August 15, 2021

After tackling the National Mall in Washington D.C., we set our sights on the Big Apple. Loaded up in our 38ft motor home with our Expedition Max trailing behind, Dave had the nail-biting duty of navigating us to New York City, the most populous city in the United States. I had already preplanned our route and made reservations to stay at Liberty Harbor RV Park, located on the Jersey side of the Hudson. Self-described as offering ”an urban experience,” I will honestly say I was hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. More to come on that later…

Now let’s talk about the I-95. Remember a few months prior how we drove ALL THE WAY across Canada and Alaska…on frost heaved roads, full of potholes, and some stretches where the word ”road” was an over-exaggeration…the I-95 is a comparable second! I had read travel blogs describing the interstate as the worst highway they had ever driven on, but to be honest, I thought they were being a bit overdramatic. I was wrong! I kept picturing the episode of I Love Lucy, where Lucy was in the back of their camper and all the can goods kept flying out of the cabinets. That’s how I felt, and this wasn’t in the northern wilderness; this was heading towards a major metropolis! Throw in a little bridge construction, merging traffic, impatient drivers, and well, let’s just say the kids knew what was good for them and didn’t dare move or practically blink until we had arrived. Oh, and for fun let’s just sprinkle in a little of Ms. GPS, constantly trying to reroute us towards bridges where our height exceeded the maximum limit! I was frantically trying to keep us on the right route as Dave is yelling, ”Which exit do I take?!” Let me tell you, if you ever want to test your marriage, drive an RV into New York City!

Four minutes out from our destination, Dave exited the interstate onto a network of skinny little side streets, full of pedestrians, bicyclists, and cars parked on either sides. FYI: Did you know that holding your breathe while squeezing past vehicles, doesn’t actually make your RV any smaller? It just makes you lightheaded.

With great relief, from EVERYONE, we finally pulled into the harbor parking area where the RV park was located. Now, was this a grassy, tree lined campground? No. But I also didn’t expect it to be. Liberty Harbor RV Park was just as described, a parking lot surrounded by ciity apartment buildings, offering electric and water hook-ups, with hot showers, and easy access to the PATH train and subway. Here’s what I loved:

• Gated with 24-hour security so we felt completely safe
• Restrooms were surprisingly clean and the water was hot
• The welcome booklet was full of information about navigating the Path/Subway system, complete with a color-coded chart
• Staff was friendly and offered lots of helpful tips for us first-time visitors
• And the best part…the Statue of Liberty served as our nightlight, glowing off in the distance across the harbor!

As we settled in for the night, I couldn’t help but steal glances at Lady Liberty. I have wanted to visit her for as long as I could remember, and now here she was lighting up the night. Tomorrow held the promise of a childhood dream fulfilled as the Cunningham’s set out to explore New York City!