Saturday Summary: Week 1 — The Road Begins
- Karen Kuhl
- Nov 8, 2025
- 4 min read
Croton-on-Hudson, NY (50’s) → Milford, DE (60’s) → Bel Alton, MD (60’s) | October 31 – November 6
Hi there! We’ve been on the road for a week now, our Week 1! Many have asked to follow our adventures, so I hope you're eager to learn about what we’re up to. I plan the following posts:
On Saturdays, I will summarize our previous week’s adventure.
On Mondays, I will be vulnerable and tell you all about our Mishaps.
On Thursday, we'll share a wrap-up of Lucky’s weekly adventures.
The road began in the kind of weather that tests your resolve. It was the kind of morning that makes you question big life decisions—like leaving your job, your home, and your routines to move into a converted school bus. But as we pulled away from the driveway, Skuhlie rattling with excitement (and probably a few loose screws), we realized that we’re finally doing it. After months of planning, packing, fixing, un-fixing, and re-fixing, the road ahead was no longer hypothetical.
Our first stop was Croton Point Park Campground, on the Hudson River and about five hours from where we started. Staying close to home felt intentional, like giving ourselves a soft launch before the real test. We spent five nights there, adjusting to life in 80 square feet.
Every morning, I’d post a little “Good morning from…” on Instagram, partly to stay consistent and partly to remind myself that we’d actually woken up somewhere new. Lucky loved the park immediately, her nose working overtime with all the new smells. She hit her step goal every day, thanks to her Fi collar, and officially became our “Chief Explorer.” She even took her first e-bike ride to Croton Gorge Park, ears flapping in the wind and having the time of her life. The days were full. By midweek, we’d already had our share of Monday Mishaps—overflowed the water tank, spilled coffee grounds everywhere, and stepped on Lucky (twice). But we also found small victories like cooking falafel pitas and vegetable soup on the road.
Midweek brought company. Henry and Mali came to visit, and the bus instantly felt alive. Meeting Mali for the first time was a highlight—she fits right into our slightly chaotic rhythm, equal parts curious and calm. We flew the drone, and they installed our “@Skuhlbus” in the front of the bus, and toasted with champagne at sunset.
Leaving Croton was bittersweet, because it meant to officially leave NY and in theory not return until October 2026. We made a stop in New Jersey at a Love’s Gas Station to use the showers as the Croton Point Campground showers were closed for the season. Then we crossed into Delaware, we drove to Smyrna, where we found Brickworks Brewery and Eats. We enjoyed a great meal and two beers—the Feral Fraulein and the Fun Bus—because when the name fits, you have to. We talked about how this trip isn’t about luxury but about slowing down enough to really see where we are. We stayed at a Harvest Host called Abbot Farms, the owners welcomed us with a basket of homemade goods including wax leftover wrappers and beeswax/olive oil cream. Our next stop was Southern Grace Farm in Bel Alton, Maryland. The kind of place that sneaks up on you—wide open sky, grazing horses, and silence.
On our way to Fredericksburg, we stopped at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Maryland, it felt like a capstone for my years of work promoting the Auburn site. Next, I made a quick coffee stop and walk in Downtown Fredericksburg, VA, to meeting up with my friend, Vanessa. We grabbed a latte at Curitiba Art Café and walked around the beautifully quaint downtown as we caught up. Then I grabbed sandwiches at Always Flavored, a small local spot where every bite felt crafted with care. These small-town cafés reminded us why we travel slowly, to linger over both food and conversation.
Our mascots, Sock Monkey and Slothy, earned their place on the dashboard this week. Sock Monkey, a Sloth family traveling tradition, and Slothy (who needs a new mane) who reminds us to take it slow, laugh often, and nap when possible. Together, they’re our quiet copilots.
As I write this, the bus is parked and quiet, Lucky curled up beside me, and Don is working away. We’ve survived our first week, seven days of figuring it out, one coffee spill at a time. We’re learning that adventure doesn’t always look like cliff edges or perfect sunsets. Sometimes it looks like two people standing over a leaking water hose..
Some things I’ve learned so far:
Always double-check your water connection.
Never underestimate a dog’s ability to get underfoot.
Bring extra coffee.
And if it can spill, it probably will.
As Avicii said, “One day you’ll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember.”
Here’s to the first of many weeks worth remembering.
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