Aaron with Charlie, our camper

THE AMERICANA KITSCH AND CULTURE TOUR - Meg, Aaron and Leo's Excellent RV USA Adventure. Month One.

We'd been living in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawai'i, and I felt like 'going on the road' for a while. So, we did...

This is a memorial and GRAND memory to my husband Aaron. I'm so glad we got to do this trip together. You and me and Leo Ray Jr. our fur child cat.

We had a blast, didn't we? :-) I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anyone else bub. Aaron was wonderful to travel with. We always had a great time, saw all sorts of things and generally enjoyed ourselves. God, we had some funny experiences. LOL. Such great travel stories!!!

You cannot really put a price on doing a trip like this with someone you love and care about. And I'm glad we did it with all my heart.

AARON BRENT AMOR - here's to you bubba, love you always. xoxoxo

Thank you for some wonderful memories and supporting me the way you did.

------------------------------------------------- 

 

The whole aim of this trip was to do ONE thing at least in each state that WAS that State. Whether it was Kitschy (worst, ancient, as in, old, hadn't been updated since the dinosaur era Dinosaur Park in Virginia. Best - ooh, too many to say.) Or Culture, we had to do ONE thing that represented that State in some way. There's some pretty fabulous stuff out there to see in the American Heartland.  

 

--------------------------------------------------

This is the itinerary of the trip. A rough synopsis of what we did each day. Over the coming weeks, I'll slowly load the blog on here from that trip and some of the photos.

I hope you enjoy our travels as much as we did. We brought our RV 'Charlie' (short for Charlotte) on-line. She was 30 feet and had all the gear, even though she was older. We never did get around to using the shower, but it made a fantastic place for storage! LOL.

Leo Ray Jr. adapted quickly to life on the road and was a complete trooper. He had his wee routine he did every day. Over the cab for his first sleep of the day on the bed up there. Down to the couch for midday. And then down to our double bed at the back when we stopped. The only time he had a meltdown, was when we put Charlie through a car wash. I had to sit in the RV toilet with him between my feet, under my dress. We'd run the generator for him when we got out anywhere and deafened people. Yes, she could have used a slight overhaul, but she worked. She sounded like a tractor starting up. LOL.  

Our first night in her, we ran her on generator in the Wal-Mart car park. And after only a few days, we stopped panicking and began to enjoy ourselves. :-)

This itinerary is written in my short notes form to myself, to remind me when I 'wrote' it up later. And while it's not very inspiring reading, per se, it does tell you what's coming up next in the blogs if you're following along.  I don't want to 'dolly' up my notes, because I want it to be a true and accurate record of Aaron and I's time on the road with each other. Also, it shows me how far I've come as a writer. Even just reading through this for me, is a fantastic memory of each day we did on this tour. I'm glad I wrote this down at the time. :-) ENJOY. :-)

Day 1 – May 3^rd  2011

 

Flew from SFO to Atlanta, GA. Then to Akron, OH. Picked up the camper van. All good. Was too late to book into an RV park, so stayed the night in the Wal-Mart car park. Shopped at Wal-Mart a lot for things for the camper.

Looking from the kitchen area to the front of the camper

 Day 2 – May 4^th Wed

 

Drove to the RV park in Winesburg, OH – Amish country. So tired, slept. Then had an adrenaline burst with ? something… and went to the Amish Country Kitchen for lunch. Then drove to Walmart and got a TV. Drove back through Sugar Creek etc.

 

Day 3 – May 5^th Thursday

 

Went to Winesburg general store and had wonderful proper KFC fried chicken. Got advised by the Mennonite lady at the RV park to go to Kinrod for the market auctions. So did, fantastic. Amish buggies and people everywhere. Brought pots and pans at the flea market. Went to Berlin, had lunch, shopped. Travelled into Kentucky. Stayed the night at ‘ye olde Freeway RV park’ in Crittendon, KY. Not impressed. Horrendous freeway noise and to add to it – a train.
 

A couple of Amish men at Kinrod Auctions

Day 4 – May 6^th Fri

 

Got on the Bourbon Trail. Went and saw Woodford Reserve in Versailles, KY. Lovely. Stayed at Johns ‘Good 'Ol Days’ RV park. Had pulled pork and BBQ sauce… yummmm. Very nice and quiet, lovely spot in the Kentucky horse country.

How a Bourbon Distillery should look - Woodford Reserve Bourbon

 

Day 5 – May 7^th Sat

 

Drove through the Kentucky countryside, very beautiful. Went to Jim Beam first – a bit boring. Then to Heavens Hill – great bourbon tasting with Bill. Phenomenal. Then stayed at the state park in Bardstown – very nice. Had fried chicken for tea, not that nice.

Aaron tasting Bourbon at Heavens Hill

 Day 6 – May 8^th Sun

 

Makers Mark – wonderful place, Aaron became ambassador.  Then to Wild Turkey. Had Peach ice tea – yum. Also lemonade (real) mixed with ginger ale. Very nice people. Aaron had a tasting. Went back to Johns to stay the night.

 Day 7 – May 9^th Mon

 

Went to Four Roses. Very nice. Went and picked up our t-shirts for the bourbon trail in Frankfort, KY. Then drove down to Corbin, KY and had dinner at the KFC original restaurant. Then onto Caryville, TN, at the state park by the lake. Very nice spot with organized ducks.

 Day 8 – May 10^th Tuesday

 

Continued on down through TN. Went to Loudon, TN, had pre-cog in Chinese restaurant. Had dinner at Red Lobster – very good. Stayed the night at ‘ye old Freeway RV Park,' Podunk GA in Jackson

Leo Ray Jr., critiquing his dad's driving, again.

 

Day 9 – May 11^th Wed

 

Tybee Island, GA, lovely spot off the Savannah town. Generator died… battery dead. Had a swim in the pool at the RV park. Lovely. Went by Pirate Pedicab to Stingrays restaurant. Had conch fritters, key lime pie, lobster and crab bisque – yum and Aaron had a huge seafood platter with different crab, shrimp, NZ mussels and crawfish ( not very nice the crawfish). Got pedaled back again by Ben.

Me, being pedaled by Ben, our Pedicab rider.

Day 10 – May 12^th Thursday

 
Went into Savannah on the local bus. Got on the city DOT bus for free and went to Vics for lunch. Lovely place on the river up 4 stories. We had real crab cake, fried green tomatoes, cold cucumber soup with smoked salmon in the bottom and Aaron had Atlantic salmon – medium rare, crushed – perfect. Very hot day, very tiring. Then went on Horse and Carriage ride through old Savannah with Dee and Daniella and Betsy the horse… Saw old town. Then walked through the park squares and caught the bus back to the visitors centre. Then the local bus back to Tybee. Ordered in pizza.

Ohh, these fried green tomatoes were soooo fabulous!

Day 11 – May 13^th Fri

 

Left Tybee and got new battery just past Pooler for RV. Very easy in the end, handy guy who put it in. 125.00 all up. Fantastic. Now the generator runs. Went to the Eighth Airforce Musuem in Pooler. Fantastic museum. Spent a couple of hours there. They have a B-17 they are restoring. Wowwww. Then left there and went into South Carolina and stayed near Beaufort. Had Pork riblet sandwiches for tea. Saw squirrels everywhere.

A gorgeous old B-17 being restored

 

 Day 12 – May 14^th Sat

 

Went into Beaufort and went on the walking tour with Jon Sharp through  Beaufort old town. Absolutely gorgeous place and houses. Took about 2.5 hours. Then went on to Charleston. Stayed in RV park near Charleston. Aaron very tired. I had dreadful sinus headache. Had bacon, eggs, baked beans, sausages and muffins for tea

The whole of Beaufort township is covered in these fabulous old Plantation houses.

 Day 13 – May 15^th Sun
 
Drove into Charleston very early. Got there about 8.30 and signed up for carriage ride through old town. Went with the Palmetto Carriage Co and we had the BEST tour guide. Very clever and very funny – Eric. We laughed and laughed. Loved Charleston, fresh and clean energy. Very pretty place. Different again to Savannah and Beaufort. Then left there and drove about 3.5 hours to Fayetteville. Stopped at South of the Border briefly… Went to the Airborne and Special Forces Museum there. Excellent museum. Fantastic exhibits… Then Wal-Mart and the RV park here at Fayetteville. Having meatloaf and mashed potato and gravy for tea.

 

Kitscharama. The ultimate Kitsch stop

Day 14 – May 16^th Mon

 
Got up really early and drove for about 4 hours to the ferry at Cedar Island in NC. Got the 12.30 ferry, which took about 2.25 hours, arriving in Ocracoke Island, NC on the Outer Banks or OXB as it’s called. Very cute town, then drove to the other end of the island – about 14 miles and waited for the ferry to Hatteras, NC on the Outer Banks. That ferry was free and a 40 min ride away. We arrived in Hatteras about 4.40.  Shopped for souvenirs, then found our RV park at Buxton, Outer Banks, NC for the night. Going to dinner at The Inn at Pamlico here in Buxton, NC

 

This is what the Garmin showed as we were on the Ferry, crossing the Outer Banks. :-)

 

Day 15 – May 17^th Tue

Slept in a bit. Then left Buxton and continued north, through the Outer Banks. All beautiful until you get off Hatteras Island, then it gets very commercial and boring. Had lunch at the Sugar Shack. Fried Green Tomatoes again – yum. Then drove to Kitty Hawk. It was really good. Very interesting. Then on to Williamsburg, VA, stopped at a KOA park for the night.

 

Day 16 – May 18^th Wed

 
Had breakfast at the Pancake House. Then went and walked around Williamsburg. A wee bit boring, other than the horrendously FAT squirrels. Left there and drove to Jamestown, which was a much better display. Saw ships, an old fort and a canon a musket go off. Then to Yorktown but pouring with rain and got there too late. Then drove on to just outside Richmond, name starting with A and stopped the night.

 

Okay, this guy doesn't look very fat, but some of those squirrels were waddling!

 

Day 17 – May 19^th Thursday

Drove about 90 miles into the Washington D.C. and Baltimore area. Stopped at our RV park. Another crappy park on the freeway. Need to stop. Exhasuted. Left here about 3.00 and went into Baltimore, MD. Intense, busy city. Wandered around the waterfront area which is very busy. It’s all busy. Had a bite to eat at the Irish pub place on the waterfront. Then went to the Orioles game in Camden Yards. Wow… what an experience.. It was way cool. The whole experience was magical. Loved it… The Orioles did badly but still riveting to watch. Had a hot dog and some peanuts… very fun. J

Baltimore Orioles pitcher at Camden Yards

 

 Day 18 – May 20^th Fri

I am exhausted, so Aaron has taken the car and gone into Washington D.C. to do some sightseeing.  Aaron saw the African American museum. And the Crime and Punishment Museum. At night we went to Bay Sox Minor League Baseball game at Bowie. Met really nice people, the Glasses. Debbie, Greg, Blake, Gavin and Kyle Very fun. Also had fireworks at the game…

 

A pencil drawing at the African-American museum

Day 19 – May 21^st Sat

Went and saw the Manassas Civil War Battlefield near Washington DC. Then to the Air and Space Museum at Chantilly. The Udzar-Hazy. Wow… very cool.. All sorts of aircraft there. Including the Enola Gay… very cool place.

 
Day 20 – May 22^nd Sun

Went out to Andrews Air Force Base near where we were staying and went to the Joint Airshow there. Very cool. Zillions of people. Lots of aircraft. Lots of military old and new. They had a B17, B25, B29. Wowww… Also F15, F 16 and F18 and the Thunderbirds flying over… very cool. Very loud…. I was exhausted afterwards…  

Me with the flight engineer on this gorgeous old B-25 Mitchell

Day 21 – May 23^rd Mon – End of Week 3

We got going about 12.30 and set off for Delaware. It was only about 2 hours driving time. We made for the shore… very built up.. a bit busy. But settled on one in Dewey/Reboboth area in the end… Ok.. not wonderful. Might go to the State Park near Lewes tomorrow.. close by.. more beachy and quieter..

We've hit the South. We see a lot more of the confederate flag flying, all over the place.  

 

Day 22 – May 24^th Tuesday

We drive around getting increasingly frustrated with trying to get the generator fixed… give up and give up on Delaware. It’s just not happening. We eat at a Seafood Restaurant Jakes and then catch the ferry from Lewes to Cape May in Nu Joyzee… It is much nicer here, more quiet, laid back, we find a really nice RV Park and park up for 3 days. We catch a cab and go into Cape May proper and have dinner at the Lobster House… So good. We get a full American dinner with salad, bread, vegetables all thrown into the price. We waddle out of there. I have the most divinely velvety lobster bisque I have ever had.. it is beyond sublime. Magical.  Aaron has a clam and oyster appetizer. And then we both have lobster. Aaron has the pot with the lobster, scallops, shrimp and mussels in it.. All very good. Leo wolfs down the scallop and prawn when we get home… he inhales them! I have the lobster and steak… also very good. The bread is sooo good… it is all lovely. 

 Day 23 – May 25^th Wed

 

We sit by the pool all day, swim and read. It is so nice. Very warm and sunny. We get talking to Nate and Theresa. Nate comes to sort out our LPG/heater, and Generator for us.. Voila… we have to switch a valve on the LPG/propane… everything starts working. Nate took out the spark plug and put it back in.. magic fingers.. it fired into life… Yay!! And he found the switch for our hot water and it gurgled into life as well… FANTASTIC.. We are so rapt. We are going to have tea with them tomorrow night. Nice. ! They are from Minnesota originally but were up in Alaska for years.

 

This glorious pool was enjoyed enormously by us for several days

 

Day 24 – May 26^th Thursday

We went to Lobster House again for lunch. Had the divine velvet Lobster Bisque. Then went on a horse and carriage ride around Cape May’s old Victorian Houses, which was really lovely. So pretty. Then went back to Lobster House and got some dessert to take to Nate and Theresa's tonight. Cannoli, lemon meringue, Oreo brownie etc. Came back here and sorted out the next stop. It’s Memorial Day weekend this weekend. Went to the Naval Air Station Museum here at Wildwood. Very cool wee museum. Lots of interesting exhibits and fun things. Great stuff. Got some alcohol and went to Nate and Theresa's for dinner at their bus. Very nice. They have a huge bus and it’s all decked out… very impressive. They had a campfire going and ribs on the BBQ.. it was great. Had a really nice time with them, then came home about 9.30.

 

One of the big old Grand Dame hotels in Cape May

 

Day 25 – May 27^th Fri

Got up and drove to Podunk, NJ… er.. I mean Dorothy, NJ.. Staying in the permanent section of the caravan park and it’s not really pretty. More concrete ornaments than you can shake a stick at… and coloured lights which we DO like. We are staying here over Memorial Day weekend as it’s crazy out here… but not enjoying it much… Resting.. hmmm. Watched Fried Green Tomatoes the movie and now can’t stop thinking about them… Damn.

 

Coming up the Jersey Shore, through Atlantic City, they have restored a lot of the old looks. Fabulous.

Day 26 – May 28^th Sat

Did nothing all day. Went to the pool and it was a zoo with screaming kids and dive bombing parents… my head was sinused and I felt like crap.

 

Day 27 – May 29^th Sun

I feel much better today but will be glad to be gone from this place. I want to be on the road again. Nasty showers here with 8 sec ping out reflects… I fucking hate camping grounds that have these types of showers. The fuckers. I fixed it with Duct Tape… and managed to colour my hair, rinse it, shampoo it, rinse it and condition it and rinse it.

Day 28 – May 30^th Mon – Memorial Day END OF WEEK FOUR

Left the camp ground and backtracked slightly to our favorite produce stand to get 2 pds of peas which we ate all day. Also got a fresh strawberry pie… soooooo good. We stopped at Vitamin Shoppe.. in Mays Landing. Then onto the Jersey Parkway – packed all day bumper to bumper, until we got to New York city. New York city is busy and bridges, overbridges, freeways everywhere.. We go into Up State New York for a bit and then cross over into Connecticut. We stopped at Danbury, CT at the Stew Leonards Grocery Dairy store. Very fun. Claim to fame – he released the Paul Newmans salad dressing range. Had fun things like acrobatic lobsters, singing chickens, eggs, butter, milk and orange juice cartons, mooing cow and talking horse. Had lovely food. We got chicken salad, blue brie, guacamole, roasted rosemary lamb chops, chicken tikka marsala and rice, ribs, gourmet hamburger patties, green tomatoes that will go red before I manage to find some cornmeal, lobster for Aaron, tail and nippers for 10.00. Very sweet. Cold water lobster – probably from Maine. Nice cold water up there.  Very red in color. Scoops and bagel chips. Then came to Litchfield here in the Litchfield Hills… very pretty and very bucolic. Quaint villages and lovely house and gardens. Staying at a very peaceful out of the way RV Park. Nice. The frogs here are raucous and varied. I try the Strawberry Pie… divine…. So incredibly good. Short crust pastry and strawberries.. delicious. The best I’ve ever had.

 

One of the many dancing, singing things at Stu Leonard's. So fun!