Virginia grew up in an average family home but always felt overwhelmed in a busy neighborhood. She fell in love with the quiet countryside when she moved to a small town in the middle of nowhere to live with her grandparents around age 7. Her grandpa was from the midwest and was a traveler.

Virginia grew up watching cowboy movies with her grandpa and collecting the treasures he gave her, like license plates and souveniers. Her grandmother was a painter and always painted beautiful landscapes of Arizona, Nevada, etc. Virginia loves American history and parks and loved asking her grandparents for stories.

Virginia moved out at age 20, her grandparents were getting older and moved into a care home and community rather than an isolated place, Virginia wanted to care for them, but they encouraged her to follow her lifelong dream of traveling America. She saved up for a van when she graduated high school and always said how she wanted to fix it up and use it.

She began her travels alone, just finding unique places around her state and area to photograph, selling her prints at art stores and mom & pop shops around the state. She always made sure to visit her grandparents. Eventually she grew greatly lonely and put more effort into meeting people in all the small towns she visited. She wanted someone with her on her dream journey: to drive all of Route 66 and live among the deserted roads.

Virginia and Dakota met on a tour guided hiking trip in the Great Smokey Mountains when they were 22. Virginia joined a hiking group so she wouldn't get lost, and bonded with Dakota during the hike. Dakota was also on a journey across the country. Unlike Virginia, Dakota left with no car and gets around through buses and walking. Dakota's lifestyle isn't safe at all, so after a lot of talking and a little flirting, Virginia offers to take Dakota to her next destination.

The days go by and the more they see in common, the more they fall in love and the less Dakota wants to leave. When Dakota shares her dream of exploring abandoned places and traveling Route 66, Virginia realizes she's found her travel buddy. They fall in love with everything about each other and become trustworthy companions.