Three’s Company: Taking 0ur Roadtrek on a 7-day sojourn to Princeton University Commencement

I like to take part in family celebrations. They don't come along too often. And when a loved one has worked hard and achieved something amazing, it's fun to be with them to celebrate.

That's why I was thrilled to be invited to Princeton University Commencement in May of 2026. My future daughter-in-law, Anha, was about to graduate, and there was a ticket for me if I wanted to go.

My oldest son, Luke, and his fiancé Anha.

Getting time off work wasn't a problem. However, the prices for flights were sky high due to the U.S.-Iran conflict, as were the rates for hotel rooms near Princeton on graduation weekend.

But there...waiting in my driveway...was a potential solution...my camper van!

Mr. Zip Zip, my Roadtrek camper van

I had recently completed renovations to my Roadtrek that made it possible for a second person to travel with me. Especially if that someone was a 22-year-old college kid on summer break who could sleep anywhere, like my son, Josh. He said yes to joining me on the sojourn. And of course we weren't going anywhere without our golden retriever, Buttercup.

Our plan: 3 days to travel from Wisconsin to New Jersey, 3 days in Princeton, and 2 days to drive home.

Day One - May 21, 2026

I worked in the morning, then packed the van in the afternoon. We left around 4pm. Our first stop was Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, where free overnight stays are allowed for vehicles.

We pulled in at dusk and set up the Roadtrek for sleep mode. This involved turning around the front seats, closing the curtains, and inflating the air mattress in the middle aisle.

Our sleep set-up. Cozy! But comfy.

Day Two - May 22

In the morning we bought a $20 pass to Indiana Dunes State Park, where we explored the Dunes Pavilion, hiked on the beach and took in gorgeous views of Lake Michigan.

We drove across Indiana and Ohio at a leisurely pace, stopping at dog parks and Costco's along the way. When we were ready to pull off the road, we went to a gem of a municipal park in Lima, Ohio called Ottawa Metro Park. The park is managed by Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District (no kidding) and features an 89-acre lake, a disc golf course, an amphitheater, and a large campground.

Unfortunately, we didn't get to explore those amenities because it was raining steadily. We used the campground shower house, then fell asleep to the pitter-patter of rain on the van roof.

Day Three - May 23

We continued meandering across the country at 55mph, enjoying back roads and bright green farm fields. We avoided tolls and drove a total of 8 hours.

Travelers in the iOverlander app had marked a pull-off just outside Hickory Run State Park as a free dispersed camping spot, so we made our way there. It was a beautiful location in the heart of the Pocono Mountains in eastern Pennsylvania...

... but it turns out that overnight camping is no longer allowed there. Two friendly State Troopers knocked on our van door at 9:00PM and informed us of that fact. Whoops! They nodded and smiled with patience, and kindly welcomed us to either drive up to the State Park and pay for a spot at the campground, or move on down the road. (We paid for a spot.)

Day 4 - May 24

Our next stop was Princeton, only a few hours away. We called Luke as we entered New Jersey, letting him know our arrival time. We made a plan for Luke and Josh and I to have dinner together, while Anha attended a gathering at the home of one of her professors.

Dinner was at a fantastic restaurant/gallery/community gathering place/music venue called Café Hopewell Fare, in Hopewell, NJ. Delicious food, great atmosphere, and time with my boys: Priceless!

After dinner, Josh and I drove back to Princeton and parked at a municipal park called Turning Basin Park, located within the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. Turning Basin is nothing special - just a small parking lot with a picnic area, porta potties and a lot of trees. The location was perfect: near nature, but also on Alexander Road, one of the main arteries to the Princeton campus.

Cautious from the night before, I phoned the Princeton Police Department to make sure overnight parking there was OK. The officer I spoke with sounded a little surprised at the request. (Maybe he was new? Surely people want to park in a van down by the river all the time in Princeton, right?!) After checking with his superior, he said it would be fine, and that officers on patrol would be notified.

Day 5 - May 25

We got up early and drove to Luke and Anha's apartment for breakfast. Luke made us banana pancakes, which we ate together while watching Anha's morning event live on YouTube. Then, it was time to head to the Princeton campus, where Josh and Buttercup and I took in the sights.

Around noon, I had the honor of meeting Anha's mother and grandmother for the first time. We went to lunch - along with Luke and Anha - at an amazing restaurant called Ayat. We broke the ice by gushing about how impressed we are with each other's children, then soon moved on to topics like Disney World and wedding planning. I'm looking forward to seeing them again in January!

After lunch, it was time to attend two more graduation events: Class Day Celebration and FLI Graduation Ceremony. (FLI stands for First-Gen Low Income - an affinity group within the undergraduate class.)

At the Class Day Celebration, the graduates looked cool in their embroidered jackets, made exclusively for Princeton Class of 2026. Anha was presented with an award - Outstanding Computer Science Senior Thesis Prize. (I would write more about it, but I didn't understand a word - not even the title.) Kudos, Anha!

The FLI Ceremony was the most powerful graduation event I've ever witnessed. The pure joy and enthusiasm of the family members in the crowd was overwhelming and beautiful. When it was Anha's turn to cross the stage, we did our best to match the noise level coming from the family wielding air horns and sirens.

Meanwhile, Josh was an amazing pupper-sitter while I attended all these events. I checked in with food and updates from time to time. This was often the scene when I stopped by the Roadtrek:

Day 6 - May 26

Finally it was Commencement Day!

Josh and I spent a little extra time with Buttercup before the ceremony since this would be the first time we were leaving her in the van alone. We took turns changing into fancy clothes and walking Buttercup along Lake Carnegie. Then we kissed her goodbye and walked to Princeton Stadium.

What a gorgous morning! We found our seats alongside Luke, Anha's mother and grandmother, and two of Anha's good friends, Matt and Dani. The ceremony was lovely and not too long, since graduates had walked the stage in other ceremonies. Anha found us in the stands for photos afterwards.

Josh and Buttercup and I left for home soon after the ceremony. We drove 6.5 hours to Austintown, Ohio, where we slept in a Walmart parking lot.

Day 7 - May 27

We drove the rest of the way home (9.5 hours) in a straight shot. Josh kept me company for many miles with thought-provoking questions like "Who would win in a fight - Sarah Connor from Terminator or Lara Croft from Tomb Raider?" Buttercup was satisfied to sleep the day away on the mattress in the back. I think she sensed we were headed home.

For a trip that could have gone wrong in so many ways, it was pretty darn smooth. Many thanks to Anha for including us, to Luke for all the logistical help, and to Mr. Zip Zip for another safe sojourn with family.

Sojourn on!