Gilmers wind their way toward all 50 states

RUSSELLVILLE – The best part of Slade and Jenny Gilmer’s big summer adventure wasn’t the sweeping views of the Grand Canyon or the dramatic red rocks of Zion. It was 10 days together without the usual constraints of rotating shifts and overlapping long work hours.

Slade, who works alternating day and night shifts from one month to the next at Mazda Toyota, and Jenny, a nurse practitioner who frequently pulls 12-hour shifts, often find themselves with only brief windows of time together during the week. Sometimes it has to wait until the weekend.

Travel gives them a rare chance to slow down and reconnect.

“Traveling gives us that uninterrupted time to be together,” Slade said. “Spiritually, emotionally — just actually being together, and that really matters.”

Jenny said each trip draws them closer.

“You’d think 10 days in a car together would make us want to strangle each other,” she said, “but we actually enjoy it.”

This summer, the Gilmers’ trip, partially by air and partially by car, covered more than 2,000 miles across six states — Tennessee, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Texas.

Their goal is to visit all 50 states together — a dream sparked by the woman who sold them their home.

“She told us she and her husband had been to 48 states,” Slade said. “He passed away before they could finish, so that inspired us to work toward finishing all 50.”

So far, Slade has been to 32; Jenny has been to 21. Together, they’ve visited six.

While they plan their routes, the couple likes to leave room for discovery.

“I’ve been told before not to get so caught up in seeing things that I forget to really see them,” Slade said. “So, we have a plan, but if something looks cool along the way, we stop with no regrets.”

He used to approach travel with a checklist mentality. Over time, and with Jenny’s influence, he’s learned to slow down.

“Jenny helped me learn to appreciate the moment, not to be in such a hurry that we miss something really meaningful,” he said.

Jenny said traveling has also deepened her faith.

“Especially with this last trip,” she said, “I felt closer to God — just seeing the things He’s made. The West, in particular, made me feel that way.”

They’ve also learned how to support each other on the road.

“Our preacher told us during marriage counseling to pray before we speak. That’s helped me a lot,” Jenny said.

Slade added: “If we have a disagreement, we talk it out. We’ve never had a big fight — just little disagreements. We compromise, agree to disagree and move on.”

Jenny Gilmer and Slade Gilmer take in the sights at the Grand Canyon

Picking a path

Their western road trip started as a different idea altogether. Originally, they were looking into a resort trip to Jamaica. But Jenny stumbled across videos of Utah’s pink water and a dramatic Zion National Park tunnel, and the plan shifted.

That sparked Slade’s interest in planning a route through Utah’s national parks — Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Zion — with a meaningful stop at the Grand Canyon.

“My grandmother, Mama Sue (Sue Paige), always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon but never made it,” Slade said. “So, once that all came into focus, I thought, ‘We can do the Utah national parks, then hit the Grand Canyon, and finally make it up to Stansbury Island to see the pink waters.’” He went in with high expectations for the Grand Canyon and said it still surprised him. “I like the vastness, the connection. I like to think Mama Sue was with me when I saw it.”

Jenny agreed. “Getting to go to the Grand Canyon with Slade, not in place of his grandmother, but to honor her — that was really special.”

They both cited highlights throughout the journey. Slade loved Bryce Canyon’s unique rock formations and the winding loop at Arches National Park. Jenny described the drive along Highway 12 as stunning with its changing scenery of deserts, forests and mesas.

At one point in Canyonlands, she stood with Slade at an overlook, just the two of them.

Slade Gilmer poses with his Huntsville Trash Pandas merch on.

“The wind was blowing. It was real quiet. I just felt so close to God at that moment,” she said. “It felt like He was talking to me.”

The final leg of their Utah journey took them to the Bonneville Salt Flats near the Nevada border.

“You leave Salt Lake City and at first you see the lake, but then it turns into what looks like a snowy field,” Slade said. “It’s just white salt as far as you can see.”

On the way back, they detoured to Stansbury Island, where algae and bacteria in the Great Salt Lake create bright pink water.

“It’s safe to go in,” Slade said. “We walked around with our shoes off. It’s just one of the few places in the world where you can see something like that.”

They also managed to fit in a few more fun stops, including a Salt Lake Bees baseball game.

“We had just walked into the stadium and were trying to find our seats,” Slade said, “and here came the Bees mascot walking toward us. He nailed the timing, and we got a great photo out of it.”

They also spent a day in Las Vegas, Nevada. Slade tried his luck at the slots, while Jenny bought gourmet chocolate bars from Dubai.

“She got the better deal,” he said. “I blew my $25, and she got chocolate.”

They also tried the FlyOver Iceland attraction, a motion ride with scents, wind and visual effects, an experience they said they enjoyed.

The couple also takes shorter weekend trips when time is tight — to Nashville, Pickwick, Chattanooga or Shiloh in Tennessee.

“They’re cheaper, easier to plan and they help us stay connected during the months when I’m working nights and she’s working full-time at the clinic,” Slade said.

Next year, they’re thinking about visiting Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia — a trip they’re planning around Slade’s 40th birthday.

“He’s the planner,” Jenny said. “I just need to know how many days to pack for.”

Slade creates a spreadsheet for each trip with a general daily outline. He books hotels close to the parks but builds in room to explore.

“I’m the navigator, and Jenny drives,” he said. “She’s a great driver, and I’m good at spotting detours.”

Their story

Slade grew up in Russellville and graduated from Russellville High School in 2004. Jenny is originally from Hickory, North Carolina. They live in Florence, but Slade still considers himself a “Russellville boy.”

“Even though I was born in Mississippi and have family in Marion County, I always felt like a Russellville boy,” he said. “I didn’t realize how much I liked traveling until I started doing more of it.”

They met at the University of North Alabama, where Jenny worked in the library and he passed through as a student. Later, they connected on Facebook. Slade was in Kentucky training with Toyota, but he made the trip to see Jenny more than once. Soon, they were inseparable.

“Jenny is a wonderful complement to me,” he said. “She’s a great companion.”

For Slade and Jenny, travel isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about making time, honoring memories and staying present — wherever the road leads next.