I can’t believe we have been on the road for three years. (June 30, 2020 – June 30, 2023) We still enjoy traveling. We had a detour this year for a family emergency (Rest in Peace Myra Applebaum), but hope to get back on schedule next year.
So to recap our third year, we traveled 6,240 miles, 13 states, 36 cities, 25 breweries, 13 wineries, 8 distilleries, 7 bike trails, 8 battlefields/forts, 9 presidential museums, 13 other museums, 4 concerts, 5 sporting events, and 23 friends. Oh – and we also saw 2 gators. Here are a few highlights.
We visited many beautiful places this year, but we had our favorites. Steve and I both loved Bar Harbor, Maine. You cannot beat Acadia National Park for the hiking, the views, the carriage trails and the whales.
We went to so many museums, it was hard to narrow down our list. Our favorites were the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis,
the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour in Ticonderoga, New York,
The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York,
and The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
We visited several presidential libraries and museums. Our two favorites were Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and William J. Clinton Library and Museum.
We always visit local forts and battlefields. My favorite fort was Fort William Henry in Lake George, New York because our guide was fabulous and super funny. Fort Niagara was much larger with better views, and this was Steve’s favorite.
We visited some fabulous wineries, distilleries and breweries. Our favorite winery was Ryan William Vineyards in the Finger Lakes because the wine was pretty good, and views were spectacular. We absolutely loved Nearest Greene Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee. The whiskey (Tennessee whiskey not bourbon) was very tasty and story about Nearest Greene was even better. Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky was a close second because it was beautiful and had lots of bourbon.
This year we were rewarded with a couple of the most beautiful scenes we have witnessed on our travels. We loved Mount Washington (the highest peak in New England) and Niagara Falls. Both were fantastic!
We rode on several bike trails this year. Besides the carriage trails in Maine, we also rode our bikes on a very pretty trail in Arkansas called the Razorback Greenway. It was a highlight.
We attended several concerts along the road (I used words from the song “The Load Out”- don’t shoot me – I thought it was appropriate), but our favorite was definitely Jackson Browne at the Grand Ole Opry. He played for three hours and was great!
A low light was the time in Elkhart, Indiana for the upgrades to the camper because it snowed every day. It was sooooooooo ccccccccccold!
Of course our travels would not be complete without sampling the local food. We had lobster in Maine, Barbeque in Memphis, a bacon flight in Auburn and a wonderful brunch at Louis Bossi’s for Easter in Fort Lauderdale.
The best part of our travels this year were the friends we saw along the way and here are few memories.
And now we are on to the next year of our adventure!
“What a Long Strange Trip it’s Been” by the Grateful Dead