Cees and Madison’s love story has been fast and furious and full of adventure! They met and fell in love in college in 2014. Instead of the typical roster of first dates (dinners out, movies, and bowling, perhaps), their roster included rock climbing, slack-lining, camping and canyoneering trips. They married by September of 2014 and soon adopted a cat they named Vladimir.
Unlike most newlyweds, they were able to purchase their first home in cash. It was a 1989 Toyota mini motorhome which they spent months thereafter self-renovating and making it their own.
The day after they graduated from college, Cees, Madison and Vladimir set out to visit all 59 U.S. National Parks in one big loop to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016. A few months into that trip Madison became pregnant with their first son, Theo. They kept traveling and visiting parks right up until Madison gave birth. Theo was born on the first day of National Park week in April 2017.
While the overland adventure would likely have stopped there for most couples, Madison and Cees took their five-week old baby and hit the road again to finish visiting the last few parks on their list.
Photo: The Hofman Family
They learned so much about the unique beauty of America and with grateful hearts set out to see more of the world with their new baby, working and traveling abroad for the next few years.
Right before the pandemic hit, Cees, Madison and Theo moved to Utah and put down a few little roots. They have since become weekend warriors and transitioned to over-landing in their built-out truck bed camper. At the end of 2020, Theo became a big brother as they all welcomed baby Sol into the family – a bright spot born in a difficult year.
Local road trips and camping adventures have become family favorites and Cees and Madison plan on raising their kids wild and free with a love for the amazing outdoors.
Madison and Cees will be joining us at the Overland Expo West to share their hard earned advice and wisdom about how to enjoy – and survive – epic adventures as a family. Join them as they discuss their experience at the Round Table Discussion: Tops Tips for Overlanding as a Family on Saturday at 4PM.
To learn more about this dynamic adventure family before the Expo, check out their Instagram: @ourvieadventures
