Camping from Boston to Colorado #1 (Boston to Mystic CT)

The motorcycle caveat....

There's no better way to do this trip than on a motorcycle. It allows you to see the landscape as if you were part of it, instead as a tourist in a bubble. Or worse yet, like you're watching television at home. On a motorcycle you'll find people approaching you to start conversations. I've never found that to be true when traveling in a car or truck, and isn't that 90% of the reason you want to travel in the first place? 

Given all that, I normally plan on 200-300 miles per day. That should give you enough time to relax anywhere you want to, and stop any place you think is interesting. 

Gear:

First, the gear list you'll need. These are just the essentials.

1. A tent. 
2. A sleeping mat
   1. Make sure it's not the blow up kind. If it pops one night and you're sleeping on the ground, you're going to be freezing. That's no way to wake up when you have miles to do. Trust me, it happened to me. It's awful. 
3. Starbucks Instant Coffee
   1. I don't care what any coffee snob says about Starbucks, having a decent cup of easy to make coffee in the morning makes your life better. 
4. Camping stove
   1. You won't need this for much except coffee, but coffee is essential. (*see above)

Now get moving: Boston

To start the morning, you'll want to call the Mystic KOA and reserve your spot for tonight. I've never had a problem booking campsites, but if you're nervous then do it more in advance. I always assume I can find another place if I ever get shut out. 

Now for the riding: starting in Boston in the morning, take rt 24 down to Newport RI. It's a pretty boring road, but the destination is worth the trip. It should take about an hour to get to Aquidneck Island which is where Portmouth, Middletown, and Newport are, and you'll start to see the ocean as you wind over bridges and through tiny roads. Make sure to take either Burma Rd past the harbor and bridges or Indian Ave past the famous beaches. While in Newport, you'll want to drive through town and out around Ocean Drive. Stop at Castle Hill for a lobster roll and the view. Sitting in classic New England Adirondack chairs watching boats float by while you eat lunch is a great way to start any trip. 

The views from Castle Hill

After lunch, keep going around Ocean Drive to find the Dell's Lemonade truck at Brenton Park. It's a special Rhode Island treat that will leave you happy and ready to get some more miles under your belt. 

Now it's time to leave. Head over the Newport and Jamestown bridges towards Narragansett on Rt 1. Don't follow your GPS because the highway is boring and they all insist on using the highway to get out of the state. Before Interstate 95, Rt 1 was the main roadway between New England and New York. It's much smaller and infinitely more interesting, so well worth the extra time for stop lights. 

You'll move through Southern Rhode Island catching glimpses of fire towers, forest areas and the beaches in Narragansett, and you'll follow Rt 1 all the way into Mystic. Mystic is famous for a few things: its Aquarium, its history, and its relation to Julia Roberts in the 80s movie Mystic Pizza. (It might be a terrible movie, but it's about a pizza spot that's still there to this day.) The seafood is spectacular in Mystic, so after seeing a bunch of fish swimming in tanks at the Aquarium, walk down Main St and find a place to your liking for some of that day's catch. 

Campsite: Mystic KOA

Mystic KOA, like all KOA sites, isn't the most remote place you'll stay on this trip, but it does have a pool you should take advantage of. They have tent spots somewhat away from the RV spots, and all the amenities you can ask for including showers. (Always a nice perk. And if you don't think they are now, wait until you're a few days in to this trip!) Now settle in to see the sun go down and get a good rest, because the trip is just beginning!