Even before they met, Stratis and Regina had traveled around much of the United States and Canada, as well as to a handful of countries overseas. They both love the adventure of setting off in a car with a map (even with a GPS, they still love their maps), driving until they find something interesting…and there's always something interesting!

After they got married, Stratis and Regina did a lot of tent camping, first with their dog Truckstop (who LOVED a good camping trip), and then with their daughters. Once the girls were out of elementary school, they thought it would be fun to take a cross-country trip. They bought a pop-up trailer in 2003 and immediately took it to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The first 1,000 miles were pretty stressful, but after that it was a piece of cake. Today, Stratis is a pro at towing! That 2,500-mile trip was training for the Bay-to-Bay Expedition, which they did in 2004 (5 weeks, 7,500 miles). They haven’t stopped yet.

More to Explore Travels was created to encourage people to get outside and off the beaten path. We’ve learned that campgrounds are filled with incredibly friendly people from all over the world. There’s no easier way to learn new and amazing things about another city, another country, or even your own hometown. No matter how far you travel or how many people you meet, we can promise that you’ll find there’s always more to explore!

In 1991, Stratis and Regina rescued a puppy. At first she was fearful, trembling, and not at all interested in them, but with time and love her true personality began to emerge. All of a sudden they had a sweet, fun-loving, genius of a dog. When their girls came along, she became the best big sister there ever was. She watched over them, read books with them, played outside with them, and herded them when she felt it was necessary. There has never been a more perfect dog…or camper. Truckstop could barely contain her excitement when she saw the family packing the outdoor gear for yet another adventure!

Truckstop was with them for 13 years. She was a gentle and constant companion to the family and they will always love her.

Oh, and the name Truckstop? Stratis and Regina met in Grand Forks, North Dakota. They often went on dates to the Big Sioux Truckstop (because there weren’t that many other places to go), and joked that one day they'd have a dog named Truckstop. They are so lucky they did!