The Official Start of the Trip?

Locations: Hardwick, MA • Norfolk, CT • Pawtucket, RI

Temperatures: 76°F • 80°F • 77°F

When we mapped our year-long trip, we realized if we didn’t knock out the remaining Northeastern states early, we might never do them. A little later it hit us, waiting would mean we’d be in New England in November, and that didn’t exactly fit our “Chasing 70°F” theme. So, we decided to accomplish two things at once:

1. Take a longer test run to see what we’re forgetting.

2. Check off a few Northeastern states while it’s still summer, with better chances of enjoying the outdoors (and those 70°F days).

   
   

Thursday: We kicked off a 4½-day weekend by leaving Thursday after morning meetings. Around lunchtime, we drove 1½ hours, found a trailhead, and finished out our workday there. Don and I both had Zoom calls for about 1½ hours at the same time. A couple of small delays, but overall the hotspot reception was strong—a very good test since we’ll be relying on them on the road. Around 6 p.m. we pushed on for another nearly 4 hours to our Harvest Host in Hardwick, MA. Driving the narrow, winding Massachusetts roads in the dark wasn’t fun, and we agreed we’ll avoid late arrivals whenever possible.

Friday: Waking up at our destination made working a full Friday from the bus worth it. The winery’s WiFi was solid, so our hotspots didn’t get much of a workout, and we enjoyed a post-work wine tasting. We left with a growler of sangria, a bottle of red, and—for reasons still unclear—Don grabbed a mini bottle of asparagus wine (he likes to try disgusting things). I stuck with a wine cocktail and sangria, which was more than enough to give me heartburn. Menopause is no joke: weight gain, heartburn, hot flashes… it’s a party.

Saturday: We started with a visit to the Quabbin Reservoir lookout. We’d hoped to kayak, but learned paddle crafts aren’t allowed since the reservoir provides drinking water to nearby towns. Oddly, motorboats are allowed, which puzzled me. Kayaks are not allowed but motor boats are?  How strange.  After learning about the towns displaced by the dam, we headed to Rhode Island with a quick detour to kayak on Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (aka Lake Webster).

Kayaking was a blast, not just because of the endless fun of trying to say the lake’s name, but also because the weather was nearly perfect (though a little windy). Lucky was on the kayak with me, which makes me work different muscle groups since she insists on not sitting down. I love having her along, though—she gets silly excited when she sees her own little life jacket and absolutely loves being out on the water. On the way back we paddled into the wind, which slowed us down and reminded my muscles that this was our first kayak outing of the year… in late August! Last year by this time, we’d been out at least 10 times.

A note on parking: we launched from Lake Webster Boat Launch, 98 Lakeside Ave, Webster, MA. Perfect for our bus, though tight for anything larger.

From there we headed to Pawtucket, RI. Honestly, it was a bit of a letdown. The Harvest Host distillery is closed Sundays, and their lot isn’t available to overnighters then. The backup was a public lot, but I knew I wouldn’t sleep soundly there. The public parking lot was not the greatest with signs of things not being really secure.  Instead, we decided to head early to our next stop in Connecticut and asked for an extra night.

We did visit Working Man’s Distillery, our Harvest Host and the place was beautiful and the cocktails creative. I picked up a bottle of “Rescue Dog Straight Wheat Whiskey” (proceeds go to dog rescues) as a gift for a dog-loving friend. Lunch at a nearby taco truck was another win, authentic, flavorful, and a reminder that sometimes the food trucks are the best part of the day.

We made it to our Connecticut Harvest Host, Norbrook Farm Brewery, by 7:10—just in time to grab a growler, pizza and burger for dinner and settle in. The big, flat parking area was peaceful, surrounded by woods, though sadly no trees for our hammock. This Harvest Host had it all: brewery, farm animals, disc golf, mountain biking trails, food trucks, live music—it was a vibe. Personally, I’ll always pick breweries over distilleries or wineries, if only because I like beer better.

Sunday: Norbrook doubles as a mountain biking hub. By mid-morning, the lot filled with groups gearing up, comparing trails, swapping gear stories, and setting off together. Don and I sipped coffee, ate breakfast, and felt “old” watching them prepare, before heading out ourselves on our e-bikes. A 10-mile ride through the hilly Connecticut countryside was just our speed—beautiful scenery with a little electric help up the hills.

Things to Work On:

These are some lessons learned and things we can work on:

• Showers: Five days without one was rough. Love’s or Pilot truck stops were an option, but we toughed it out. Not sustainable for a year-long trip; we’ll need to build more campground stops into our route. We’ve also considered a Planet Fitness membership, which gives us access to locations across the U.S. That would be a great way to fit in some quick exercise and a clean shower.

• Water Use: Ran out of fresh water by the end of this. Still haven’t asked if Harvest Hosts are open to letting us refill, but we’ll need a better rhythm. This is another thing that campgrounds would solve. I've heard some van lifers find fresh springs that have access for refill, but I'm not sure how to identify those along the route.

• Urine Disposal: Our Nature’s Head composting toilet has two containers, one for urine and one with peat moss for solids. The urine container is self-contained and easy to remove for disposal. Not glamorous, but definitely important. While urine can be safe for trees, we plan to print info sheets for curious folks who ask (or stare). It’s worth noting: this isn’t a chemical toilet. There’s nothing toxic involved; it’s just a different system, and explaining it clearly makes all the difference.

• Trash: We generate very little, but even one small bag adds up fast if we skip gas station stops where we can dispose of a small amount of waste. Campgrounds will help here, too.

People We Met

We didn't meet nearly as many people this 5-day trip as we did in our 2-day trip, but either we were less social, or the opportunities didn't arise.

• Joe & Robin – Fellow Harvest Hosters at Hardwick Winery. They shared stories of their travel between Arizona and New England and gave us great tips, including the bike route we ended up loving in Connecticut.

Takeaways

1. Longer trips bring up new challenges; showers, trash, and water management all need better planning. Ensuring we have a balance of campgrounds/friends & family/Harvest Host & Boondocking will be important.

2. Breweries with mountain biking trails might just be our new favorite kind of Harvest Host.

Harvest Host Locations

Our Harvest Host lineup for this leg of the trip is shaping up to be a mix of small-town charm and wide-open views.

• Hardwick Winery (Massachusetts) – Tucked into the rolling hills, this spot had that old New England farmhouse vibe, and they fill growlers with Sangria? I can’t end this blog post without talking about Tiger, the winery cat. He insisted on getting in the bus, other than that, he was a welcomed friend, sweet, friendly and super cuddly.

• Working Man’s Distillery (Rhode Island) – This one’s about grit and craft. It’s a family-run spot with a blue-collar heart, distilling whiskey and spirits that are smooth but pack a punch. The owners are known for swapping stories as easily as pouring samples, so it’ll be less of a tasting room visit and more of a hangout where you get to know the people behind the bottles. The décor and creative seating areas are truly inspirational.

• Norbrook Farm Brewery (Connecticut) – The setting here is part of the draw: a brewery tucked onto a ridge with sweeping views of the hills. This Harvest Host had it all: brewery, farm animals, disc golf, mountain biking trails, food trucks, live music, it was a vibe.

These aren’t just places to overnight — they’re the kind of stays that make the road feel less like a blur and more like a string of stories.