A Week in Minnesota Gave Us Time We Never Had

My reason for spending more than a week in Minnesota had very little to do with sightseeing. I went there to spend time with my aunty.

Life shifted for me in July when my biological father passed away. She is his sister, but because I grew up in foster care, she and I never had the opportunity to build the kind of relationship that usually forms through years of holidays, ordinary visits, and shared family experiences.

This Minnesota visit marked only the second time we had ever spent meaningful time together.

Choosing Time Together Over a Busy Itinerary

I camped nearby rather than staying at her house. That gave me my own space and allowed me to focus on work while still spending most of the week with her. She worried that we had not explored enough places during my visit. From her perspective, she probably imagined showing me more of Minnesota and filling our days with destinations.

I did not need a packed itinerary.

What I wanted most was downtime with her. We spent hours talking and having the deeper, heartfelt conversations that rarely fit into a quick visit. There were years of life to catch up on, family connections to better understand, and things we could finally say while sitting in the same room.

Those conversations mattered more to me than checking another attraction off a list.

Discovering Her Creativity

I already knew my aunty was talented and creative. During this visit, I learned how much personality she puts into the hats she makes. They are not loud or overdone. She designs them around the person receiving them, often incorporating a specific passion, interest, or favorite football team.

Then she made one for me. The hat carries the 4Runner Nomad name, making it personal to the life and work I have built. It was not something pulled from a shelf or chosen because it might fit. She created it specifically for me.

After growing up without much time together, receiving something made by her hands carried a different kind of meaning. It gave me a piece of her creativity that I could take back onto the road with me.

A Family Connection Through Food

Food became another important part of our time together. My aunty grew up in Hawaii and has lived in Minnesota for approximately 30 years. During my visit, she prepared several Hawaiian and Filipino foods for me, along with homemade desserts.

The meals brought a part of Hawaii into her Minnesota home. They also gave us another way to connect through family, culture, and the familiar flavors she has continued making after three decades away from the islands.

Some travel experiences happen at restaurants or roadside attractions. Others happen around a family table while someone prepares food they have known for most of their life.

This visit gave me plenty of the second kind.

A Few Minnesota Road Trips

We did leave room for a few road trips. One outing took us to the SPAM Museum, a fitting stop for two people with connections to Hawaii. We explored the exhibits, tried on some of the hats, and enjoyed an attraction that did not take itself too seriously.

Another drive took us through a small Minnesota town and out to an apple orchard, where we picked up a few goodies. We also found a delicious hoagie sandwich and stopped for ice cream.

As we walked through town, I noticed crochet artwork wrapped around the trees. It was a small creative detail, but it made the town feel cared for and individual. Those are often the things I remember most from a place—not necessarily its biggest attraction, but something unexpected that could only belong there.

Leaving With a Reason to Return

Leaving Minnesota was difficult. A little more than a week could not make up for all the time my aunty and I never had together. It did, however, give us the chance to begin building something from where we are now.

The visit also reminded me that meaningful travel does not always require seeing as much as possible. Sometimes the most important reason for taking a route cannot be marked as an attraction on the map.

Minnesota gave me good food, a few memorable road trips, a handmade 4Runner Nomad hat, and hours of heartfelt conversation with my aunty.

More importantly, it gave us time together. I hope to return next season.

See More of My Travels

My travels are not only about where I camp or the attractions I visit. They also include the people, meals, unexpected discoveries, and personal moments that shape the route.

Explore more of my travels and follow the places, stories, and everyday experiences I find while living from my Toyota 4Runner.