September 2014, marked a pivotal moment in the lives of Jason and Melissa Rice, a date forever etched in their hearts.
Navigating life after the loss of a child is a journey fraught with unimaginable challenges. As parents, the expectation is that our children will outlive us. Yet, when tragedy strikes, and they’re suddenly taken from this world, the task of rebuilding becomes a monumental feat. “You never truly move past it,” Jason reflected, “but one day, you learn how to keep living.”
For the Rice family, it took at least four years before they decided to live life to the fullest as a way to honor their late 20-year-old daughter, who died in a car accident. Now, Jason and Melissa spend as much time camping in their TAG as they can. They found nature brought them a sense of peace and comfort after the loss of their daughter.
“Camping is really what saved us and brought us back to living,” Melissa recalled.
Their adventures, chronicled through their platform, Live2Day Wanderland, serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration to others.
“Once we started camping, we wanted to help other people realize they need to take more weekends and take more trips,” Jason explained. “Just go. The work and the stress, those things are always going to be there, but the people you love, they might not always be there.”
Finding the TAG
Jason and Melissa first went tent camping in 2018 after some friends encouraged them to go. Jason camped as a child with his grandparents, but the couple hadn’t done much camping as adults. They quickly fell in love with camping and found peace in nature.
After a year and a half of tent camping, they decided to hunt for an RV to make it easier to take quick weekend trips and for more comfortable sleeping accommodations. In 2020, when they saw the TAG at the Chicago RV Show, they kicked off their shoes and crawled inside.
The TAG was the perfect solution for them — it requires little to no set up, is easy to tow, and is a comfortable place for them to rest at the end of the day.
“We love it,” Jason said. “We can go just about anywhere.”
Melissa added that the ability to store the TAG in the garage was another huge bonus of the TAG. For them, it was all about accessibility.
“We can decide tomorrow to leave if we want and just go,” she explained. “We’ve never had any issues. It’s been a really great camper.”
Camping in the TAG
Nearly every weekend, the Rice family goes camping — even if it is just a few hours from home. It’s their way of escaping the busyness of everyday life and slowing down, taking the time to appreciate the little things.
“People are in such a hurry,” Jason explained. “It consumes them. Take the time to appreciate every sunrise, every flower.”
In the four years they have owned the TAG, the Rice family has embarked on countless adventures, traversing over 100,000 miles and counting. They’ve explored many areas in the US, including the Grand Canyon, the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, and remote areas of Montana, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. They continue to do a big camping trip each year with the friends who encouraged them to go camping back in 2018.
Winter camping, once uncharted territory, has become their favorite time of year to camp. The quiet and stillness of the forest when it’s blanketed in snow is something to behold, Jason described.
“These campers are built well, and they last,” Jason said.
Encouraging others to camp
Jason and Melissa often get asked how and why they go out camping so frequently. Their unwavering passion for exploration has inspired them to share their journey through their channel, Live2Day Wanderland. They encourage people to make memories with their loved ones while they can rather than waiting for the ideal time to go.
The couple will be taking a big trip this summer to celebrate their 18-year-old son, Jack, who will be graduating high school this year. The Rice family is looking forward to tailgating at football games when Jack goes to college at the University of Wisconsin in Platteville. Those are memories they will look back on with fondness for years to come.
This September also marks the 10th anniversary of their daughter’s passing.
“We want people to realize they need to be living in the moment,” Melissa said. “We’ve always been very open with people. You can wait for the perfect moment, but in life, there is no perfect moment. You have to make it the moment.”
Follow Jason and Melissa’s journey via Live2Day Wanderland on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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