Caught between a ram and a bear, senior Aden Pomeroy knew he had a story for the books. 

Aden’s “RV family” has ventured across many great states—at least thirty—and has seen sights many wouldn’t imagine viewing before the age of eighteen. Glacier National Park in Montana, however, could possibly take the cake for his favorite trip. 

“[The ram] mostly stayed away from [us],” Aden said. “It was walking down the path toward everyone, and then there was a bear sighting lower on the path, so [we] couldn’t go back down because everyone was screaming about the bear.”

Thankfully, Aden’s run-ins with large animals provided interesting photos and exciting stories, a fact he can claim for all of his family adventures. 

As someone who loves hiking, Aden’s voyage to Glacier was a dream. While twenty-plus miles per day may seem intimidating to some, for Aden and his family, every mile was worth it. 

“At Glacier, we had to wake up at [around] four in the morning to get to the trailhead,” Aden said. “So, we got there at five because we had to drive down this one road that was on the edge of a cliff basically, so it was really pretty. We walked five miles to the first waterfall, and then we had to walk two more to see the bigger [waterfalls], and then we went on a sixteen-mile hike to see a glacier on the top of this ridge. It was really cool.”

Long hikes make for incredibly fulfilling yet exhausting days, making the question of Aden’s family travel dynamics incredibly interesting. Luckily, he feels traveling together is easy for them and has always had a way of bringing them together. 

Being a middle child, Aden has been caught between many sibling disputes and has played part in countless secret alliances. The most simple memories from travel, however, are truly what stick out to him in terms of his bond with his siblings. 

“One day, we were in South Carolina [and] staying at an RV resort there,” Aden said. “We were really hungry, so we biked to Panera really early in the morning and watched the sunrise. It was just really pretty, and it was the last summer before [my older sister] went to college, so it’s nice to have [that memory].”

Countless sibling memories have paved the way for an astoundingly fulfilling childhood for Aden, one that he is incredibly grateful for. In terms of gifts, however, his parents’ RV and his family’s shared love for travel has only kept giving. 

Even sitting in school, Aden has reaped many benefits from the unique opportunities given to him by travel. He has definitely noticed the upper hand that his unique perspective has given him. 

“[Traveling] definitely helps because we talk about a lot of the places [I’ve gone] in US History or World History,” Aden said, “so I at least had an idea of what those places were like. It’s cool to be able to relate to more things when you’re reading about them or other people are talking about them; it’s helpful to know [those places].”

With all of these gracious benefits, Aden’s adventurous hobby won’t be seeing a conclusion anytime soon. Despite the approaching future of college and the potential distance from his family, traveling will be something that follows him. 

Aden’s dreams are big, and his plans for the future are already made; any amount of change can’t subdue his passion for the outdoors and seeing the world. 

“[My dream is to] one day go to [all] fifty states,” Aden said. “I hope to [visit them with my family], California or the west coast would be fun with all of them. Arizona, The Grand Canyon, California: [those] are where I want to go next.”