Prelude and Preparation Unlike many of our trips in Usain, this one doesn’t have a primary destination. We had originally intended to head straight to Tennessee, but this year’s warm fall temperatures have us heading east out of Iowa first and then maybe make our way down to the Volunteer State. So, we are leaving…

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We started our unexpected layover in Davenport with a power walk around the parameter of the Rhythm City Casino parking lot and then along a bike trail/sidewalk that took us along fields of corn ready to be harvested. After our walk and breakfast we made our way to West Lake Park for the rest of…

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First thing Monday morning, we arrived at the Mercedes dealer in Davenport. We had made an appointment online, but we had to wait to get “squeezed” into the Sprinter technician’s already full schedule. They were super kind and worked us in pretty quickly. It probably helped when we moved the kitties into the waiting area…

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A quick morning walk before leaving Forest Glen Preserve took us to the very green lake and a covered bridge. Our journey on I-70 today was very hectic. There were miles and miles of construction between Indianapolis, Dayton, and Columbus. It is being made into three lanes each way, which is clearly needed, but the…

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Buckeye Lake Harvest Hosts with nearby places to walk are always our favorites because we can start the day right. Buckeye Lake has a wide bike path that we could access by crossing the road from Hereinafter Cocktail Tavern. There are many lovely homes along this path that get a lakefront view, but our favorite…

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A five-plus mile hike before breakfast? Who does that? Retired people staying in a beautiful state park with lots of lovely trails, that’s who! The Cedar Falls trail has an access trail from the campground allowing us to leave the van in our shady site. A deer family crossed our path at one point. We…

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We spent our final morning at Hockings State Park by taking a nice hike out to Rose Lake (same lake as yesterday, but from a different direction). After that, it was time to do laundry. You know what they don’t show you in those van life videos where everything in the van is all nice…

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Thomas, West Virginia Driving through the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia is a visual treat. The smaller highways are tree-lined and the leaves are just starting to change on some trees. We couldn’t get a campsite at Blackwater Falls State Park, but stopping to see a popular waterfall there was along our travel route to…

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Our overnight stay in Front Royal put us within two miles of the Shenandoah National Park entrance. The line was very short, but we could not renew our America the Beautiful park pass because of the government shutdown. We can still come into the park, but can’t pay for it. Lots of money being lost…

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Appalachian Trail We decided to do one extended hike from the campground today to see some waterfalls. Our campsite is in full sun until late afternoon, so we parked in shade at the Big Meadows picnic area. The Appalachian Trail follows along Skyline Drive through the park, and it can be used to reach other…

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