Covi Talks

Excitement is high! Covi begins his RV trip with an overnight stay at a Harvest Host - Antietam Brewery in Hagerstown, MD.  (DON’T FORGET TO CLICK ON THE LINKS TO GET MORE INFO!)

DAY 1: Traveling 5-1/2 hours, he clocks 210 miles

Antietam Brewery is western Maryland’s first craft brewery. Their handcrafted beeers are unique and, according to Covi, very tasty.  Covi ordered a flight to do a taste test and found his  favorites were Das Boot and Flying Boxcar. Of course, we had to grab a 6 pack of each! 

Their other offerings include - 

General’s Golden Ale: A refreshing golden ale brewed with wheat and a blend of American and New Zealand hops. It’s a classic light ale with broad appeal.

Otto’s Orchard Series: A hearty wheat beer base coplimented by seasonal fruit purees. Their varities include raspberry, Blueberry, boysenberry and tart cherry.

Lil’ Ben’s Milk Stout: Brewed with pure milk sugar and a host of speciality malts, this triumphant ale will keep you wanting more! Roasted coffee and smooth chocolate notes dominate this creamy sweet stout.

1605 Red: An Irish-style Red Ale that’s brewed with British malts and hops. It’s perfectly balanced and smooth with subtle notes of caramel and a creamy full body.

Hager-Weiss Hefeweizen: Is brewed with 100% German ingredients makes it a refreshing ale with a toasty, warm finish and hints of nut flavor.  It’s named after the longest living tree at Antietam Battlefield.

Stop by for some interesting brew - Covi gives it a 4 paws up! 

DAY 2:  Covi clocks a 6 hr drive, 305 mi

Hagerstown, MD to Buckeye Lake, OH - What can he say - it’s pretty boring passing through the middle of the country!
 

DAY 3 - Covi is on the road for another 4-1/2 hrs. 200 mi 

His first stop was at the Columbus, OH convention center. Strange as it may sound, they have a permenant art installation called ‘As We Are: Ultimate Selfie Machine’.  in a new atrium of the city's Convention Center. The head is 14 feet high, weighs over three tons, and displays the faces of average, everyday people 17 times larger than life.

In the back of the head is a photo booth where cameras snap 32 simultaneous pictures. If you want to participate (it's free), and you don't mind the public playing spot-the-skin tags with your giant face, you can have up to three photos taken in the booth. Pick your favorite from a preview screen, then wait roughly three minutes for it to appear on the big head, projected by 850,000 LEDs, where it remains for about 30-45 seconds.

During the day the sculpture faces into the atrium of the Convention Center to make the best use of light and visitors. At night it rotates to face the street, broadcasting its illuminated faces to passers-by through the atrium.

Interesting stop if you are very secure about how photogenic your are! - Covi gives it a 3 paws up! 

Day 4 - Covi hits the road on a 8 hr drive for 390 mi

Our intrepid travelers first stop is in Indianapolis, IN, at the Eiteljory Musuem. He was hoping for more artifacts of the west but got mostly western paintings. Not only was he let down by the museum’s lackluster wonders, but he was also fit to be tied about parking miles away in his comfy 26-foot rolling home!

His second stop was the Rotary Jail  in Crawsfordville, IN. Oh, what a wacky detour we took! Our delightful docent shared a tale of how this jail was a real “mail-order miracle” – one of just 18 in the whole country, designed to take the cost-cutting game to a whole new level! Imagine this: cells that spun around like a carnival ride, but with a slightly less cheerful twist! The idea was that the cell would twirl until it lined up with the lone door, but alas, things went downhill when “oopsies” like deaths and dismemberments started happening. A real “whoopsie-daisy!” Turns out, placing the port-a-potty at the back of each cell was a recipe for stinky disaster! The poor prisoners ended up trying to snooze next to the outer walls, only to get caught in the cell bars during the “cell-y-fun spin.” Yikes! Join the tour for more kooky facts and jaw-dropping history that'll tickle your funny bone! Covi gives it an enthusiastic 4 paws up! 

Covi spent the night at another Harvest Host in West Branch, IA - Frerichs Alpaca Farms. Covi scratched his head, eyeing those big, whiffy critters with a mix of curiosity and giggles. “What on earth are those funky beasts?” he pondered. It was like a wild classroom adventure—definitely a stinky lesson in learning!

So step right up, folks! Get ready to shop 'til you drop in the cuddliest way possible! You’ll be hopping around, picking up snuggly alpaca socks, sassy scarves, and a treasure trove of all things alpaca! It’s like a fluffy wonderland here, and trust me, you won’t want to miss this adventure. So, why not make a pit stop overnight? It’s an experience worth its weight in alpaca gold—your feet (and fashion sense) will thank you! 🌟🐾 Covi gives it a 3 paws up! 

Day 5 - our fearless pug stuck it out for a 5 hr dive and covered another 260 miles