Another Day, Another Winery

Next, we drove from eastern Kentucky to western Kentucky, stopping at Carriage House Vineyards, a Harvest Host location. On the road, I called for permission to stay that night.  No one answered the phone, so I left a message.  Within an hour, I got a call back from David, the owner.

“Actually, we’re on vacation from the winery,” David said.  “But you can still stay on the property.  Do you need electricity?”

With the temperature at 95 degrees, the answer was “Absolutely, if you have it.”  Harvest Hosts properties do not normally have electrical hookups, but David had a 30 amp outlet installed on an outbuilding for that purpose.  I was very grateful.

I went to the tasting room during the late afternoon and sampled six wines (free tasting).  I liked all of the wines except for one and purchased a green apple/grape wine and a maple dessert wine.

There was only one other visitor during my entire stay.  The employee went home at 6 p.m, and then I had the place to myself.  This turned out to be a very relaxing stay.  Callie and I took walks up the long gravel driveway.  When the sun went down, it cooled to about 60.  The air conditioning was off.  The skies were dark (no artificial light on the grounds).  I slept well.

The Heat is On!

After leaving the Blue Ridge, we descended rapidly into lower elevations and higher temperatures.  I was still a few days ahead of picking Julia up in Raleigh, so I picked a half-way spot near Greensboro, North Carolina.  The campground choices didn’t look great from a cost/benefit point of view. Instead,   I elected to stay over for free at Grove Wineries using my Harvest Host membership.

I knew that I wasn’t on the Blue Ridge anymore when I set up the Brew Hut thermometer.  94 degrees! Some people love it hot; I’m not one of those people.  Callie is one tough dog; she doesn’t seem to mind it hot or cold. With Callie safely secured in the Brew Hut with the screens open and ample water, I entered the air-conditioned luxury of the Grove Winery’s tasting room.

The young woman working  in the tasting room also happened to be a Harvest Host member.  She and her husband had traveled by trailer from Alaska to North Carolina. They stopped at many Harvest Host locations along the way.  In the end, they both found employment at Grove Winery and Vineyards.

I have quite a bit of experience tasting West Coast and European wines, but almost no experience drinking East Coast wines.  I was very pleasantly surprised with the whites but especially liked the reds.  Not normally part of the tasting, there was a bottle of the 2011 Cabernet Reserve open. It was amazing.  I ended up buying a bottle of that and also a bottle of a red blend called Block B (2013).  I will try my best not to open them until Julia arrives.

For the rest of the afternoon and early evening, Callie and I hung out on the shaded patio.  I caught up on some reading and made use of the free wifi.

By 7 pm, the sun was starting to go down.  However, the temperatures stayed above 90 in the Brew Hut until about 8 p.m.  It was just too hot to cook, so I ate some crackers with cheese and drank my last cold beer.  Then I chugged two large glasses of cold orange juice and a bottle of kombucha.  You would think I would be up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night,  but I must have been dehydrated because I had no trouble sleeping until dawn.

Staying for free is its own reward, but I was ready for air conditioning.  Next stop:  Raleigh, North Carolina.

Indiana: Cedar Creek Winery

Sacrificing scenery for speed, I made a poor choice in taking the interstate from Peoria to Indianapolis. The road was under construction for long stretches. The temporary lane was half bad shoulder.

By the time that I pulled into Cedar Creek Winery, Brewery and Distillery, I was ready for a beer or rather a flight of four samples.

I chose a dry hopped Mosaic IPA, a northeast hazy IPA, a porter, and a dry Irish Stout. My favorite was the hazy IPA ($25/growler). My least favorite was the dry hopped; it tasted thin to me without sufficient Mosaic. I suppose it’s possible that I got a “wrong pour” because I’ve never met a Mosaic-hopped beer that I didn’t like:

The porter was good and a good value ($14/growler). The Irish stout was okay. I bought a growler of the porter and headed back to the Brew Hut. Callie and I walked around the grounds, which included an outdoor stage.

Callie and I continued our walk on the country roads close to the property. Lots of big houses on country estates with lake frontage. I snuck Callie in for a quick swim despite signage declaring the amenities were for members only. No harm, no foul.

The temperatures cooled down after dark. It was a great night for sleeping. Not too much artificial light and quiet with one exception. As I started to drop off to sleep, a big black cat jumped up on the Brew Hut spare tire and meowed into the screened window next to my bed.

Callie was not amused….We are headed for Kentucky,

Harvest Host—Peoria, IL

After a nice week with the whole family, and visits from the kids’ grandparents, it was time for everyone to go their respective ways.

Today, I’m on the road again. I hitched up the Scamp early this morning and drove to Peoria, Illinois, where I am camped at my first Harvest Host overnight. For an annual fee, Harvest Host provides its list of hundreds of wineries, breweries, farms, museums, golf courses and other businesses who offer a single night of dry camping on their property. In return, guests agree to spend some money at the business.


This afternoon, I paid for a $5 wine tasting for five samples of wine and then bought a bottle of the one I liked best. The overnight stay is free. No utility hookups, but no crowds either. I’m the only camper staying tonight on a lovely warm Illinois evening.

Tomorrow, I move east to Indiana, and perhaps another Harvest Host stay.