Van Life After 60: We Didn’t Plan to Stop Here…

After a noisy night near Church Rock, NM, we continued our journey west on I-40. What wasn’t originally planned became one of the highlights of the day — a detour onto Highway 89A through Sedona, Arizona, a road we’ve always wanted to experience. The drive through Sedona’s canyon and the unexpected climb into the historic copper mining town of Jerome, AZ, gave us some of the most beautiful scenery (and steep curvy roads) of the trip so far… but also reminded us how tiring long travel days can be. When we finally reached Point of Rocks Campground in Prescott, Arizona, we realized we needed more than just a quick stop — we needed to slow down. Welcome back to the Westward Series | Episode 5 We’re JK and Kim, part time van adventures, traveling with our senior Golden Doodle Tia, in our 2019 Ford Transit T-250 high roof self-converted camper van. What was supposed to be one night turned into three as we reset, rested, and finally addressed van maintenance, including fixing our failed water pump that had been limiting sink use for several days. Now we’re back on the road and continuing west — but wondering if we’ve stayed too long… and whether we’ll still make it in time for the historic Death Valley bloom. 📍 Route: Church Rock, NM→ I-40 → 89A (Sedona) → Jerome → 89 - Prescott (Point of Rocks Campground) 🐾 Travel Companion: Tia Be Sure To Watch Our “Van Life After 60” Video Playlist, which includes this Westward Series and Gulf Coast Series! 👇    • Van Life After 60: 2025-present   Next episode: the push toward Death Valley continues. Back To The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Chapters: 00:00 – The Loud Night Near Church Rock, NM 00:38 – Into Arizona - Long Drive West Begins 01:55 – The 89A Detour We Always Wanted 02:20 – Sedona Canyon Drive (Reaction Moment) 03:56 – Entering Jerome, AZ 04:50 – Quick Lookout Above Jerome 05:18 – The Push Continues West 05:37 – Arriving at Prescott (Point of Rocks) 06:30 – Realizing How Tired We Were 12:00 – Slowing Down & Reset Begins 07:33 – Van Maintenance + Water Pump Fix 08:23 – One Night Turns Into Three 09:20 – Leaving Prescott (Downtown Tour) 11:30 – Did We Stay Too Long? Watch what happens next!    • Van Life After 60: We Didn’t Expect This S...