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What Pleasant Discoveries Have You Made On The Road

G_and_D
Explorer
Explorer
I am leaving for my first long trip in January, about 6 months. I expect to stay off the interstate as much as possible.

Many folks post that the RV experience enables them to Discover the wonderful parts of our country, get out of the metro areas and back to the great things they never would have discovered. It would be interesting to hear about those experiences from everyone.

Can you share a Discovery, Surprise, Experience that you never expected to see and what led you there?
51 REPLIES 51

Harvey51
Explorer
Explorer
One time we got tired of the highway to Prince Rupert, BC, and headed off toward a little park with a trailhead to alpine hikes. Along the road we came upon a family of red foxes out looking for supper. They were content to be photographed and watched for quite a while. Then we camped at the trailhead, prepared to move on if anyone objected but no one did. We had the whole area to ourselves and the sky was wonderful.
2004 E350 Adventurer (Canadian) 20 footer - Alberta, Canada
No TV + 100W solar = no generator needed

noplace2
Explorer
Explorer
13 years down the roads less traveled, with few exceptions every turn has been a positive experience. Case in point: We spent the summer of '08 in Alaska. As we drove up we frequently remarked upon the incredible view ahead, certain that it couldn't get better. Around the next turn, it did. There is beauty and something new in every state, province or country. As someone else suggested, you need to slow waaaayyyy down and get off the beaten path. Someone in a fulltime post said that they couldn't travel any longer because, "there's not much left to see". I just shook my head.

Our few negative experiences have largely been because of other people. We understand that connecting with others is very important to some. It's not the way or why of our travels. We are friendly folks, just not very social ones.
โ€˜Love is whatโ€™s in the room with you if you stop opening presents and listen.โ€™ - Elain - age 8

Pangaea_Ron
Explorer
Explorer
I have discovered that my wife really loves our RV trips, more that I could have imagined.
2008 Itasca SunCruiser 35L
2014 Honda AWD CR-V EX-L

colliehauler
Explorer III
Explorer III
The road less traveled.

2gypsies1
Explorer II
Explorer II
Eunice, Louisiana and popping into a music store to listen to awesome Cajun music.

We don't travel on interstates unless there's no other way to get from A to B (and usually there is). Enjoy your trip!
Full-Timed for 16 Years
.... Back in S&B Again
Traveled 8 yr in a 40' 2004 Newmar Dutch Star Motorhome
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

Chock_Full_o__N
Explorer
Explorer
My first thought was all the wonderful, helpful souls we have met in our travels. We have never had a truly bad experience (other than a couple of morons who made fun of my mentally handicapped son...grrr.) But we have had innumerable people offer to help us back up, hitch up, start a campfire, raise a tent, and even share their gumbo!

My second thought is how big America really is. I had never been farther than the Mississippi River, but in 2007 we took the kids on a 6,000 mile cross-country trip. There are many memories of that trip, but one that stands out took place in the privacy of my mind. We were crossing eastern Washington through fields and fields of potatoes, carrots, onions, and soybeans. For the first time I had an understanding of what America's breadbasket really means. As we crossed South Dakota into Iowa I had a similar revelation--here are the farmers and their families who work so hard to put food on MY table.

That's a along, gushy way of saying I fell in love with the USA in a way I had never experienced before.
"Those who dwell...among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life."--Rachel Carson, environmentalist, 1956


2009 Ford F250 XL
2006 Dutchmen 25F
Me & DH in non-parenting mode!

BTPO1
Explorer
Explorer
I enjoyed all of the previous posts. I love to travel on secondary roads and really get to see this Country of ours. You really can't appreciate it from the interstate system, sure you will get to your destination faster but will not be able to enjoy the trip. I like to travel at a slower pace which secondary roads provide, and there is almost always friendly people whom you come in contact with. JMT
Jack
2003 Rexhall Vision 27'
2019 Chevrolet Equinox
States we have been to with this MH

Bill_Linda
Explorer
Explorer
If you are in the neighborhood be sure to spend some time in Wallace, Idaho. Wonderful small town. It is the "Center of the Universe" after all.

Supercharged
Explorer
Explorer
G and D wrote:
I am leaving for my first long trip in January, about 6 months. I expect to stay off the interstate as much as possible.

Many folks post that the RV experience enables them to Discover the wonderful parts of our country, get out of the metro areas and back to the great things they never would have discovered. It would be interesting to hear about those experiences from everyone.

Can you share a Discovery, Surprise, Experience that you never expected to see and what led you there?
If I go west my mother in law get farther away ever day.
So big a world, so little time to see.

Kit_Carson
Explorer
Explorer
Traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway from one end to the other. Many interesting things to see along the way, wildlife, etc. It is on this trip that I learned that slowing down is the best way to improve MPG. Speed limit on the Trace is an enforced 50 MPH.
KIT CARSON
GOOD SAM LIFE MEMBER
USAF VETERAN
ARS: KE5VLE
NORTHWEST LOUISIANA

sdianel_-acct_c
Explorer
Explorer
Crater Lake. Awesome!
New River Gorge Bridge in WV.
Driving to Cass Scenic RR in WV and seeing bear cub run across the road!!
Redwood Forest dirt road 9 mile drive near Crescent City CA.
Amish Restaurant fresh vegetables and home baked goods.
Balmorhea State Park TX. Like an oasis.
Palo Duro Canyon TX.
Hwy 2 in UP Michigan and pasties!
Waves crashing on Oregon coast.
Waterfalls, dams, bridges, rivers, lakes.
Lonny & Diane
2004 Country Coach Allure 33' "Big Blue"
Towing 2008 Chev Colorado 4x4
Semper Fi

IDman
Explorer
Explorer
Don't rush, keep an open mind, stay flexible, and keep a sense of humor!

RVUSA
Explorer
Explorer
Today I discovered the people flailing their arms about were trying to tell me that my antenna was still up. The pleasant part came when I realized I hadnt snagged a tree limb with it yet.

Then a little while after that I smelled a terrible smell from the car next to me at the stoplight. About the same time my brake buddy told me to pull over because the toads brakes were always engaged. "Oh, thats my car cooking it's brake."

Not quite sure how the brake buddy could tell the parking brake was engaged but pleasantly enough it could.

richardwise
Explorer
Explorer
My wife and I both love the Shenandoah National Park. One experience that really stands out in my mind was the time we drove off the mountain and there was a rain storm in Stanley, Va. on the western side of the mountains. Once we were back on the mountain, we stopped at an overlook and were able to look down on the rain, the clouds were below us. Only time I've ever seen this amazing sight- blue sky and sunshine above us and clouds and rain below.

More_To_See
Explorer
Explorer
Remember that every single mile you roll down the road you are discovering America. It's not just the highlights. In fact given the choice of being able to skip from highlight to highlight without the miles in between I suspect not too many of us would sign up for that. More than a few perhaps consider the Journey to be the real "highlight."
95 Winnebago Vectra 34 (P30/454)