Parksville to Victoria to Las Vegas – 8 September 2025

Starting Our Utah Adventure

Wanting to make the most of our time in Utah, we came up with a plan: Derek would hit the road with Jax, driving a few long days to get the RV down to Nevada faster, while I stayed back with Lucy and caught a flight a few days later. It turned out to be the perfect decision.

The quiet time at home gave me the pause I didn’t know I needed after the chaos of unpacking and packing storage units and getting the RV ready. Lucy and I slipped into an easy rhythm — evening walks, long mother-daughter chats, and cozy meals together. It was a little gift of calm before the big adventure ahead.

When I landed in Las Vegas, Derek was waiting at the airport, and we gave ourselves three nights in the city to kick off our Utah journey. Early the next morning we set out for Red Rock Canyon. After passing a three-car accident on the freeway at 6 a.m., the stillness of the desert felt like a deep breath. The mountains glowed in the sunrise, painted in fiery shades that words can hardly capture. We finished our hike just in time, slipping out of the canyon before the heat climbed to 34°C by 10 a.m.

That night we had something entirely different in store — tickets to see The Eagles live at the Sphere. It’s hard to put into words: the immersive visuals, the sound, the way the entire space seemed to wrap you in light and music. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. Hearing those songs live again stirred up so many memories — and honestly, they’re still just as powerful now as they were decades ago.

The following day we slowed down, restocked on groceries, and enjoyed a much-needed “down day” before turning our sights toward the red rock wonders of Utah.