Jeff and Kristina Jones of Wild Free Ones are on the road for Airstream’s #EndlessCaravan, traveling along the East Coast with their three sons to advocate for foster care and adoption. This week, Jeff gives some advice he's learned from his time on the road.
Hey everyone! I’m Jeffery, the dad of @wildfreeones. You can find me at @ohsnapjeff on Instagram. We’ve been traveling on Airstream’s #EndlessCaravan to spread awareness about foster care and adoption—and to get some adventure in, too.
The things you eat, the people you meet!
When I travel, I love to think about all of the possibilities of unique places to stop when it’s time to take a break in between destinations. I guess you could say I’m a foodie, and you can find me googling good local eats in different cities that I’m passing through. In a “go-go-go” world, it can be hard to make stopping along your route a priority, but I promise you it’s always worth it.
While en route to Great Smoky Mountain National Park, we passed through Knoxville, TN. We could have kept driving but with the hip reputation of this city, I knew something good was waiting for us there! And we were not disappointed. Google had given “Good Golly Tamale” 5-star reviews, and the photos of the location immediately made my mouth water. I knew this was going to be the spot! Yes, that meant some inconvenience and driving around and finding a spot to park the Airstream, but it was worth it. Not only did this comfort food fill our bellies, but it filled our souls too.
The heart behind this little eatery was owner Matt Miller, whose grandmother’s home cooking inspired him to create organic and healthy tamales to offer customers looking for a quick bite of quality food. He treated us like we were guests in his own home, as he proudly told us the inspiration behind his restaurant. After the conversation I asked if I could take Matt’s portrait and he said yes. (Sadly, my camera had died but my iPhone came to the rescue!)
Also, meet Mike! He's an artist who caught my eye as he was creating a beautiful work of art at “Trade and Lore” a coffee shop we checked out in Asheville, NC.
Trade and Lore boosted some flavorful sips and a fun hip atmosphere. I have grown to love collecting portraits of interesting people I meet, and most of the time they are happy to be noticed and smile for the camera. I alway offer to email them the photo later so they can keep the photo.
So, here is my advice to you: if possible while on the road, look for the good local spots instead of going to chains. We’ve found that the cost for our a family ends up being around the same price and there is always interesting people to meet as well as unique eats to savor. Additionally, if you see an interesting person don’t be afraid to listen to them and ask about their story! You will have a collection of photos along with memories to go along with them.
“It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way.”
