Since upgrading my motorhome to my new Fifth Wheel trailer in March, I’ve been dying to show it off so I decided to make a detour from my route to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and head back to New Jersey (once again). This was an uneventful 835-mile drive from Kentucky to New Jersey with two one-night stops along the way. I got to my friend Mark’s house in Beachwood, New Jersey and let him back the trailer into his driveway because I really suck at it. I stayed six weeks and was able to visit with lots of family and friends, many of whom came to see my new home on wheels. I got to see my two children, siblings, cousins, friends, and former work colleagues. I also got several much-needed projects completed for the truck and trailer.

I parked my RV in Mark’s driveway for six weeks. He installed a 50 amp outlet so I could have full power.

I got this nice BakFlip MX4 four section flip-up bed cover installed on my truck at Tronix Auto Sports in South Toms River, New Jersey.

Celebrating my birthday with friends at the Anchor Inn in Ocean Gate, New Jersey. L-R: Ann, me, Diana, Patti and her husband, Pat.

Mark and I having dinner with my siblings. L-R: Mark, me, Katy, Barbara, Frank.

Mark helping me with a couple of projects.

Mark modified and installed my jewelry rack to fit the wardrobe closet. I had this in my house and my old motorhome and I’m so happy it found a place in my new RV.

Mark created this great divider, custom-shaped to slide into the grooves in my truck bed.

The divider keeps things positioned at the tailgate for easy access.

At the weekly Country Line Dance that I attended for years, three of us attempted to “truck shame” our friend Joe because he has the smallest truck. It didn’t work because Joe is not easily intimidated.

Enjoying a wonderful visit with cousins Kaycie and Robin. Not surprising to see three Clark girls with drinks in their hands.

When I bought my truck, I didn’t trade in the Jeep. Instead, I sold it to Mark but, of course, it’s still in Texas waiting for him to come get it. We took advantage of my visit to New Jersey to fly to Texas together and drive it back. This was our first road trip together and we had a blast visiting bourbon and whiskey distilleries, the Corvette Museum, and a night on the town in Nashville.

THE RANCH IN WHITESBORO, TEXAS

Back at the ranch in Texas for a few days before driving the Jeep back to New Jersey.

Gal watches as Faith and Mark repair her pasture fence.

Taking the tractor for a spin. My Dad would have loved this.

BASS PRO SHOPS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

The first stop on our road trip back to New Jersey was the Bass Pro Shops store in Memphis, Tennessee. This is their largest store and I’d been here just a month before but wanted to share it with Mark.

Mark in front of one of the stocked indoor lakes at Bass Pro Shops. He was like a kid in a candy store!

JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY IN LYNCHBURG, TENNESSEE

Next stop was the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. JD is Mark’s whiskey of preference.

Jack Daniel filters their alcohol through charcoal that they make themselves from local sugar maple trees. They stack pallets of the wood and use raw unaged JD as lighter fluid so as not to introduce any chemicals into the distilling process.

Barrels of Jack Daniel stacked in the barrel house.

There is so much alcohol in the air around the distillery that the bark on the trees turns black. We learned this is how sheriffs could find illegal stills…just look for the black trees.

Tasting several Jack Daniel products was a great way to finish the tour, but then we had to drive to Nashville. The Jack Daniel tour was the best one we did and I highly recommend it even if you don’t drink JD.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

I discovered Belle Meade Bourbon on a previous trip to Nashville and this time around we went to the distillery, located right in the downtown area.

We toured the small distillery at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in downtown Nashville, makers of Belle Meade Bourbon.

We ended our day by hitting the Honky Tonks on Broadway.

THE NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM IN BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY

The National Corvette Museum is a must-see for anyone driving on I-65 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. You can also tour the assembly line but we only had time for the museum.

The displays are really well done and you can see every model year of Corvettes.

On February 12, 2014, a sinkhole opened up under the museum, swallowing eight priceless one-of-a-kind Corvettes. Two were salvageable but 6 were total losses. They are now on display and the sinkhole story is an exhibit.

Film footage from the museum’s security camera captures the moment of the collapse.

JIM BEAM DISTILLERY, CLERMONT, KENTUCKY

Jim Beam is my bourbon of preference. Actually, it’s Old Grand Dad, which is made by Jim Beam. The company has been considering discontinuing the line, making it often hard to find. Apparently they stopped and then changed their minds so there is a temporary shortage of OGD.

Our tour consisted mainly of the small batch distilling of their single barrel bourbon, Knob Creek. We each labeled a bottle with our initials and watched it move through the bottling process.  Click on the video link above to watch Mark’s and my bottles get filled, corked, labeled, and wax sealed.

Believe me when I say this stuff is delicious!

At the end of the tour is a display of decanters Jim Beam has sold over the years as holiday specials. One of them was used as the original bottle in the 1960s TV series “I Dream of Jeannie.”

BACK IN NEW JERSEY

By June 3, it was time to hit the road again. I always have mixed feelings about not wanting to leave Mark, while at the same time, not wanting to stay put too long. After a month, I get itchy to get going. The next leg of my travels was a route that would ultimately take me to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for the summer. But first, I would return to the Finger Lakes Region of New York for wine and cheese.

Giving the RV a good washing before heading off on my next adventure. I handled the roof while Mark washed everything else.

My route from Kentucky to New Jersey.

The route Mark and I took to Texas and back.

Next post:
Finger Lakes and Thousand Islands.

My name is Lindsay Reed and I’m a photographer and retired graphic artist with a passion for both lighthouses and road trips. I am living as a full-time solo RVer in my 33 foot Grand Design Reflection Fifth Wheel trailer ( I spent my first two years in a 31 foot Coachmen Mirada motohome) and plan to spend the next few years traveling the U.S. and Canada photographing not only lighthouses, but everything else there is to see in this wonderful land. I hope you enjoy my blog and will follow my adventures in the months and years ahead.