Hey Ya’ll! We’re the Lostetter’s.
[ Lost-stetter ] Sounds like Lost Letter without the L.
Hey friends! We’re the Lostetters—a family of four from Utah who just wrapped up the southern leg of the Pan-American Highway. What started as a love for hiking and backpacking slowly evolved into vehicle-based travel, giving us the freedom to reach the wild, off-the-beaten-path places we’d only dreamed of.
Over the years, we’ve gone from tent camping to van life, and now we’re rolling in a truck camper—each step teaching us what works (and what really doesn’t) for life on the road with kids. That experience led us to something unexpected but amazing: we started building camper vans for other families. What began as a passion project has grown into a little home-based business that we love.
Scott’s obsession with all things 4×4 keeps our rig running strong, while I dive deep into route planning and keeping our budget in check.It’s truly been a match made in heaven. Lillian and Case bring so much energy to the family—nature lovers with a curiosity that only grows as they travel. Watching them gain confidence and thrive on the road has been the greatest reward of all.
The journey has been full of challenges, yes, but it’s also been so full of joy, growth, and unforgettable experiences.
However, more importantly, we’re your guide. We have created this site for you. The whole goal for creating this was to help families get out together in nature to make yourself disconnect to help you reconnect. If you can’t find the answer on a page or post then please, reach out to us. We’re more than happy to help you in any way we can. Just ask.
OUR STORY:
How it started:
Scott has a quiet way of getting into your head—in the best kind of way. Over time, he gently pulled me into hiking and backpacking, making sure I was cozy, warm, well-fed, and cared for in every possible way. Before I knew it, I wasn’t just going along for the ride—I was falling in love with it too. Maybe even more than he was..
Then came the kids. Suddenly, hiking meant carrying them in packs, counting steps with fruit snacks, and mastering the art of motivational trail bribery. But we kept going—sometimes dragging tiny humans up switchbacks, sometimes questioning all our life choices—but always ending up back at the car a little more sun-kissed, muddy, and full of stories.
We were weekend tent campers for years. Our trusty ’95 Camry wagon—cargo box strapped on top—took us everywhere. Mountain trails, desert roads, backcountry escapes. Our kids learned early how to nap in the carrier pack (starting at just five months old), so being outside became their normal. It’s just what we did.
As our love for the outdoors deepened, so did our longing to do more of it. Bigger adventures, longer trips.
The dream? A Sprinter camper van.
So we went for it. Found Rusty for $4,500 and slowly turned him into our first camper van. He was scrappy, imperfect, and completely ours.
That’s when the phrase “get up and go” really came to life. With Rusty, we could go farther, stay longer, and chase the horizon without thinking twice. The freedom was addictive. There was only one problem: coming home. No one ever wanted to.
That’s when another wild idea started to take root.
One night, Scott asked, “What if we didn’t have to come home? What if we quit our jobs and traveled the longest road in the world—the Pan-American Highway?”
And I laughed. Quit our jobs? We were in debt. Living paycheck to paycheck. The kind of people who say no way, not us.But the question stuck. What if? What would that feel like?
We spent two years saving, building a bigger van, selling our home and most of our belongings, quitting our jobs, and finally hitting the road in 2020. But, like many others, our plans were put on pause by COVID. We turned back and waited for the world to heal.
While waiting, we started building camper vans for other families—what began as a side project quickly turned into a small business run from our home. Along the way, we also reimagined our own setup.
Craving a Toyota and the capability of 4×4, we made the switch from a van to a truck camper. It wasn’t an easy choice, but after completing the Pan American Highway, we can confidently say it was the right one.
Follow our journey on Instagram—we’d love to have you along for the ride! @overlandforgood
OUR CURRENT ROUTE
