RV Tour Leg 8 - Heading down the East Coast

October 1 to October 5, 2025

Our route to Washington DC

After visiting our friends in the Boston area, it was time to head down the east coast to Washington DC and see friends a long the way.

Our first stop was Rhode Island, where we saw our good friend Joy LaFreniere. We first got to know Joy during the time we were considering relocating to Ann Arbor. Known as the Ann Arbor ambassador, Joy left us with such a positive impression of the town that we ultimately decided to move there. Ann Arbor didn't disappoint. Subsequently, Joy relocated to Rhode Island, and the last time we saw her was 19 years ago, just after she had enjoyed a fantastic first date. Fast forward to our recent meeting, where we meet her husband of 18 years; yes the same guy. Meeting the friendly, genial John was such fun. We stayed at a charming state park and savored a delicious seafood dinner together. It was astonishing how quickly 19 years had passed! Especially scary when we do the math of how old we will be in 19 years.

Dinner in Rhode Island with Joy and John

Fishermen's Memorial State Park in Rhode Island

The next two travel days should have earned David his Class C truckers license. We made our way down the east coast through unbelievable traffic, confusing instructions from the GPS and a very difficult time finding a diesel station big enough for our rig.

We visited David's college friend, Laura in Ridgefield, Connecticut. She lives a beautiful neighborhood, down some windy roads, complete with stone walls. Thank goodness David is a brave man. David and Laura caught up on their Stanford days and it was fun to learn about her life in Connecticut. We also had the privilege to meet here mother and husband.

Visiting with friend Laura and her mom and husband

We worked our way through the traffic to Mt. Laurel NJ, where we stayed in the parking lot of 'Bout the Hops Brewery. This involved a trip through New York City and across the George Washington Bridge. Yikes!! We clearly needed an adult beverage after that! We both were swamped in adrenaline.

'Bout and Hops Brewery

The Brewery was situated in an office park, and we needed to remove our equipment by 7 am when employees were arriving for work. Luckily, there was a vacant lot adjacent to the brewery, allowing David to relocate the equipment for us. While the cat and I remained in bed, David drove the rig in his pajamas.

Our parking lot campsite in New Jersey at the brewery

The following day, we made a stop in Newark, Delaware, to visit Karen Rosenberg, who is the sister of our longtime friend Gordie Rosenberg. Seeing where she lives and hearing the stories of her life was a truly enjoyable experience.

Quick stop in Newark, Delaware to see friend Karen

From there it was off the DC. More traffic and one particularly long tunnel with very narrow lanes brought us to what felt like Shangri-La; a beautiful RV resort just 3 miles from the metro. We had a couple days to visit our dear friends John and Lisa. They were so kind to pick us up and drop us at the metro near their house and acted as the ultimate tour guides. The first night we ate some the best Thai food I have ever experienced.

Ready for Thai food with John and Lisa in Washington DC

Following a delightful morning bike tour near the park, we returned to the city on the metro for a wonderful tour with our friends. The Renwick Gallery was conveniently located just a short bus ride from their place, offering a diverse collection of fiber arts and sculpture.

Bike tour near the campground in Washington DC

Beautiful blow glass at the Renwick Gallery

This left us close to the White House and the mall giving us opportunity for a walking tour. John and Lisa were the ultimate tour guides. The tour was followed by a lovely dinner at their home and a metro ride back to the campsite.

Touring beautiful downtown DC