8 Favorite Moments in my RV Travel.

Someone asked the other day what have been some of my favourite moments of living this RV Lifestyle. That is difficult. There have been some beautiful landscapes and breathtaking views. From the cliffs of Newfoundland to the sunrise on the Arizona desert and hundreds of places in between have been filled with the wonder and beauty of nature. 

All of those moments are burned into my heart and soul. The moments that come to mind when people ask, though, are the laughing, what is that, and did I just see that moments. As hard as it was, I picked 8 for every year I have been doing this. Come along and enjoy my 8 favourite RV Life moments.

Kim Verses the Dragon Fly

Most of the time, I travel solo. Once in a while, I will travel with another van, and a few times, my best friend Kim has come along for the ride.

Some background

Kim and I have been best friends since high school. We have done some amazing things together, and this is not the first time or the last time she has made me fall over laughing. She has done her fair share of laughing as well. No worries about that. Lol

The trip of a Lifetime

I wanted to go to Newfoundland, and I certainly was not going without her. We decided to take a route that would lead us through Quebec and into Labrador because she did not want to take the 8-hour ferry (that’s Tom’s fault, btw). You can take a 45-minute ferry across from Quebec to the top of Newfoundland. What an amazing adventure that was. There were so many sights and so many laughs, but one stood out among the rest.

After the smooth 8-hour ferry ride back to Nova Scotia, we got a campsite in Mira River Provincial Park.  A beautiful little campground. We had dinner, and we were just sitting down in our lawn chairs to discuss where to go next. All of a sudden, she stands up and screams. What is going on? Then I see it. A beautiful dragonfly has taken a liking to her and wants to get close. As I start to laugh, she starts to run with this dragonfly flying to catch her. I wish I could have helped her, but at that point, I was on the ground laughing.

I mean, look at that cute little face. That will always be in my fondest memories and a part of my favourite RV travel memories. Read all about this trip of a lifetime here.

A Free Breakfast in Alabama

I have to follow with this memorable event because a souvenir I bought in Newfoundland led me to have a free breakfast in Alabama.

On the beautiful island of Newfoundland is a little town called Dildo. You know Kim and I had to go check it out. What a great experience that was. It was a very fun town with a great restaurant and brewery.

At the Dildo Brewing Company, I bought what has turned out to be my favorite flannel over shirt. Great for spring and fall, cool mornings, and evenings by the fire. It is comfortable, and with the company logo on the shirt, it has gotten me many laughs and a free breakfast in Alabama.

When you become the entertainment

One of my favourite eating spots in the US is Waffle House. I try to get there when the locals are coming in. The staff are friendly and you are always greeted with a hefty good morning as you walk in the door.

As the waitress delivered my food, I thought she gave me a funny look. As she walked down the aisle, she kept glancing at my chest area. After the third time, I started looking thinking I had spilled something on me. Lol

Our eyes met, and in this booming voice in a strong Southern accent, she said, “Does that say Dildo?”

The whole restaurant erupted in laughter, I was sure the guy sitting behind me spit coffee out his nose. Now, all eyes were on me. Hahaha! Oh, my stars. I had not even thought of what I was wearing.

I laughed and told her yes, it does, which sent another round of laughter through the restaurant.

She replied, “I thought thats what it said. I looked and looked at thought, noooo, that’s not it.”

I explained that it was from a brewery in a small town in Newfoundland, Canada. One gentleman asked if it was good beer. I kaughed and told him i would not know, I don’t drink. Lol. We all had a good laugh and went back to eating breakfast. A few minutes later, the gentleman who was sitting behind me walked by and thanked me for the most entertaining breakfast he had had in a long time. When I got to the till, he had paid for my breakfast. Even as I write this, I laugh. One of the many reasons I will always love Alabama.

The Van was a Rockin

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Alabama has one of my favorite places to stay, and I will stop there every time I pass through.

My first visit to Jackson Lake Island was so memorable that it has to be included in the top 8. I got to the island just as the sun was setting. They told me I could park anywhere so I pulled beside the river, opened my door and it was instant ahhh! I knew then I would love it here.

After the sun set, it was darker than dark. I could not see anything around the outside of the van. I pulled the curtains, locked the doors, and proceeded to make coffee. As I stood waiting “patiently” for the water to boil, I felt the van rock. Not hard, just a little. Then I noticed a noise. I really could not identify it. Then the van rocked again. There was no wind, so what was making the van rock??? I looked out the windows and could see nothing but darkness. It did it a few more times than stopped.

I finished making coffee and called Kim to tell her about it. More to freak her out cause she is easy that way. She told me, “Don’t you go outside!” Lol. Ya, I am sort of like that, but I did not know what kind of animals they have in Alabama. I was not about to find out in the dark.

It all comes clear with the morning light

In the morning, before I opened my curtains, I put the water on for coffee and brushed my teeth, and then I heard the noise, then the van rocked. Ok, what is doing that. I opened my door and found the cutest cause I could imagine.

Little goats. They were everywhere. Including the one that was scratching his butt on the bumper of the van. Hahaha! It was a wonderful morning coffee sitting with goats in what I call paradise.

The Confused Woodpecker

In my career, I traveled for work. I traveled all over Canada, and when I could, i drove. If there were campgrounds nearby, I would stay in my roadtrek there instead of a hotel.

Working in Timmins Ontario, I had the opportunity to stay in Kettle Lakes Provincial Park. A beautiful northern park where the wild life is wild and nature sings.

Every morning, I would wake up to a sound that I just could not figure out what it was. It sounded like something hitting a piece of metal very rapidly. It did not sound like it was hitting it hard just very fast. A few mornings, I got out to look around to see if I could see what was causing that noise. It just did not fit in with the rest of nature’s morning sounds.

Every week I moved to a different campsite. One morning, I got up and looked and finally saw what was making that odd noise. Apparently, a woodpecker decided he liked the sound as he pecked on the metal directional sign in the park. Lol. Oh my stars, that was one confused woodpecker. Lol

The Drunk Pelican

Traveling Florida was beautiful. The fauna and the creatures are so different from other places I have been. When I went to Florida, everyone told me to be aware of the alligators and the snakes. No one said anything about the birds.

Driving in the morning is a foggy experience at the top of the gulf. I was driving on a two lane 50 mph (80 kph), not that fast. It was foggy. As I peered into the fog ahead something looked as if it was in my lane and coming towards me. I could not make out what it was. I took my foot off the gas pedal to slow down in case I had to make an evasive move. 

As it got closer, I realized it was a giant bird. A pelican that was trying to land and was flip-flopping, trying to do it. It kind of reminded me Nigel in Finding Nemo. There were no graceful sweeps of motion. It looked off balance and drunk! Hahaha! As it came towards me, it swerved right, and I swerved left, and we missed each other by inches.

Luckily, the car coming in the other lane noticed what was happening and slowed. Phewww. After such a close call, I pulled off the road when I could, just to catch my breath, and started laughing. That bird looked so ungracefull. Now I knew I was OK that was hilarious. Oh, my stars. My world for a dash cam. Lol

Experiencing my Favourite Horror movie

I am not really a horror movie buff. I am not really any kind of a movie buff. Lol, I do not watch many movies, but The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock has always been one of my favorites. I never in my life thought I would actually experience it.

I was in Denton, Texas, at a Love’s Truck stop. I had just come back out to the van after a good meal and a hot shower and was sitting down to work on my blog. As I wrote, I heard birds chittering. At first, it was only a few, and then the sound gradually grew louder. It was raining and I thought I heard birds on the top of my van. No, that couldn’t be it. It must be the rain. As I pulled the curtain aside, I was shocked to see not just a few birds but thousands. They were not little birds like sparrows. They were large black birds that reminded me of a large crowd or raven. This one was watching me, I am sure.

As I looked out into the parking lot, they covered the ground, the vehicles, the roof of the truck stop, and the power lines for as far as the eye can see. I have never seen so many birds at one time anywhere.

I later learned they are called Grackles and come in large flocks 2 – 3 times a day.

Just like the movie

I got out my camera and started recording. There was no way I was going outside. I have seen that movie. Lol. I watched as people kind of slowly waded through the birds to get into the restaurant. I could hear them on my roof. It sounded like pecking. As i walked around and looked, I heard them take off. The sound was deafening, and I could hear them hit the van as they took off in unison. The sound, just like in the movie.

After they left, I could hear a fan sound. It kind of sounded like my fantastic fan. Unfortunately, the roof vent cover had locked itself shut. It was now open, and the fan was running. It really was the movie. They were trying to get in. Hahaha! A little freaky. Watch the video here on my YouTube channel.

A Strange Sound on the Coast of Maine

My friend Tom and I were travelling from a custom van show in Massachusetts to a custom van show in Prince Edward Island. Touring up the coast of Maine, we stopped at an adorable little campground on the coast in York.

York Beach Camper Park is tucked into a small area just off the coast. It’s a cute little campground with the nicest of people. We did some laundry and grabbed a shower, and had a nice quiet night. You could just hear the roll of the waves of the ocean. A beautiful sound to fall asleep to.

As we chatted over morning coffee, we heard a sound that definitely was not coastal. We looked at each other like, what was that? Then Tom remembered about the lion. When we checked in, the woman told “us” that we may hear a lion roar. The lion? I guess I was not paying close enough attention. Apparently, there is a small zoo located just behind the campground. We need not worry, though. He only roars when he is hungry. Lol

The Plaque Gag

Anyone who knows me or has travelled with me knows I am a plaque follower. I see a plaque that says something interesting happened this way. That’s the way I am going. If you are following, and they always want me to lead, you’re coming with me.

I was travelling with a friend. Driving down a two-lane road in Upper Michigan, I saw a plaque that said, “Something interesting happened this way.” Of course, I turned. We followed the signs until we had to get out and park. Walking along a country lane, I spotted the plaque under a tree in a field. A cattle fence surrounded the field. I had to go see what the plaque said. I climbed through the fence, I am too old for over, lol, and walked through the field. All the while, my friend is yelling, “Hey Canadian, this is Michigan. You could get shot.” Nahhh, they would not have put a plaque there if they did not want people to read it.

It was quite a ways into the field. The single tree I was aiming for was getting closer. When I finally got there, I laughed so hard I almost fell over. He yells, “What does it say?”

Now, that is a plaque I will remember for a lifetime.

I hope you got a giggle from my most memorable RV Travel moments.

There are so many wonderful memories and so many more to come. Stay tuned.

Thanks for coming along on my Chipmunk Adventure. See you next time.

Chipmunk

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