The Church Hideout

We weren’t chompin’ at the bit when we woke up this morning, and things seemed as if we were moving in slow motion to start. Tyler was up in enough time to pull together breakfast before logging in for the day. Our Internet has been complete garbage for the last several days since we arrived in Arkansas which makes working remotely a challenge, but Tyler does whatever he can to ensure he is taking care of his clients. I’ve said it before, but his dedication is inspiring.

I readied myself for a workout and when Tyler asked what I was doing I told him we were working out. He went along with it and we made the kids get up and moving. Since we have been working out mostly in the evenings, peeling them out of bed to workout was more challenging today than normal. I got all the weights set up for our stations and we crushed a fun workout that had us sweating basically before we even started. I don’t feel like I have felt a cool breeze in nearly a month and I was surely wishing for one a few minutes in!

Addison and I finished our workout and Tyler and Ashton started theirs. We usually go in pairs so Tyler and I can share the barbell and stagger the kids. While they worked out, Addi and I went to the showers. We were able to shower and make it back just before they finished so we were able to cheer them on through the finish line!

While they showered, Addi and I packed up camp and hooked up the trailer so we could head out. We were working against the clock now for Tyler to get to a better Internet area. When they arrived back, we loaded up and headed back to Branson where Tyler planned to park in a Walmart parking lot and perform a few Zoom calls. The kids and I went inside to stay out of his hair and when he was finished, he located a barber nearby. He has been dying to get a real haircut for the past 3 months, so today he traded me in for the real deal…though, I think I was doing a mighty fine job and I was just getting better and better!

Much of the day was spent in Branson ensuring a good Internet connection, but we finally started our daily travels towards Bentonville, AR where my friend and her family live. While we did see Amanda yesterday, we decided to take the chance we had while we were in the area to spend more time with them. The drive was LONG and SLOW. It was about 2 hours from Branson even though it was only about 80 miles. Arkansas and Missouri roadways are crazy. The directions had so many turns and required close attention to detail, but we made it and parked the truck and trailer at the bottom of the hill near her home.

We spent a few hours with Amanda and her family at their beautiful home just outside of Bentonville, in the town of Bella Vista. We grilled burgers and enjoyed dinner with them while I did laundry! I was very thankful to her for allowing us to use her washer and dryer to catch up from the week. We have all adapted to trailer living with a less is more approach, but still haven’t mastered that with dirtying laundry! For some reason, our laundry basket is always full.

After a few hours, it was time to say our goodbyes. Our kids were having so much fun with theirs they were begging us to stay. It was hard to leave, but the campsite I arranged for the night was almost an hour away and it was getting late. I told you I would update you on our thoughts on Arkansas and they remain the same. It isn’t our favorite state and there isn’t a lot going on here, but seeing Amanda made it so worth it! Amanda is definitely the highlight of Arkansas!

Just after 10:00 pm, we arrived at our campsite for the night. I really lucked out when I found this place today. I had exhausted all resources and wasn’t able to locate anything in Bentonville or Bella Vista. When I extended my search South I came across Cowpatty RV Park. The owners are on- site year-round so when we arrived, she came out and led us to our space. It is dark, but we can tell it is very nice. She was so welcoming and made us want to stay longer! We look forward to seeing the site in daylight tomorrow morning, and who knows, we may even decide to stay an extra day!

Our plans as of tonight are none. The Angela a month ago would be in a panic state, but I feel at peace. The unknown is exciting and I am learning it is all part of this adventure. The flexibility in not having a solid plan has allowed us to be on the road for almost a month. We do know we are headed South and are working towards Texas in the coming days.

Between Arkansas and Texas, what is a MUST SEE? Taking any and all recommendations! Also, I spent the day just enjoying the moments and time with friends that I didn’t take a single photo…disappointing I know, but tomorrow I will do better!

Today, summed up in a word was FUN! It’s been a while since we have been able to get outside of the car and enjoy an activity together so today was our day. We planned to be awake and packed up early this morning so we could get on the road towards Branson, MO.

Though we weren’t traveling many miles, the winding roads make it difficult to navigate the trailer very quickly. Without internet or mapping, we went with the safe bet and left the campsite the same way we came, however quickly realized when our map updated we needed to be heading the other way. By this point, we already crossed the single-lane bridge resting on top of the dam and there was NOWHERE for miles for a trailer to be turned around. Our navigation kept trying to lead us down private drives and it was quite the wake up this morning as we left for Missouri!

A few extra miles down the road, we turned around and began our trek towards Branson. The roads were still quite narrow and windy, but we traveled slowly and made it to Branson before our intended arrival time. While we have wanted to venture through as many states as possible during our adventure, Arkansas was never really on our radar. A quick Google maps search brought me to the realization while we were in Nebraska that my good friend, Amanda, was only 9 hours away. Tyler said we could drop by to say hi as if it was just across town, so I jumped at the opportunity. We changed our plans slightly and kept traveling East at the end of last week, but this week we were able to swing back around to reunite! Amanda let me know they planned to go to a water park in Branson on Thursday and it just so happened we wanted to see Branson too!

Today, when we arrived at the parking lot of White Water, we situated the dogs in the trailer and started walking towards the gate. Since we were off the grid last night, I wasn’t able to connect with Amanda and never let her know we would be coming to the park today. As we neared the gate, I saw an SUV pull up with what looked like Amanda and her family. As soon as I could confirm I snuck over to her side of the car and tapped on the window. She was surprised to see us and it was so nice to reconnect.

White Waters was a blast and I think we all enjoyed the water slides, lazy river, and wave pool. We snagged the first chairs we could find so Tyler could work and stay back with our stuff. After a short time, he decided he would need to find some shade and moved to a chair in the shade away from the crowd of people. He worked while we played, but took short breaks to submerge himself in the water to cool off. He had a few meetings today that required him to be on calls and Zoom so he went back to the trailer for a few hours to tend to those before returning later to enjoy the attractions the park had to offer. By then, Amanda and her family had left so Tyler, the kids, and I went down all the slides and enjoyed the lazy river. We got a not so friendly dose of vitamin c that came in the shade RED! Despite multiple applications of sunscreen we are all walking away with a bit of color and a little sting!

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Tyler and I headed back to the trailer but the kids weren’t ready to leave so we allowed them to stay at the park while we went to figure out our accommodations for the night. The Harvest Host we were hoping to stay at didn’t have availability so we immediately went onto plan B. It was a little more difficult to find a campsite for the night because we were so late trying to make reservations. A little perseverance and Tyler found a place just a few miles from Branson, MO. Tonight, we are staying at Indian Point Park in Indian Point, MO. The campsite is nice and very large with electric hookups, but no water/sewer. The cell reception is poor and our internet is next to nothing, but the only one affected by that is Ashton!

After we set up and made dinner, Addison wanted to go look at the restroom/shower facilities. Tyler and I joined her and after we browsed around we saw there was a swim area down the road. Table Rock Lake was at the end of the drive and it tempted Tyler and Addison so much they decided to get in. Addison took a little more convincing because she didn’t have her swimming suit, but we convinced her she looked fine so in the water, she went! I didn’t have my phone with me but thought how nice it would be to have pictures, so Tyler told me to run back to the trailer and get it. After all, he said, “it’s not every day you get to swim in the Ozarks!”

We went back to the trailer and Addison made smores. I sat outside with her and watched the fireflies as the sun went down. I am not sure I will ever get used to fireflies. They are fascinating to watch and they lit up the whole grassland area near our trailer! As we were finishing up and it was dark, Addison saw a frog jump through the campsite. I was able to snag a few pictures before she decided she would touch it and eventually the frog ended up being in her hands. When we finished taking a few pics, Addison went and placed the frog away from the trailer in a grassy area. I think she would have kept it if we would have let her!

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If there’s one thing about sunshine and waterparks that hasn’t changed in all the years of my life is just how tired it makes you. At different points, the kids have each napped and are already in bed. Tyler is snoozing away and I am counting down the seconds to crawl into bed and sleep. We aren’t in a hurry tomorrow so I look forward to a slow, more casual morning. I plan to workout and shower here before leaving and heading to Amanda’s to enjoy a few more hours with her. Then we will set out to our next travel destination on Saturday.

Where, you ask? I am not even sure and my navigator is getting some much-needed rest…after all, that back seat driving will certainly wear a guy out!

The theme of the day was driving. Like Forest Gump when he started to run, he just kept on runnin’…we drove and just kept on drivin’! From Alabama, we made our way into Mississippi, back into Tennessee briefly, and landed in Arkansas. We are definitely off-grid and we are finally camping without cell service or internet. It’s strange and complicating for blogging purposes, but it’s been a nice reset.

Mississippi was very similar to Alabama by way of scenery and roadways. When we were in Alabama, we discussed cornbread and chicken but ultimately chose ribs instead, so today when we were passing through Mississippi, we knew we wanted to try out some southern chicken if the opportunity arose. Tyler did a quick Google search and found Gus’s Fried Chicken and since it advertised being “world famous” we knew that was the one. Clearly, we are easily swayed.

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Gus’s lived up to the title and the fried chicken was the best I’ve ever had. I honestly don’t know if I would be able to choose between Tudors or Gus’s for which was the best eatery we’ve tried, but I can say Oregon (or the West coast for that matter) is missing out on some delightful food establishments.

We were indecisive on where we wanted to be at the end of our travels today but knew we wanted to get as close as possible to Branson, MO. Once we crossed into Arkansas, Tyler started looking for a nice campsite for the night. He was quite quick to find Dam-Quarry Campsite in Mountain Home, AR somewhere in the Ozarks. The campsite is very nice and sits just at the base of a huge damn. It is well maintained and offers water and electric for only $20/night. We are always thrilled when we can find these little gems.

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Arkansas has been an experience and I am not certain either of us has enjoyed what the state has to offer. It’s funny because when we were in Nebraska, our Harvest Host told us not to go to Kansas because it had nothing. Then when we were in Alabama the Harvest Host told us not to go to Arkansas, it was terrible. Part of the joy in this experience is traveling through each of these states and developing our own opinions of them. Thus far, the Alabama Harvest Host may be right!

In addition to traveling more miles today than we have in a while (450!), the miles were slow. The roadways didn’t allow us to travel at very quick speeds and each mile passed by at a snail’s pace. When we finally made it to our campsite we were all beyond ready to be out of the car. We decided to take on Tyler and Ashton in Sequence and while they have put up a very good fight, we came out winning tonight. Our new record is 17-12!

We utilized the campground showers and prepped the trailer to get up and leave EARLY tomorrow. Tyler FINALLY shaved his beard after 27 days of being on the road. He looks like a whole new man, but it was no easy task. I picked up a razor for him while out and about yesterday and tonight he went through 3 blades just to accomplish a clean shave. It was WORTH IT! Plus, he did it in the campground’s restroom so I don’t have to deal with the mess…win, win!

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Without internet or cell service, Tyler is unable to perform his job duties so we will be making quick work at getting to civilization before he is due to log in! The two hour time difference helps. We have made reservations at a local water park in Branson, MO and the kids are beyond thrilled to get out and experience an activity outside of driving!

Though we will be heading to Missouri tomorrow, we will likely be back in Arkansas by Friday. I am looking forward to seeing other areas of the state and will report my findings!

I woke up in Nashville! It was certainly hospitable for the very short duration of time that we were there. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and we lingered a little while this morning just soaking it all up. I made coffee and we each selected our own breakfast from either leftovers or easy grab and go items we have stocked. Knowing we would be on the road for a couple of hours, I dressed in my workout attire in hopes to hit an earlier workout. Failing to plan is planning to fail!

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We started heading South towards Alabama. The temptation of stopping along the way for each whiskey distillery sign that taunted us was strong. When we passed the Jack Daniels sign, Tyler quickly looked up the location and saw that it would add another 39 miles to our route one way. With the luck we had yesterday, we didn’t want to risk the detour to have it be closed, so we drove on.

Just after the Alabama state line was a welcome center which we decided to stop at. Many of these states have very neat welcome centers offering not only restrooms and vending machines but also brochures, maps, monuments, and historical information. Since we weren’t able to stop for the state line sign, we used this opportunity to have the kids get out for a few pictures before continuing on our way.

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Cullman, AL was our destination for the night and we arrived in good time. We looked for a place to park for a while so Tyler could continue to work and finish out his day. We also were hoping to find a park or somewhere suitable to workout before it got any warmer. It has been so HOT. It’s not necessarily the temperature that causes it to be warm, it’s the humidity. We drove around for a bit and found a nice park with some shade we could workout in. Before we left on this trek, we started our whole family out on a nutrition plan. It wasn’t forced, but the kids wanted to join Tyler and me so we jumped at their excitement and rolled with it. They continue to crush their workouts and although we have splurged a few times while on the road, we have tried to stay grounded on our macros. I took some pictures today at their request and did a side by side to show them their progress and these kids are nailing it!

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While at the park, we worked out and when we finished Tyler was speaking with a few clients by phone outside of the trailer, he had a nice lady pull up next to him and ask if we were traveling. When he nodded, she asked if we were broke down or needed anything. How kind is that?

Cullman has been hospitable. We made it to our Harvest Host for the night and set up. Tonight we are staying at Goat Island Brewing. We are situated between two Giant RV’s. After supporting the establishment for a short while, we decided to unhook the trailer and find the best BBQ in town as recommended by one of the locals. When we got there, we learned it was carryout only. Fortunately, a quick call in to order, we were driving away with food in hand within 15 minutes. Together we shared ribs, beans, mac n cheese, and their famous potato salad. We also tried hush puppies and fried pickle chips. The food was delicious, though the potato salad was not like what we are used to. That side was not our favorite!

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Today, during our drive, Tyler and I have turned on the Southern accent to annoy the children. We have accomplished our mission and they have begged us to stop. It is so fun to get under their skin, I think we will keep it around for the long haul!

Tomorrow we will be heading West through Mississippi. We are hoping to be in Branson, MO by Thursday. We will likely make the longer part of the trip tomorrow and only have a few more hours to finish off on Thursday.

I will be sad to leave Cullman, AL tomorrow. The town has all the small town feels, but also has large town amenities. Some of the beauty in our travels is seeing so many different places that we would never otherwise see. In the meanwhile, I will be making my list of places I hope to return to someday!

We were leisurely about our start this morning. I think, in part, because we were situated in a really nice park with full accommodations. Since Tyler was back working remotely this morning, I took the time he was on calls to re-situate, clean, and organize the trailer. I had done all the laundry yesterday, but I looked at the laundry basket, now half full, and thought this would be the perfect opportunity for us to leave with ZERO laundry. It’s the little things!

This morning I busted back out the coffee machine and made Tyler and I coffee. We also switched roles and I treated him to breakfast made by ME (this is rare)! We let the kids sleep in and eventually woke Addi up when it neared 11 am and she hadn’t graced us with her presence. Checkout time was 1:00 pm and we were on our way to Nashville, TN!

During our travels, we found we were beside the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. After navigating off our intended path to visit them and finding many of them closed, we gave up the bourbon trail! We passed into Tennessee and just after came across another Portland. I had no idea just how many Portland’s there are, but a little Google search revealed there are nearly 30 others in the USA. Today’s trek led us another 225 miles towards our home base and we’ve landed in Nashville, TN.

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I have wanted to visit Nashville for as long as I can remember. When we made a plan to stay for the night, Tyler asked if I wanted to go downtown and see the city. OF COURSE I WANTED TO GO DOWNTOWN. We parked our trailer at the Nashville Fairgrounds and ventured out with the pickup. It is so strange to drive without a trailer attached, but with or without the trailer, NOTHING could be as bad as driving in NYC.

We went to Broadway street and found parking in a lot right on the strip. It was only 7 minutes away from our campsite and the commute was easy. We walked up and down Broadway and together decided on Margaritaville for dinner. The sound of country music radiated out of every establishment and while we ate we listened to two aspiring musicians!

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After seeing what Broadway St. had to offer, we came back to the trailer. I definitely plan to come back in the future when we have more time and there are less travel restrictions. I think it is safe to say we are all very tired and I know at least I will be calling it a night early. We gained back another hour today in our travels so instead of being 3 hours ahead, we are now only 2. Tomorrow, we will be venturing to Alabama where we will stay for the night before continuing on.

It’s been 25 days of trailer traveling thus far and I am still in disbelief that this is our life. How long will we be gone, how many miles will we travel, how many states will we be crossing off of our list?…Only time will tell!

We were up and at em early this morning, knowing we had planned a much shorter drive than the previous few days. I wished Tyler a Happy Fathers Day and asked how he wanted to spend the day and his response was not surprising. He simply wanted to get to our next campsite, unhook, and run a few errands. It wasn’t my idea of a nice relaxing Father’s Day, but I happily obliged.

We needed fuel and to get cash out of the ATM since the roadway tolls have taken nearly every dollar I had! Toll booths are CASH ONLY and it’s really hit or miss if or when we will hit a toll booth. Yesterday, we paid a $5 toll and within the next 30 miles or so we paid another $5. It is still a concept I am trying to get used to, but having cash is of utmost importance.

We made it across the border and into Kentucky!Tyler found an ATM and fuel in Teays Valley, a small town West of Charleston. As we made our way to the bank, we noticed a line of cars coming out of a parking lot, backed up in both directions. It spiked our curiosity, so as we pulled away from fueling up I told Tyler I thought we should stop.

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It was at that moment, we discovered the BEST BREAKFAST LOCATION EVER! “Tudor’s Biscuit World” was clearly a local favorite and immediately sold each of us on the breakfast sandwiches we took for the road. For the next several minutes we raved over the delicious biscuit sandwiches as we devoured them in the car. Tyler and Ashton were able to eat theirs in its entirety, while Addi and I saved some for a second meal. As we traveled down the road, Tyler said he was immediately having regrets since he would not be able to enjoy his later too. He fake cried and we laughed. We passed a billboard a few miles down the road advertising Tudor’s and Tyler and I joked we would just go ahead and stop off at the next exit to grab lunch! Since I am no foodie, this speaks volumes. If you haven’t had the opportunity to try it, do yourself a favor and get to the nearest one. If you have, shame on you for not sharing this amazing establishment with your friends!

We made it to our campsite before noon. Tonight we are staying at Fort Boonesborough State Park. As part of Tyler’s father’s day plan, he wanted to unhook, go into town to have our pickup serviced, grab Traeger pellets, and get quarters to do laundry. We unhooked and the kids asked to stay back at the trailer.

Our pickup was serviced rather quickly. We found a change machine at the carwash next door and then went to the store to get pellets. While we were there, Tyler grabbed a 6 pack of local beer. When we made it to the checkout line, the checker informed us we were unable to purchase beer on a Sunday! She talked our ear off about Kentucky laws, counties where you can buy beer, and a favorite drink she last enjoyed. It was all spoken in the sweetest sounding accent. Tyler and I spoke in that same accent for the next hour and again we laughed.

Before heading back, we went to a neighboring town where Tyler could try one of their local brews at a brewery. We learned more about their laws, mostly because it was fascinating just how different laws are from state to state, and in this case, county to county. Tyler penned this brewery as one of the top breweries he has ever been too! Since the day didn’t seem a lot like Father’s Day, I figured accompanying him was the least I could do. At one point, I joked with him to grow up and he quickly fired back it wasn’t his birthday…and we laughed.

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We returned to the trailer and I began laundry. This campsite backs into the restroom facility which includes laundry. I was thrilled and utilized their machines to the fullest. The day was moody and while we were getting the trailer organized and dinner prepped, it rained. It was still nearly 80 degrees, but the rain caused a muddy mess. The sun came out and Tyler started dinner on the Traeger and made a fire for the kids.

Another dinner was made by Tyler on the Traeger. While I contribute in little ways, Tyler is so good to us ensuring we are always fed. We enjoyed our meal, played Sequence, made smores, and did a short workout. Our current Sequence record is 13-10 and Tyler and Ashton are closing the gap. We also experienced Fireflies for the first time and it was AMAZING! Not only did we see Fireflies, there was a pretty great lightning storm, though nothing like Nebraska!

Tomorrow we will make our way towards Nashville. Tyler will be back to the grind and we will focus on getting from point A to point B. The kids continue to be great little travelers and we continue to laugh and have fun!

Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers out there, no matter what capacity that role looks like for you. I feel very fortunate to have Tyler by my side slinging this parenting gig with me. He works hard to ensure we are able to continue living this grand life and while he works hard, he plays harder and makes life so much more FUN!

If I had to name a stressor today, I would give it to our departure from the campsite we were in last night. How they could deem these spaces suitable for any kind of trailer is beyond me. Thankfully for Tyler, he was able to maneuver us out of a seemingly impossible space. Tyler adds about .1 mile of driving each time we have to back in and that contribution saves us many arguments.

Knowing we had a long trek today, I told Tyler it was a must for us to leave earlier than we have been leaving. Since I am the first to rise, and quite early, I have been up for hours before we get going. Early in our travels, I am so sleepy. With that in mind, we were on the road earlier today. I wish I could say I felt more refreshed, but that was not the case and a 5-6 hour drive was looming over me!

We set our sites on West Virginia as our destination of the day. Since we didn’t have our accommodations booked in advance, we use the fly by the seat of our pants method. So far, it has worked for us. When one Harvest Host is full or closed, we move on to the next, and when that falls through we look for a state park. Within the first hour of our drive, Tyler found a Harvest Host located in Ripley, WV, a mere 402 miles away (not so mere)!

When Tyler said he wanted to get as far away from NYC as fast as possible, he wasn’t kidding! The drive today was beautiful. When we left Virginia and entered West Virginia we found so much scenic beauty. I do not think I have ever seen so many trees. Tyler and I joked that they were broccoli hills. We nearly passed through the entire state and there was never an open space without trees. Both of us vote this state as the most beautiful thus far.

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After a very long day of driving and a few stops to stretch our legs, we made it to Ripley, WV where we are staying at Appalachian Distillery. We made quick work of setting up and getting a workout in. It is HOT and HUMID. The temperature was 89 degrees at almost 7 pm. We visited the distillery, but unfortunately due to COVID, we were unable to tour the establishment. As we were leaving, the employee told us he hoped the tracks wouldn’t keep us up too late. I forgot to mention, we are backed to the I77 Raceway Park and it just so happens racing is in full force tonight.

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While some would say they fall asleep well to rain sounds, quiet music, or silence…NO ONE could sleep through the sound of these racing cars and revving engines. I feel like I am in a race car right now, even our trailer is vibrating! Tyler has also found the UFC fights on and our night has been relaxing.

Tomorrow we head for Kentucky and I am happy to report a campsite has already been secured so Tyler cannot bait and switch me on how long I will have to drive! We are slowly making our way back West, but are in no hurry to get home. There is still so much more to see!

Our phones were sitting side by side in the center console, both with different mapping software displaying varying maps on our best direction of travel. The goal was to get out of the city as quickly and safely as possible without somehow being tossed into downtown NYC. That fear is REAL, and for Tyler, it put him on edge. Words like “Tunnel,” “Downtown,” or “Bridge” sent him into a tense and agitated state where he couldn’t control the words coming out of his mouth. I sat quietly, aggravated with him, but trying to keep us heading in the right direction.

When we made it through the complicated portion of the directions, we both could relax. Him relaxing from back seat driving and me from him! He apologized. COVID has shut down nearly EVERYTHING except toll booths and within the first 30 minutes of our drive, we had already forked over more than $40. Tolls are definitely something we are still having to get used to, and carrying an adequate amount of cash is key. Fortunately, I was prepared for at least today!

We continued our travels towards a Harvest Host we had found in Maryland, but as we neared our destination we both determined we hadn’t traveled far enough. It was just after 1 pm and I knew I had more drive in me to continue. The next place Tyler found was another 260 miles away. It seemed like a stretch, but we gave it a whirl. I continued down the road, but after the next hour or so, I knew driving another 3 was not attainable. Tyler began a new search closer to our location.

It wasn’t too much further down the road where we settled on a State Park. Nearby was a Costco and we were in desperate need of replenishing our food. Tonight we are staying at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax Station, VA. We traveled 262 miles and touched through 4 states (NJ, DE, MD, VA). Tomorrow we will likely head through West Virginia and towards “Whiskey Country” as Tyler has said.

We enjoyed NY Strip Steak Salad, a nice campfire, and a beautiful evening under the stars before the rain, thunder, and lightning began. I foresee a game or two of Sequence before bed. Addi and I are currently still in the lead with a 10-6 record. Even though today got off to a rocky start, as I sit here and type this, I feel so grateful for this experience. While we have no idea where we are going, I know we are right where we are supposed to be!

(No pictures were taken today as I was driving and we didn’t really do anything notable, but I did keep my humans alive)

Some would say, I was up with the birds…but who am kidding? I was up with the dogs and as they came inside to fall back into a slumber, I took the peaceful opportunity to make coffee, fold laundry, and research the best means of transportation to take on the NY strip and all of its offerings. It would seem like an eternity before there was any movement from the others in the trailer, but I figured I would let them rest up so we could seize the day!

A quick Google search recommended the “Citymapper” app to navigate and guide us through all things public transportation. I played with it for a little while and saved a few destinations, but ultimately didn’t get too wrapped up in a solid plan. I have found through this adventure, and CoVid, we are better off having loose plans than to get our hearts set on anything. That allows us the best opportunity to not be disappointed, and today was anything but a disappointment!

Once everyone was up, we prepped to be away for much of the day. We had breakfast and Tyler logged in to work and waited for his morning call. When that was over, we made our move towards the Big Apple! The route chosen through Citymapper was seamless and we made it to the Empire State Building without trouble. While we were exploring the city we saw the Empire State Building, Trump Tower, and Times Square. We also made it to Central Park where we spent the better part of our day. Tyler worked from EVERYWHERE and his dedication to his business is inspiring!

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Central park was HUGE! We made quick work of the paths and saw many of the popular attractions and while they were closed, we were still able to take in all of the beautiful scenery. The park was full of all walks of life. It wasn’t busy, but it was active. With a Zoom call planned, Tyler knew he needed a quiet place to hold his meeting. He found the perfect spot in the park while the kids and I enjoyed a little rest from all of the walking.

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Time Square was like a ghost town. There were people, but very few compared to usual. Stores were closed, restaurants that were open only allowed take out, and there was an overwhelming amount of NYPD officers and special force teams guarding fixtures and stores that were boarded up. It wasn’t the Time Square we remembered, but it was nice to be able to have the experience to ourselves and share the experience with our kids.

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The app that I used for mapping and transportation has a feature that shows the mobility index of New York City by day. This number reflects the % of New York City moving compared to usual. In early March, the mobility was 100-104% and on the 11th things quickly began to slow. The 11th there was 85% and by the 29th of March, they were down to 5%. Today, the rate of mobility was 13% which offers a lot of insight on the impact of Covid in this city and so many others.

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From Time Square we started back towards our trailer. We knew we wanted to stop to see the Statue of Liberty and since the attraction is closed, we chose to see it from the viewing platform. It was difficult to see from such a distance but we did the best with what we could.

We headed back to the trailer and when we arrived, Tyler made Traeger burgers! Tomorrow we will start heading Southwest and although we don’t have any solid plans, we hope to make it to Maryland. Tyler will be happy just as soon as we get the heck out of here!

Today was a GREAT day! Each of us have commented on how effortless our day in New York City was. It could be our sheer appreciation for NOT being in the same predicament as we were yesterday, but either way, we will take it!

At the end of the day, our bellies are full, our feet are tired (25,000+ steps), but our hearts are happy! I believe Tyler is still alive today because he continues to cook incredible meals!

Cheers for whatever tomorrow has in store!

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WHAT A DAY. It was one of those days where Tyler was nearly fed to the tigers (Carol Baskins just might have been on to something)! We started our morning casually, but early. Not in a rush, but knowing we would need to somewhat follow a plan to ensure we arrived at our next campsite before Tyler’s meetings for the day.

We packed up our site, loaded up the gang and we were off to ENJOY two days in New York City. Our campsite is actually located in Jersey City, NJ, but is the closest campsite to the Big Apple and has relatively quick access to downtown NYC. Tyler was a skeptic. He did not want to venture to the city without first making sure we would have a solid game plan on how to get there and how to get around while we were there while he could maintain working.

Once we were on the road, things went rather smoothly. The directions were easy, but traffic had picked up. This immediately left Tyler on edge. While he may not physically be driving, he is full-on driving mentally from the passenger seat. If gold stars were given for world’s best back seat driver, Tyler wins! I remind him often that I have traveled more than 4,500 miles on my own and am very capable, but he is unable to shut it off.

Things started to go south as we got closer to NYC. There were signs on our route stating we could not proceed with trucks, trailers, or commercial vehicles. We originally avoided the signs, but by the time we passed the 3rd one I became concerned. Fortunately, a nice gentlemen came up beside us and signaled us not to proceed. We followed him off of the exit where he informed us the police would cite us huge if we used that route. We used the stop as an opportunity to go to the restroom and fuel up and while I was inside the service station, I asked for the best way to proceed.

I left with directions that would get us back on track and we followed those closely until another sign stating we could not continue with a trailer. We took the off ramp as we thought we were directed and ended up with our travel trailer in DOWNTOWN NEW YORK CITY. If ya’ll thought Tyler was a mess before, this man was coming apart at the seams. I am quite sure his blood pressure was just short of a heart attack and it wasn’t getting any better.

In New York City, drivers make their own rules even if that means stopping/parking right in the middle of the road. There were several streets we turned onto where this was the case and our already tight fit became impossible. Tyler got out once to ask if someone could move the car as other impatient drivers honked and yelled expletives at us. The guy in the stopped car asked Tyler if he had a problem…we are just thankful to have made it out alive!

We finally made it out of the grunt of the small streets and when we thought we were in the clear, were directed onto a parkway…another roadway restricting trailers. With worries of a tunnel ahead, we pulled over in the next emergency pull out. While there, we attempted to Google any way we could get ourselves out of this mess. Tyler’s meeting was nearing and we weren’t getting any closer to a resolution. After trying numerous times to get non-emergency on the line, I resorted to calling the RV park we were staying at in hopes they would provide better information.

Still no luck, so Tyler hopped in the trailer and took his meeting while I downloaded an app for RV friendly directions. We sat for hours in the emergency pull out while numerous NYPD officers passed us. At this point, we were hoping they would pull us over to no avail. Tyler’s meeting ended and we gathered ourselves and proceeded forward to the next exit where we could get turned around and head back towards a trailer friendly bridge. When I say trailer friendly, that’s a very loose term. THERE IS NOTHING FRIENDLY ABOUT DRIVING A TRAILER IN NYC.

Nearly an hour later, we made it to our campsite for the night. We are staying at Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City, NJ. The site offers full restrooms, laundry, and hookups. Supposedly, there is a view of the NYC skyline, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Based on our mental state after arriving however, we did not take the time to explore the truth in that.

It was now time to do what we came to do, see New York City! We took the Path train to the World Trade Center then aimlessly wandered for a few hours. We saw the 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street, the Charging Bull, and the Fearless Girl Statue. There was so much to see, but many of the sites and stores were closed.

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I last came to New York City with my mom in 2002. I vaguely remember the trip as I was fully submerged in a modeling conference and much of my time was spent competing. We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria and walked everywhere. My memories are vague but fond. I remember traffic and taxis everywhere. I remember taxis would nearly run you over if you were in their way. I remember walking for an eternity to find the perfect souvenirs to bring home and I remember the street vendors that served cheap hot dogs.

Today, the traffic in Lower Manhattan was scarce. Many of the streets were blocked off and all of the major sites and parks had fencing around them. Businesses were closed and some boarded up. Everyone was wearing masks. It was such a different experience, but we did find a street cart and we were able to enjoy a hot dog.

It became clear that we were losing daylight and were exhausted from the long day of navigating through the chaos. We decided to head back to our campsite to settle in for the night and start back out early tomorrow morning.

We plan to stay here for two nights. Tomorrow we (or maybe it’s just me) hope to see Central Park, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. Tyler is not on board at this point, but I hope to sway him. Then we will get the heck out of here come Friday! Tyler is counting down the seconds and has already revised his plans to see Washington D.C. and Philly. We shall see how this plays out!

So, Tyler lives another day…How? I am not even sure. Please send us all of your positive vibes and I hope to update you tomorrow with all good things!