As travelers, many hear about the tall task of those who want to visit every National Park. Some may find it blasphemous but the Bowman family, now known as The American Field Trip, made their dream a reality. After converting an old bus into their home on wheels, they chased after their dream of seeing every National Park with their kids.
Madi, the mom of this group of adventurers, was kind enough to sit down for a tell-all about their excursions from inside the continental U.S. and out. Before the American Field Trip hit the road, they had one important decision to make: what kind of van, trailer, or RV would fit all four of them in one space without making them crazy? The answer came in the form of a shuttle bus.
The bus is big enough to give the Bowman’s the space they needed as they would spend 18 months on the road fitting in all of the best parts of the U.S. As Madi describes, “With a family of 4, we wanted something a bit bigger than a cargo van, but we opted out of a traditional RV because we wanted a floorplan very specific to our family's needs. A shuttle bus was a great balance in terms of size, and was super flexible for customizing the interior!”
Once they decided on the shuttle bus, it was a quick six weeks before they hit the road, however it wasn’t an easy renovation for the family. “We did our build really quickly (6 weeks, start to finish), and the timeline made everything stressful! We were learning everything from scratch—there wasn't a single part of the process, from framing to wiring, that we'd done before. Some things, like installing the floor, went quickly and made us feel like pros; other things, like the electrical, seemed to take forever to figure out and involved lots of YouTube videos and dozens of trips to the hardware store daily. We were also trying to do everything with a 3-year-old and an 18-month-old underfoot. I'd definitely recommend taking more time with a build so that it can be more enjoyable!”
“The American Field Trip captured in a great picture at Zion National Park.”
As soon as the six week mark was over, Madi was packing up their bags while her husband David was adding the finishing screws before they hit the road. Their first adventure led them to the front doorstep of David’s sister’s home, “Our first night sleeping in the bus, we stayed in front of David's sister's house in Salt Lake and we were parked on a terrible slant so we all slept crushed to one side. We learned very quickly why vehicle-dwellers are often obsessed with getting their rig level!” That was just the beginning of the learning curve for these new bus driving travelers!
Driving a bus would be new to almost any traveler, but Madi and David took the wheel as they sped off on their American Field Trip, “I was terrified to drive the bus for the first few days, but once I got used to it, I loved being in the driver's seat—now David and I are always jockeying for that position.” Despite their fear and the unknown of how their American Field Trip would turn out, David, Madi, and their two young children, Margie and Graham, have seen all but three of the National Parks, including the American Samoa parks that are outside of the continental U.S.
Traveling with two kids, the Bowman family has learned the ins and outs of how to truly travel and enjoy their time together without putting too much pressure on themselves as parents and travelers. With such a small space, Madi gave a little insight on how they all stayed sane on days when stress levels were high and alone time wasn’t always an option, “There's definitely not a lot of alone time! David and I have gotten much better at reading each other’s stress levels and giving the other person some time away from the kids when we need it. One of us will lay down in the back with them and read a book while the other makes dinner or goes on a walk, or we'll take the kids outside to play so the other can have the bus to themselves to get something done or lay down. Most days, as long as we're spending active time outside, we avoid going crazy.”
While the “life on the road” attitude may seem normal for National Park travelers, Madi and David made sure there were days spent relaxing without much of an agenda, too. “Even though our location changes, our schedule looks pretty similar from day to day, and that's been key in keeping us all from burning out. We also try to make time for the kids to just hang out at a park or playground, or spend a good chunk of time digging in the dirt and not trying to see or do anything specific.” Keeping a regular schedule, despite their location changes, was a big part of how the kids lived a normal life while on the road, “The really wonderful thing about traveling the way we do is that the kids are always going to bed in the same space, even though we're constantly in new places. They have their beds, stuffed animals and toys, and that sense of stability was really important to us when figuring out how we were going to do this trip.”
With only three parks left (all in Alaska), Madi, David, and their children have a hard time choosing a favorite park they’ve visited over the last year. “We often get asked about our favorite park and we have a terrible time giving a straight answer—we've been blown away by so many of them! Our first visit to Alaska definitely made a huge impression on us, especially when we visited Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks. Our visit to American Samoa was also incredibly special and impactful in how we think about travel. Utah's parks are high on our list, as are Yosemite and Kings Canyon. Glacier National Park is like a mini Alaska and has a lifetime's worth of exploration inside.”
What the Bowmans learned about each other on their trip across the U.S. wasn’t at all what one may think. They never spend “too much” time together. They constantly learn new things about each other. Madi gave great feedback about everything she’s learned while on the road, “I've learned that David can figure out literally anything! The man is a super-genius. From web platforms to fancy video tricks to wiring up solar panels to replacing an alternator, he's so good at solving problems and picking up new skills. We've all learned that we can handle physical challenges that seemed beyond us—Graham is a terrific hiker! I've learned that I can survive living without a bathroom and that I can handle some rough situations with a positive attitude if I've had a solid 9 hours of sleep.” All of which, they may have never realized until setting foot inside their bus!
It may seem unusual to find a home in a shuttle bus, but the home that Madi and David created is one that many people have resonated with. With over 40,000 followers on Instagram and a website that displays all of their adventures in detail, the Bowmans have started a movement of their own by showing the world that exotic adventures are well and good, but travel in your own backyard is often overlooked. “We've connected with a fantastic audience on social media: people who are interested in spending more time outdoors with their families and exploring their own country. We love that the places we go are mostly very accessible for people living in the U.S.—it's fun to see travelers in exotic locations, but we like promoting places that are more feasible for the average family to get to.”
By setting the path to seeing all 59 National Parks with two children in tow, Madi and David have made memories that they will never forget and documented it all along the way. Families from all over now know the possibilities of cross-country travel and can see the difference it’s made for this family. “I love looking back at photos of the kids from earlier in the trip. It's really special to document them growing up against the background of our travels. I know I'll treasure some of those photos forever,” as Madi reflects back on all that they’ve done in a little over a year.
For travelers who find themselves with the travel bug and a handful of kids, know that seeing the world is possible, even if it’s just for an American Field Trip. There’s just the art of finding the right rig to get you there!