In July 2016, after leaving Kentucky, we made our way into Ohio and settled in at Alum Creek State Park in Delaware, Ohio. It was here that we learned one of those RV lessons you only have to learn once.

When we made our reservation, we failed to notice that our site did not include a water hookup. At the time, we never traveled with fresh water in our holding tank because we always assumed we would have water waiting for us at the campground. After backing into the site, leveling the RV, and getting everything set up, we realized our mistake.

Rather than packing everything up and moving, we found a way to make it work. It wasn't the most convenient solution, but it taught us to always double-check campground hookups before making a reservation—and again before backing into a site. Even ten years later, it's a lesson we still remember and one we don't intend to repeat.

Despite our rookie mistake, Ohio turned out to be one of our favorite stops of that summer. We spent time exploring the Columbus Zoo, ventured into Amish Country, and hunted down as many historic covered bridges as we could find without driving across the entire state.

One day we took a scenic drive through the rolling countryside around Middlefield, passing beautiful farms and eventually finding ourselves in the tiny town of Nashville, Ohio. It certainly looked nothing like the Nashville, Tennessee, we had called home before beginning our RV journey. Once we reached Middlefield, we spotted a few horse-drawn buggies and Amish families going about their day. Ironically, I think we actually saw more Amish visitors walking around the Columbus Zoo than we did while driving through Amish Country itself.

One stop that has stayed with me all these years was the Olde Country Bakery. We ordered what they called a Farm Burger—a hamburger topped with a fried egg. It was the first time I'd ever eaten a burger prepared that way, and it was absolutely delicious. Even better was the fresh-baked bread. To this day, I still say those were two of the best loaves of bread I've ever tasted. If we ever find ourselves back in the area, that bakery will definitely be on our list of places to revisit.

One of my favorite things to research while traveling has always been covered bridges. There's something special about standing on a structure that's been connecting communities for well over a century. Most of the bridges we visited were built during the late 1800s and were all located within about an hour of our campground.

The first was Bigelow Bridge, also known locally as the Axe Handle Road Bridge. Built in 1873 by master bridge builder Reuben L. Partridge, it crosses Little Darby Creek and remains one of six historic covered bridges in Union County. Stretching 100 feet long and 12.5 feet wide, it was still open to vehicle traffic during our visit. It was refurbished in 1990 and repainted in July 2008.

We also visited the Culbertson Covered Bridge, another Partridge creation completed in 1868. Spanning Treacle Creek, this beautiful bridge measured 94 feet in length and remained open to one-way traffic when we visited.

Not far away was the Spain Creek Covered Bridge, built by Reuben L. Partridge in 1870. Although smaller at just 64 feet long, it was every bit as charming and had been carefully restored  in 1989 to preserve its history.

Our final marked stop was the Pottersburg Bridge, also built in 1868. Originally known as the Upper Darby Bridge, it once crossed Big Darby Creek before being relocated in 2006 to preserve it for future generations. Seeing these historic bridges still standing after more than a century was something I truly appreciated.

We stumbled upon one more covered bridge that wasn't marked with any signage. It appeared to lead onto private property, so rather than risk trespassing, we admired it from a distance. I'll include a photo below, and if anyone recognizes it or knows its story, I'd love to hear from you.

As much as I enjoy seeing covered bridges, I enjoy learning their history even more. Every bridge tells a story—not only about the people who built it, but also about the communities it served for generations.

Ohio gave us far more than beautiful scenery. It gave us lessons that made us better RVers, memorable meals we'll never forget, and a collection of historic places that still stand out in my mind today.

Little did we know, we'd be returning to Ohio just eight weeks later. During this visit we had committed to purchasing a different RV, but before coming back to pick it up, our journey would take us through seven more states. When we returned, we'd trade in Homer and begin the next chapter of our travels in our new Montana 3791RD.

(click pic for larger version)