What? Another match you say?!
Coming to you from Walton Community Park in beautiful Walton, Kentucky, our competitors are back for another disc golf match. This is a free-to-play disc golf course with 9 holes. A map is available online as well as at the start of the course, and you'll need it because hole 3 is misnumbered as hole 4, and some of the signage is missing. However, our players are going to power through it. They did decide to modify hole 6 because of their lack of distance by crossing the deeply sloped creek with two strokes, dropping a marker on shot number 3. Other than that, it was fairly normal. How did they do?
Course Result:
Halved: 2
Her Holes: 5
His Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 9 Her
Holes Record: Him 48 - 55 Her
Our players were both battling much more than each other this time, as he is still in his slump, and she had some illnesses plaguing her, and it started right away in hole one. She took a penalty and missed a putt, but a miss of his own led to them halving the hole. Holes 2 and 3 showed how much physical and mental pain were on her, as two missed putts on each one allowed him to take a two hole lead. It wouldn't last long, as she gets one back on the 4, followed by a par on the 5 to even up the match. Hole 6, although modified, saw him miss not one but TWO putts, giving her the lead. She wouldn't look back on 7, tapping in a par as he continued to struggle with distance. They would halve hole 8, and then trade missed putts with her winning hole 9 and the match. The strokes this time were a dismal 46-50 in her favor, and both of them are really hoping for a better showing next time.
It seems she is gaining quite the edge, especially in the driving game. Can he start to drive better, and maybe improve on the short game to pull it back? Or will she get over her short game woes and put these matches away for good? Until next time, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Welcome back to another of Freedom Rolling's Brew Reviews! Today we will be heading up and down the White Mountains of New Hampshire to see what this area has to offer. As with this and all the other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
Off we head first to the tourist city of Conway, New Hampshire and the Tuckerman Brewing Company for their Headwall Alt Brown Ale. After many different offerings reviewed that have excited the taste buds whether by hops or malts, this particular brew seems bland in comparison. The brown color makes this at least somewhat appealing to the eye, with a slight hint of caramel to the scent. The fact that this is a neutral beer makes it acceptable to have with almost any sort of pairing, but we look forward to finding something else in the category that's a little more exciting.
On our way down the White Mountains, we make a stop in Ossipee, New Hampshire and the Hobbs Brewing Company for their Black Sheep German-style pilsener. However, there certainly isn't much that we can say that would make this seem odd, as this seems like the light, refreshing malted brew that many of us have come to enjoy. The light golden color will remind you of the sunshine outside as you enjoy this, but be ready for a hint of hops in an aftertaste that may catch you by surprise. Although we haven't had too many pilseners in this series, this brew seems a bit average, and perhaps something more exciting will come from elsewhere.
Once again back up to the Mount Washington Valley at the tourist area of North Conway, New Hampshire, this time at the Moat Mountain Brewing Company for their Kearsarge Kölsch ale. Don't let the golden color of this particular brew fool you, though, as this one isn't going to have much of a scent or taste to it. It will remind you of the average macro-brew that you find at the grocery store. Some may have adjusted their taste buds to enjoy this sort of a thing, but there are better beers out there in this country to try.
Your Internal Compass may take you to a very lovely area of New England, but if you're looking for a good brew, you may have to dig a little deeper.
Yet another menagerie is upon us!
Welcome to the City of Seven Hills, home of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. This zoo dates all the way back to the 1870's, and while it is not the oldest zoo in the nation, they do claim to have the oldest zoological building that still stands today, though once housing primates, today houses a number of reptiles. Today, this zoo has grown to 75 acres of wildlife preservation in the northern part of the city, and their hundreds of different species leaves this to be a place where many flock from around the country to visit.
Because this property is within the city, visitors will find that parking comes at a cost in addition to the entrance fees, but several of the lots are covered with high roofs. That being said, it is not recommended to have your RV in tow at this location. Consider taking a picture of the map as you walk in, as this is a fairly large park with many different things to offer, whether you take a walk through Roo Valley, experience Giraffe Encounters, or see the growth progress of the smallest surviving (at the time of writing this) hippopotamus ever recorded in history. Give yourself a couple of days to really enjoy everything this zoo has to offer, as it is an extensive collection. Just be aware that prices do change based on attendance for the day, so plan ahead.
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is highly rated by several media outlets, and at the end of the day, we can certainly see why they were. We had come to the area in the anticipation of visiting other attractions, along with another zoo not too far away, but we are very glad that we stopped by this location. Even if you're a little ways outside of the tri-state area along the corridors of Interstates 71 or 75, whether a group, a family, or even just yourself, it will be worth the drive to see this collection.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to the Cincinnati area, be sure to put the Zoo and Botanical Garden on your list of things to see.
What do you know, we're up to four!
Interestingly enough, we have spent a relatively massive 1,213 days on the road. This year has had much more than just a fair share of drama, to put it nicely. Whether it's rushing to find a new soul, seat of our pants planning in the northeast with a rush out to the midwest, or how where we were going to be right now went completely awry, we are thankful to all of those who have helped us out through these trying times, and here's hoping each and every one of you are doing well for this Thanksgiving.
We hope to continue to Follow our Internal Compass and be able to send a similar message at this time next year.
Time to return where we last left off!
Welcome back to General Butler State Park in Carrollton, Kentucky for the back nine at the Three Rivers Disc Golf Park. We have previously looked at this course during the front nine match. If you prefer the nine-hole variety, although there isn't a nine available, there is a modified eight that can be played, as the tees for 3 and 13 are very close to each other. Simply skip 3-12, and go right to 13 to finish out the short version of the course.
As previous, the yellow baskets were used. She dominated the front nine, but our competitors are getting a bit tired without any sort of a bottle refill at the maintenance building between holes 13 and 14. Will they even be able to make it through? Who will come out on top?
Course Result:
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 4
His Holes: 1
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 8 Her
Holes Record: Him 46 - 50 Her
Starting on hole ten, an unfortunate missed putt led to him getting his first and only hole win on the match. She was able to come right back on the 11. A long 12 saw our players halving the hole, while the 13 saw her take the lead once again by one stroke. He had a chance to halve hole 14, but a missed putt led to her taking this one as well. The long 15 saw another halve. Hole 16 on the downward slope gave her a chance to make par, but a missed putt meant the hole was halved at 4 strokes each. She had another chance to win a hole, but yet another missed putt meant a halving of the hole at 5 strokes each. The very long 18 saw some terrible fairway shots by him, and she was able to take this final hole. The shot total was 49-53 in her favor.
On what seemed to be a long and difficult course for our players, she has now taken the course record. Will he be able to pull it back, or has her improvements to her game going to propel her to run away with the competition? Find out next time, but until then, Follow Your Internal Compass.
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.
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