Our planned trip has finally started. After battening the hatches and getting the house ready for winter, we set off on our search for America — and the first day alone was full of surprises.
What Started This RV Adventure
It seems like just yesterday, when I opened the door to my pickup truck to take the trash to the dump one Saturday morning. I hadn't noticed that our young dog Indie (Indiana) had followed me out into the driveway. Before I could step into the cab, he jumped up on the front bench seat and sat down on the passenger side. He turned to look at me as if to say, 'Well, you're not leaving me behind.' With that he stared out the front window. And off we went. Since that time over 10 years ago, we spent almost every Saturday afternoon running to the dump together and many other short journeys, along with numerous boat rides. He loved the pontoon boat. He would calmly sit looking around the shore and all the activity on the water until he spotted another dog on the shore, and then the barks and growls would start. Anybody who has had a dog knows what great companions they can be and how much both owner and pet miss the other when they are not together. These little trips occasionally expanded into longer journeys. But for the most part, our vacations away from home meant kenneling the dogs — often not so ideal. The cost, and the time away from our pets, really convinced us there had to be a better way. COVID opened up the pent-up demand for freedom to explore the big outdoors, and RVing took off. If you had your own rig, you could go anywhere, and you could take anybody with you — including your dogs.
"The best travel happens when you leave room for the unexpected — a roadside sign, a historical marker, a diner with the best pie in three counties."
Day One: Vermont Surprises
Our planned trip has finally started. Thanks to friends helping us with our plans and watching our house, we could finally leave on our search for America. We left after battening the hatches, updating the smoke detectors, and getting the house ready for winter. NH to White River Junction, VT, and on to Williamstown, MA. Our mindset was to stop wherever and whatever piqued our interest. So, on day one we stopped in Plymouth, VT, to visit President Coolidge's family Cheese Factory. The Coolidge Family Cheese Factory is a wonderful piece of family history, still making great cheese. Easily gets my 5-star approval. Still in operation today, the factory continues to carry on the legacy of the 30th US President Calvin Coolidge's family, churning out artisan cheeses to the satisfaction of locals and travelers passing through Plymouth, Vermont. Then on to Weston, VT to see the Vermont Country Store. Admittedly my expectations were high, since I had experienced a real country store in Moultonboro years ago when I met my wife — which had a real Concord Coach on display, and a big pickle barrel in front of all the unique candies you can imagine as a kid. Tough to beat. Yes, I was really disappointed. With everything made in China now, and few local products on show, and the tour buses streaming in. But for me, it was barely a 2-star presentation.
The Scott Bridge and Onward
Then, we took a detour to see the longest wooden bridge in Vermont. The Scott Bridge in Townsend, VT was built in 1870. Exceptional. 5 stars. Get out of your car or RV and walk the length. Amazing! From Vermont we pushed south and west, through Massachusetts and into New York, then down through Pennsylvania and into the South. The rhythm of the road started to take hold — the early mornings packing up camp, the mid-morning coffee stops at local diners, the afternoon arrivals at new campgrounds. We discovered that the best travel happens when you leave room for the unexpected. A roadside sign for a farm stand. A historical marker for a battle you'd never heard of. A diner with a hand-painted sign that turns out to serve the best pie in three counties. These are the moments that make the road worth traveling.
Harvest Hosts: A Better Way to Stay
One of the best discoveries of our trip was Harvest Hosts — a service that lets RV travelers stay overnight at farms, vineyards, breweries, and other small businesses across the country. For around $100 a year, you get access to thousands of unique overnight spots, no hookups but no campground fees either. We stayed at farms like Gnarled Oak Farm in Hernando, MS, visited distilleries like Whiskey Thief Distillery, and spent nights at golf courses and heather gardens. Almost all of the hosts we met said Harvest Hosts was good for their business and that they met the most interesting people who were genuinely interested in their products and services. If you're interested in a great way to visit interesting small businesses across the country and stay for free with your RV, check out the Harvest Hosts website. It changed the way we travel — and introduced us to an America we never would have found from the interstate.
