ON THE ROAD: Leg Two - The Bridge, the City Crawl, and the Mystic Exhale

ON THE ROAD: LEG TWO - The Bridge, the City Crawl, and the Mystic Exhale

We rolled out of the Washington DC / Capitol KOA just after sunrise—everything still damp from the previous night’s storm, but the skies had cleared, the coffee was strong, and the dogs were already side-eyeing the day ahead.

First order of business: Wawa, obviously. While Tim filled the truck with gas, Kristen dashed inside and came back with two iced coffees (because we’re native Massholes, and hot coffee is for emergencies) and a pair of sausage, egg & cheese hoagies—the fuel of champions. Monty and Gadget made their case known from the backseat, so Tim paid the Shiba toll with a few bites of sausage. Peace was restored.

Then it was I-95 all the way up—Delaware, Jersey, a scenic but wallet-draining tour of toll booths, and the crown jewel of travel stress: the George Washington Bridge. We braved the crossing with white knuckles and tight lanes, the city rising around us like it knew we didn’t belong. If you’ve ever pulled a trailer over that bridge, you know—it’s not for the faint of heart (or the low on patience).

But once we left the NYC sprawl behind, things softened. Connecticut welcomed us with green trees, quiet roads, and the kind of peaceful vibes that feel like an apology from the universe.

Pulling into the Mystic KOA was a relief. Not just because the drive was over, but because this was a special stop. Waiting for us at the site were Tim’s brother, sister-in-law, and nephew—our camping crew for the next couple of days.

We didn’t waste time. After setting up and letting the dogs sniff every blade of grass in a three-site radius, we kicked off the evening with chicken chili lime tacos—cooked by Tim’s brother, who guards the recipe like it’s the crown jewels (we’re still negotiating the rights to share it). All we can say is: if you ever get the chance to eat them, don’t ask questions—just grab a plate and thank the taco gods.

After dinner, we borrowed a bike and spent a few wobbly laps chasing the nephew around the campground loop. Laughter, mild leg cramps, and some solid “how are kids this fast?” moments followed. Even Monty tried to keep up… for a minute.

As the sun dipped below the trees and everyone slowly wound down, we settled in for the night. Tomorrow’s wake-up call is early: a fishing trip on the Blackhawk out of Niantic, CT, where we’ll try our hand at catching porgies and whatever else decides to nibble. It’s shaping up to be a salty, breezy, sunscreen-heavy kind of day.

Until then, the trailer is quiet, the Shibas are curled up like little cinnamon rolls, and we’re calling it a win.

More adventures to come—

Tim, Kristen, Monty & Gadget 🐾🐾

P.S. If we can pry the chicken chili lime taco recipe out of him, we’ll post it here first. No promises, but we’re working on it.

https://koa.com/campgrounds/mystic/