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Finding Farewell
After Lauren's retirement from 20 years of service in the US Navy, she, her husband, and three young boys set off in a travel trailer to explore as many National Parks as they could. After a year, they had seen 49 parks and realized that the United States was no longer their home. This is a story of a long goodbye to a much loved country.
518 pages, Hardcover
Published August 18, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 19, 2025
A First and a last time for everything.
“I just want to hit the road in a Sprinter van( or camper,motor home, trailer) and see the country.” That seems to be the battle cry. Americans are even outfitting their Subarus with roof top camp tents and cute compact camping showers and awnings. Heck, I have a camper. BUT, I’m not fooling myself . I could NEVER do what Steve, Lauren,Wolf,Bear,and little Lynx did.
The Specht Family did a bench mark trip. I didn’t even realize they were saying “good bye”. I was caught up in routes and planning and budgets of the trip. I was absorbed in the logistics of it all.
This is much more than a “family vacation “ it’s a long goodbye and I’m not sure I realized until halfway through the book or if they realized it in the beginning of the trip.
My favorite features of this book are the logistics and the constant give and take of Steve and Lauren ( the kids didn’t have a big choice but were given incredible amounts of choice in a world of helicopter parents).
If you’ve read any of Steve’s books you know he’s good at people, talking to them and relating to them and this book is full of encounters.
My only critique is the length of the book. It’s over 400 pages but there is a lot to this trip. It’s enjoyable to Find Farewell with coffee in the morning.
Buckle up because traveling around the U.S. for a year with 3 rowdy boys and a plan ain’t for sissies. Something breaks, someone gets sick? Figure it out. Fix it. There’s no going home because you’re pulling home behind your truck.
Mike
“I just want to hit the road in a Sprinter van( or camper,motor home, trailer) and see the country.” That seems to be the battle cry. Americans are even outfitting their Subarus with roof top camp tents and cute compact camping showers and awnings. Heck, I have a camper. BUT, I’m not fooling myself . I could NEVER do what Steve, Lauren,Wolf,Bear,and little Lynx did.
The Specht Family did a bench mark trip. I didn’t even realize they were saying “good bye”. I was caught up in routes and planning and budgets of the trip. I was absorbed in the logistics of it all.
This is much more than a “family vacation “ it’s a long goodbye and I’m not sure I realized until halfway through the book or if they realized it in the beginning of the trip.
My favorite features of this book are the logistics and the constant give and take of Steve and Lauren ( the kids didn’t have a big choice but were given incredible amounts of choice in a world of helicopter parents).
If you’ve read any of Steve’s books you know he’s good at people, talking to them and relating to them and this book is full of encounters.
My only critique is the length of the book. It’s over 400 pages but there is a lot to this trip. It’s enjoyable to Find Farewell with coffee in the morning.
Buckle up because traveling around the U.S. for a year with 3 rowdy boys and a plan ain’t for sissies. Something breaks, someone gets sick? Figure it out. Fix it. There’s no going home because you’re pulling home behind your truck.
Mike
Displaying 1 of 1 review