I’ve always been one to seek out quiet places. This certainly includes one of the most loud nights of the year – New Year’s Eve.
By the time the 2023 New Year’s Eve rolled around I had been living on the road in an RV for 3 ½ years and I had become very accustomed to the quiet.
Sleeping in forests, deserts and beaches away from the city hustle is my norm now, as I enjoy the calmness of nature. The idea of spending an evening with a crowd of people at a bar or public gathering does not sound like a fun time to me.
And that’s why John and I head to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona.
Why I Enjoy Silence
After living on the road for more than 3 years and staying mostly on public lands, away from any cities, I realized how much I value SILENCE.
Forty-eight years of my life were spent in suburbs or smaller cities. I’m no stranger to loud residential life.
I was an only child until 5 when my younger brother was born and after that event I still felt like a solo child since he was so much younger than I, we had little in common.
The neighborhood I grew up in was not safe, needless-to-say I was not allowed to play outside. This eliminates neighborhood friends. (Yes, I had friends as a child yet they were at school).
AND my father was a very private man, friends were not allowed in our home.
This is the environment that raised me to be very comfortable by myself. I had no problem playing alone with my toys, reading and pretending to play with my imaginary friends. Usually in silence, or close to it.
And I still feel this way 40 years later.
A Lifestyle to Match My Inner Self
It’s no wonder later in life, at 48 years old, I made the dramatic change from suburban housewife to solo female RV nomad.
I truly never felt comfortable in cities or suburbs. I’ve always felt them to be too crowded and noisy. Finding a peaceful campsite in the woods was more my style.
Watch the first time I took my RV out : Arizona Trail (AZT) Day Hiking // First Dry Camping with My RV
I’ve been on the road for 3 plus years and I’m not stopping!
Ringing in the New Year Quietly
It only seems appropriate that I spend the loudest evening of the year in Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.
If you haven’t heard of it, you’re not alone. It’s a decently secluded park near Yuma and Quartzsite, Arizona. And that is exactly the kind of place I love!
Kofa has rugged beauty, hiking, camping and peaceful silence.
Check out Kofa here : https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kofa
John, my boyfriend and travel companion, and I have decided to make Kofa our NYE hangout going forward.
Be sure to catch our 2nd NYE camping and hiking adventure here :
Thank You for Stopping By!
Hi, I’m Allie—solo traveler, hiker, and midlife reinventor. I share real stories from the road, whether I’m camping beachside in my RV or hiking mountain trails with a heart full of grit and curiosity.
This blog is where I explore what it means to rebuild and chase freedom in your 50s and beyond—because life doesn’t end at midlife, it begins. Let’s wander, grow, and figure it out together.
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