Heather and Dana’s homeownership plans hit a roadblock, so they changed direction. Now they’re living in a Phoenix camper and heading as far south as one can drive. Tip of South America, here we come!
When a personal goal goes sideways, you have three options—try again, quit, or reevaluate it completely. In life, things sometimes happen for a reason, and tough moments often produce the clarity we need to set off in the right direction.
For Heather and Dana, life-altering clarity came after their dreams of buying a home fell through. After years of brutal bidding wars for a “dream home,” they reevaluated their lives entirely. The result wasn’t just a decision to live on the road, but to take on the longest road in the world—the Pan-American Highway.
Through sacrifice, planning, and reprioritization, they’ve reached South America and explored over ten countries. Along the way, they’ve adopted a new family member, learned Spanish, and chosen conversation over convenience whenever they can. That approach has opened doors to amazing people and experiences they could never have planned for.
Negative experiences can become catalysts for something amazing. In the case of Heather and Dana, when the going got tough, the tough drove south to a far bigger and more adventurous life. Let’s meet them there.
You’re currently traveling the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina. When did this journey begin, and where are you now?
Heather: We started the Pan-American Highway in Alaska in the summer of 2024. Right now, we’re outside of Quito, Ecuador, staying at an overlanding campground.
Dana: We’re in a different truck and camper than when we started. Originally our trip began in an expedition vehicle that we built out with a super comfortable interior habitat, but it was a stick shift, huge, and a little stressful to drive in tight places. We needed something else to continue the Pan-American Highway, which led us to our Phoenix flatbed that we’re sitting in now.
Heather: Now we’re able to drive into tiny villages, down narrow roads, and along overgrown off-road routes. Our truck camper is a much better fit for this kind of travel.
What inspired you to take on the longest road in the world?
Heather: We lived in Colorado for almost eight years and thought it was our forever home. We spent about three years trying to buy a house, putting in offers on around twenty homes, and kept getting outbid. It was a cycle of excitement followed by shattered dreams.
Heather and Dana’s rig traveling through Baja, Mexico, and Cotopaxi
Dana: I had the idea of doing the Pan-American Highway tucked in the back of my mind, but we hadn’t seriously talked about it. After a particularly rough loss in a bidding war for a house we really wanted, we took a hard look at what our goals were. We don’t have kids or responsibilities tied to any particular place. It pushed us to do something different.
Heather: We built our previous expedition truck to go to Alaska and see how we liked living on the road. Once we got there, road life clicked.
Heather and Dana exploring Denali, Alaska
Dana: Now we’re homeowners at the end of the day. Our home is on the back of a truck that we can take just about anywhere.
I think it sounds like it was meant to be. How did you two develop your shared love of the outdoors?
Dana: We met at the University of Vermont and were both already into skiing and being outside. I brought mountain biking into the relationship, and Heather got me into hiking and camping. I didn’t even know what BLM land was until we moved out west years later.
Heather and Dana’s rig with a stunning view in Ecuador
Heather: I grew up tent camping in campgrounds. When we moved out west after university, we dove into camping off-grid on public land. That was a huge turning point for us.
What have been some standout camping experiences along the Pan-American Highway?
Heather: One of the most recent campsites was in Cotopaxi National Park in Ecuador. Cotopaxi is a massive, symmetrical, snow-capped volcano. We parked at the base for about a week and enjoyed the amazing sunsets and wide open landscapes. It was one of my favorite campsites so far.
Dana: There was so much wildlife there. Wild horses walked right into our camp.
Heather and Dana’s rig parked with friends at the foot of Cotopaxi Volcano
Heather: In Laguna De Mojanda, Ecuador, we were camped at a mountainous lake and saw Andean Culpeos. They’re beautiful creatures that resemble a large fox, but are more closely related to a coyote or wolf.
Dana: It was observing us around our camp, which made for a really special moment. Heather managed to capture a stunning photo that I’m really proud of.
That sounds like a moment you’ll remember forever. Do you have specific goals or intentions for your Pan-American journey?
Dana: It’s definitely about the journey. There are places we’ve dreamed about for a long time. Patagonia, at the very southern tip of the Pan-American, is the pinnacle for us.
Heather: Another goal has been opening ourselves up to people. We’ve been practicing our Spanish, which has made a huge difference in connecting with people. We completed a three-week immersion course in Colombia and have a virtual Spanish tutor. It has completely changed how we interact with Spanish-speakers down here.
Dana: Our goal is to have more meaningful conversations. On a recent coffee farm tour, the guide asked if we wanted the tour in English or Spanish. We asked him if he wouldn’t mind speaking in slow-paced Spanish. Apparently, we’re the first Americans to ask for his tour in Spanish, and we could tell he appreciated it. It made for a richer tour, and proved to us that travel is more meaningful when we can carry a conversation.
Embracing the culture is always the best way to get the most out of a travel experience. Have any activity-based moments stood out?
Dana: We hiked Acatenango, a well-known dormant volcano in Guatemala, which sits beside the highly active Volcán de Fuego—”Volcano of Fire.” Most people make the trek with a guide, hoping to witness an eruption. Visibility is often ruined by rain and clouds, even though Volcán de Fuego erupts regularly. We waited a week for a clear window, packed our gear for an overnight, and started hiking the trail with our dog.
Heather: The trail is only three or four brutally steep miles. Dense fog surrounded us the entire way up. We trekked through clouds, worrying that we wouldn’t see anything. All of a sudden, we rounded a corner, and the adjacent Volcán de Fuego was fully visible. We stood there shocked because, at that exact moment, the volcano erupted. I immediately started sobbing. It felt like we had hiked to another planet.
Dana: We stayed up all night watching it go off every five to ten minutes. We probably took a couple thousand photos.
What a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Tell me why you chose a custom Phoenix Camper and what your must-haves were
Dana: We reached out to Phoenix Campers about a pop-up flatbed and worked backwards from there. We wanted something compact and bought a flatbed truck sight unseen in Salt Lake City. Heather’s sister picked it up and took detailed measurements for us since we were in Alaska.
The kitchen in Heather and Dana’s Phoenix pop-up, complete with a dual-zone chest fridge/freezer
Heather: Once we had the dimensions, Phoenix started iterating the design. That’s when I started picking out our interior appliances. I looked at a lot of pop-up campers and thought about what would and wouldn’t work for us living full-time. For example, we wanted a large sink and stove since we love to cook, and cooking at home is a good way to save money. I wanted a freezer big enough to hold plenty of ice cream, so we chose a large chest refrigerator/freezer combo.
Heather and Dana’s rear dinette doubles as a workspace and lounge while providing additional storage
Dana: Another important item on our list was a strong electrical system to camp off-grid as much as possible. It was a lot of back and forth. We would purchase appliances, ship them to Phoenix Campers, and they would measure them and then suggest layouts. We knew we wanted a rear dinette for the storage underneath, and the rest of the layout fell into place.
Heather: The process was really collaborative. There were a lot of phone calls, texts, and emails, especially when they were making decisions in real time.
Underbed storage in the cabover area
Dana: We made some decisions based on international travel. For example, we chose a diesel heater instead of propane because propane fittings change from country to country. Our diesel heater pulls directly from the truck’s tank, so we always have fuel.
Heather: Alaska taught us what we actually needed for long-term travel. Our pop-up Phoenix Camper is much more practical for the places we want to visit on the road.
Watch Heather and Dana’s full rig tour above
Your current rig reflects a lot of experience. How did having other camping setups help you understand what’s important to you?
Dana: It’s been a progression of ten different setups over the years, including cars, trucks, pop-up campers, vans, and a trailer.
Heather: We started off with a Ford F-150 with a simple truck cap and camped in ski parking lots with lots of layers to keep from freezing. We would wake up to avalanche cannons blasting and would get the first tracks. Those days were so fun and simple, but eventually we sought a bit more comfort.
Heather and Dana’s Rig in Guanajuato
Heather: There is no perfect vehicle, just what works best for you in your current situation.
Dana: Each setup built on the last and helped us understand what we needed versus what we thought we needed. That’s what ultimately led us to where we are now with the Ford F-350 and Phoenix pop-up truck camper.
After several setups, what are the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
Heather: Start with what you have. It’s easy to romanticize the perfect rig, but you don’t really know what you need until you’re out there doing it.
Dana: Agreed. Trying to build the perfect vehicle before you start camping is kind of hubris. Odds are you don’t need everything you think you do. You’ll learn and change things along the way.
Heather and Dana’s rig traveling through Mexico, Columbia, and Baja
Heather: You can also get pretty much anything you need wherever you go. There are mechanics, shops, supplies, and people everywhere. Your first rig doesn’t have to be perfect, just good enough to get you going.
“Your first rig doesn’t have to be perfect, just good enough to get you going.”
Are you happy with the size of your camper and Ford F-350 after traveling through multiple countries and crossing the Darién Gap?
Heather: It was barely small enough to fit inside a shipping container to cross the Darién Gap. After unscrewing some of the roof components, it squeezed in. We preferred that over roll-on/roll-off for the security. With a container, you load it yourself, keep the keys, and no one has access during transit.
Dana: It’s a long bed, and it’s been great. It’s still smaller than the commercial vehicles down here using the same roads. The turning radius can be tricky at times, so we work together, with Heather spotting when needed. I wouldn’t change it; the size lets us carry more solar, water, and gear, which means we can stay off-grid longer.
I’m glad your setup has worked for you two. Are you able to work on the road?
Heather: We both quit our jobs initially. I’m a nurse and had done some travel nursing, but once we began traveling internationally, that was no longer an option. Leaving our jobs was really scary, but we prepared for it, and it was a necessary step to make this dream a reality.
Dana: I previously worked as an analyst for Specialized Bicycle Components. Since being on the road, Specialized reached out and brought me back to work remotely, which I’m really grateful for. Starlink has made that possible. It’s worked out well for us.
Earlier, you talked about hiking with your dog. Tell me about traveling internationally with pets.
Heather: We have two dogs. Bruce is our first dog, whom we adopted in Boulder, Colorado. He’s pretty well traveled now after visiting over ten countries with us.
Dana: In Colombia, during our Spanish immersion program, we were adopted by our second dog. He attended every class, and when the program took us out for activities like hikes and grocery runs, he was a part of the group. He followed us everywhere.
Heather and Dana’s first dog, Bruce
We offered to set him up with the school by paying for vet bills and food, but they weren’t interested in taking care of him. One evening, he made his way into our camper and made himself at home. That was when we realized we had a second dog.
Tibby sleeping on the floor of Heather and Dana’s rig and learning new tricks
Heather: His name is Tiburóncín, or Tibby for short. We watched Finding Nemo in our Spanish Immersion class, and in the movie there’s a scene where the fish chant, “Shark Bait, ooh ha ha.” Tiburóncín is Spanish for shark bait. Our first dog was already named after the great white shark in the movie, so it felt fitting. Suddenly, we had our own little Finding Nemo duo.
What advice would you give to others considering long-term travel?
Heather: There’s no wrong way to do this. The hardest part of any big life change is taking that first leap. For us, that scary moment was quitting our jobs. Since then, it’s been one decision at a time.
If you’re unsure, start small. Stay closer to home, take shorter trips, and gradually push your boundaries. Things that feel intimidating at first, like crossing a border, start to feel normal the more you do them.
We’ve seen all kinds of travel styles on the Pan-American Highway, from simple living out of a minivan to million-dollar high-end rigs. Everything comes down to what works for you.
Dana: There’s no perfect time or vehicle. Once you accept that, it becomes a lot easier to move forward. Set a timeline, go for it, and know that things will change along the way. You’ll be more capable of handling those changes than you think. Doing something like this pushes you to grow, and you figure it out along the way.
“We’re just normal people who figured out a way to do the Pan-American Highway. If we can do it, you can too. Prioritize what you want, and go for it.”
Heather: We’re just normal people who figured out a way to do the Pan-American Highway. We saved, made sacrifices, and created our own way to make it happen. If we can do it, you can too. Prioritize what you want, and go for it.
Heather and Dana’s Rig
Truck: Ford F-350
Camper: Phoenix pop-up truck camper
Follow along with Heather and Dana’s travels @HD.Adventuring
