Not every day is going to be bright and sunny when you're living in the RV. Having gone through a fair share of storms ourselves, here's a few tips that can hopefully help you out so you aren't finding things to be too awful.
First thing's first: Preparation is the key. With some things like tornadoes, you're not going to have this luxury. However with floods and hurricanes, you will. Take stock of the environment around you. If you're in a heavily wooded area, the risk is higher that a tree will fall and take out your rig, which sadly happened to at least one couple we met near the time of writing this. If it's more open, the only debris you might meet are the things left out by the neighbors, which may not be so bad. However, follow the paths and get an idea of where the storm is going to go. If the brunt is going to hit you head on, you may want to pack it up and leave. Remember that your house is on wheels, so you have that ability. Just be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to account for heavy traffic and potentially higher fuel prices.
You've now decided to stay, whether by your choice or not. The next step is easy: Act like you're going to boondock for a few days. Fill the fresh tank, have a good amount of propane (and diesel/gas if you have an on-board generator), and charge the extra batteries. The extra weight from the fresh tank should help to stabilize your rig a little bit, albeit not as much as a house. During one storm with our tiny Jayco, we ended up using picnic tables to keep it from rocking too much. Should you lose power, remember that your refrigerator and hot water heater should be able to run with propane. Just remember that any heater, whether for water or climate, is going to be the big drain on your fuel, so use it sparingly. It also goes without saying, but make sure to retract your awning. That's usually the first to go if it's extended.
Everything's passed, and the aftermath now begins. Hopefully you remembered that the grocery stores won't have any perishable product for a while, and even the Waffle House is going to close. As for fuel, one thing we noticed is that, if you have a diesel vehicle and were able to procure a fleet card, the truck stops aren't going to see too much of a difference in demand, so use that to your advantage and bypass the long lines for the auto pumps that extend to the highway. If you tow as opposed to using a motor home, you might be able to work with some of the local charities that are trying to deliver supplies.
Your Internal Compass might bring you to a spot that won't have the best weather, but if it does, a little bit of preparation will help you get through the storm.
Freedom Rolling once again presents another Brew Review. This time, we'll be visiting Against the Grain Brewery and Public House in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. First started in 2011 at their location adjacent to Louisville Slugger Field, Against the Grain has been offering a wide variety of beer, along with an assortment of barbecue menu options. We'll be taking a look at a few of their offerings, but as always, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
First up to bat, we find the Sol Mate, their version of a wheat beer. After one sip of this brew, you'll find that it is that clean and smooth taste you'd expect from a wheat. There is a bit of a heavy malt to it, but it covers any sort of aftertaste that may come as a result of drinking. If you're looking to enjoy a good summer beer by the river and don't enjoy the hop taste, this may just end up being your "Sol Mate".
Against the Grain is certainly proud of their Louisville location, and what better way to celebrate this than with their hazy pale ale, the "Loo-a-Vuhl". It is unclear where the "hazy" part comes, as the presentation of this brew is a clean yellow. With one sip, you'll find an incredibly strong hops taste, but not really much of anything else. The lower ABV value, 5.5% specifically for the Loo-a-Vuhl, is what makes a beer a Hazy Pale Ale as opposed to the IPA version of the Hazy, but it's definitely teetering on the fence.
Time to show some excitement with Jazz Hands! In comes one of the more interesting styles of brews, a jasmine rice lager known as the "Jazz Hands". Behind the appealing golden color, one sip will remind you of drinking sake, a traditional Japanese rice wine. There is an aftertaste that comes much later, but if you're already in tune with sake, then you'll find it to be familiar. Although there wasn't a food pairing included when trying this, it would be curious how this goes with a sushi roll, or some other form of less-cooked fish entrée.
Unique and sometimes colorful titles are a trademark of Against the Grain Brewery. The brewer must have had a rowdy night prior to the making of their signature Double IPA, the "Citra Ass Down". Trying this particular brew, we can understand why it's so highly lauded. Starting off with that pleasant scent from the citra hops, you won't necessarily get the strong taste of hops you'd expect from a double, but this is a full drinking experience, as the strong hops will come in the aftertaste. You might need a palette cleansing water if you're looking to try anything else, but if it's just this brew for you, we can see why this 8.2% ABV monster is going to be thoroughly enjoyed.
We now take you south of the border, this time for the El Nopal Mexican Lager. One sip of this particular brew will find a much cleaner and smoother taste than what would be expected from a cerveza. It isn't a truly bland experience, though, as the first sip will find a little bit of a hop taste at the top of the palette, just to give that extra kick. This might not be brewed in Mexico, but if you want to take your mind down there, this may just be the way to do it.
For the final offering from Against the Grain, it's time to step over to the dark side, this time for their Black Pilsner. A first look might mislead you into thinking this is a stout, but this won't have the heavy taste. It's clean and smooth, and although chocolate malts are used, the taste isn't very strong, making it a much more balanced choice. The brewers do give a funny tall tale about brewing this in the dark while blindfolded, but whether or not they saw what they were doing, they showed great control in crafting this choice, and is a satisfying choice for those that like to live on the "dark side" of beers.
So if your Internal Compass ever takes you to Louisville, don't shy away from the downtown area, because you'll want to give Against the Grain Brewery and Public House a try.
Back to the links for more disc golf action!
Coming to you from Florence, Kentucky, deep within a housing development at South Fork Park, our two competitors have yet another disc golf match. South Fork Park is a free-to-play nine hole course with all sorts of roughs, creeks, and even a few large hills to challenge our players. The course, along with the entirety of the city park, is very well kept with concrete pads and terrific fairways. Her recent hot streak was snapped with a halved match last time around, but how will they fare this time?
Course Result:
Halved: 1
Her Holes: 6
His Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 6 Her
Holes Record: Him 43 - 41 Her
Hole 1 starts out with an awful fairway shot from him, allowing her to win the first hole. Although she ended up in the water in hole 2, the creek was shallow enough to play as it lied while he had difficulty getting across, giving her a two hole lead. He was able to pull it to within one on the third after a couple of tough shots in the rough for her. After a halving on the fourth, a lovely drive from the top of the hill allowed her to win hole 5 and regain a two hole lead. However, a "lost disc" in the woods for her (which was later recovered) led to a penalty stroke, and him to pull within one. That would be as close as he got, as a missed putt from him on seven, a successful long putt from her on eight, and an overshoot from him on nine led to her winning the last three holes. Stroke play saw her dominate at 45-50 on a par 29, which doesn't do much good for their handicaps.
She's almost there; will she be able to pull it to 500 on the next match? We'll see what happens, but until next time, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Trip 22 is a two-legged excursion back into New Hampshire, with our first foray at the White Birches Camping Park in Shelburne, New Hampshire. A one week stay was had here.
Grounds: White Birches is located along the corridor of US Route 2, just east of the city of Gorham. Plenty of attractions are nearby, including the Mount Washington Auto Road which takes you to the highest point in New Hampshire. There is a resupply opportunity in the nearby city of Berlin, but needs for other national chains would have to be done in Conway or Littleton. This area has limited cell phone reception and wifi, so you probably won't be able to stream entertainment. The Appalachian Trail is nearby to this campground, owing to a number of visitors to their amenities. The place does have a vehicle gate, however because of it, they do not permit any sort of late check-in.
Sites: The park boasts over 100 sites with a mix of pull through and back-in, as well as full hookup with 50 amp service, water/electric, and primitive tent sites. This place is situated on a hill, with grass sites being divided by a change in elevation and snow markers near the roadway. The sites are about as level as they could be given the circumstances, but the length of the sites is what is most impressive to give enough room for a complete setup. A picnic table and fire pit are included in each of the sites. There are a number of very bright lights around the park at night, which did also reflect off many of the other RVs at the park, making it difficult to sleep.
Staff: The staff was found to be quite friendly for the most part, including when we saw maintenance out working. Not too many interactions were had.
Amenities: This campground has a gated entry with card, laundry, propane, as well as a heated pool for relaxing fun in the sun. Showers at the bath house are coin operated, mostly owing to the number of trail visitors. The laundry is a tad on the expensive side, however they do make up for this with larger front loading machines.
Atmosphere: This campground is, without a doubt, a family friendly park. Plenty of families were out enjoying the grounds, especially the pool. The quiet hours are a little later than other parks, but generally well respected.
Overall, White Birches Camping Park receives an 8 out of a possible 10 rating. The price is competitive with other RV parks in the area, and although it's a bit out in the middle of nowhere, it's not a bad place to visit if you need access to the north woods. If we were in the area, we'd be happy to visit again.
Time for another disc golf match!
Welcome back to the Waterville Valley Town Square Disc Golf Course for yet another match. This course has already been reviewed [in a previous match]. Not only did our players face off again, but this time had a visiting kiddo with them. Previously, he brought the kiddo to this same course in order to give a practical lesson on how to play. He was able to pull a 38, including pars on holes 2, 6, and 8. The kiddo had a 47, with one par on the 3rd from an approach shot that found the hole. While our normal two combatants were using their same discs, the kiddo would share between the two, along with being issued a challenge: If the kiddo could score 42 or less on this round, he'd receive his own set of discs. So how did everyone fare?
Course Result:
Halved: 5
Her Holes: 2
His Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 5 Her
Holes Record: Him 41 - 35 Her
Holes 1 and 2 started out even, with the kiddo getting one above and one below our competitors, respectively. A missed putt by him resulted in a lead for her, as the kiddo scored the same as him. However he learned his lesson on the 4th tee from a few miscues and halved both 4 and 5, with the kiddo one behind. A bad shot into the rough on the curved 6 meant she took a two hole lead, with the kiddo halving her. The seven saw a misdirected fairway shot from her, giving him the opportunity to pull it back to within one, while some bad putt luck from the kiddo saw the shot total be one above her. Steaming on the 8th, he was able to pull even with a par after a close approach, while the kiddo halved her. The ninth saw a final halve as he and she both made par, while the kiddo was only one over.
Looking at the shot counts, he and she both tied with an impressive 36 on the par 27 to show the benefits of their practicing. The kiddo, needing a 42 for the prize, was able to get a 41 on this round, meaning there is a new disc golfer out there in the parks.
Another draw has come, but what will happen next time? You'll have to tune in to find out. Until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Once again, the sea is before us, this time in the northeastern corner of the country.
The coast of New Hampshire, at a mere 13 miles, is the shortest of all the coastlines in the USA. That's not to say that it isn't packed with something for everyone. While driving, find New Hampshire Highway 1A to allow yourself to peacefully meander this edge of the country. Make a quick stop along the northern rocky coast, where you may be able to see in the distance the nine Isles of Shoals, the ownership of which are split in half between New Hampshire and Maine. While at this part of the coast, perhaps in order is a quick trip up to Fort Stark, an artillery from World War II, or Fort Foster on the Maine side in Kittery which served as an additional gun battery during both World Wars.
If you're more of the "long walk" variety, head south down the coastline, as North Beach, Hampton Beach, and Seabrook Beach await beach visitors. Be cautious when visiting these cities, as they are quite expensive when it comes to parking, reaching rates you'd find in New York City, especially on Manhattan. If you want something a little more economical, go over the drawbridge and beyond Seabrook Beach down to the city of Salisbury, Massachusetts. The beaches are just as accessible, and it's easy enough to take a walk back into New Hampshire if you wanted to visit Seabrook.
A trip to the North Atlantic in the warmer months would not be complete without a whale watching tour. Up around Rye Harbor, you'll find Granite State Whale Watch, a great "bang for the buck" when wanting to see these large marine mammals. This company has partnered with the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, which not only gives a great narration on what you'll see out in the blue depths, but also performs research while these tours are conducted. There are typically two tours per day in the summer months; be sure to book the later of the tours because there are no trackers on any of the whales that visit, and the crew has the added benefit of a morning search to find these swimmers. The area is most likely to see finback and humpback whales, but you may get a bonus of a jumping tuna while out there.
So whether your Internal Compass takes you towards rocky or sandy beaches, northern New England will have something for you.
Welcome to another edition of the Brew Review, where Freedom Rolling takes a look at craft beers from across the country. Today we head into the Green Mountain State of Vermont for what they have to offer. As with all of the Brew Reviews, please ensure that these, or any beers, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
We start over at the small city of Bridgewater Corners, Vermont, home of The Shed Brewery and their offering, the Mountain Hazy IPA. This particular brew starts off with the familiar scent of hops and a lighter yellow color, however the taste does not bring the powerful taste of hops that people would expect from the India Pale Ale. This one is a bit more subtle when tasting, though there are certain ways you can pick out the hops. It isn't the most exciting thing to drink, but it is an average brew that can be tolerated if it's one of the few available.
Off we head to the Champlain Valley in Burlington, Vermont and the Foam Brewers for the India Pale Ale known as Dead Flowers. The drinker will first be adorned with a light, lime-like color. Although marked as an IPA, this particular brew has only a moderate hop taste, masked by a very strong citrus taste that seems to come from a lime flavor. This balanced offering is a perfect choice for a summer day on the lake, whether just fishing or having a gathering, as everyone permitted will enjoy this beer.
Time to head deep into the Green Mountains, where Lawson's Finest Liquids awaits in the community of Waitsfield, Vermont for a Sip of Sunshine. Although originally brewed at their main location, production of this beer has been moved to Stratford, Connecticut. If you're a connoisseur that likes your hops, then this brew is certainly for you. Apart from the golden color that will remind the drinker of sunshine, a very strong amount of hops and an 8% ABV makes this a hop lover's dream. Although it may just be a sip, you'll feel like you're walking on sunshine with this offering.
As you continue to Follow Your Internal Compass around the country, hopefully you are able to find these, as well as many other craft beers to enjoy.
For our foray into Maine, we make a stop at Pumpkin Patch RV Resort. This is a privately owned RV park near many of central Maine's attractions. A week's stay was had here.
Grounds: The park is located just outside Hermon, a neighbor to the relatively larger city of Bangor for resupply, and only about an hour from Acadia National Park. Do follow their instructions on using Exit 180 to approach when pulling, as there are some railroad bridges along US Route 2 that may present problems for the larger rigs. Be aware that Bangor International Airport is nearby, and planes landing or taking off may be heard during your stay.
Sites: Pumpkin Patch has 85 RV sites, about half of which are pull-through while the other half are back-in, with all of them having 50-amp electric service, water, and the majority having full hook-up with the sewer as well. The gravel pad was easy to approach even for a back-in, and was found to be mostly level, with quite a sizable patio area. This park is insistent upon back-flow protectors being used on their water spigots, and although their intentions may be honorable, the pressure is not good enough to run with a regulator, while constantly feeling like we might blow out our pipes without one, which we were forced to do in order to have any water whatsoever.
Staff: The staff was found to be very friendly and accommodating in the office, as well as after hours when an issue was experienced. The amount of signs around the park are a bit overkill, and some of them would have been helpful in the rule sheet instead of the laundromat, such as boards being available if a table-top grill needed to be placed, as they did not permit it on their plastic picnic tables.
Amenities: The park features showers and laundry, an activity center, and a small dog park. In addition, propane may be purchased on site. Surprisingly, the price they offered was very competitive to other businesses in the area. Many campgrounds will gouge their customers on propane costs leading them to take their tanks to hardware stores or warehouse clubs; we believe they should be commended for valuing customer quantity over per-sale tactics when raising revenues with propane.
Atmosphere: This campground has the vibe and feel of a 55+ park, especially when considering some of the activities planned, although they are willing to accommodate all ages. It was generally a very quiet and peaceful park; a good place to kick back and relax.
Overall, Pumpkin Patch RV Resort receives a 9 out of a possible 10 rating. Pricing in the northeast is somewhat high, but the park is competitive with others in the area. This is one park where we would be very glad to stay again, especially if our Internal Compass takes us into Maine.
Did I hear another disc golf match? That's right!
Welcome to Orono, Maine, home of today's match at D.R. Disc Golf's The Bear course. For the first time, our players have made their way to a professionally hosted disc golf course, complete with a small pro shop. This location does have green fees, with different prices for if you play 9 holes, 18 holes, or the other courses sponsored by the company. Although this course is still in development with some changes coming, it was of good quality to enjoy playing. Nine holes were played, although the front 9 were done, not knowing that players would go to hole 17 after hole 8, but that's the fun of it. How did they fare?
Course Result:
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 4
His Holes: 1
Course Record: Him 7 - 2 - 5 Her
Holes Record: Him 39 - 33 Her
Starting off at the first tee, some bad tree luck resulted in him taking the first hole. After a halved second, some terrible throws and missed putts by him allowed her to pull even with a three shot advantage on the third. She would continue to pour it on with a par on the fourth to win that hole. Everything seemed to be going downhill for him with more bad tree luck on five, but an approach shot found the hole to allow him to pull back to a halve. Two more halves were had, before she pulled away with another par on eight, and then a long and arduous ninth hole saw her put the icing on top. The shots were 45-50 in her favor on a par 32.
She is catching up; can he gets himself out of this funk? We'll find out next time, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
This one is almost assuredly on everyone's bucket list, and for good reason.
Welcome to Baa Habaa (Bar Harbor for those actually trying to look it up), home of Acadia National Park in the Pine Tree State of Maine. First established as a National Park in 1916 after lobbying from regular visitor John D. Rockefeller, and later renamed in 1929, Acadia has become a site of preservation for many different plants, animals, and the small "mountains" adorning the area. Acadia is situated mostly on Mount Desert Island, where the city of Bar Harbor can be found, along a few other small harbor cities. There are a couple of other points such as Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula.
As you approach the park, stop by the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, prominently signed along State Route 3, to gather all the information you'll need. Take a drive around the Park Loop to visit all the points of interest within the main park. See the Wild Gardens of Acadia at "Sieur de Monts", or take a walk through the wetlands while along Jessup Path in that area. Maybe you want to take a quick dip in the Atlantic at Newport Cove, where one of the few sand beaches along the rocky coast of Maine can be found. If scenic drives and views tickle your fancy, perhaps grab some tickets to go up Cadillac Mountain, where the entire island, along with the ocean, can be seen. Plenty of other fun, including carriage rides and ferries to the various other islands around the area, may be had.
Hopefully you kept hold of that National Parks pass, because it will work here. They do also have seasonal entry specific to Acadia if you're spending an extended time. It's a little bit of a drive from Bangor down US Route 1A and State Route 3 to get to the park, with a close resupply point in Ellsworth if you need something from the regional and national chains. While on Mount Desert Island, definitely take a trip to the Northeast Harbor and visit their Main Street. Consider going along Sargeant Drive for great views of the Somes Sound. Don't forget the other side of the sound near Southwest Harbor, and check out the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse and the history behind this important nautical marker.
Almost assuredly, your Internal Compass will point you towards Acadia National Park. The next time you visit Maine, this is one place not to miss.
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