Road Trip Day One
My husband and I recently became the proud owners of a Hiker trailer. We enjoy camping but sleeping on the ground in a tent isn’t as appealing as it once was. Our aging bodies need comfort and support. The Hiker trailer provides us with a comfortable dry space and enough room for a queen-sized mattress.
The trailers are manufactured in Indiana, so we planned a 3-day road trip to pick up the trailer. My husband spent hours watching YouTube videos and researching this brand before placing his custom order. Hiker built the trailer to his specifications and preferences. I won’t get into all the specs and options of the trailer since I chose not to be involved with the design process. The technical details of the trailer don’t hold my interest, I am just along for the ride and the adventure.
Along for the Ride
Our road trip began on a Wednesday, which was just a travel day. No schedule, just driving. We left our house around 9:00 am, after the morning work traffic. Our travels took us through North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and finally, our destination, Indiana.
We arrived in Indiana less than 12 hours from our departure. Before checking into our hotel, we stopped for gas. Behind the gas station, geese were hanging out next to a pond. I welcomed the opportunity to exit the truck and stretch my legs while admiring the geese and their babies. It was already 8:30 pm, but because we were so far west in the Eastern time zone, it was much lighter outside than what we are used to on the east coast.
When we finally checked into our hotel room, it was close to 9:00 pm, and we hadn’t had supper. Although body-time was close to our bedtime, it was still very light out, and we were hungry. We were fortunate to find a Mexican restaurant close to the hotel that was still open. Our dinner was delicious, the portions were huge, and the staff was friendly—overall a success.
Delivery Day
Our appointment was at 10:00 am to pick up the trailer on Thursday. Although we already did a virtual walk thru of the trailer when the build-out was complete, we were very excited to see the final product in person.
Love at First Sight
At first sight, I fell in love with this little hardcover tent on wheels. I had seen images and videos, but I wasn’t as invested in the build and customization as my husband, so I had no real expectations. I was excited but didn’t know how cute this trailer was. Most folks wouldn’t describe this metal box painted black and grey as cute, but it is so adorable. I realized its potential immediately.
Road Trip Day Two
My husband and the Hiker rep inspected the trailer together, ensuring all the specs were correct. The rep reviewed the ins and outs and technical stuff while I took plenty of snap videos to send to our kids. Once we signed all the paperwork, the trailer was hooked up to the truck, and off we went.
For lunch, we stopped at The Cracker Barrel for some good ol’ country cooking to fuel us up for the day.
The Perfect Spot
We drove about 5 hours to our next destination. My husband should get an award for finding the perfect campsite. Once again, I didn’t know what to expect; remember, I am just along for the ride. We spent the night at Fall Creek Campground. The campground only had ten spaces, and all sites were occupied. It was off the beaten path, nestled along the Cumberland River. The site he reserved was in the back corner high above the lake, and we could see the sparkling water through the trees.
Summer Breeze
Setting up the trailer was a breeze. So much easier than trying to set up a tent. Even the canopy was a cinch to open and set up. For our first trip, we borrowed a queen-sized air mattress from our son and daughter-in-law, which fit perfectly.
The trailer has two screened windows and doors on both sides and a vented fan on the top. There is no air conditioning or heat. As mentioned before, it is essentially a hard-covered tent. The weather during this stay was hot and humid with temps in the 90s. Despite the heat and the air mattress, we managed to sleep well.
Conely Island Resort
With our big country lunch long gone, it was time to search for dinner. We didn’t pack any food to make our meals for this trip. Our typical camping trips are full of planned meals, coffee made in the percolator, and campfire cobbler. Due to the short nature of the trip and being states away from home, we decided that trying to plan our meals would be too cumbersome.
The campsite was pretty remote. We passed some fast food joints on the way to the campground, but they were 30-40 minutes away. We lucked up and discovered Conely Island Resort which was hidden just a few miles from our campground. I would have never expected this place in the area where we were. Did I mention it was remote?
Waterside Dining
The resort area featured a newly opened 2-story restaurant overlooking the water. There was a large gift shop, outdoor seating, live music, and a pizza and ice cream shop. The wait time for seating at the new restaurant was almost an hour, so we spent some in the gift shop, duh – I needed some souvenirs.
We were seated at a table on the second story overlooking the water. The seating area was open and spacious, and the live musician was nearby on the adjacent crosswalk. Although we had to wait for what felt like forever, the food was excellent, and our waitress was attentive and extremely personable. Clearly, this place is a local favorite and likely not a huge tourist spot. We were made to feel at home and even had a table visit from the owner.
The sunset was the silver lining to waiting so long for our table. The views were stunning.
Nightfall
When we returned to the campsite, the sun had set. We set up our site with two chairs and strung up some fairy lights. It was perfect. There was a slight breeze, and the sky overhead was full of stars.
Road Trip Day Three
Our first sleep in the trailer was successful, even in the heat and on an air mattress. Packing up and getting ready to head out was just as stress-free as the setup.
We got back in the truck for the final leg of our road trip and were searching for breakfast and, more importantly, coffee. On any other camping trip, we would have savored our coffee sitting under the canopy of trees listening to the chorus of songbirds. Since this was a minimalist trip, with no staples on board, we had to travel for coffee. And let me tell ya, we traveled quite a few miles before we encountered anywhere to eat and get a decent cup of joe.
As the lunch hour approached, we both began to wonder if we would ever find breakfast. Then, just as we were about to give up hope, a rustic roadside diner appeared out of nowhere. It was a sight for sore eyes.
I could write an entire post just about this restaurant. It was so unique and charming; there was so much to take in, that I forgot how hungry I was.
I still can’t believe we found this gem. As the menu states, it is off the beaten path. Luckily it was on our path. We were mesmerized by the decor; it was like walking into the past. Every corner seemed to hold a different treasure.
Other than one other diner, an older gentleman, who was likely a local, we were the only ones in the restaurant. As we finished our meal, more patrons started to filter in for the lunch hour.
The coffee was hot and robust, the breakfast simple and delicious, just like mom would make. The meal was exactly what we needed to get through the final day of our journey.
The Next Adventure
The three-day road trip was picture-perfect, and the time spent together was priceless. The weather was great, the food nourishing, and the traffic minimal. The trailer met our expectations, and we can’t wait to plan a longer trip with our new Hiker trailer.
Stay tuned for more road trips, more adventures, more campgrounds, more states, more miles, and even some delicious campfire recipes.
Until the next adventure, check out these posts: Covered Bridges, Key West, Boone, NC, and Baltimore, MD.
