Summer in Minnesota: A Season of Change, Challenges & Cherished Moments ☀️🏕️
There’s no better time to be in Minnesota than Summer. Beautiful weather (when the storms aren’t rolling in), long days filled with family and friends, and that unmistakable Midwest magic.
But this Summer? It was a hectic one.
The Big RV Upgrade: Trading Up for a Toy Hauler 🚛
After a year of deep thinking, we realized that our current RV setup wasn’t quite meeting our needs. Enter: the Momentum Toy Hauler—the rig that would (hopefully) allow us to live our best life on the road.
Sounds simple, right? Wrong. 😅
Moving from one RV to another was a full-blown event. Huge shoutout to Brenda, who saved our sanity on moving day. And then came the “COVID purchase” struggles—the rumors are true, folks. So. Many. Issues. Getting warranty work done? Yeah, good luck with that.
One of the biggest reasons we made the switch? A residential reclining couch. It was non-negotiable—especially with Nick’s upcoming oral surgery. The problem? Getting one inside the RV.
Three failed furniture attempts and a month later… we finally had our dream couch. 🙌
Beyond the RV Chaos: A Summer Full of Love & Laughter ❤️
Despite the RV headaches, this Summer was overflowing with good times:
- Volleyball crew reunions
- Aitkin class reunion & the Karpen Summer party 🎉
- 4th of July in Forest Lake 🇺🇸
- Family time in Stillwater
- Dinner with work friends
- Visiting Dad’s cross—always a special moment
Since we boondocked most of the Summer, I also became an expert at pumping the sewer into the homestead’s septic tank—definitely an unexpected highlight. 😂 Meanwhile, Nick got his long-awaited smoker and put it to good use, serving up some seriously delicious pork, ribs, and salmon.
We even did a little cruising in a Corvette and an old Cadillac—because why not?
Ending with a Bang (Literally) 🚙💥
Just when we thought we were in the clear, a lady sideswiped Nick while he was towing the RV. Fun times. Thankfully, no one was hurt and the damage was fixable, but it was definitely not the sendoff we had planned.
Heading South Once Again 🌅
With Summer winding down, it was time to hit the road again in September. Despite the challenges, Minnesota gave us another unforgettable season. 💛
