The time is once again upon us for a Brew Review! Today, we head back to the city of Louisville, Kentucky, this time to the Noble Funk Brewing Company. Noble Funk is in the old part of the city, offering beers and ciders for their patrons to enjoy, along with a variety of other food and beverage options. Today, we'll be looking at a selection to see what is offered. As with this and all other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
First up on tap, it's time to get patriotic for the Mr. American Single IPA. The good ol' USA might be the red, white, and blue, but this brew has a lovely golden color. The looks can be a bit deceiving, as this has a fairly average taste when considering other brews done in this series. The hop taste is on the stronger side for the single version so it's not a bad choice if you like your hops, but if you're looking for an exciting experience, it's best to try something else.
Going a little further down the flight pallet, we come across the Holle Beaver Part Deux: The Beahollever. This double IPA comes with a golden color and strong scent from the citra hops. When compared to most doubles, the hop taste on this brew has much more of a controlled balance to it, and although the drinker will find a citrus aftertaste from the amount of hops, it doesn't seem uninvited, but rather a full circle to the experience. This makes the Beahollever a wonderful choice if you love your hops and are looking for a double.
Finally, we take a look at King of the Celts, listed as an Irish red ale. Although it may have the familiar red tint to it, this particular brew seems like it's mislabeled, as there is an overwhelmingly strong taste of coffee. If you blindfolded the drinker, they would think they're drinking a porter, and not a red. Noble Funk does state this to be an annual occurrence, but hopefully they try something different the next year, as this brew does not meet any sort of expectation as to what a red ale can and should be.
Should your Internal Compass bring you to Old Louisville, it's a toss-up as to whether Noble Funk is going to be up your alley, but you may find it worth your while.
Completing the second leg of trip 22, we find ourselves at the Riverbrook RV and Camping Resort in Rumney, New Hampshire. This one had a two-week stay, but was a little different in that a good chunk of the visit had three of us, as opposed to the usual two.
Grounds: Riverbrook is along State Route 25 on one of the effective ways to cross New Hampshire from west to east. The sign outside is partially broken making it difficult to find the first time around, especially along a higher speed road. They are a couple miles outside Plymouth for resupply opportunities, with major resupply only about 30 miles away in Tilton. The campground itself seems a bit run down from the curb, and could use some sprucing.
Sites: Nearly 100 full hook-up 50-amp sites adorn this park, most of which are gravel back-in at a 90-degree angle with a grass patio, though there are a couple pull-through, as well as tent only sites. Although the pad itself was effectively level, the patio was far from it, making it difficult to setup an outdoor kitchen. They tried to make some room to park vehicles on the gravel as they request it not be parked on the grass, but the spots were meant for compacts towed behind motorhomes, and not a truck towing a trailer, which we were barely able to fit sideways.
Staff: The staff was relatively friendly, although sometimes seeming a bit too laid back. You could tell the campground recently changed hands, as the rule sheet was not up to date by any means, not even containing any sort of quiet hours they supposedly had. We even had to request a mow of the patio a couple days in, and though we're happy they respect our property not to constantly come around to deal with the grass, you'd think the site would be prepped prior to coming in.
Amenities: The park has a rec room with free-to-play game tables, a pool, laundry at a reasonable price, propane, and a riverfront beach. The dumpsters did not have 24 hour access making end-of-day cleanings difficult, though it seems to be an issue in the area in general. They do advertise being permitted to share amenities with their sister property, Baker River Campground, though we did not make our way up there to see what they had. The bathhouses seemed to be growing mushrooms out of some of the shower stalls, rendering them unusable.
Atmosphere: The campground certainly has a family vibe to it, as plenty of kids were out and about, with the kiddo we had wanting to do the same. However, it seems to also be a magnet for belligerent partiers, especially during a holiday weekend. The adults seemed to act more like children than the children were, and made us want to rather explore the state for the day than stay to enjoy the amenities offered.
Overall, Riverbrook RV and Camping Resort receives a 7 out of a possible 10 rating. The price was relatively high for the area, though we have seen other parks at a similar price point. Though they try to offer things to cover the price they charge, we believe there are better choices for where to stay if your Internal Compass takes you to this part of the country.
Disc golf fans, here we are once again!
Coming to you from General Butler State Park Resort in Carrollton, Kentucky, we bring the first of two matches at the Three Rivers Disc Golf Park. State parks in Kentucky are free to enter for day use, and this 18-hole course looks to be laid on what used to be an old golf course that has since been converted for disc golf. The course was designed by former World Disc Golf Champion Avery Jenkins and professional Dana Vicich, with recent renovations made to the tee pads, and is well kept by the state park staff. Our players played the yellow baskets for all 18 holes, but with a slight modification to hole 6 due to their lack of distance throwing capabilities. There is a deep forest between the tee and the fairway, so the players agreed to drop a marker, taking their third shot from that point on the fairway, and continue to the hole.
With today's disc golf match comes an addition to our players' arsenal, courtesy of Disc 'n Dat in Florence, Kentucky for their reasonable selection of used and clearance discs, along with a signed explanation of the speed, glide, turn, and fade numbers. She has added a Discraft Crank 13/5/-2/2 distance driver, a Prodiscus Stari 4/4/-2/0 midrange, and a Latitude Pure 3/3/-1/1 putter. He is now including an Innova Champion Beast 10/5/-2/2 distance driver, a Westside Discs Bear 8/6/-0.5/2.5 fairway driver, and a DGA Rift 2021 Commemorative 5/4/-1/1.5 midrange. How did our players fare on the course this time around?
Course Result:
Halved: 2
Her Holes: 5
His Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 7 Her
Holes Record: Him 45 - 46 Her
He was able to get off to a good start on holes 1 and 2 by one stroke each, but it was all downhill from there. He had to take not one, but TWO penalties on the third from an out of bounds cart path not well placed for left-handed players, and those gave her the hole. Bad tree luck on the four meant she was able to take the hole and tie things up. Hole five on quite the slope was halved. Even with the modification and a penalty taken by her on hole 6, a few bad throws by him meant that she was able to take hole 6. Some play into the rough for him made it even worse for hole 7, as she was able to take both that and 8. It looked like the ninth would be the same after a throw into the rough and difficulty finding the disc, but a missed putt by her allowed for the hole to be halved. On this par 29, the shot count was 53-58 in her favor.
The course record is now tied, and she has taken the lead on the number of holes won. Will he be able to get out of this funk on the back nine, or will she take the course lead? Until next time when we find out, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Usually when people look to go to New England, there's one place that sticks out as a must-see.
Welcome to Cape Cod National Seashore, a peculiar peninsula hanging from the southeast of Massachusetts. Many will know Cape Cod for its historical significance, when Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower in 1620 and landed at Plymouth Rock, after sailing too far north after a storm and not being able to reach their original target of the Virginia colony. Their settled city of Provincetown still exists today, along with a park paying tribute to this original landing. This is where you will find the eastern terminus of United States Route 6, a mere 3,205 miles from Bishop, California at the other end, as is signed in this area.
Although Provincetown is certainly a spectacle in and of itself to get to the end of the land, there's much more to the Cape Cod area to visit. Perhaps make a stop in the cities of Barnstable, Yarmouth, or Dennis with plenty of along-the-shore opportunities for you to enjoy. If the mainland just isn't suiting you, head over to Hyannis and pick up a ferry. One may be able to take to the vacation home of many celebrities and famous people: Martha's Vineyard. Or take an excursion over to Nantucket Island. Who knows? You might be able to meet the man from Nantucket.
Along the way at the cities of Eastham and Wellfleet, make a stop at the National Beaches. If you have your National Parks Pass, you're in luck, because you'll be able to use it here. First make a stop at the Salt Pond Visitors Center, and if you have a pup with you, you'll be able to induct him or her into the B.A.R.K. Ranger program. They'll also help you with the dog friendly beaches, of which the National Seashore has a few. Make your way through and outside of the lifeguard protected areas between Coast Guard Beach and Marconi Beach, and your furry little friend will be able to enjoy the ocean. Just be aware that the beach itself is quite steep, and it's a bit of a hike back up to the parking lot, so make sure you are fully prepared.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to New England, don't forget about Cape Cod National Seashore.
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.
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