Last September, Nikki Delventhal was on the verge of making big changes in her life when she went on a hike with her mother in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Nikki was considering getting a dog, but that wasn’t all. She was also pondering becoming a true nomad by ditching her apartment and traveling around the U.S. in her Toyota Prius.
Her goal is to see as much of the world as she can while she’s young. “Ever since I was maybe about 21 years old, it’s been a dream of mine to just live out of a vehicle,” she said. “I know it’s unconventional but, that’s me. It’s not for everybody, but it’s for me.”
That fateful day, she and her mom hit the trails intending to hike a 4-mile loop. They were surprised when a young dog appeared out of nowhere and began to follow them. He stuck with them through the entire hike, and when they got in their car to leave, Nikki’s heart broke. The poor pup started chasing after them as they drove away.
Nikki couldn’t resist stopping, and when she opened her door, the stray hopped right in!
She took him to a local animal shelter, and when no one came to claim him, she returned to officially adopt him. She named him Camper and quickly realized he would make the perfect traveling companion for her nomadic adventures!
That’s when she put all of her belongings in storage and moved into her Prius full-time. Camper is now her copilot as they traverse the country in search of wholesome fun and new experiences.
The adventurous dog mom maintains two Instagram accounts and a popular YouTube channel to document their journey. She uses sponsorships and brand endorsements to fund her lifestyle and collects donations for animal shelters so she can help other dogs like Camper!
As a single woman traveling alone, Nikki is grateful to have Camper by her side. He really seems to have come into her life at the perfect time.
Camper sure picked the right people to approach on the trail that day! Little did he know that he would become the mascot for Nikki’s huge life transformation and epic journey!
Share this story to wish Nikki and Camper well on their quest.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.