Phase 5: The journey “home.”

I ended my stay at Southern Hills RV Campground with a farewell dinner at Lazy R Bar and Grill conveniently located next to the campground. Not only close by but the food was tasty and the people inside were very friendly and fun to speak with. It’s all about the presidents in South Dakota. Below are JFK, Regan and GW Bush.

We got on the road Saturday, August 19 and headed East. The road was long and straight with little traffic judged by east coast standards.

Along the way there is a great state to visit called Dignity.

Representing the rich Native American culture of South Dakota, the 50-foot Native American woman gracefully wears a dress patterned after a two-hide dress of the 1850s. She holds outstretched a quilt featuring 128 stainless steel blue diamond shapes designed to flutter in the wind. During the day, her star quilt – a representation of respect, honor and admiration in Native American culture – glitters in the sun with color-changing pieces that move with the wind. At night, LED lights cause the diamond shapes to glow in the night sky, casting a peaceful presence easily visible from the Interstate.

I try to plan out my travel days with 300 miles of driving. I tend to get up early and since there is no need to hook the trailer back on to the truck, I will usually arrive early to most destinations. First stop of the journey was Blue Stem Farms in Plankinton, SD. This is a hobby farm owned by a wonderful couple -Jason and Angie. She had a wide assortment of items available for purchase including cookies, fresh ground beef, jams, an apple crisp, and many vegetables.

Next stop is Soldier Creek Winery in Fort Dodge IA. The trip was uneventful except that I noticed one of the trailer tires was low because it was punctured by a nail, so I took the time to put on the spare and attempted to repair the hole with only modest success. The winery was a fun place filled with locals and fellow travelers.

Well, I suppose I should have expected this, but I had another tire blowout. The good news was that I could get the tire changed efficiently, but the bad news is that I had to put on the tire that had been punctured by a nail. While I was changing the tire my friend was calling around looking for replacements. She was able to find a place 18 miles away, so we crossed our fingers and headed forward. I replaced 3 of the tires since I had already replaced one earlier. This detour made us late to Lavender Crest Winery. It was an hour before closing time, but the kitchen had closed. Even though they were closed the said we could sit in the back and enjoy the scenery.

I thought it might be fun to stay at a location for a couple of days to get a feel for a town, aka the vibe. My pick was Springfield, IL. The home of all things Lincoln. The state fair had just finished up so there was RV parking available at the fairground. The price was low and the location was great.

Below are pictures from Lincoln’s Tomb. Tradition is to run his nose for good fortunel Below those is his home.

Of course I am all about culture. Below is the Dana-Thomas House (DTH) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1902 for Susan Lawrence Dana, a forward-thinking socialite. The home, the 72nd building designed by Wright, contains the largest collection of site-specific, original Wright art glass and furniture. Wright’s first “blank check” commission, the home has 35 rooms in the 12,000 square feet of living space which includes 3 main levels and 16 varying levels in all.

I had a good time stopping in some local pubs. Luckily the legislatures were not in session which made getting around town even easier, plus it was fun to go forth doing one and done. It had been getting hot outside with temperatures in the high ninety’s and even past 100. Fortunately, I had electricity after leaving Hermosa, but I knew the next stop would be challenging because it was a brewery next to a residential area and no generators after 8. Triton Brewing Company in Indianapolis IN was a fine place to stay. Nice and quit with decent beer and food. The only downside was the heat. I chilled the camper as best I could before eight, but it seemed to heat up quickly.

Oh well. Can’t blame them for the weather. Next stop in Canal Winchester, OH is BrewDog-DogTap Columbus. Very dog friendly, with 25 taps and a decent menu. Jasper had a good time at the dog park, but since he was a Maine dog, he preferred the AC in the trailer powered by my generator.

This was a great recovery stop which allowed me to catch up on some sleep. The generator did a great job of powering the AC which did a good job of fighting the heat, and the accommodations were well above average. Next stop is the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum in Wheeling, WV. It was another easy driving day and we arrived in the early afternoon. The place was unusually crowded because of a birthday party being hosted there. Two other Harvest Host at roughly the same time as me. I ended up parking in front of the museum which worked out well. Despite the daytime heat the evening was expected to cool which was a pleasant change. I did not appreciate the museum as much as other reviewers simply because I was never a fan of toy trains and they toys displayed we things I never played with. But the reviews also said that there were several bars and restaurants that were a short walk away.

My friend and I popped into two local bars and both were pleasant. I was able to enjoy my first Iron City beer in a very long while.

Both places had gambling machines which was unfortunate though. The other place was Wakim’s. Like the first place I went to, it was a quintessential neighborhood bar which is something that the region specializes in.

I had a nice time in Wheeling overall. I got an early start in the morning which allowed for a nice McDonalds breakfast even though this would be the shortest travel day of the trip. Next stop is Wayside Inn 1797 in Middletown, VA. We were the only people there when we arrived except for the staff. What an interesting place. In their own words “The Wayside Inn & Larrick’s Tavern is nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Middletown, Virginia. Since 1797, the Inn has offered visitors accommodations, dining, and entertainment throughout its long history. We also welcome day visitors to come by for a tour!

The Wayside Inn is the oldest continuously running Inn in the United States.

The oldest part, the “Old Kitchen”, was built as a waystation and stagecoach stop in 1740’s along with the original well (viewable in the Tavern) that watered the small hamlet of Middletown.”

The staff was very helpful and friendly and gave my friend a tour of the Inn pointing out where ghosts have been sighted. My friend liked it so much she returned with a girlfriend and stayed the night. Middletown had a nice Italian restaurant and a bakery to boot.

My final destination for Phase 5 is Bull Run Campground. This is about 5 miles from where I used to live so a stay there allows me time to visit with friends and hangout at familiar places. The traffic is always a shock to me. Having been in many different areas I cannot believe what people need to tolerate to live in this area. It is a pretty crappy existence.

My next plan stay is a return to Camelot RV Campground in Malibar, FL starting on October 31. In the meantime, I will spend time with family and friends in Luray, VA, Richmond, VA and Wilmington, NC. Happy trails!