La Gran Aventura is a long-form project that brings together travel, writing, and reflection. Over the course of several months, my family and I traveled more than 25,000 miles by car and train, moving across the United States, Mexico, and Europe, and eventually walking the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.
This project is not simply a record of where we went. It is an attempt to pay attention—to places, to people, and to the experience of moving through the world together. It brings my academic interests in narrative and lived experience into a different register, one shaped less by analysis and more by presence.
What follows is a daily account of that journey.
Click here for statistics of the journey. Or continue reading for a day-by-day account of the adventure.
Introduction
INTRODUCTION TO THE GRAN AVENTURA
Utah, Arizona, and Mexico by car
Travel: Michigan to Utah
DAY 1: JONESVILLE, MI TO GRAND ISLAND, NE (12/11/23)
DAY 2: GRAND ISLAND, NE TO OREM, UT (12/12/23)
Orem, UT
DAY 3: OREM AND PROVO (12/13/23)
DAY 4: CAR SHOPPING AND MY BIRTHDAY (12/14/23)
DAY 5: A NEW CAR AND THE OREM TEMPLE (12/15/23)
DAY 6: PODCASTING, SUSHI, AND ANOTHER CHRISTMAS PARTY (12/16/23)
DAY 7: ANCESTORS, CHURCH, AND THE CHOIRSIDE (12/17/23)
DAY 8: GRADING, CLEANING, AND CHRISTMAS LIGHTS (12/18/23)
Travel: Orem, Utah to Queen Creek, Arizona
DAY 9: DRIVE TO ARIZONA (12/19/23)
Queen Creek, Arizona
DAY 10: ANXIETY, THE TEMPLE, AND A FAMILY FIGHT (12/20/23)
DAY 11: BIRDING, GRADING, A KINDNESS, AND A SURPRISE COUSIN VISIT (12/21/23)
DAY 12: A RAINY RUN, IAN’S ANXIETY, FINA’S HOSPITALITY, AND ANAHI’S STRUGGLE (12/22/23)
Travel: Queen Creek, AZ to Sierra Vista, AZ
DAY 13: TRAVEL FROM QUEEN CREEK, AZ TO SIERRA VISTA, AZ. A MAGICAL DAY (12/23/23)
Sierra Vista, AZ
DAY 14: CHRISTMAS EVE (12/24/23)
DAY 15: CHRISTMAS DAY (12/25/23)
travel: Sierra Vista, AZ to Hermosillo, Sonora, MX
DAY 16: SIERRA VISTA, AZ TO HERMOSILLO, SONORA, MX (12/26/23)
Hermosillo, Sonora, MX
DAY 17: SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, THE LOOKOUT, AND THE RAPTANIÑOS (12/27/23)
DAY 18: THE MEXICANS BEAT US AT OUR OWN GAME (12/28/23)
Travel: Hermosillo to Guaymas, Sonora, MX
DAY 19: GOODBYE TO HERMOSILLO (FOR NOW) (12/29/23)
Guaymas and Empalme, Sonora, MX
DAY 20: GUAYMAS, EMPALME, AND ABUELITA (12/30/23)
DAY 21: CHURCH AND NEW YEARS EVE (12/31/23)
DAY 22: NEW YEARS DAY (1/1/24)
DAY 23: THE OSPREY, THE ROWBOAT, THE BEACH, AND THE SUNSET (1/2/24)
Travel: Guaymas to Hermosillo, MX
DAY 24: GUAYMAS TO HERMOSILLO (1/3/24)
Hermosillo, MX
DAY 25: THE HALF-BROTHER AND THE HIGH-SCHOOL FRIENDS (1/4/24)
DAY 26: THE TEMPLE, FÁTIMA, AND REYES (1/5/24)
DAY 27: BIRRIA, CARNE ASADA, AND GOOD FRIENDS (1/6/24)
DAY 28: SUNDAY AND ALICIA'S BIRTHDAY (1/7/24)
Travel: Hermosillo, MX to Queen Creek, AZ
DAY 29: GOODBYE TO HERMOSILLO AND MEXICO (1/8/24)
Queen Creek, AZ
DAY 30: MESA TEMPLE AND PHOTOS OF HALLE (1/9/24)
travel: Queen Creek, AZ to orem, ut
DAY 31: DRIVE BACK TO UTAH (1/10/24)
Orem, UT
DAY 32: A NEW CHAPTER (1/11/24)
DAY 33: SAINTS, BIRDING, AND THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL CURIOSITY (1/12/24)
DAY 34: 300 BIRDS! (1/13/24)
DAY 35: GRANDMAS (1/14/24)
DAY 36: BIRDING AT UTAH LAKE (1/15/24)
DAY 37: THE TEMPLE AND THE PEANUT BUTTER BURGER (1/16/24)
DAY 38: PROVO CITY CENTER TEMPLE (1/17/24)
DAY 39: WINNIE THE POOH AND GRANDMA NEUBERT (1/18/24)
DAY 40: KNEADERS (1/19/24)
DAY 41: THE EAGLES AND THE MUSIC MAN (1/20/24)
DAY 42: OREM TEMPLE DEDICATION, AND A PLAN FOR EUROPE (1/21/24)
DAY 43: BYU AND BACK (1/22/24)
DAY 44: HIKING THE Y (1/23/24)
DAY 45: TIMPANOGOS TEMPLE (1/24/24)
DAY 46: A COLD HIKE UP THE CANYON (1/25/24)
DAY 47: BRIDAL VEIL FALLS TO HOME (1/26/24)
DAYS 48-49: FUNERAL IN CLINTON AND CHURCH WITH FRIENDS (1/27-28/24)
DAY 50: THE LIAHONA (1/29/24)
DAY 51: ROCK CANYON AND BACK (1/30/24)
DAY 52: RIVER IN THE ER (1/31/24)
DAY 53: COME, FOLLOW ME AND JAPANESE POETRY (2/1/24)
DAY 54: GYMNASTICS!! (2/2/24)
DAY 55: FAMILY AND FRIENDS (2/3/24)
DAY 56: DINNER WITH CARLOS AND NIDIA (2/4/24)
DAY 57: SEQUOIA SOLD (2/5/24)
DAY 58: DALE AND VALERIE AND ERIKA (2/6/24)
DAY 59: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (2/7/24)
DAY 60: WATERPROOF SOCKS AND THE ABURTO’S (2/8/24)
DAY 61: A TOUGH HIKE (2/9/24)
DAY 62: ERIKA’S HOUSE (2/10/24)
DAY 63: GRANDMA’S 93RD BIRTHDAY (2/11/24)
DAY 64: SUPER BOWL MONDAY (2/12/24)
DAY 65: A NEW HERO (2/13/24)
DAY 66: VALENTINE’S DAY (2/14/24)
DAY 67: MELANCHOLY (2/15/24)
DAY 68: THE BYBEE’S (2/16/24)
DAY 69: BYU MUSEUM OF ART, REC CENTER, PROVO TEMPLE (2/17/24)
DAY 70: THE PERFECT SUNSET (2/18/24)
Travel: Orem, UT to Jonesville, MI
DAY 71: OREM TO NORTH PLATTE (2/19/24)
DAY 72: NORTH PLATTE TO JONESVILLE (2/20/24)
Jonesville, MI
DAY 73: IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK (2/21/24)
DAY 74: FAITH (2/22/24)
DAY 75: WORRY (2/23/24)
DAY 76: PACK CHECK (2/24/24)
DAY 77: BACK IN CHURCH (2/25/24)
DAY 78: ONE WEEK TO PARIS (2/26/24)
DAY 79: BYU BEATS KANSAS (2/27/24)
DAY 80: TOUGH NIGHTS (2/28/24)
DAY 81: PLANNING (2/29/24)
DAY 82: PIZZA NIGHT WITH THE CONDON’S (3/1/24)
DAY 83: FINAL PREPARATIONS (3/2/24)
DAY 84: FAST SUNDAY (3/3/24)
Europe by Train
Travel: Jonesville, MI to Paris, France
DAY 85: JONESVILLE TO PARIS (3/4/24)
DAY 86: VERSAILLES AND THE TEMPLE (3/5/24)
Paris, France
DAY 86: PARIS, JE T’AIME! (3/6/24)
DAY 87: NORMANDY AND LE MONT ST MICHEL (3/7/24)
Travel: Paris, France to London, England
DAY 88: PARIS TO LONDON, AND THE LONDON TEMPLE (3/8/24)
London, England
DAY 89: A LONG LONDON STROLL (3/9/24)
DAY 90: TIME TO TAKE A BREAK (3/10/24)
Travel: London, England to Vianen, Netherlands
DAY 91: LONDON TO VIANEN, HOLLAND (3/11/24)
Vianen, Netherlands
DAY 92: AMSTERDAM AND THE RIJKSMUSEUM (3/12/24)
DAY 93: THE HAGUE TEMPLE (3/13/24)
Travel: Vianen, Netherlands to Kaiserslautern, Germany
DAY 94: VIANEN, ND TO KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY (3/14/24)
Travel: Kaiserslautern, Germany to Karben, Germany
DAY 95: SAMI AND CINTHIA (3/15/24)
Travel: Karben, Germany to Kaiserslautern, Germany
DAY 96: THE FRANKFURT TEMPLE (3/16/24)
Kaiserslautern, Germany
DAY 97: CHURCH IN THE MILITARY WARD (3/17/24)
DAY 98: HEIDELBERG (3/18/24)
DAY 99: IAN’S INHALER AND TRIER (3/19/24)
Travel: Kaiserslautern, Germany to Zollikofen, Switzerland
DAY 100: THE BERN SWITZERLAND TEMPLE (3/20/24)
Travel: Zollikofen, Switzerland to Vicenza, Italy
DAY 101: BERN, SWITZERLAND TO VICENZA, ITALY (3/21/24)
DAY 102: VENICE! (3/22/24)
Travel: Vicenza to Rome, Italy
DAY 103: VICENZA TO ROME (3/23/24)
DAY 104: ROME! (3/24/24)
Travel: Rome, Italy to Barcelona, Spain
DAY 105: RIVER’S BIRTHDAY AND ROME TO BARCELONA (3/25/24)
DAY 106: BARCELONA (3/26/24)
DAY 107: CLAUDIA AND CARLOS (3/27/24)
TRAVEL: Barcelona to Pamplona, Spain
DAY 108: BARCELONA TO PAMPLONA (3/28/24)
DAY 109: PAMPLONA (3/29/24)
TRAVEL: Pamplona to St Jean Pie-de-Port
DAY 110: PAMPLONA TO ST JEAN PIED DE PORT (3/30/24)
the Camino de Santiago
DAY 111/CAMINO DAY 1: ST JEAN PIED DE PORT TO RONCESVALLES (3/31/24)
DAY 112/CAMINO DAY 2: RONCESVALLES TO ZUBIRI (4/1/24)
DAY 113/CAMINO DAY 3: ZUBIRI TO PAMPLONA (4/2/24)
DAY 114/CAMINO DAY 4: PAMPLONA TO PUENTE LA REINA (4/3/24)
DAY 115/CAMINO DAY 5: PUENTE LA REINA TO ESTELLA (4/4/24)
DAY 116/CAMINO DAY 6: ESTELLA TO LOS ARCOS (4/5/24)
DAY 117/CAMINO DAY 7: LOS ARCOS TO VIANA (4/6/24)
DAY 118/CAMINO DAY 8: REST IN VIANA (4/7/24)
DAY 119/CAMION DAY 9: VIANA TO LOGROÑO (4/8/24)
DAY 120/CAMINO DAY 10: LOGROÑO TO NAVARRETE (4/9/24)
DAY 121/CAMINO DAY 11: NAVARRETE TO NÁJERA (4/10/24)
DAY 122/CAMINO DAY 12: NÁJERA TO SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA (4/11/24)
DAY 123/CAMINO DAY 13: SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA TO REDECILLA DEL CAMINO (4/12/24)
DAY 124/CAMINO DAY 14: REDECILLA DEL CAMINO TO BELORADO (4/13/24)
DAY 125/CAMINO DAY 15: BELORADO TO VILLAFRANCA MONTES DE OCA (4/14/24)
DAY 126/CAMINO DAY 16: REST DAY IN VILLAFRANCA MONTES DE OCA (4/15/24)
DAY 127/CAMINO DAY 17: VILLAFRANCA MONTES DE OCA TO ATAPUERCA (4/16/24)
DAY 128/CAMINO DAY 18: ATAPUERCA TO BURGOS (4/17/24)
DAY 129/CAMINO DAY 19: BURGOS TO HORNILLOS DEL CAMINO (4/18/24)
DAY 130/CAMINO DAY 20: HORNILLOS DEL CAMINO TO CASTROJERIZ (4/19/24)
DAY 131/CAMINO DAY 21: CASTROJÉRIZ TO BOADILLA DEL CAMINO (4/20/24)
DAY 132/CAMINO DAY 22: BOADILLA DEL CAMINO TO FRÓMISTA (4/21/24)
DAY 133/CAMINO DAY 23: FRÓMISTA TO CARRIÓN DE LOS CONDES (4/22/24)
DAY 134/CAMINO DAY 24: CARRIÓN DE LOS CONDES TO CALZADILLA DE LA CUEZA (4/23/24)
DAY 135/CAMINO DAY 25: CALZADILLA DE LA CUEZA TO SAHAGÚN (4/24/24)
DAY 136/CAMINO DAY 26: SAHAGÚN TO EL BURGO RANERO (4/25/24)
DAY 137/CAMINO DAY 27: EL BURGO RANERO TO RELIEGOS (4/26/24)
DAY 138/CAMINO DAY 28: RELIEGOS TO PUENTE VILLARENTE (4/27/24)
DAY 139/CAMINO DAY 29: PUENTE VILLARENTE TO LEÓN (4/28/24)
DAY 140/CAMINO DAY 30: LEÓN TO SAN MARTÍN DEL CAMINO (4/29/24)
DAY 141/CAMINO DAY 31: SAN MARTÍN DEL CAMINO TO ASTORGA (4/30/24)
DAY 142/CAMINO DAY 32: ASTORGA TO RABANAL DEL CAMINO (5/1/24)
DAY 143/CAMINO DAY 33: RABANAL DEL CAMINO TO MOLINASECA (5/2/24)
DAY 144/CAMINO DAY 34: MOLINASECA TO CAMPONAYARA (5/3/24)
DAY 145/CAMINO DAY 35: CAMPONAYARA TO VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO (5/4/24)
DAY 146/CAMINO DAY 36: VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO TO VEGA DE VALCARCE (5/5/24)
DAY 147/CAMINO DAY 37: VEGA DE VALCARCE TO HOSPITAL DE LA CONDESA (5/6/24)
DAY 148/CAMINO DAY 38: HOSPITAL DE LA CONDESA TO SARRIA (5/7/24)
DAY 149/CAMINO DAY 39: SARRIA TO PORTOMARÍN (5/8/24)
DAY 150/CAMINO DAY 40: PORTOMARÍN TO PALAS DE REI (5/9/24)
DAY 151/CAMINO DAY 41: PALAS DO REI TO ARZÚA (5/10/24)
DAY 152/CAMINO DAY 42: ARZÚA TO PEDROUZO (5/11/24)
DAY 153/CAMINO DAY 43: O PEDROUZO TO SANTIAGO TO COMPOSTELA (5/12/24)
TRAVEL: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, SPAIN TO JONESVILLE, MICHIGAN
DAY 154: SANTIAGO TO MADRID (5/13/24)
DAY 155: MADRID TEMPLE (5/14/24)
DAY 156: MADRID TO JONESVILLE (5/15/24)