Documenting a Lifetime of Travels
With her fifth grandchild on the way, Karen Martin decided it was time to document her travels in her beloved TAB 400. Over the past four years, Karen has traversed nearly 30,000 miles, exploring the vast landscapes of almost all the lower 48 states. She and her husband have a goal of completing all 48 states with their 400.
Their love for adventure inspired Karen to chronicle their experiences as they journeyed across the U.S. Karen and her husband relish visiting small-town hidden gems, believing it’s the best way to truly absorb the local culture and savor the experience.
“The best way to see this country is to get off the interstates and onto some of the back roads and see the little towns,” Karen explained. “Take your time to really soak up the local flavor. That’s what we enjoy most about camping – the ability to connect with the local level.”
Karen’s memoir is up-to-date with their latest adventures, detailing everything from the stunning state parks of Arkansas to the serene prairies of North Dakota and the peaceful campgrounds along the Mississippi beaches. While they often favor less touristy areas, the Martins have also visited iconic national parks, including all five national parks in Utah.
With her adventures filling the pages of a Word document, Karen decided to take her memoir to the next level. She plans to publish her book through Amazon, sharing her stories of travels in the TAB 400 with the world.
“I don’t want to forget either,” Karen added. “It’s been four years since we started this undertaking. If you don’t really sit down and start to think about it, you start to lose those great little details.”
A Lifetime of Camping
The Martins have been camping together since their honeymoon. As a young family with four children, they started with tent camping before upgrading to a large pop-up camper. The TAB 400, which they purchased in 2019, was their first RV with a bathroom and water hookups.
The TAB 400 was a perfect choice for the Martins, who wanted something easy to tow. The ample storage, bathroom, and kitchen were also significant selling points for the couple.
“Small but mighty is what I like to call it,” Karen said. “It wasn’t too big that we would feel uncomfortable towing it. It’s a great camper. The quality of it is so wonderful.”
Exploring All 48 States
Their quest to complete the lower 48 states began after the Martins embarked on two epic journeys out west in their TAB 400, creating extensive loops that covered multiple states. Having knocked out many states in these initial trips, they decided to expand their adventure to include the remaining states, taking the time to immerse themselves in each locale’s unique culture.
Though their 2024 travel plans are on a brief hiatus, the couple remains committed to checking off the 48 states from their map.
“We had been to some of the remaining states before, but we wanted to complete them all in the TAB,” Karen said.
Despite being the smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island was one of Karen’s favorite destinations. “Newport is a gorgeous city with stunning mansions and quaint coastal towns. The seafood is also incredible,” she added.
Though the Martins have explored popular tourist hotspots, it’s the unexpected discoveries that leave the biggest impressions.
“The well-known tourist locations aren’t the ones I remember the most,” Karen shares. “It’s the places where no one is really around, where we’re in little towns talking to locals and visiting farmers markets.”
The Journey Continues
Five years into their adventure with the TAB 400, the camper is still in excellent condition, thanks to the Martins’ diligent care and winter storage in a barn. Once they complete their cross-country tour, the couple is considering a larger camper to accommodate their grandchildren on future trips. However, the beloved TAB 400 will remain in the family for others to enjoy.
“The quality of the TAB is what sold us on it in the first place, and it has proven to be a fantastic product,” Karen said. “We can’t say enough good things about it.”
At nuCamp, we love hearing our owners’ adventure stories. We eagerly await the publication of Karen’s memoir and look forward to reading about their travels. Stay tuned as she continues to chronicle her tales of adventure.
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