traveling – The Adventures of Ms Haps & Arthur

A Rainy Day Adventure

In mid-June, we had some rain, and it was that kind of rain when the world just feels fresh after – not the kind of rain where it feels like a sauna. On one of those rainy days, I had the chance to drive to see a couple more Frank Lloyd Wright houses northwest of Detroit.

The first tour was at the Affleck House in Bloomfield Hills. There were a lot of unique features to this property that I enjoyed.

Under one of the cantilevers there was this shaded lounge area that had a small stream running through it. The bathroom and office area featured these unique windows to aid with the cross breeze and added to the aesthetic. The living room and dining room featured this beautiful planked ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows/doors. The natural light was stunning even on that overcast day.

One of my favorite parts of the FLW houses are the locations. They are almost always set in treed and lush properties – so naturally part of the landscape.

The Smith House was associated with the Cranbrook in Bloomfield Township. I had no idea how big the campus was, and I missed an opportunity to tour the Cranbrook House, but I did have a chance to wander around the Art Museum on the campus before the Smith house tour. I’m on the fence, in general, about midcentury modern design. The museum featured work done at the Cranbrook in support of that design style with different furniture and textiles and art pieces. The Eames exhibit was very interesting. I had lunch in their downstairs cafe and walked around some of the gardens as well.

The Smiths were art enthusiasts and had art in their home and on the property, which backed up to a small pond. Because of all the personal effects still in the home, it felt more “lived in” than some of the other FLW houses I’ve toured.

The Smiths also re-appropriated some of the spaces as well, which probably had FLW rolling in his grave, but a house only works when it fits what its dwellers need, so I could appreciate the changes they made to make it work for them. Isn’t that office just so great? Proving that a small room can be a functional retreat for work and rest.

I really do love the windows that utilize the mitered glass to create an invisible corner for a better view of the outdoors. Like Thoreau wrote: “We can never have enough of nature. We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features….” Another beautiful property that I am grateful to have gotten to explore.

When you tour more than one FLW home in the same day, you often run into the same people. This time, I met a couple from Ohio and a young man at the Affleck House and then again at the Smith House. It was fun to compare notes with them about the different houses and about my travel plans. I wish I had more time and energy to spend, but I was ready to head back home after the Smith tour.

Back in Grand Rapids, Arthur had extra time for cuddles and cuteness and helped me most days at work from his perch.

Tales of a Tourist

I did make some time to be a tourist in Chicagoland. I was able to schedule tours at two of the Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Oak Park, including his home and studio.

It really was like a “full circle” kind of moment when I was on the tour of his home. Even though he didn’t live there long, you can feel how the origin of the person and the design aesthetic began. There were some more traditional styles mixed with what would become his signature style.

Some interior pictures of the woodwork and a mural in a bedroom.

His office was my favorite part of that tour.

In late May, I had a chance to tour the Robie House as well. The lighting and the glass art were beautiful in this home.

Based on what I’ve learned about Frank Lloyd Wright over the dozen or so houses I’ve toured, I don’t think he’d be my first pick for an architect. I admire his work, love the art glass, and can truly appreciate his style, but living in the FLW house would be a nightmare – leaky roofs, dark spaces, and uncomfortable, built-in furnishings.

On a particularly adventurous day, I drove into the city proper for some museum time and a boat tour on the river.

I saw some pretty famous art the Art Institute of Chicago and also saw some art that I really liked.

The Chagall stained glass windows were incredible, and I was surprised and delighted to see a Monet winter scene and an O’Keefe that was not set in the southwest.

There was so much to see, but I think I did get to every wing of the institute and would highly recommend it if you have a few hours in Chicago.

I also saw the “bean” from a distance when I was walking to the Art Institute.

I thought I could fit all of the tourist stuff in one post, but alas, I am tired, so one more about Chicagoland, and then we’ll be off to Michigan.

More MN Time

Well, I’ve been waylaid on my journey by my own stupidity or wishful thinking, so I thought I should probably take advantage of the time and catch up on ye olde blog.

A glorious sunrise on the farm in early May.

Alway a Good Time on the Farm

Growing up on a farm leads to a wealth of knowledge that just never really seems to come up at a corporate job or when traveling in an RV around the U.S., so it’s always nice to go home and exercise the old brain box with talk of planting season, gardens, flowers, endless hours of mowing the lawn, and all the bits and bobbles it takes to keep a century farm running.

My parents have two rescue cats and a rescue puppy. As you can clearly see, the puppy is under monitoring at all times.

While I was back in early May, we went to a pancake supper fundraiser. I’m honestly not sure how it happens that I end up in my hometown when there’s a pancake supper, but I attended the one in November 2023 as well. (Also, it’s breakfast, dinner, and supper in the Midwest – or at least where I grew up – not breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You may be asking, “What happened to lunch?” Nobody knows.)

After the supper, my parents, aunt, and I went to hear Patty Wetterling speak at the Best Western at the north end of town. If you don’t know much about Mrs. Wetterling, here’s a video of an interview done by the MN Historical Society. Her son, Jacob, was abducted in his small MN town on October 22, 1989 (35 years ago), at only 11 years old. At that time, I was also 11, and this story shocked and frightened everyone across the state. Because of Mrs. Wetterling’s advocacy, much legislation and even more awareness has been raised to protect children. American Public Media (APM) did a recent podcast, covering the events and the investigation. If you’re interested in “true crime”, I recommend this one for the confounding nature of the investigation, and the keen journalism that went into reporting it.

Mrs. Wetterling and her co-author, Joy Baker, were compelling speakers and shared much of their journey authoring Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope. The ballroom of the hotel filled quickly, and there was barely a dry eye in the house when they finished.

When I was in southern MN, I also had a chance to reconnect with a dear friend from high school. We met at the Hi-Lo Supper Club in Lakefield, MN, to catch up. Later that week, the northern lights were showing off above the barn

I absolutely did laundry while I was there, had a facial, enjoyed a birthday dinner with family, made homemade cinnamon rolls for Mother’s Day, had an awkward conversation with my parents about where I want to be buried, and dined out at the Amboy Cottage Cafe with my parents and brother. We also made time to see Machinery Hill perform at the Red Rock Center for the Arts, a former church now arts venue. Since a couple of the members are from my hometown, they even played the school song while everyone sang along.

In mid-May, I continued my journey through MN and stayed at Town & Country Campground & RV Park in Savage, MN. I had a great spot under a tree, and Arthur and I spent many glorious evenings enjoying the pre-summer weather. Some days warmed up to the 70s, and we even used the AC a couple of times to mitigate the heat.

While we were in MN, I needed check some items off my list. My hair needed attention, so I went to the LolaMax Salon in Minneapolis and had a great experience with Tanya. Then I did one of those things I used to do when I lived there and just went over to a friend’s house and spent some time with her and her family. Being on the road helps you gain a lot of appreciation for the ability to just stop by and visit with someone.

I also needed to go to the dentist. 🍫🍫🍫 When I lived in Minneapolis, I had the best dental experience of my life, and – frankly – I’ve never found another dentist that compares. Lakeville Family Dental Centre is still amazing. I was able to make an appointment, get a referral to an oral surgeon, and get my pesky broken crown and root removed in a matter of days. My oral surgeon at Advanced Oral Surgery was amazing as well, and I felt no pain. I am grateful for an amazing friend from college who works from home and could cart me around that day and make sure I ate the soft foods I was supposed to.

Could I have walked? Maybe…but it was more fun to be carted around.

While I spent much of my time in MN with friends, family, and one fantastic former student, when I wasn’t working, I did make time on an exceptionally rainy evening to get a massage at Luxology. This had to be one of the best massages I’ve ever had. I highly recommend Ashley at this spa!!

I think MN will always feel like home to me. There are so many memories there, but I don’t think it’s where I will end up after this journey. I am so thankful for my decades in that state, and the growing I did there, but my unicorn city is still out there. So, on we go….

Adios, Arizona!

California – Here we come.

Our time in Arizona has come to an end already. Hard to believe how quickly the month flew by. The combination of having a work trip and making the most of my time with the rental car helped expedite our visit, so it’s time to say goodbye to the Grand Canyon State and head out to find our fortunes in the Eureka state.

The road from Camp Verde to Twentynine Palms, California, was not for the faint of heart. We took off around 10AM local time, and we traveled about 2.5 hours when Arthur really started to struggle. In hindsight, I think it was the frequency of the DIPs on the route. State route 72 and Aqueduct Road seemed to be the main culprits, and he was relieved when we arrived at our RV park – Twentynine Palms Resort – that afternoon. He had found another spot to hide while I was driving, and I decided that it would be better to just keep going instead of stopping and letting him rest and having him think we were done with the road. A short drive made very long.

There are some amazing sites when you drive across the country. It’s hard to capture them in words, and I really try not to take pictures while I’m driving. On this trip, there were two things – outside of the scenery – that piqued my interest. On one particularly open space, I looked out the window to my left, and flying parallel to me were two helicopters. I think they were military, but it was not what I was expecting to see. Where were they going? What were they doing? On that same road, there was a car full of stuff – no people from what I could see – that was just on the side of the road upside down, laying on its roof. How did that happen? Is everyone ok? No answers; just mysteries on this road trip.

When we arrived at the RV resort, I signed up for the Saturday night dinner that the park offers for $12 for first-time attendees. That night, it was chicken-fried chicken with corn, mashed potatoes, and a delicious cake for dessert. I ended up sitting with a great couple from Arizona who are just starting going out on long weekend trips in their motorhome. We talked about where they live, what we all do for work, and they had suggestions for future cities for me to explore.

The weather was beautiful, so we were able to open the sunroof and bathroom vent and pull in the fresh air, which was great for sleeping.

On Sunday, we drove out to the Yucca Valley and went on a horseback ride in Joshua Tree National Park with Knob Hill Ranch. Cara and Madeline were very accommodating, and the ride was great. My horse, Biscuit, was a trooper and loved being out on the trail. It was a great way to see the park and, according to my watch, it was great exercise.

Because I didn’t have a rental car, Arthur made the trip to Yucca Valley with me and Estella. He did great, but by the time we headed back to the park in the late afternoon, he was ready to be done.

Glamour snap of Arthur, advising me that he’s done traveling.

Unfortunately, Estella sustained her first injury under my care. When we were leaving Knob Hill Ranch, I didn’t turn wide enough and ended up scrapping the step on the sliding door. 🍫🍫 It’s surface damage, so nothing terrible, but it’s a bummer. Sorry, Estella.

Planning around weather is just part of the journey. Our venture further into California called for us to drive through an atmospheric river on our way to Morro Bay. I like to use Weather on the Way, but it really doesn’t tell you about road conditions – just about the, you guessed it, weather on the way. Luckily, our neighbor at the RV park used to work for the California Department of Transportation, and she was able to give me so solid advice about our upcoming drive.

The Power of a Break

How beautiful it is to do nothing and then rest after.

Since being in NM, it felt like I had been running around every weekend and some week nights, especially dealing with the night when we lost power. I was looking forward to having a weekend to just rest and relax. After putting in some long days at work, I settled in to a weekend with no real plans. I set myself up for success by grabbing a shower at our new RV park. The shower rooms at Distant Drums were even better than the ones in Albuquerque at Coronado Village. They have double locks – outer door is locked after hours and each bathroom had a secure lock – and were always very clean.

I did almost nothing during my first full weekend in AZ. I read a little, blogged a little, and did some internet surfing – all excellently uneventful. I knew the following weekend that I would need to start looking ahead to where I was going to hang my hat in the coming months.

Generally, I know that direction where I’m headed and when I’ll be in that area and for how long. The interesting part is diving into the RV Life Pro app and trying to figure out where I want to stay when I’m in those areas. I’m looking for a few things – a decent price, a good location with reports of good internet signal, and a location that is near some conveniences like grocery stores and delivery if I don’t want to eat what I have in the RV. I also try to find RV parks that have access to safe showers since Arthur’s litter box takes up my shower and is a pain to move.

I’ve learned that the off-the-beaten-path parks are great if you’re on vacation, but it’s a lot easier to stay within the city limits if you’re needing to do errands or working remotely. The internet signal is the strength I need to work and stream shows at night when I’m relaxing, and when I’m more “in town”, I usually don’t even have to drag out the signal booster. There is more traffic, but that doesn’t bother me. I can sleep just about anywhere.

After I was finished doing the planning for the next six months, I needed to pack because I had a work trip. Planning for this was a feat within itself. Usually, work trips are simple, I book the flight, pack, drive to the airport, and go to work in a different location. It’s a little different when you’re in a van with your cat. So, I had to figure out where I was going to be when I had to travel, where I was going to park Estella, and what would I do with Arthur.

After looking at Rover.com for a possible cat sitter and looking for places to park at the PHX airport, I decided to leave Estella and Arthur to their own devices for 48-ish hours. I left our space heater on and set to a comfortable temperature just in case the newly repaired heater decided die while I was away. I also left the bed up, so Arthur could spread out and not have to share with me. Of course, I made sure he had plenty of food, a clean litter box, and plenty of water.

Unbelievable Mishaps

A reminder of the Mishap Scale >>> (🍫 = minor; 🍫🍫 = ordinary; 🍫🍫🍫 = embarrassing; 🍫🍫🍫🍫 = terrible; 🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫 = not enough chocolate in the RV to recover)

Showering, no matter how nice the bathrooms are, reminds me a lot of the prep that I used to do in the residence halls in college. Back then, I had a cute basket for my bathroom stuff, and everything – if I forgot it – was a few steps away. I forgot my towel on my first trip to the bathroom. 🍫 I used my t-shirt – that was pretty clean….

This last mishap wasn’t really mine. When I was on my work trip, I had a 6AM flight to head back to AZ. So, I had arranged the Lyft ride for myself and some co-workers at 4:30. Around 4:10, I got a notification that the Lyft driver was early. Nervous that he might leave, I finished getting all my stuff together and headed to the elevator. I turned the corner from my room, and there was a man, laying face down with his pants and underwear around his knees. Not something you want to see at any time of the day – let alone 4:15 in the morning. Did I check to see if he was alive? No. Did I take a picture? Yes. Did I call the front desk to let them know? Also, yes. I have no idea what happened to him or what the front desk did after I called. 🍫🍫🍫🍫

More Adventures!

One of the benefits of going to the airport is that I could pick up a rental car, so let the adventures in AZ begin. Next post…a trip further north with some grand views.

This Way to Sante Fe

Sometimes, knowing nothing is the best way to start…

Before arriving in New Mexico in mid-December, I really knew very little about the state or any of its cities or sites. The visit to the Albuquerque Museum and Old Town were great and very educational, but I was only an hour away from Santa Fe, so I had to go, right? Right.

Folks at the Big Jim Farms dinner had a lot of great suggestions for places, and I booked a ticket to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and another ticket to take a walking tour of Santa Fe. Between the two events, I had lunch at a cafe recommendation and enjoyed some delicious chicken empanadas.

Another suggestion was to take the Turquoise Trail to get to Santa Fe. So, I started out early after getting a half dozen donuts at Two Boys Donuts in Albuquerque. I also planned my route to go across the Musical Highway to reach the start of the Turquoise Trail. The route was, as promised, really beautiful with many quaint towns and lovely sites.

Once I got to Santa Fe, I started at the museum. In addition to the O’Keefe pieces, there were also some great snapshots of her life, including her cookbooks and an unfinished work. It was beautiful to see other parts of her everyday life. When I go back to NM, I hope to go to Ghost Ranch, which is where she resided during her time in the state.

The tour of Santa was almost 3 hours of great history and amazing sites. I learned about the founding of the city, the competition between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, the architecture, churches, and a beautiful hotel.

Also beautiful…this Santa Fe Target!!

A Couple Of Mishaps

A reminder of the Mishap Scale >>> (🍫 = minor; 🍫🍫 = ordinary; 🍫🍫🍫 = embarrassing; 🍫🍫🍫🍫 = terrible; 🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫 = not enough chocolate in the RV to recover)

Probably should’ve done some Googling before trying to drive on the musical highway because, apparently, it’s closed. I did recover a bit by singing it to myself while I was driving on the Turquoise Trail. 🍫
So, six donuts is too many for me. Waaaay too many. I love donuts, and I was, embarrassingly, unable to eat them all. 🍫🍫🍫

The Land of Enchantment

A New Place for Christmas

We arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday, December 16, 2023. It was a beautiful drive in and relatively flat on I-40. We did see some snow, which was great because it wasn’t on the road, and it just added to the beauty of the bluffs and hills. ❄️

Our first stop was Target to replenish our supplies. We honestly hadn’t used that much stuff since we left MN, but I thought we should probably get some fruits and veggies and some actual food for meals. But, seriously, look at this view from the Target parking lot.

That’s the Sandia Mountains from the Target parking lot. What a view. You can see these mountains from most places in Albuquerque, but it never ceased to amaze.

After Target, we headed over to where we’d be camped out for the next month – Coronado Village. I picked this location because it seemed like it was pretty close to a lot of different things and would be easy to get deliveries. It also had a good reviews, bathrooms and showers, a staffed clubhouse, and was a mix of RV and modular homes.

We were assigned spot 7, which was a short walk to the showers and laundry as well as kinda tucked back in a mini cul de sac, which meant that no one drove directly by us. We also backed up to a tall wall, so it was pretty private. The spots were really good sized and were a mix of gravel and concrete. Our neighbor was a traveling nurse and her husband and seemed very nice even though I didn’t get to know them that well.

Estella – seen here looking like her lovely, radiant self in ABQ.

Time to Think Differently

Arthur really started to settle in pretty quickly. I did tell him that we were going to be here for a month, and I think he understood. 😹 Or at least as much as cats understand about these things. I knew I didn’t want to move him any more than I needed to, so I thought I’d rent a car.

I had toyed with a lot of ideas for alternative transportation while we were on the road (ie. maybe a scooter would work or an e-bike or a used manual transmission car that I could tow), but none of those ideas seemed to fit the bill for every location I was hoping to stay. I hadn’t really thought of renting a car until one day at work, it just came to me.

I found a good deal, and I rented a car for two weeks. It was perfect. I could come and go as I pleased, and Arthur and Estella could just chill at the RV park without the stress of moving and re-parking whenever I wanted to go on an adventure. With access to wheels, I could really start planning what I wanted to see and do when I was in Albuquerque.

My First Adventures in ABQ

I picked up the rental right before Christmas weekend, so I could drive to see the Christmas lights, a favorite pastime, and run some errands. On Saturday, December 23, I crossed the Rio Grande River and stopped at the Open Space Visitor Center off Coors Blvd. There were several exhibits with local history and artifacts and a great outlook and view of the Sandia Mountains.

After the visitor center, I went down the road to an independent bookstore called Books on the Bosque, which was a warm, local bookstore with new and used books. I found some new books to read and left with some chocolate chip cookies for later.

I went out to REI to get some different gear and spend a gift card that was burning a hole in my pocket, and I decided to go see Wonka at a movie theatre. The best surprise was how cheap the popcorn was; the matinee ticket was $12, but the popcorn was only $5 for a large – what a bargain! The movie was delightful and touching, which I wasn’t expecting but thoroughly enjoyed.

On the way back to Estella and Arthur, I stopped for a bowl of bulgogi at a Korean fast food spot. It was delicious, and they gave me free Korean pancakes. Another bargain! NM was starting out in the most amazing way.

On Sunday, Christmas Eve, I got up early to head to Old Town Albuquerque. My first stop was the Albuquerque Museum where they had a Georgia O’Keefe exhibit, which is free on Sundays. The exhibit was outstanding. They were contrasting her work with the work of Henry Moore, a sculptor who was creating at the same time she was. I had known about O’Keefe’s close-up floral work, but her landscapes were so vivid and outshined the floral work they had on display.

In addition to the O’Keefe / Moore exhibit, there was an Albuquerque-centric permanent exhibit that displayed a variety of Albuquerque’s industry and its people. I also enjoyed the journalism section they had, which detailed, from multiple perspectives, different events in ABQ history. There was smaller gallery that housed some beautiful nighttime pieces paired with poetry. So good. This was an outstanding experience and for free. What a gift to the public.

After the museum, I walked over to Old Town and got lost – literally. I popped into a few stores and bought an ornament at the Christmas shop before I found my way back to the car.

That evening, I found a small Lutheran church and attended their Christmas Eve service. There was a brass band, a kids choir, and all the readings were done by the kids. It was very sweet, and everyone was very welcoming and kind. I had Google where the best light displays were and drove through a few of those neighborhoods with roads lined with luminarias and houses festively lit up.

I have running water again.

This is its own section because I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to de-winterize the RV and have running water again. I hooked up my heated hose with my Freeze Miser, and I crossed my fingers that I wouldn’t run into any frozen pipes because there were nights that could get and stay below freezing and winds that could keep things quite cold.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some things about that first full weekend in ABQ, but it definitely kicked off the start to a great stay.

Two Nights in Texas

Spacious Spot on the Farm

When I had dinner in OKC, my co-worker mentioned that I would see a lot of cows on my way, and was she right! So many mooo-cows.

There also doesn’t appear to be a speed limit in west Oklahoma / west Texas. With the winds and Estella’s height, we kept it under 75 mph, but we were definitely one of the slowest on the road. It did give us the chance to see some of older businesses that must’ve thrived when Route 66 was alive and well. We even stopped for fuel and coffee in Weatherford, OK, which had a lovely downtown, and if we had more time, I would’ve walked around a bit.

Luckily, we arrived on the farm where we were staying before dark and easily got set-up after we were welcomed to the farm by the owner and two very cute, friendly farm dogs. They were very experienced hosts, and there were three or four spots to hook up to power, which was great. We were the only ones there, and it was a nice, level gravel spot with great views of the sunset.

It was the first night that we’ve been in Estella when it’s rained all night long. Arthur didn’t really love it, and I was a little worried about the gravel parking and drainage, but there was no standing water in the morning, so – again – these hosts know what they are doing.

Working on the Road

It’s been really easy to work on the road so far. The question I get a lot is, “Do you have Starlink?” Starlink is a satellite-based internet service, which is great for RVers who spend time off grid and aren’t near a lot of trees. I’m not opposed to be being more of a boondocker, but I don’t have solar, and I do really love being under and around trees for shade and for the aesthetic. The other thing about going to these RV parks is that you have no idea what spot you might get; a lot of them don’t let you reserve a specific space, so you never know when you may or may not be in a site with a lot of trees.

So, for internet, I went with two options because it’s always good to have a back-up. I have a mobile hotspot through T-Mobile, and it supports some bands of LTE that other carriers don’t support, which I liked. The back-up is using my cell phone as a hotspot, so I have over 100GB of hotspot data on both of those devices, which is plenty for me to work all month and watch a show or two in the evening. A lot of the RV parks have their own internet as well, which isn’t strong enough for work, but it’s fine for writing blogs and general internet business.

I shared about the signal booster I purchased in one of my MN posts, but I thought I’d share a bit more about how I use it. I did a lot of reading on the different options and went with HiBoost instead of WeBoost. My dad built a stand that attaches to my hitch for the antenna, and I pull the cable through the shower door in the rear of the RV. I haven’t had to use it thus far because I’ve been able to get 50+ Mbps with my hotspot or phone, so I’ve been good.

The living area in the RV, including the loveseat, is about 4.5 ft by 6 ft, which is enough space for me and Arthur. We set up the table (3ft x 20″) on its pedestal, which is enough room for my 24″ monitor, laptop on its stand, my keyboard, and my mouse. I have a longer desktop mat, which works great for the keyboard and mouse. I also bought a monitor mount, which I’m undecided about because it’s a pain to set-up at 6AM. I think if I could always have it set up, it wouldn’t be as big of a deal.

Minor Mishaps

A reminder of the Mishap Scale >>> (🍫 = minor; 🍫🍫 = ordinary; 🍫🍫🍫 = embarrassing; 🍫🍫🍫🍫 = terrible; 🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫 = not enough chocolate in the RV to recover)

Up until this point, I have been storing the mattress pad in the back garage of the RV. It fit back there and kept it out of the way. Fast forward to our first rainy night in TX, and that didn’t feel like such a good idea anymore. I was able to wait until the rain calmed a little, and that was the last night it got stored in the back. 🍫
The van is still winterized, which was fine for one-night stays, because we were up and moving and able to stop at gas stations and stores along the way, but this was our first two-night stay without water, and that was A LOT. Let’s just say I didn’t eat any dairy, and we left plenty early on Saturday. Thankfully, no emergency holes needed to be dug. 🍫
I stopped for coffee on the way out of Shamrock, and when I pulled into the itty bitty Starbucks parking lot, I THOUGHT I had turned wide enough to fit next two this Ford Focus. Nope. When I went to straighten out, I looked down, and I had about 2 inches between me and that compact car. EGADS! Did I figure it out? Yes. It take me a lot of deep breaths to get my head on straight to do it? Also, yes. 🍫🍫🍫

Unsung Heroes of the Road

Before embarking on this trip, I used Upside – an app that partners with gas stations and restaurants to offer discounts, and I gotta tell you, I love a discount. I thought there might be a similar app for diesel fuel since that’s Estella’s food of choice. I found Mudflap, which I think it primarily geared toward semi-truck drivers, but what’s good for the goose…so I tried it out.

Mudflap requires you to get a code and show that code to the cashier before you fuel up. Because Upside just credits you after you tell them what gas station you want to use, what card you’re using to pay, and then they add the discount to your account, this was a bit different. But every, single station I went into, I was met with lovely associates, mostly women, who patiently explained to me how it worked at their station. They pointed me to the bathroom and let me know about perks – like a free fountain drink – for diesel purchases. Some of these places were kinda off the beaten path, and it was always so great to have an ally at these stops.

My hat’s off to these folks who keep us on the road and wear a friendly smile while doing it! 🥂

Kansas – Here We Come

What’s the Matter with Kansas?

I really didn’t know much about Kansas – other than the Wizard of Oz farm, that my cousins and aunt and uncle once lived there, and that there was a book published in the early 2000s called What’s the Matter with Kansas?. Oh! And Kansas was also featured on the HBO series Somebody Somewhere, which I highly recommend.

I did know that I had a co-worker who lived in Topeka and who recently got married, and I thought it was a perfect stop for our first overnight on the way to our first destination after MN.

So, we set off on Tuesday, December 12, to find out if there was anything the matter with Kansas after all – at least in Topeka. It was a relatively uneventful trip with our new tires and heading south into warmer temperatures. By the time we made it to Topeka, it was almost 60 degrees, which felt amazing after MN’s teen temps.

One of the things that I was very conscious of was being safe when staying overnight as I travel. I had read numerous posts in online groups of solo travelers, sharing about uncomfortable situations when overnighting at big gas stations like Love’s or Walmart parking lots or outside of Cracker Barrels. While it’s generous of these establishments to offer the space, the idea of them was not super comfortable, so I sought alternative options and came across Boondockers Welcome / Harvest Hosts. One of the great things about Boondockers Welcome is that some of the places offer hook-ups, and since the night’s were chilly, it also felt comforting to know that we could have electricity.

So, outside of Topeka, we went to our first Boondockers Welcome host’s home. It was off the beaten path, and we were hosted by a lovely couple who greeted us and made sure we were all connected to power and safe. It was the perfect first experience. Because every host is different, it’s hard to know what to expect, but we couldn’t have asked for a better first place.

The view from my Boondockers Welcome host's home.

Once we were all settled in, my co-worker and his lovely bride stopped by and picked me up. We headed into downtown Topeka for dinner and ended up at a Mediterranean restaurant called Olive Cafe on Kansas Avenue. Dinner was tasty – especially the baklava. We also went for chocolates at Hazel Hill Chocolate – this place was divine. We each got our own boxes of chocolates, and the young man who was helping us told me he made the toffee I picked himself. They also had a huge selection of chocolate- and caramel-covered apples that would’ve been a meal within itself, but I didn’t indulge this time.

Because my co-worker and his wife know that I’m on a search for my unicorn, forever city, they made a solid pitch for Topeka. We drove through some neighborhoods and went to the Topeka Public Library, which was amazing. While we walked around the library, we talked about Kansas and the different political climates, the housing prices, the beautiful sunsets, and the general feel of the state. Because they had both lived in other places, they had great perspectives on the area in contrast to other places they’d lived. It definitely rates a trip back and a longer stay.

A Hallmark of My Journey

Over time, the idea of this journey seemed like it could be more than just finding our forever home / city / state. I thought it could be a chance to reconnect with family and friends. So, when I posted about our blog on Facebook and Instagram, my intention was to try to connect with as many people that I could – face-to-face – wherever I went. I think, as a someone who works remotely, I feel connection with my co-workers, but I do recognize that it’s different than being in an office space where you might walk to lunch together or go out for a happy hour.

On the way to Kansas, I stopped in Worthington to have a quick visit with a high school friend who I haven’t seen in years. She’s one of those friends with whom you can just pick up from where you are today because you’ve endured so much together that nothing is harder than where you’ve been. That sunny, cold Tuesday was no different. She took time out of her day, and we talked for an hour about as much as we could and as fast as we could. It was rejuvenating just to be the two of us again, but now as adults – no longer the kids we were when we were trying to navigate adult things back in the day.

I was lucky enough to have a similar experience when I was in MN in May of 2023 with another high school friend. The three of us used to run cross country and track together, and there’s something about running with people, especially long distances that changes you over runs, seasons, injuries, successes, and failures. I don’t know if I can explain it, but you can go to deep places quickly and recover just as quickly. It’s an honor to know these women in adulthood, and I keep them close to my heart even if we’re always hundreds or thousands of miles apart.

Mishaps

Despite the ominous title of that book, we didn’t find anything the matter with Kansas, and I avoided any major injuries as well. It’s nice to have a leg of the trip where we were just enjoying the open road. But don’t worry, I’m writing about the past, and I can promise there will be mishaps in future blog posts.

Our First Travel Day

I set the bar pretty low for our first travel day. There were about a million little things I still needed to do be full-time in an RV that is smaller than the smallest bedroom of my house.

But we still missed the mark. On November 15, the day before Arthur, Estella, and I were supposed to leave, I made a list of what I needed to get into the POD to move to a storage facility in MN, what I needed to get into the RV, and the other logistics I needed in place to leave our home of over five years. Mr Haps was a huge help in all of this, but I had to get it across the finish line, so we could get to our first camp site.

My plan was to leave by 10AM on the 16th. 10 turned to 10:30, then 11, then Noon, and finally we left at 12:30. Arthur is a very smart kitty, a trait that he tends to hide most of the time, but he knew we were getting into Estella again, and he was hiding in the most unlikely of places – under the couch cover.

One of Arthur’s last glamour shots before we hit the road.

For those of you who read my first post, Arthur and I did solve the issue of him climbing under the brake pedal while I am driving. I stuffed pillows under there, so there wasn’t enough room for him and the pillows. Problem solved…for now.

Our destination was 344 miles away in Zanesville, Ohio. I subscribed to RV Life Pro – an app and a website to fine recommendations from fellow campers and plan out your route, and I found National Road Campground – our first camp site. It was on our route, it looked safe, and when I called to reserve a spot, they were so friendly and informative. Perfect first spot for us.

I don’t know if you can really appreciate topography and wind speed fully until you’re on a highway, going 70 mph in a van that’s longer than any car you’ve ever owned and twice your own height. Estella’s a looker, but she’s no Honda CRV. I am grateful that she does a little shimmy when she thinks I’m going too fast because Arthur always thinks I’m going too fast. #NotHelping

Mishaps to Ohio

A reminder of the Mishap Scale >>> (🍫 = minor; 🍫🍫 = ordinary; 🍫🍫🍫 = embarrassing; 🍫🍫🍫🍫 = terrible; 🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫 = not enough chocolate in the RV to recover)

Where do I put the fuel? I have rented so many cars in my life, and I have never had this issue. Up until this point, I had never fueled the RV. Mr Haps said that it was by the driver’s door, but what he didn’t say was how close to the driver’s side door. It’s not somewhere along that side of the RV. You have to open the driver’s door to find and open the flap the covers where you put the fuel in. Let’s not discuss the number of times I walked back and forth on that side of the RV…🍫🍫🍫
Beware: The diesel is bubbly. Why is it bubbly??? I don’t know, but it’s foamy and spills over if you’re not paying attention. Ask me how I know. 😐 🍫🍫🍫
Every. Single. RV person will tell you that you should arrive before dark because of course you should. This only makes sense because you’ll be less tired, you can clearly see your surroundings, and – in the fall / winter – it isn’t as cold for set-up. We did not arrive before dark. 🍫🍫
By the time we made it to National Road Campground, it was so dark. I was so tired. I couldn’t remember any of the reservation information, and I walked back and forth from the after hours check-in station three times before I had everything I needed to complete the check-in. Thankfully, the campground was pretty empty, so no one observed my walks of shame – unless you count the security camera footage. 🍫🍫

Good news: I got my steps in. Even with six idle hours, I still achieved over 8,000 steps. Even better news? Tomorrow’s drive will be longer….