Rollin’ along! Report after two weeks in

Fourteen days after pulling out of our driveway in Colorado, I’m still smiling!

I get excited every time we pull into a new campsite (yep, even the urban Walmart parking lot; we really needed some provisions and it wasn’t that awful). And I’m equally excited every time we pack up and head to a new destination.

Planning our overnights, sometimes just a day in advance, is keeping me wonderfully entertained, not to mention distracted from being a sad-panda, empty-nesting mom sitting at home missing her two college-age kids.

This August-to-October trip was planned, in part, to combat those, “Oh my goodness, the house is so quiet!” angsty feelings, and to that end, it’s absolutely worked! By the time we return home to Colorado it’ll only be another month before my kiddos come for Thanksgiving and an extended winter break. I can handle a month at home with fewer distractions!

We’re getting along — even in small quarters, all day every day

Quent and I continue to have a ball together — really. He was worried I’d freak out at all of the togetherness (I really like my alone time). But so far, it’s been peachy. The only time I’ve gone off the deep end (slightly irrationally) was when:

• I felt super rushed leaving a campground one morning. But that was communication: I didn’t make clear we had until noon; he thought we had to be pulled out by 11:30 a.m.
• Quent moved my plugged-in phone in the back of the RV, instead of the front of the RV, where I’m used to it being stationed. Every item needs to have its place in 250 square feet, so I was thrown off when I couldn’t find my thing. (Irrational, I know.)
• Quent sprung on me that we needed gas when we were pulling out of the parking lot of the Mars Cheese Castle (a sight to see) en route to Chicago. Instead of allowing me to research prices, it was just all speedy quick, and we had to hightail it off the highway for $1.95/gallon gas before we crossed the border into Illinois, where it’s $2.20. (Theme: I can’t be rushed.)

Of course there are probably a dozen (or more!) things I’ve done to bug the crap out of Quent, but, as always, he doesn’t dwell on them. That’s his m.o. (Appreciated.)

Indeed, we are in the RV a lot together, working during the week (this deserves an entire post sometime — this working remotely while picking up and moving every day or two is harder than I thought). And we’re obviously sightseeing together. But we do separate sometimes, like this last week he did a bunch of errands on his own, including runs to the laundromat and hardware store, and I took off and did a, “I need solo time!” little hike.

But we’re a good traveling pair — we’ve certainly vacationed enough together over 20+ years to know each other’s pain points. And here in the RV, we have our roles. Like he takes care of the grey and black water dumping, and most of the RV set up at any campground (I have been taught how to hook up electrical and water, but haven’t done it). And I take care of making sure the toilets and sinks inside are clean (e.g. treating w/ stuff to make sure they don’t smell — and I’ve done a brilliant job so far!). I try to take the lead on washing dishes and keeping the inside neat, since he deals with all the exterior stuff.

Overall, life continues to go well in BB. Sure, we’ve had issues, like we had to stop and spend an hour of our morning at an auto shop getting a tire checked because a valve stem was plugged. And our bike rack broke, so we (Quent) had to get a replacement part. We woke up this rainy morning to find a wet carpet underneath our air conditioner and water dripping from the old TV cabinet (not sure how that’s going to play out). But we’re still moving along, still smiling!

Highlights of the last week

We’re in Chicago now — yes, set up in the middle of a noisy truck parking lot in Chicago! — but here’s where we’ve overnighted in the last week:

• Bismarck, ND
• Mapleton, ND
• Dilworth, MN
• Apple Valley, MN
• Baraboo, WI

And here’s a general snapshot of where we’ve driven so far (not all overnights marked):

The last 7 days were much more of a “catch up and get stuff done” week after our whirlwind first several days of sightseeing in multiple national parks. It felt good to get some RV projects finished — like covering the mirrors above our kitchen counters with some peel-and-stick backsplash. Having freshly laundered clothes was also highlight!

Harvest Hosts overnights

I continue to love (freaking love!) our Harvest Hosts membership. Recall, we spent one night in the parking lot of the Sick-n-Twisted Brewery/Naked Winery in Hill City, SD. Last night we parked in the lot across the street from the Tumbled Rock Brewery & Kitchen in Baraboo, WI. At both places we totally appreciated our “meals out” — a rarity, since we’re mostly cooking/eating in BB — and sampling the local wines and beers. (Last night’s Belgian Wit that accompanied my fried cheese curds = so perfect.)

Earlier in the week we had the most marvelous time overnighting at the ultra-scenic 4e Winery, in Mapleton, ND. The grounds here are absolutely gorgeous — a former horse farm surrounded now by soybean fields. The big red barn is photogenic, and I loved the flowering bushes.

Even more awesome was our experience wine tasting on a second floor outdoor deck. We chose three wines in a flight to sample at our leisure while seated (vs. one sample glass at a time standing at a bar, which might have happened pre-COVID times). We also enjoyed a not-to-spicy vegan banh mi sandwich (reminded us of our trip to Vietnam in February, which feels like a decade ago!). After an afternoon walk down a quiet rural road, we returned to the porch to sample we sangria, locally brewed beers, and a yummy hummus plate.

But the very BEST part was the hospitality of 4e owners Lisa and Greg Cook. They joined us for a drink into the dinner hour, and Greg ended up sharing his AMAZING mushrooms in bechamel sauce that he whipped up for their own personal dinner. An ingredient was chicken of the woods mushrooms he’d foraged from a tree stump on their property just a few feet away. So fun!

AND the next morning they just happened to be bottling, and they generously let us be part of the action for a bit!

Lebanon Hills Campground and hiking trails

The Lebanon Hills Regional Park Campground south of Minneapolis, MN, is first rate. First, the staff was friendly from the get-go, from my initial phone call to make the 2-night reservation, to the fellow who chatted us up when he asked if he could clean our fire ring, to people who worked in the campground office. The set-up here couldn’t be better, clearly marked directional signs show guests where to go to check-in: under a canopy outside the office’s glass window. All very COVID-friendly and smart.

Our campsite itself was so well marked and clean, with a bright green grassy area. Sure, our neighbors were sorta close, but it wasn’t terrible.

Best part here: The network of walking trails throughout the park. I picked up a handy map at the office to get my bearings, but the trails were also so well marked with multiple signs at intersections, I didn’t get lost. I could have traipsed for days through the lush, wet woods. It was so welcome to be amid some greenery after our hot dry summer in Colorado.

Seeing friends!

While we were in Minnesota, I got to visit with two longtime buddies, Beth and Debbie, from my travel blogging days. The fact that they made time to see me and Quent on our journey just made my week!

There’s nothing like connecting with folks who “knew you when,” and it was great to catch up on what they and their kiddos are up to. In this time of isolation and the general collective trauma brought on by the pandemic, these meet-ups are especially meaningful.

Can’t wait to see more family and friends along the way!