My Daughter and I Drove 2,000 Miles to College. It Was the Best Goodbye I Could've Asked For.
By Anne Gudger
The author and her daughter drove 2,000 miles to drop her off at college.
Oct 17, 2026, 10:17 PM GMT+2
When I bought a car for my daughter to take to college, the challenge became getting the little Mazda from Portland, Oregon, to Fulton, Missouri—a distance of over 2,000 miles. Maria and I love road trips, but long drives take their toll.
"Are we doing this?" I asked, remembering our previous exhausting journey from Eugene, Oregon, to Portland. We'd been forced to stop every 10 to 15 minutes, and eventually, we'd napped at a rest stop, with me finishing the drive.
"Let's make it an adventure," Maria suggested, knowing my love for sleeping in tents and being outdoors.
We mapped our route, choosing the scenic path. In Yellowstone, we camped next to a motorhome, complete with satellite TV. We laughed as we set up our two-person tent in the RV's shadow. The next morning, we enjoyed a quick coffee before exploring the park's amazing wildlife: bison, moose, elk, wolves, and more.
We made countless memories together, driving through Wyoming's vast landscapes and admiring the beautiful blue skies. We camped at Custer State Park, waking up to the sound of a river. Over a cup of cowboy coffee, I expressed my delight, "So much better than flying."
Our visit to Mount Rushmore was unremarkable, except for our bad tourist photos pretending to squash the presidents' heads between our fingers, much to the annoyance of a woman in white pointy Keds.
Throughout the trip, we created a tapestry of memories, transforming what could've been a grueling drive into an unforgettable adventure.