Newfoundland Adventure: Day 1

Last September, I backpacked the 336 km (209 mile) East Coast Trail (ECT) for my ‘mombatical.’ I only got so far sharing the epic adventure, because Hurricane Helene hit our region a couple of days after I returned home. Life was significantly altered for a very long time.

The posts I wrote are on my Facebook page, if you’re interested–it’s truly an amazing trail. Eventually, the trail journals and photos will make it to this blog. But until then, here’s a photo of my favorite campsite of the entire trek at Berry Arch.

While I was eating in a restaurant along the ECT, I met a retired couple from upstate New York. They were visiting Newfoundland in their camper van and said it was one of the most memorable trips they’d ever taken. During our conversation, I learned there was a boat ferry from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland, and that’s how they’d gotten to Newfoundland with their van. Hmmm, I have a camper van, too, I thought. And it’s been far too long since she went out on a proper adventure.

If that couple only knew the seed they planted in me during our short exchange!

I’m currently sitting on that ferry they told me about, and the ModVan is safely stored in the belly of the enormous boat. I left my home in Waynesville, North Carolina and drove to Sydney, Nova Scotia over the past five days. Along the way, I met my goal of sleeping in the ModVan for (mostly) free each night, but only in scenic or interesting places (i.e. no Walmart parking lots or truck stops). I also met my goal of doing at least a few touristy things along the way, especially if they involved hiking or at least walking.

So now that I’ve set the stage, let’s get started with the first day of the journey which happens to be our country’s 249th birthday! Larry, Paige and Aidan are scheduled to fly in and meet me in St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland in about a week. Before their arrival, I have a big (and intimidating )adventure on the docket. More on that later…

On my first day, my route took me about eight hours north on my first day of driving. I got a much later start than I’d expected (it’s never as easy as you think it will be leaving home for a vacation, is it?). I pulled into Wadel’s Dairy in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania around 6 p.m. This rural, working dairy farm is part of the Harvest Host network. 

If you’re not familiar with Harvest Hosts, it’s a subscription-based app/website that offers an enormous network of cool camping spots that aren’t traditional campgrounds. Breweries, wineries, farms, retail locations and even nonprofits such as churches, museums, etc. are all fair game to take part. Campers are expected to patronize the business where they’re staying (or make a donation to the nonprofit), so it’s a win-win for everyone.

I’d read glowing reviews for Wadel’s Dairy, and it was immediately apparent why. Lemar, the farm’s owner, greeted me with his two young sons who were itching to finish up farm chores so they could head into town for the tractor pull and fireworks. Lemar showed me where I’d be parked—on the edge of a field, perched on a knoll. There was an enormous RV already parked beside their barn which wasn’t nearly as scenic. It definitely paid off being in a small van since I got the better view for being able to drive up to the knoll.

I made my obligatory stop in the farm store and picked up far more goodies than I’d anticipated: raw milk, fresh eggs, honey (from the farm’s hives), butter, cheddar jack and herb cheeses. There would be some gooood eating in the days ahead!

I drove to my spot, popped up my camper’s bed and opened all the windows for ventilation. One of the things I love most about the ModVan is that it’s a low-roof Ford Transit, which means it’s easier to drive and gets better gas mileage than higher roof Transits (I typically average close to 16 mpg). But I also love the bed setup—it’s like sleeping in a tent but on an actual mattress.

I reheated an awesome Buffalo Chicken Burger with Whipped Feta Spread from Pinch of Yum (one of my favorite go-to websites for quick and easy recipes) I’d brought from home. I ate while talking to my dad on the phone for a good long while while lounging outside the van in my camp chair. The sunset put on quite a show. Unfamiliar songbirds serenaded me while I watched, and thanks to the Merlin app, I learned I was hearing the sounds of Blue Grosbeaks, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlarks.

As darkness fell, the air grew cooler. So much that I needed a light blanket on my bare legs. Fireflies started doing their mating dance in the field before me, and I had the added bonus of another light show later in the night—local fireworks! As the fireworks subsided, the only sound I heard was from an occasional passing car on the country road beyond the field. Complete bliss and a great first day on the open road.