Wanderlust Spirit

My first adventure was at the Escapees Escapade RV gathering in Fryeburg, ME. I met so many wonderful, helpful people and tested myself and my van at the five-day event. My first mistake came almost immediately. I brought an extension cord that didn't fit the campground's power source. Rather than head to Camping World to fix the problem, I decided to go without plugging in. It turned out to be a good mistake. I discovered that I could go for five days using my solar panels, lithium batteries, and a full tank of fresh water. That realization and testing the systems gave me confidence as I headed out on my own.

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I joined Harvest Hosts, which offers overnight stays in places such as farms, museums, wineries, and breweries, where I found some of the most curious places to camp. Leaving Maine, my next overnight was at a farm in Hartland, VT. Parked on a green pasture with a view of grazing cows, I began to wonder if this was what my journey would be like. The owner offered me a tour, which turned into an exciting jeep ride through the farmland and forest. Zara hung onto me for dear life as we bounced along. I don’t know how he discovered this one tree in the thick forest, but it looked just like the talking trees in The Wizard of Oz. It was also where I saw New Zealand pigs for the first time. They were enormous, incredibly hairy, and, I was told, sometimes kept as pets. Cute? Maybe. But I'll stick with rescue dogs. The homemade whole-wheat sourdough bread, however, was absolutely exceptional. I was disappointed to find that there was no fresh bread available the next morning to take with me.

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From Vermont, I headed to Fort Edward, NY, where I never expected to find myself camping along the Hudson River in a historic park and yacht basin. There weren't many boats coming through, but the setting was beautiful and peaceful. The next morning, I went to Mamma's Cafe, a popular local restaurant, for breakfast. Since I had Zara with me, I was pleased to discover that dogs were welcome on the front deck. No one was taking names for a wait list, and when I asked, I was told to find a seat when a table opened up. So I waited, and waited, and after more than 30 minutes, a table finally became available. I sat down only to be told I had to move. Apparently, there was a wait list, and another group with a dog was waiting for a table.

Then came a surprise. I was told they stopped serving because they were so busy. It was 11:00am, and they were open until Noon. Several women sitting nearby overheard the entire conversation. One of them was particularly annoyed with the situation and told me it wasn't right. They invited me to join them while she marched into the restaurant to complain on my behalf. The women had been friends for years and regularly met for breakfast after church. They told me about Fort Edward and their lives. At one point, one of them told me that she and her husband had spent their honeymoon at Riverside Park in Agawam. I told her I grew up there, and I couldn't resist asking why they had gone there for their honeymoon. “We didn't have a lot of money, and we love amusement parks,” she explained. And once again, you travel hundreds of miles from home, yet somehow, you run into someone whose story overlaps with yours. I stayed in Fort Edward for the weekend. I visited the museum located on an island in the river, learned how the Army Rangers began in Fort Edward, and later dropped into the local brewery.

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From Fort Edward, I continued to Otsego Lake, Glimmerglass State Park, and Cooperstown, NY. It was a lovely park, and the campsites were rather muddy and wet from all the rain. The next morning, I asked to change sites to a grassy, sunny area. No problem, until I backed into it. Within moments, I was sinking into the soppy ground. I had to call a tow truck to pull me out. It was noted that it was not the first time he had been there for that purpose. There was a historic mansion on the grounds, and they claimed to have the country's oldest existing covered bridge.

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I then traveled to see family in Scranton, PA, and Rockville, MD, before setting my sights westward toward Glacier National Park. I stayed at the Toy and Train Museum in Wheeling, WV. Wow. Three floors were packed with historical displays of toys and games, and with an overwhelming number of the most detailed train sets, and I pushed every button I could find, making them run.

 

Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio was spectacular. Walking through the gorges and along the cliffs provided a welcome respite from the heat. In Indianapolis, we walked around the lake and saw the sculptures at the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park.

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The heatwave had become relentless. I don't mind hot weather, but I felt terrible for Zara. Temperatures above 90 degrees became the norm during much of the trip. The heat limited the ability to explore cities, visit attractions, and hike trails. But that didn't diminish the fun we were having seeing new places, meeting new people, having new experiences, and collecting memories, which is what this journey is about.

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I eventually reached Chicago, where I spent the Fourth of July with family. The fireworks were mostly bursts of color in the sky, with inclement weather and heavy cloud cover, but it was different and a fun evening with family.

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After Chicago, the road carried us into beautiful Wisconsin, where everything was so incredibly green and lush. I crossed the bridge into Michigan's Upper Peninsula and spent the afternoon along Lake Michigan. Menominee had a fascinating waterfront with walkways that extended far into the lake. I had another unusual overnight camping at an airfield before going to Minnesota and driving up the coast along Lake Superior, and across the state, now seeing why it’s called the land of 10,000 lakes, and camping at Lake Itasca, the head of the Mississippi River. I searched for the trolls in Detroit Lakes, MN, exploring the lake region. It was easy to find free public parking near the lake, and I enjoyed a nice dinner on the water. Traveling throughout Minnesota, I was impressed by the number of well-maintained parks and the seemingly endless network of bike paths that could take you anywhere you want to go in the state. It was astonishingly clean. In fact, I was surprised by how clean both Minnesota and North Dakota were. I never saw trash scattered along the streets. I mentioned it when talking with a woman at the dog park, where our fidos were having a great time playing together. Was it an appreciation of their environment or a sense of pride? I don't know, but it was noticeable.

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That brings me to Fargo, ND. Van trouble ensued; this time it was the plumbing. It took a while to sort it all out, and I started to feel like I had moved to Fargo. The best thing was camping at a city park along the Red River. I took advantage of the extended stay and painted. I also made friends with a couple who had been traveling for 12 years. In the evening, I would join them at their campfire, drinking a beer and watching the full moon rise over the river. We may meet again on the road, or I will see them in Asheville, NC, in the spring.

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I found my escape from Fargo and headed to Bismarck, where I stayed on a goat farm. I followed the Missouri River along the Lewis and Clark Trail, passing through the massive sunflower fields of North and South Dakota. It’s impossible to describe the bright sea of yellow caressing the hillside. With a brief stay in Pierre, SD, I attended the annual Trader Days event. I’ve never heard of real turkey racing, which was one of the strangest things I ever experienced.

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Reaching the spectacular Badlands, with its wide-open landscapes, colors, and dramatic formations, and an endless sky, put a continuous smile on my face, and its beauty made my heart leap with excitement around every corner.