Base Camp
This week started with a tale of two campgrounds. We began at Killens Pond State Park in Delaware, a shady, tree-filled park with a large lake and a central location that would have been perfect… if only we’d had internet service. By Monday, we packed up and moved to Codorus State Park in Pennsylvania, picking a site in full sun so we could finally use Starlink.
Codorus had its own rustic feel, though it felt more lively, with kids darting around the park all day. The highlight was a nest of baby birds at the entrance to the restroom, their tiny faces peeking out every time we walked by was adorable. While it wasn’t close to much besides Gettysburg and Baltimore, the park became our launching point for the week’s adventures.
Monday, July 28th
Our week started with an unexpected change of plans. The internet at our campsite in Delaware wasn’t just slow, it was nonexistent. Zac woke me up early, frustrated that he couldn’t connect for work. We tried everything: starlink, driving into town, even setting up at the local library. Nothing worked. In the end, reliable internet took priority over sightseeing, so we booked a site in Pennsylvania and packed up, hoping the next place would at least give us a clear view of the sky. Before leaving Delaware completely, we made a quick stop at the capitol building in Dover for a photo.
We passed through Annapolis on the way too, and I wish we could have explored both cities but we just didn’t have time. They each had that small, historic charm that made me want to see more. By the time we arrived to our new campground, the heat was intense and the site was far from level, which made setting up camp a sweaty, drawn-out process. Still, we were relieved to have at least solved our biggest problem of the day (a working internet connection).
Tuesday, July 29th
It’s been a few months since we’ve been to the movies so we went tonight for a discount showing. On the way to the theater, we spotted a Goodwill and decided to pop in. We weren’t looking for anything in particular, just killing time before the movie. While browsing, I spotted a set of dinnerware that instantly caught my eye (the exact kind I’d grown up with). I couldn’t help but point it out to Zac, snap a picture, and send it to my family.
The theater was a small-town gem with the best popcorn. We settled in for Jurassic World, which was pretty much what we expected: an overdone storyline but filled with fun nostalgic moments.
Wednesday, July 30th
It was a sweltering summer afternoon that was perfect for a swim, but we got a little too comfortable in the RV’s air conditioning and waited until the evening to make our move. We reached the pool around 6:30, only to realize it closed at 7pm. I had a hunch it might be cash only, but even still we came unprepared, and the crowd inside was enough to make us reconsider anyway.
Instead, we opted for a short walk by a nearby lake. The path opened into prairie-like grass field with wildflowers, and the air was filled with birds singing. I pulled out my Cornell app to identify a few of them and watched butterflies swirl through the grass. It wasn’t exactly a refreshing evening swim, but we were just happy to get some fresh air and get out of the trailer for the night.
Thursday, July 31st
We were running out of ideas for things to do in the area, so when we realized Gettysburg was nearby, we decided on a low-pressure plan: a drive through town and maybe some ice cream. We stopped at Appalachian Brewing Company first, a spot that we recognized from the last time we were in town, and enjoyed a couple of drinks before moving on in search of dessert. I was hoping to revisit the chocolate peanut butter flavor from Mr. G’s I’d fallen in love with last time, but it wasn’t on the menu. I settled for a coffee scoop, which was fine but not quite what I was hoping for. Zac, on the other hand, made a last-minute decision to grab the day’s special, a large soft serve with sprinkles, and looked pretty pleased with himself. The ice cream shop had live music on their patio, but since we hadn’t paid for parking, we decided to eat in the truck. Truthfully, we’d already seen most of Gettysburg on our last visit, so after our quick food stops, we just headed home. Not our most adventurous day on the road, but with no real plans this week, we were making do with what we had.
Friday, August 1st
We headed into Baltimore with one mission in mind: try one of the city’s famous crab cakes. Koco’s Pub kept popping up in my research, advertising the biggest crab cakes in Baltimore. But when we arrived and saw the $39 price tag and heard the wait would be an hour and a half, we decided to take it as a sign to skip it. As much as I love a good local delicacy, it just wasn’t in the cards today.
Instead, we made our way to a brewery inside of an old church - The Ministry of Brewing. The place had kept all its original charm, just with tables scattered where the pews used to be and a long bar off to one side. We ordered a flight and settled at the end of the bar, where we watched the Savannah Bananas game going on in the city. After our drinks, we realized our energy was fading fast. It was starting to get dark, and with a decent drive back to the RV, we called it a night without hitting the rest of the Baltimore stops I’d planned.
Saturday, August 2nd
We left our campsite in Pennsylvania early and made our way to Shenandoah National Park for the day. After a long, hot week, the cool mountains felt like a treat. We spent most of the day winding along Skyline Drive, pulling off at overlooks to soak in all of the views. Midday, we stopped at a small cafe in the park for blackberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. The berries and crust perfectly balanced between tart and sweet, and the melting ice cream tied it all together in one perfect bite. Zac mentioned he could easily eat another if given the chance.
Later in the afternoon, we took a short hike at Blackrock Summit, just over a mile with a slight incline. It was an easy trail after a week of minimal exercise, but the reward was huge, a sweeping view of the mountains that was selfie-worthy. Continuing on Skyline Drive, we ended the day at an overlook, watching the sun set as we ate Caesar salads topped with leftover grilled chicken. This was the kind of day that made us forget the week’s frustrations, and reminded us how lucky we are to be able to wing-it for a day. After dinner, we drove out of the park and found a Cracker Barrel to stay at for the night.
Sunday, August 3rd
This morning we left the National Park region and headed towards the Virginia State Capital. Navigating Richmond with the truck and trailer was an adventure in itself. We tried to snap a picture of the Capitol from the road, but between construction, blocked views, and the size of our rig, it was impossible. After a few loops around the block, I finally hopped out and jogged into the Capitol grounds to get a shot of the building and of a nearby statue on my way back. I managed all of that and ran to meet Zac just as he completed yet another lap around the block.
We continued south from Richmond and made it to our new campground for the week in Virginia. Our new home was gorgeous, but I’ll save those details for next week’s Base Camp section. That evening, we found a trail that wound through the north end of the campground and out toward the water. A boardwalk stretched over the marsh, and the sunset was already putting on a show with soft pastels. The bugs had other plans, though, and we eventually retreated uphill, where we caught the sky changing into bright purples and deep oranges. We took far too many photos, none of which could do the moment justice.
Thank you for reading, check out the reel below for some more of the stunning views we had this week.