On the return trip, we drove through Crystal Beach and were amazed by all the colorful stilt houses lining the coastline. It was such a unique area and made for a beautiful drive.
Eventually, we made it back home to three very excited puppies who were more than ready to see us.
We also managed to put nearly 500 miles on the new truck in a single day. William plans to finish the remaining break-in miles this week while Krysta is working.
Speaking of work, Krysta continues to love her new job and is feeling incredibly welcomed and supported by her new team.
Looking ahead, next weekend is shaping up to be one of our busiest travel weekends yet. We have a three-day travel stretch ahead of us and plenty more adventures on the horizon.
So stay tuned. You will not want to miss what is next on our journey.
See you next week from the road! 🚐❤️
