When Ed and Rachel Barnhart retired in 2004, the intrepid RVers hooked up their Alfa Gold fifth wheel on a mission to see all that God created and man constructed…and find the best pizza in the USA. From the beaches of Seattle, Ed and Rachel set their sights on Maine. From there they would turn south toward the sunshine, only to be greeted by the worst Mother Nature had unleashed in decades. Undaunted, the Barnharts headed off into the sunset, through the southwest and across the Rio Grande to the shores of Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. From sea to shining sea and back again, all in their first year exploring the country they dubbed the “Land of Awes.” In Chapter 18 Ed and Rachel take a delightful detour, bask in the simple joy of RV living and watch a storybook come to life.
Stretching your itinerary to take advantage of unexpected side trips is one of the best features of RVing. You never know when you might come across them: jaw-dropping vistas that send you scrambling for the camera, remarkable experiences you will retell over campfires for years and relaxing moments where the only appropriate comment is a contented sigh.
Northlandz model railroad
We discovered, after setting up camp in Flanders, New Jersey, that we were not too far from Northlandz, very likely the largest model railroad in the world! One of the reasons we had hit the road in the first place was to see all the things that man constructed, so we immediately loosened a day in our schedule and headed over to have a look.
The railroad display engulfs a three-story warehouse, running the length and stretching nearly 30 feet to the ceiling. One hundred trains run over eight miles of track in, around and through an environment that was built with enough lumber to construct 42 homes. Four hundred bridges link various sections, the longest stretching over 40 feet! Northlandz is absolutely spectacular, with just the right mix of detailed realism and whimsical humor. Check it out at northlandz.com, and if you are planning to be in the Garden State, definitely put it on your agenda!
The last night of our stay in Flanders we fulfilled a promise made to Vito Dente and Sammy Cucuzza, two folks we met on a warship in Maine. We promised to visit the pride of Whippany, New Jersey to see if the fare at Trattoria Toscana could find a place on our Best in the U.S. list. Given the authentic Italian ambiance and patronage, we opted for the pasta. Delizioso! Considering our warm welcome and the terrific food, we heartily suggest that – if you are within 100 miles of Whippany – stop by Trattoria Toscana. The place will likely be packed, but it’s well worth the wait. Buon appetite!
Travel tip: make sure you have plenty of cash for tolls. While some states have gone to a prepaid card system or snapping shots of your plates and billing you later, others still have the booths and crossbars. Our “scenic route” out of New Jersey and across the Delaware River on the way to Ocean City, Maryland cost over $40 in tolls! Well worth it for the views – but you have to be prepared.
By now, the weather was always in the back of our minds. We were in Maine when Hurricane Charley cut a swath through Florida and sent bands of thunderstorms north all the way to the Lobster Festival. In Port Republic, New Jersey we ran into what was left of Tropical Storm Gaston. As we contemplate our cruise down the Atlantic Coast, we do so with the thought that our course may well need to change in a hurry. Hurricane Francis is about to make landfall. At the first sign of trouble we plan to pick up and head west to keep our home and ourselves out of harm’s way. We have seen what happens when folks try to “wait these things out.”
Atlantic City
But, in the meantime, we will continue to enjoy the lifestyle we love! From Port Republic we took a scenic drive to Atlantic City, then south along the coast to Cape May at the southern tip of New Jersey. We stopped at Wildwood to stretch our legs with a walk along the famous boardwalk and again in Ocean City, New Jersey to keep another promise. Back home in Washington, before we hit the road, we promised friends and well-wishers that we would follow up a shot of the truck on the beach at Ocean City, Washington with another parked at Ocean City, New Jersey. After posing the F350 for the picture we carried our cooler and chairs out to the beach for a picnic with an Atlantic view that elicited both awed silence and contented sighs.
We absolutely loved Cape May! So much to see and do! The town has more restored Victorians per capita than anywhere else in the U.S., and we had a blast blending in with other late summer revelers on the beach. To cap off our day we drove out to the Cape May lighthouse and explored a World War II era bunker. When it was constructed the bunker was built high and dry on pilings driven deep into the sand. Today, the shoreline has receded well behind the structure, and the bunker is suspended over the water, a former place of safety on an increasingly precarious perch. One day in the not too distant future the bunker will likely be claimed by the sea, another relic lost to all but the museums and history books.
Our spot at Ocean City was between Assateague Island and Chincoteague Island, an area famous for the herds of wild ponies that make their homes here. Each year the islands’ residents round up and pen the ponies, which, in the process, swim the waterway between the islands. An annual event since the 1700’s the crossing has become quite a summertime party, drawing thousands of spectators each year.
Otherwise, the herds wander the length and breadth of their respective home shores, munching on dune grasses, delighting visiting campers and inspiring artists. The ponies were the subject of Misty of Chincoteague, a children’s book written by Marguerite Henry. As we relaxed after setting up camp, Henry’s storybook came to life in the distance. Wild ponies galloped and gallivanted through the fields not even a half-mile from where we sat. A glance the other direction filled our eyes with waterfront beauty. Surrounded by the quiet energy of nature, we leaned back in our chairs as another perfect moment washed over us.
Read previous chapters by selecting one of the links below:
Chapter 18 – Ocean Cities & the Jersey Shore
Chapter 17 – Mystic Seaports & Mysterious Mechanical Failure
Chapter 16 – Thunder Bay & the Lobstah Princess
Chapter 15 – Rock Lobstah? Ayuh, it’s Good
Chapter 14 – Historic Boston, The Commons & Uncommon Pizza
Chapter 13 – Plymouth Rock and Saugus Iron
Chapter 12 – At the Atlantic and Around Cape Cod
Chapter 11 – Marches, Mozart and Mozzarella
Chapter 10 – Loving Life on the Road
Chapter 9 – Picturesque Settings & Police Surveillance
Chapter 8 – Erie Museums and Niagara Mist
Chapter 7 – The Amish and Edison
Chapter 6 – Dutch Treats and Bavarian Festivals
Chapter 5 – Two American Icons – Miller Beer and Chicago Pizza
Chapter 4 – Touring the Twin Cities
Chapter 3 – Discovering Middle America
Chapter 2 – A Trip Around the Sun
Chapter 1 –Pacific in the Rearview, We Wave Goodbye