RVentures with Doug and Chris: Our Sixth RVenturous Year on the Road

It is not the destination you end up at, but rather the memories you create along the way.

Another RVenturous year has passed ... our sixth year on the road. For us, 2021 can be summarized as a ''cool our jets'' winter and spring in Florida followed up with a ''family and friend reunion'' summer topped off with a ''time to spread our wings'' autumn in Canada and the eastern United States, and culminated with a ''Feliz Navidad'' December. As we finish up our sixth year of full-time RV living, we realize that our destinations become less important. The memories of time spent in beautiful places and with precious family and friends is what we appreciate the most as we continue to travel down the road.

By the Numbers

Number of miles traveled this year in Baby Beest

Beautiful roadside scenery in abundance as we traveled approximately 22,000 miles in 2021

A quick recap of our 2021 travels

Hung out in Florida from January until early May while we waited (mostly patiently) for our covid vaccine
Traveled up the east coast to spend a big birthday with my sisters in Richmond, Virginia
Habitat for Humanity build in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Visited the new home of Doug's sister in Pennsylvania ... and declared her kitchen very ''cook-able''
Photographed a few state capitol buildings on our way west to Minnesota
Enjoyed summertime with family and friends in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin
Entered Canada through Sioux Ste Marie and really started to put on the miles as we explored the eastern Canadian provinces.
Came back into to the US through Maine and enjoyed the autumn colors of New England as we did another Habitat for Humanity build in upper New York state.
Lobster rolls, Boston Cream Pie, The Big Apple, and a few more state capital visits as we journeyed down the east coast.
Soaked in gorgeous autumn colors in the mountains along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway
Gulf State Park shenanigans with travel buddies, Joanne and Gary
Florida for a family Thanksgiving
Put Baby Beest into storage for her winter hibernation
Flew to Medellin for a colorful Colombian Christmas

Number of campgrounds we called ''home''

Number of nights in a campground

173

Number of nights in an AirBnB

Cost of ''rent'' for the year (Campgrounds and AirBnB)

$6943 or $578/month

Because we spent the first five months of the year in Florida, we had plenty of time to check out their state and county park campgrounds. We were grateful to have beach walks and bike rides to fill our time and the shade of palm trees and live oaks to keep us cool.

Number of nights ''Mooch-docking''

Flat driveway? We're always happy to pull in and make ourselves at home! What a joy to be able to spend time with Doug's parents in between campground stays. It sure helped break up a long Florida winter. And we continue to be grateful for all the family and friends who graciously welcomed us into their driveways and homes ... and don't seem to mind handing over their kitchen to me either!

💕 Heartfelt thanks to:

Mom & Dad

Sue & John

Laurie & Dave

Laurie & Terrance

Kaleesha & Paul

Tiffany & Dave

Mary & ''Bernard''

Tim & Liz

Ann & Clark

Gail & Joe

MaryBeth & Gary

Linda & Jay

Kim & Brian

Julie & Curt

Tree & Joe

Janet & Al

Linda & Tommy

Piedad & Luis

Number of Free Boondocking Nights

Boondocking refers to the ability to find a legal, ''out of the way'' place to park for free for the night. By using the iOverlander app, we discovered some very scenic real estate to call our own for the night. We found Canada to be especially rich in boondocking locations that often came with a seaside view.

Number of Harvest Host Locations

Number of Boondockers Welcome Hosts

Harvest Hosts (business owners) and Boondockers Welcome (homeowners) combined into the one Harvest Host app this year. With our membership, we were able to stay in the parking lots of wineries, breweries, farms, and museums, as well as in some very nice driveways and yards of private homes. But best of all are the friendships that develop when we share travel stories with our hosts. At one brewery in Ottawa, Canada, we were invited to join in on a private work party ... which included free pizza, beer, cake ... and lots of free advice about what to see and do in Eastern Canada. In Montreal, we became a part of the neighborhood as we shared travel stories with our host and his neighbors. In Quebec City, our hosts didn't speak English and we don't speak French, but our common Spanish language was adequate enough to share some great stories.

Number of Habitat for Humanity Builds

Winston-Salem, NC

Oneanta, NY

Doug was very happy to start swinging the hammer again, and I was back to organizing worksite storage areas as the Habitat for Humanity Care-a-Vanner program started up again in early June. So great to immerse ourselves into a community for a week or two and develop friendships with fellow volunteers who we hope to see again ''somewhere down the road''.

Number of States Visited for the first time

West Virginia

Ohio

Maine

New Hampshire

Vermont

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Connecticut

New York

New Jersey

Delaware

Maryland

We still have three states that we haven't visited: Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Which one should we aim for in 2022??

Number of States Re-Visited in 2021

Florida

Georgia

Alabama

Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Pennsylvania

Indiana

Illinois

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Iowa

Number of New State Capitol Buildings Visited

Montgomery, Alabama

Raleigh, North Carolina

Charleston, West Virginia

Columbus, Ohio

Indianapolis, Indiana

Augusta, Maine

Concord, New Hampshire

Montpelier, Vermont

Albany, New York

Boston, Massachusetts

Providence, Rhode Island

Hartford, Connecticut

Trenton, New Jersey

Dover, Delaware

Annapolis, Maryland

Which leaves me with a total of 39 visited and 11 left to see

New Countries Visited

Canada

Number of Canadian Provinces Visited

Ontario

Quebec

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland and Labrador

Prince Edward Island

Number of National Parks Visited (US and Canada)

Everglades NP, Florida

New River Gorge NP, West Virginia

Acadia NP, Maine

Shenandoah NP, Virginia

Gros Morne NP; Newfoundland, Canada

Terra Nova NP; Newfoundland, Canada

Cape Breton Highlands NP; Nova Scotia, Canada

Prince Edward Island NP; Prince Edward Island, Canada

Our Favorites

And the Winner Is ...

Favorite Campground/Campsite

Fort DeSoto County Park, St Petersburg, FL

Fort Desoto County Park campground is located on a peninsula near St Petersburg, Florida. Florida state parks are very popular, making it somewhat difficult to get a multiple-day reservation. But Fort DeSoto is a county park, therefore it is a little less well known and utilized by out-of-state campers. With our smaller sized van, we were more successful finding a campsite at Fort DeSoto during the week. We walked a lot of beach miles, collected a lot of sea shells, and enjoyed a lot of sunsets during our five different stays that endeared us to this little piece of paradise.

Favorite State Capital City

Indianapolis, Indiana

My quest for a photo in front of every state capitol building continues. Sometimes the area around the capitol building is not very appealing, but often we are pleasantly surprised by the beautiful surroundings. Indianapolis, Indiana was one such city.

The downtown area was very walkable and led into a state park that was nestled alongside the banks of the White River. The city had undergone a lot of urban revitalization with green space, monuments, restaurants, and cute shops replacing worn down buildings.

We experienced this urban renewal when we came upon a historic church. Abandoned for thirty years, it was transformed a few years ago into a beautiful restaurant and craft brewery. There was plenty of room for the holding tanks on the side of the former altar. The owners of St Joseph Brewery, along with many other small business owners, are doing a great job of breathing new life into the downtown Indianapolis area.

Favorite Craft Brewery

Calusa; Sarasota FL

Doug's choice for favorite craft brewery of the year was found by chance when we enjoyed a few different stays at Oscar Scherer State Park near Sarasota, Florida. The Legacy Bike Trail runs right alongside the park, and a recent extension to the trail lead us to Calusa Brewing. The owners really ''understand'' the IPA lover and created some top-notch brews with Doug in mind. And as you can see from the photo, they also had a few dark malty ones for me. But it was the regular visits of Mobstah Lobstah food truck that sealed the deal. Doug declared their lobster rolls one of the best. And being able to meet up with some Minnesota friends who now live in this area brought Calusa Brewing over-the-top for us!

Favorite City

Halifax, Nova Scotia

A big town with a small town feel made Halifax, Nova Scotia my favorites. We were able to boondock in a large and quiet city lot near the waterfront boardwalk which lead to historical buildings and beautiful Victorian gardens. Boats brought fresh fish daily to the many city restaurants. While Doug won't complain about the amount of lobster that he was able to enjoy, his vote would probably go for New York City or Boston ... both of which were in close contention.

Favorite Restaurant

Sansone and Sons; Twillingate, Newfoundland

Sometimes it's good to follow the hand-painted signs to find the best restaurants. We did just that while in the small town of Twillingate, Newfoundland. The road led us to a fishing dock where we found a small family run business ... Sansone and Sons. Dad catches and cleans them, mom cooks them, and the kids serve them up. Delicious fish & chips and sea food chowder along with a beautiful view all for under $30.

Favorite Natural Area

Bay of Fundy

I am still amazed that we were able to walk on the bottom of the ocean while visiting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Bay of Fundy boasts of the highest fluctuating tides in the world, and it was surreal to walk in places where the water would be well over our heads in a few hours.

Favorite Church

La Iglesia de Santa Ana; Sabaneta Colombia

It is very common to find a magnificent church towering over the town squares in this highly religious country. La Iglesia de Santa Ana is one of these cornerstones in Sabaneta Square where we spent the month of December, and thus has become our neighborhood parish. On weekends, the prayers and music flow out into the community park. But on Tuesdays, the church worship expands to a whole new level. In 1968, during one of the regular Tuesday Masses, Mary is believed to have appeared to a number of the worshippers. Today hundreds of faithful continue to come to the Sabaneta church on Tuesdays to participate in one of the hourly Masses. It is a joy to be surrounded by such genuine faith and devotion.

Favorite Biking

City trails of Ottawa and Montreal, Canada

When we were in Ottawa and Montreal, our Boondockers Welcome homes were located close to a number of bike trails that easily brought us into the downtown area. While Baby Beest may be nimble, it is always nice to not have to maneuver through traffic. We enjoyed biking alongside some scenic waterways on trails that led us to top-notch restaurants, breweries, and tourist sights.

Carriage Trail; Acadia NP, Maine

We also have to give accolades to the Carriage Trail in Acadia National Park. On the day we visited, the roads and parking lots were full with tourists wanting to see the park. What a joy to be able to park the van, get on our bikes, and take the quiet ''back-roads'' to see some of the views that make Acadia famous.

Favorite Hike

Newfoundland - any of the many trails that overlook its craggy coastline

We could never get enough of views like this that greeted us at just about every stopping point during our journey around Newfoundland.

Cascada Escondida Trail; Colombia

When we returned to Colombia, Doug connected with a group that organizes different weekend hiking expeditions. Some are more difficult than others, but I'm happy that La Cascada Escondida (Hidden Waterfall) Trail matched our skill level. We needed to get our feet wet a few times as we followed alongside and crossed the river leading to the waterfall, but the scenery and camaraderie were huge payoffs in the end.

Favorite Tourist Attraction

Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place; Cavendish, Prince Edward Island

I didn't really know what to expect from a tourist site based on a fictional piece of literature, but the Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place was very tastefully done. The site included the fictional home, Lover's Lane, and the Haunted Woods, but it also offered interesting information about author Lucy Maud Montgomery's life and her love for the natural treasures found in this part of Prince Edward Island.

Plymouth Rock

Not sure on the authenticity of this ''rock'', but I still enjoyed our visit to the site of the Pilgrim's landing to help visualize one of my earliest history lessons.

''Mayberry'' Mount Airy, NC

After growing up watching ''The Andy Griffith Show'', how could we not stop and see the real ''Mayberry''?? Mount Airy, North Carolina is the birthplace of actor Andy Griffith and is said to be what the fictional town of Mayberry was based on. 1960's style police cars cruise up and down main street past Floyd's barber shop, Wally's filling station, and Andy's court house and jail.

Most Unique/Strange Food

Potato Fudge; Prince Edward Island

With potatoes being one of the principal crops grown on Prince Edward Island, it comes as no surprise that they have figured out a way to use it to make fudge. Sounds strange, but it was actually very good ... and had less calories than regular fudge.

Favorite ''Random Stop''

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

As we were driving near Weston, West Virginia, I saw the sign for the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum tours. Sounds intriguing to a nurse and history buff like me. The tour highlighted this ''state of the art'' psychiatric hospital that operated from 1864 until 1994. Best part for Doug ... he could take a nap ''at home'' in the van while I enjoyed my fill of medical history.

Favorite Souvenir I Should Have Bought

... from the ''Cheers'' restaurant/gift shop in Boston, Massachusetts

That ''Once in a Lifetime'' Opportunity

For Doug: Paragliding at Lookout Mountain, Georgia

For Chris: Attending the Broadway show ''Home From Away'' in New York City

''Home'' Improvements

Just the ''normal'' stuff like washing and waxing the van, and oil changes,

... and since we spent a fair amount of time this year at our other ''home'' with Doug's parents, we were happy to put down new mulch and and line the garden with some of the many seashells that we collected.

As we look back,

we are grateful for another RVenturous year where ...