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Junior Bailey Cunningham, Red Rhythm’s junior lieutenant, performs from the stands at a football game, showcasing her drill team skills before hitting the road for her family’s summer travels across the U.S.
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“I have learned to appreciate the opportunities that I have,” Bailey said. “I have seen all different types of lifestyles; houses destroyed by tornadoes, people searching for their next meal. It is a real eye-opener to see how fortunate I have been to grow up in Frisco. Once you can leave and go see parts all over the country, even the world, you can see how good you have got it.”
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The Cunningham family travels across the U.S. in their Airstream Flying Cloud, a durable and reliable trailer that serves as their home on the road.
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“Growing up my family did big road trips and for me the saying, ‘enjoy the journey’, stuck with me,” Bailey’s father, Bill Cunningham said. “Doing these journeys gives us the opportunity to see more together. We learned along the way, made wrong turns, hit some tough spots but that is part of the excitement. The best stories are when things didn’t go as planned.”
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“Not a lot of people get to say they traveled around the country in a camper with their family,” Bailey said. “[Soon], we are all going to have our own busy lives. In one year, I’m going to be off at college, and my brother in three, [and most] likely my parents are going to move away from Frisco. [But now] we have so many unforgettable memories.”
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The Grand Canyon in Arizona, a mile-deep gorge carved by the Colorado River, offers breathtaking vistas after a 15-hour, 1,030-mile drive from Frisco, Texas.
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Wooden lounge chairs at the Bar Harbor Inn in Maine, a coastal getaway over 2,000 miles and roughly 31 hours from Frisco, offering visitors a relaxing spot to take in the ocean views.
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American Falls, part of Niagara Falls along the U.S.-Canada border, draws visitors with its powerful cascades after a 20-hour, 1,407-mile drive from Frisco.
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The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument at Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis honors Hoosiers who served in U.S. conflicts, standing as a 284-foot landmark after a 13-hour, 859-mile drive from Frisco.
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The waterfront lawn of the Island House Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan, offers scenic views after a long journey of roughly 1,100–1,200 miles from Frisco including flights and a ferry, as cars are not permitted on the island.
One camper.
One goal: All 50 states.
White boots are replaced with tennis shoes, a sequin hat is replaced with sunglasses, and a shiny overlay replaced with a tank top when junior, and Red Rhythm Jr. Lieutenant Bailey Cunningham, switches from drill team gear to tourist dress each summer as she travels across the U.S. in a camper with her family: her mom, dad, and younger brother.
“I have always loved traveling and getting to see different parts of the country,” Bailey said. “In the past 6 years, I have been to 39 states with my parents and younger brother. When COVID first hit, we decided to get a camper so we could still get to travel and have fun experiences while the rest of the country was stuck in lockdown.”
That camper soon became a second home for Bailey, where she cherished the time she got to spend with her family.
“Not a lot of people get to say they traveled around the country in a camper with their family,” Bailey said. “[Soon], we are all going to have our own busy lives. In one year, I’m going to be off at college, and my brother in three, [and most] likely my parents are going to move away from Frisco. [But now] we have so many unforgettable memories.”
It’s these lifetime memories that helped spark Bailey’s dad Bill to start taking these trips just as his family did.
“Growing up my family did big road trips and for me the saying, ‘enjoy the journey’, stuck with me,” Bill said. “Doing these journeys gives us the opportunity to see more together. We learned along the way, made wrong turns, hit some tough spots but that is part of the excitement. The best stories are when things didn’t go as planned.”
Beyond the adventures, this journey wasn’t just about exploring new places, but offering Bailey a fresh outlook on life.
“I have learned to appreciate the opportunities that I have,” Bailey said. “I have seen all different types of lifestyles; houses destroyed by tornadoes, people searching for their next meal. It is a real eye-opener to see how fortunate I have been to grow up in Frisco. Once you can leave and go see parts all over the country, even the world, you can see how good you have got it.”
For mom Julie Cunningham, she considers these trips a gift to her family.
“We have been blessed to travel to almost all the states, and our children have learned to appreciate people from many different backgrounds,” Julie said. “Bailey is very compassionate towards others in need and grateful for the opportunities she has been given to see the United States, and how privileged we are to live in North Texas.”
Though Bailey has seen nearly 80% of the U.S. and the sights of 13 other countries, her travels are far from over.
“After high school, once I have visited all 50 states, I plan to spend more time overseas,” Bailey said. “I have been to [other] countries, mostly in Europe, but I haven’t gotten to spend weeks there like I have in the States. I would like to go back and experience the culture, food, and people [further]. As for traveling in the country, I want to go back to places that I really enjoyed visiting growing up, in hopes of maybe settling there. If you want to travel the country, traveling by trailer is definitely the way to do it!”
