On the Road (and Back Again) with Jessica Shepherd

From Saginaw to living to an RV and back again! In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, Jessica Shepherd discusses her background in broadcasting and journalism, selling most of her belongings to travel full-time in an RV for about two and a half years, and work-camping around the country. She talks about life on the road and why she and her partner, Mark, chose to return home to Saginaw.

00:00 Mic Check & Meet Jessica Shepherd
01:05 Writing Love Letters to Saginaw
03:13 How She Got Into Journalism: WSGW, MLive & Mentors
06:02 Why She Left Saginaw: Career Moves to Grand Rapids & Kalamazoo
07:38 Selling Everything to Live in an RV: Downsizing & Marie Kondo Mode
09:11 How Van Life Became Real: Travel, Belonging & Not Feeling at Home
12:04 Workamping Adventures: Campgrounds, Christmas Trees & National Parks
14:36 Favorite Stops & Big Nature: Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon & Photography
18:11 When the Adventure Felt Like Limbo: Disorientation, Work Challenges & Choosing Saginaw
27:48 Choosing Your Good and Bad: The ‘Grass Is Greener’ Reality
28:44 Saginaw’s Energy: The ‘Something in the Dirt and Water’ Feeling
29:59 Genuine Friendliness & Community Grit (No Pretending)
33:21 Why They Moved Back: Home, Real Estate, and the RV Transition
35:16 One Last Hurrah: Beet Harvest Work-Camping After Buying the House
36:38 Coming Home Hits Different: Love Letters, Old Town, and What’s New
39:20 Get Out and Experience Saginaw: Food, Volunteering, and Finding Your People
43:00 Stop Waiting to Be ‘Served’ a Community: Social Media vs Showing Up
44:53 Quick-Fire RV Life Q&A: Tanks, Shells, Snacks, and Road Trip Anthems
51:17 Final Advice: RV Life Won’t Fix You—Run Toward Something + Welcome Back