This is blog two of a three-part series about the road trip in our camper van Mark, Maya, and I took from Kanab, Utah to Newburyport, Massachusetts the last few weeks. You can read part one about our sightseeing and camping experiences in Colorado here.
Drive-through States
Have you ever heard the term “fly-over states”? It’s the large, middle chunk of the United States that most people never get to see or visit, because they fly from one side of the country to the other – the areas with the biggest population and the most liberal views are located on both coasts. For this trip, we have dubbed those states (also called the Midwest) the “drive-through states”.
It was time to cover some distance, after our dilly-dallying in Colorado. We decided to “avoid highways” and follow secondary roads northeast, passing through villages, intersections, lights, and stop signs. (Click on or hover over photos to enlarge and read captions.)
But first, we had to leave Colorado. The heavy rains put us in trouble, outside of Colorado Springs. Trying to locate a boondocking (free camping) spot, based on the wrong coordinates in iOverlander, Zesty got stuck in the mud. We’ve had iffy moments in the past, skidding and stopping dead in our tracks in the soft sands of Arizona and Utah, but this time, mud enveloped our tires. Where is that 4WD when you need it? We worried a tow truck was in order; for a hefty fee, being in the middle of nowhere!
After me getting out of the van (less weight) and directing Mark towards tiny patches of grass, Mark gunning the engines, and Zesty taking off at high speeds – which is rare for mellow 2WD Zesty – we managed to get out of this hair-raising situation. (I walked back the next morning to take photos.)
Kansas
Rain followed us on our northeastern route. Every state was pelted; driving wasn’t fun.
Nebraska
Rivers burst and flooded their banks in every state we drove through.
Iowa
Mark and I don’t plan much. We pick a few places to visit (except in these “drive-through states”, where we had only one plan: visit friends in Chicago) and select overnight parking spots and refueling stations when the need arises. This is only possible when we have cell service/internet. The negative of this strategy: we miss amazing sights, particularly the Bridges of Madison County, which we happened to drive by without noticing. The positive: being spontaneous leads to random discoveries and encounters, like the one in Le Claire, Iowa.
A Celebrity Story
Our free boondocking resource, iOverlander, mentions a nice place along the Mississippi River in a town called Le Claire, which is next to Davenport, Iowa. It’s about halfway from our previous site to Chicago. Perfect! We manage to fit in the last available parking spot of the lot, next to a patch of grass, on the banks of the river. (We later learn this area was flooded and unusable a week prior.) We take Maya for a quick walk, before the next downpour, and settle in the camper. Not bad.
An hour later, a roaring freight train, honking incessantly (as they do), passes us ten feet away.
“I guess you were wrong about those tracks not being in use anymore,” I say to Mark, as our home on wheels shakes violently and vibrates from the deafening sound and rattling tracks. What to do? Move, or risk it and hope there are only a few of these trains a day? All along the tracks (without barriers), people live in old and renovated homes and cars are parked within a door-length. We’ll stay!
As the sky clears, we take Maya for a longer walk along the water and through the historic center of Le Claire.
“Hey, those are the guys from TV,” Mark yells, pointing at a van with an “Antique Archaeology” decal. I have no idea what he’s talking about. I never watch TV; Mark sometimes splurges at a house sit.
“The guys from that antique show, American Pickers?” he tries again. I vaguely remember a skinny guy and a bigger guy, the first one with a smile, always genuinely friendly and interested in people and their stories. I must have noticed on my way to the bedroom in Albuquerque one evening.
“Oh yeah,” I say, anxious to continue our explorations.
“I bet their store is in this town.” Mark adds. “I think they operate somewhere in the Midwest.” He searches on his phone and, sure enough, the Antique Archaeology store is located right around the corner. Just in case, Mark looks up the names of the two main guys: Mike and Frank. We stare at the photos to identify who’s who. Just in case. We walk over and check it out. Maya is allowed inside. Good. She needs to get used to new stimulations and places.
I expect to find a warehouse with heaps of junk
antiques, but all we see is two small buildings filled with merchandise and
valuable relics, some of which are for sale, others solely on display. No Mike
or Frank. Or Danielle.
We continue our walk through town, stop at the local brewery for a drink, and decide to eat dinner at home. We contemplate getting take-out, but seeing other folks do this very thing and show up with Styrofoam and plastic containers makes our hair stand up. We have food. Mark doesn’t mind cooking. We save money and packaging this way.
As Mark finishes dinner prep, he’s distracted by a couple approaching our van and turns the stove off.
“Hey! We just went by your store,” he greets them. I look up from my iPad. Who do we know here??? You’re kidding!
Maya and I jump up and join Mark outside. Mike and his wife, Jodi, introduce themselves. We are too baffled to invite them in for dinner. It remains on the stove. A conversation ensues, doggie cuddles are given, a van tour is conducted, information is shared.
Meeting Mike, “from TV”
Mike and Jodi – who live in Tennessee – just arrived for a short bi-annual visit to Le Claire. They own the renovated house, which is the old general store, across from the train tracks and Zesty. From the moment Mike noticed our unique camper, he had to check it out. We get along well and they ask us whether we’d like to join them later. Of course!
And so it happens that, after dinner and clean-up, we have a lovely evening with this generous, caring, interesting, and incredible pair. First at their favorite restaurant, sharing their wine and dessert and exchanging stories. Then at the wine bar, where we meet some of their childhood friends. Talk about a memorable and unexpected evening (with some similarities to our Sedona experience earlier this year)!
Illinois
Our only thing on the agenda in Illinois was reuniting with friends in Glen Ellyn, Chicago. We had a nice weekend together and a welcome break from the road, without ever visiting the city. Maya loved the space and coolness of the house. Once the rain disappeared, humidity and heat replaced it.
Indiana
All I wanted to do in the small stretch of Indiana was see Lake Michigan. My travels have never brought me to the Great Lakes, so I was adamant, despite Mark’s objections. The weather was awful and the days long, but I got my less than glorious view of the lake!
Michigan
No stops in the last one of our drive-through states, except to fill our tank with fuel, which is much more expensive in Canada. Yes, instead of taking a traditional route to Massachusetts, we opted for a “slight” detour through two of the southern provinces of our northern neighbor.
We didn’t visit Detroit, but managed to get stuck in the city longer than planned. “Avoid highways” was still selected on our Google Maps navigation system. Ooops. First, we were brought to the 10ft-high tunnel into Canada (Zesty measures 11 feet). Then, turned around and on the way to the Ambassador bridge, we faced an 8ft overpass, which we noticed right in time. Eventually, roof intact, we reached the other side of the Detroit River and Ontario… but that’s for another blog.
Have you ever seen the TV show “American Pickers”?
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July 13, 2019 at 08:35
Hi Liesbet! Looks like your had another wonderful unplanned meetup on your journey! How great is that? It also looks like Maya is adapting well to life on the road. We’ve left Kloe at home with a “house sitter” while we are traveling and I hope she is as happy as we are! Looking forward to where your journey takes you next. ~Kathy
July 14, 2019 at 10:47
Most dogs are the happiest in an environment they are used to (and in an air-conditioned or swamp-cooled house if possible, this time of the year :-)), so I’m sure Kloe is having a good time with walks and snuggles. Maya is doing well. We had a couple of very rough weeks over the Canadian and US Independence Day celebrations, but she is happily recovering from that right now, in an air-conditioned room, surrounded by people who love, adore, and spoil her. 🙂
Yes, these unplanned meet-ups are special and make our journeys even more worthwhile.
July 13, 2019 at 09:27
Hi Liesbet – What fun to meet the TV celebrity in Iowa and your friends in Illinois. You’ve covered a big distance crossing several states and two countries. Have a great time in your home state!
July 14, 2019 at 10:49
Thank you, Natalie. Our hearts belong in the southwest of this country, but it is nice to be around family and friends in a comfortable environment for a while. Meeting new (and “old”) people along the way is one of the bonuses of traveling so much. I’m still bummed it didn’t work out to meet you (and another blogging friend) in Toronto. It was just too hot. 🙁
July 13, 2019 at 10:02
Hi Liesbet,
Love the post and celebrity sighting! We took the 401 to 403 route across Ontario on our way home from Michigan…yes, the gas was more expensive (we filled up in MI) but the traffic was way more manageable.
So, you must be back in Newburyport…if you have plans to get up to NH or Maine let us know!
July 14, 2019 at 10:54
Hi Nancy! You have a good memory, remembering the route numbers of your trip home. I think we mostly took the same route. Did you stop anywhere in Ontario? We did a “city tour”, which will make up the bulk of my next blog post, but it was extremely hot and humid. I agree with the more manageable traffic. It was easy and fun to drive in Canada. The roads were in better shape as well.
Yes, we are back in Newburyport. If you’re ever curious as to our current whereabouts, I update that in the right column of my blog. 🙂 My blog posts are usually delayed, as I barely find time (and often internet) to keep on top of it all. Where do you guys live (or spend time) this summer?
July 15, 2019 at 12:58
We are in Epsom, NH, about 1/2 hour south of Lake Winnipesaukee, 40 minutes west of Dover, and 20 min east of Concord.
Just posted, actually, on my blog about our little place…
July 18, 2019 at 09:03
Aha. Thanks. Not sure whether we will be in the neighborhood, as we usually drive up along the coast. Looking forward to checking out your post about it! 🙂
July 13, 2019 at 12:53
Your travels and the way you describe the highlights never fail to intrigue me, Liesbet! Even the somewhat mundane Midwest was illuminated with fun points of interest and adventures along your route. Maya is having the trip of a lifetime and it looks like you are, too! At least you are able to see the sights off the beaten track and meet fun and interesting people, too!
July 14, 2019 at 10:58
Hello Terri! Thanks for still following along in our adventures and commenting. Somehow, we always stumble across interesting sights, people, or experiences. Whether we want to or not. Life is – literally – an adventure and we never know what lies around the corner, whether it is a new dog, a new destination, a new job, new people to meet, or a new experience. I’m glad we are as flexible as we are, or this lifestyle would be way too challenging! 🙂
Maya is doing pretty well, but we’ve had some freaky moments. And if you think she’s having the trip of a lifetime as a dog, it’s still nothing compared to our two previous dogs, who traveled all the way to Panama and back and explored some of the Caribbean Islands. 🙂 We might get there with her as well.
July 13, 2019 at 14:22
Wow! I can’t believe how much ground you and Mark have covered. Sorry the rain seems to be following you. Your photos are fantastic! You’re sure showing Maya a good time! Drive safe and enjoy.
July 14, 2019 at 11:01
It was a pretty long journey, Jill, but at least, we had more than five days this time around. Before we had our camper, we drove across the country from Annapolis to Sacramento with limited time, in our Prius. That house sit was the start of our time out west. We had no idea when we’d be back east in our own vehicle. I guess after three years! We left the rain and the flooding in the Midwest, it seems like. 🙂
July 13, 2019 at 18:45
You met Mike from American Pickers! That is too awesome.
July 14, 2019 at 11:02
Pretty awesome indeed, Alex. At least, we knew who he was when he showed up! 🙂 Great couple!
July 14, 2019 at 16:48
Ahhhh, a nice long road trip – my kind of fun! I quite enjoy the Midwest on a long trip; it’s peaceful and calming before and after some of the twistier, steeper routes! Enjoy your time in MA!
July 15, 2019 at 09:36
Thanks, Lexie! We are happy to be back in MA for a little while. Yes, you are the queen of road trips! It’s a lot of distance to cover, but the Midwest is pretty straightforward and quiet as far as roads go. The highway would be a tad faster, probably, but either way, we’d stick to 55mph for fuel efficiency.
July 14, 2019 at 22:06
Hi, Liesbet – You and Mark have great travel karma! I love this post and greatly look forward to Part Three!
July 15, 2019 at 09:37
Good karma with certain things and “bad karma” with others, like the weather usually. 🙂 I’ll see you in Canada, in my next post!
July 15, 2019 at 00:40
No, don’t know the programme, Liesbet. A post like this convinces me I couldn’t be a campervanner 🙁 Me and Mick spent 4 and a half hours on the road going from northern Portugal back to the Algarve, and that was too long:) 🙂 I get cabin crazy and just want to be out there! I think I’m best on foot 🙂
July 15, 2019 at 09:39
It would be a bit hard to walk across 3,000 miles, Jo. 🙂 You’d have to take the plane. But, I hear you about being outside – that’s our happy place as well. This country is just very big and now that we have a dog (with anxieties), it’s better to drive across.
July 15, 2019 at 10:33
I have only seen American Pickers once and this is only because they came to Cabbagetown to do a segment on neighborhood character and collector/hoarder (David). There are actually quite a few hoarders in the neighborhood but David might be the most interesting of them all.
I think we have actually gotten stuck in the van more times than we ever went aground on the boat. It is always a scary experience. So glad you got out of the mud and didn’t have to call for a tow.
You know there is a National Park on the shores of lake Michigan in Indiana – Indiana Dunes National Park. It is on my list to visit next Fall.
How much fun in Iowa! And how nice that the American Pickers people were so friendly. What a great story!
July 18, 2019 at 08:59
That’s cool that the American Pickers came to Cabbagetown, Duwan! Based on your stories, I can only imagine how many characters/hoarders live there. We are very curious to check it out one day.
Now that you mention it… we ran aground twice with Irie in eight years and have gotten stuck in Zesty twice as well, but in only two years. 🙂
We actually had Indiana Dunes NP on the agenda to have a glimpse of Lake Michigan, and basically drove by. It sounds really nice. But, because the weather was so crappy, we didn’t want to pay the $5 (our NP pass had already expired) and thought we could easily check out the shores somewhere else. Well, it proved to be difficult to even get to the shore, which is one of the reasons Mark had to stay in the van and I quickly jumped out for a look, as we were “parked” in a residential neighborhood.
July 15, 2019 at 10:41
Wow, you really got drenched! That mudhole looked like a man-eater. (Van-eater? Both?) Glad you made it out okay.
What a cool coincidence for you to run into the TV folks! Your life is full of adventure, but driving in the rain is just no fun. I don’t envy you that ‘adventure’. 🙂
July 18, 2019 at 09:02
You are such a pro when it comes to wordplay, Diane. I love it! “Van-eater”. Haha.
Believe it or not, but the weather is one of the biggest characters in our life. We thought once we got off our sailboat after eight years, the weather would play a minor part again, but it is still such a deciding factor of where we go, how long we stay, whether we can do something with Maya, and how our moods are. Oh well… It is part of the adventure.
July 15, 2019 at 14:49
What a cross-country adventure! My guy and I have driven cross country twice (driving from East Coast to West Coast to live once, and from West to East to live another time. The best trip was the one we brought Henry along (at the time, a 8-year-old Golden) In our four-door SUV. Henry had the back seat all set up with pillow/blanket and a great window to look out. He LOVED it – I think the idea of having his ‘people’ in one small place for hours and hours on end was his idea of heaven. We didn’t sleep in the car, though – found dog-friendly hotels for the six days/ five nights we traveled. I really enjoy seeing the country this way. But we only had one bad-weather day (sleet and heavy rain) and that is not fun to travel in. Sorry you experienced so much rain. However, you had such an adventure meeting up with celebrities. No, I wouldn’t have known who they are. Like you, I watch little TV. But still, exciting, particularly since they were such friendly people.
July 18, 2019 at 09:16
While our last couple of weeks were pretty challenging with and for Maya (blog to come soon), we love traveling with a dog as well. Such joy. Your cross country trip with Henry sounds a lot like our truck camper travels with our two Australian Shepherd mixes over a decade ago. We purchased a 4-door F-350 pick-up truck, so they would have the entire back seat and their own doors. Yep! They traveled in style. And, when we had the boat and needed to travel by car in the US, we would stay at Motel 6 everywhere, as that was the most affordable dog-friendly chain.
Maya got used to driving in the van quickly, but she actually has way too much space when we’re on the road. We managed to keep her from wandering up front, luckily. Usually, she lies on the bench or the floor on her bed, but on every trip, she wanders into the kitchen area as well.
July 15, 2019 at 18:36
Now that’s exciting, bumping into the American PIckers store and celebs! One never knows who they’ll meet on the road! Seems like Maya is acclimatizing to life on the road. And glad you’re past all that terrible weather. 🙂
July 18, 2019 at 09:21
For some reason, the weather is messed up everywhere these years. Well, we do know the reason, and it all sucks. I can’t tell you how happy the three of us are to be in a climate-controlled room right now for a few weeks. Just what we needed after last two (rough) weeks on the road. 🙂
July 16, 2019 at 00:28
What a fun post and celebrity meeting! We don’t watch much TV but have seen and like this show. What a serendipitous meeting.
Glad you got out of the sticky mud situation. That’s a not easy predicament. I recall doing a trip to Namibia, with my brother and my parents decades ago, in an RV, and we got stuck in the mud. In a lion park!! My dad had to brave it and walk to get help! ( Which he did…)
Glad to see Maya enjoying life!
Peta
July 18, 2019 at 09:23
What a story and adventure of you and your family getting stuck in the African mud, Peta. Wow. I will think about our good fortune not to have to worry about wildlife next time we get stuck! Maya is enjoying life, but had a hard time the last two weeks on the road. I hope to post a blog about that today.
July 20, 2019 at 06:44
Hi Liesbet, This is the first time I have heard the phrase “fly over states.” I can see why the name. I am glad you got out of the mud without needing a tow truck. A major coincidence meeting Mike and his wife, Judy. My husband watches American Pickers. I recall reading about your Sedona experience. You and Mark likely emit great, friendly vibes:)
July 29, 2019 at 07:48
Hi Erica! Thank you for all your comments and continued interest in our travels. If your husband watches American Pickers, he must know Mike much better than us. It was great and fortuitous meeting him and his lovely wife. Mark and I do seem to run into celebrities and intriguing people often… 🙂
July 26, 2019 at 18:21
Your’ve been traveling and I’ve had my nose in book pub.
This post reminds me of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley, a one-man, one-dog travelogue. He took a northern route going west and a southern route coming back east, very much like my trip with friend Joann in the 1960s, which I blogged about. The only state we did not visit was Kansas . . . and of course Alaska.
July 29, 2019 at 06:50
Hi Marian! Maybe one day the roles will be reversed, when you go on a little road trip to celebrate the release of your memoir, and I’ll be researching how to self-publish! Congratulations again with finishing your 5-year project. I’m looking forward to finally reading your post about it soon!
I read Travels with Charley a long time ago and intend to read it again, as I have the paperback in Zesty. One day… I have many other books on my TBR list before that!
By the way, you didn’t miss much skipping Kansas. Alaska on the other hand is quite a cool state, a bit similar to British Colombia and the Yukon.
August 3, 2019 at 16:48
While many people may think of these places as drive through or fly over, to me they are home. You are making me long for the midwest, even for a grey day on my Great Lake (Michigan). I have never seen American Pickers but that Mike is a handsome fellow (as is that Mark 😉
August 5, 2019 at 08:03
You are too kind, Lisa. But, yes, I love to be in the presence of handsome men. 🙂 I don’t mind crossing any of the states, as I find beauty everywhere and love to explore anywhere. But, Mark doesn’t enjoy driving through “boring stretches”. We mostly solved that by crossing the country on secondary roads. Did I tell you it took forever that way?
August 5, 2019 at 12:42
But it is the best way to road trip! I am a total secondary roads sort of gal!
August 5, 2019 at 12:44
🙂 Time is what you and I have in common.