United States: he took his 91-year-old grandmother on a road trip to visit the country's 63 national parks

Who said you can't travel the world as you get older? In any case, it is not the nonagenarian affectionately known as Grandma Joy and accompanied by her grandson Brad Ryan who will tell you the opposite!

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

Prior to October 2015, Grandma Joy only vicariously experienced Ryan's outdoor travels in nature. She was a widow who had lived alone for 20 years. She listened to the stories of her voyage on the Appalachian Trail and expressed regret that he had never seen mountains, deserts and other wild places in his life. Ryan, who was a student at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine at the time, wanted to make sure she knew of some amazing wild places and invited her to Great Smokey Mountain National Park. He thought the adventure they would have together would be just a one-time excursion to satisfy his need to see great landscapes, but this land has transformed their lives and sown the seed of exploration.

“Over the past seven years, we have covered nearly 80,000 km in 62 of the 63 national parks in the United States” explained Ryan. After that epic first ride, he started a GoFundMe page that helped fund a month-long road trip in the summer of 2017, during which they saw 21 national parks. Together they visited places of natural wonders including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Joshua Tree National Park in California, New River Gorge Park in Lansing, West Virginia, and Great Lakes National Park and Preserve. Colorado Sand Dunes. In 2021, they visited all eight national parks in Alaska, where they encountered wildlife, rafted and hiked near glaciers.

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

Traveling with someone, but especially with someone in the family, brings a lot of joy, unity and sometimes unexpected and unique challenges. “The road has done us a lot of good. Grandmother Joy's journey has given us countless moments of inspiration and gratitude. But we also had painful and uncomfortable conversations. Memories emerge from the shadows as you are mesmerized by the passing landscapes. Every relationship is an amalgam of sweet and sour, and we've rubbed shoulders with all of those emotions. This is the only way to peace” said Ryan, who currently lives in Washington.

In 2019, Ryan thought about sharing their travel adventures with friends and family, and started accounts Instagram and Facebook to post their incredible photos. This initiative has attracted people from all over the world, and their Instagram account now has nearly 65,000 followers. As their story unfolds, Ryan and Grandma Joy hope they inspire others to go on a journey. At very different ages (Grandma Joy is 92 and Ryan is 41) and at different stages of life, they are nonetheless connected in their enthusiasm, their love of nature and their optimistic and warm attitude. “I have been privileged to witness the limitless possibilities that exist for my life if I am lucky enough to live as long as Grandma Joy. It's ridiculous to get discouraged with getting old when you've been white-water rafting with a 91-year-old woman. Now I focus on the possibilities, not the limits. Ryan confided.

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

New trips to come

They have only one park left to visit for having seen all the national parks in the United States. It will be their last national park, but we are sure not their last adventure. “We are planning to visit American Samoa National Park, which is our 63rd and final US National Park” Ryan said. He also took the opportunity to say a little more about their future travel plans: “She dreams of going to Ireland. I dream of taking her to Africa. After seeing Grandmother Joy exploring so many natural wonders, no dream seems impossible anymore. »

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

Credit: grandmajoysroadtrip / Instagram

Awesome, isn't it?