Travel Day Reflections

Today was what we in the full-time RV life like to call a "Travel Day." These days are a unique blend of anticipation, routine, and a little bit of chaos. Our typical travel day involves about five hours on the road, towing our 41-foot fifth wheel to the next destination. Anything more than that is just too much—these big rigs are a lot to handle! I don’t drive when we’re pulling the RV; it’s just not something I feel comfortable with, so Chris takes the wheel every time. I’m endlessly grateful for his steady hands and calm presence (unless someone cuts him off! 😂), and for all the places we’ve been able to see together because of it. He’s gotten us safely to every stop, and I never take that for granted.

After a week at an RV park outside of Bangor, Maine—right under the flight path of every jet taking off, which made for some noisy mornings—we were ready to hit the road again. Most of our belongings are tucked away in the RV, but the very large, very expensive espresso machine rides in the back of the truck. It fits perfectly under the fifth wheel hitch, which is both a little sketchy and a little genius. Nerve-wracking, yes, but it works!

We pulled out around 8am, greeted by pouring rain that stuck with us most of the day. The traffic was the worst we’ve ever seen on this route, but in a way, it was a good distraction. Neither Chris nor I really had time to dwell on the fact that we were leaving Maine behind. In fact, I didn’t even realize we’d crossed into New Hampshire until I saw the welcome sign!

Our trip is mapped out, and we’re on track to arrive in North Carolina by Wednesday to spend a week with family. Today’s stop: Sturbridge, Massachusetts. We’ve stayed at the RV park here a few times before—it’s easy in and out for big setups like ours—but the real draw is Condesa, an amazing Mexican restaurant that has become a bit of a tradition for us. If you know us, you know we tend to plan our stops around coffee and food, with a little adventure thrown in for good measure.

Condesa is what I’d call upscale Mexican, and everything we’ve tried there has been fresh and delicious. We started with the street corn appetizer, served in adorable little mason jars—presentation on point! The chips and salsa are always good, and the guacamole is a must. Chris ordered his usual Horchata (not my favorite, so I stuck with water, which tasted suspiciously like it came straight from the local pool—goodbye, amazing Maine well water!). For dinner, I went with my usual enchiladas mole. Good mole sauce is hard to find, so I didn’t want to risk trying something new. Chris had the Chori Pollo: grilled chicken smothered with chorizo, pineapple, and cheese, served with rice, beans, and tortillas. Everything was delicious, but we both felt a little too full afterward—maybe we overdid it!

If you ever find yourself in Sturbridge, MA, Condesa is worth a stop. Tomorrow, we’re off to Kutztown, PA. I’m not sure what’s waiting for us there, but that’s part of the adventure.

Something Good Today

Today’s something good is a collection of little joys: we arrived safely at our destination, it’s only three days until we see family, Harvey (our furry companion) has bounced back and is up to his old tricks, and we got to enjoy dinner at one of our favorite places. I know I’m supposed to pick just one good thing, but today, I’m feeling too grateful to narrow it down.

Here’s to good food, family, safe travels, and wishing that espresso machine in the back of the truck was actually hooked up!