Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 20 minutes ago
Join us as we point our truck camper west and trade the interstate for America’s two-lane backroads. In this episode, we cross Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas on a slow-travel route packed with unexpected discoveries, small-town history, and real-world RV challenges.
Our journey begins in Sabula, Iowa—the only inhabited island on the Mississippi River—before exploring historic river infrastructure, wildlife viewing, drone mishaps, and quiet conservation campgrounds right on the Cedar River. We continue through the heart of harvest season in the Midwest, sharing close-up views of farms, grain trucks, and autumn fieldwork you just don’t see from the interstate.
In Winterset, Iowa, we tour the John Wayne Birthplace Museum, wander the Iowa Quilt Museum, solve an English hedge maze, and visit one of the region’s iconic Madison County covered bridges. Farther west, we stop at the Captain Merryweather Lewis dustpan dredge on the Missouri River and learn how these vessels kept America’s waterways navigable.
We also visit Nicodemus, Kansas, the last remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi, and reflect on its powerful post-Civil-War history.
From quiet campsites to quirky roadside finds, from mechanical trouble (goodbye, parking brake cable) to new bird-watching “lifers,” this is a look at the overlooked corners of the country that make backroads travel worth the extra time. We end our journey on the flat eastern plains of Colorado, with the Rockies finally coming into view.
If you’ve ever wondered what you miss when you blast across the Midwest on I-70 or I-80, this slow-travel route shows the magic in the in-between places.
---
Thank you for watching our videos!
We are Tom & Caitlin Morton and we are the Mortons on the Move. We are co-hosts of 'The RVers' TV Show on the Discovery Channel, PBS, and Fun Roads TV. We are the Creators of the 'Go North' series available on Amazon Prime and YouTube. We've lived full-time in an RV since 2015.
WEBSITE: mortonsonthemove.com
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE: https://mortonsonthemove.ck.page/
THE RVERS TV SHOW: thervers.tv/cast
Watch GO NORTH on Amazon Prime: amzn.to/3Mox42M
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mortonsonthemove
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mortonsonthemove
MORTON-RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS & SERVICES: (affiliate & discount links)
Visit our Deals & Discounts page for all: mortonsonthemove.com/deals-discounts
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
BATTLE BORN LITHIUM BATTERIES: battlebornbatteries.com/cart/?wt_coupon=mortons&afmc=gn&utm_campaign=gn&utm_source=leaddyno&utm_medium=affiliate ($50 off!)
MOBILE MUST HAVE: mobilemusthave.com/MOTM (5% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
MUDFLAP APP DIESEL: Get $10 credit with code “todb7d”
HUGHES AUTOFORMERS: hughesautoformers.com (10% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
CARGENERATOR: offer.cargenerator.com/mortonsonthemove ($150 off!)
RECPRO.COM: recpro.com/?referral=ONTHEMOVE5 (5% off!)
REAL TRUCK: imp.i128439.net/VmQ5VR (8% off!)
HARVEST HOST: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/2CTPL (15% off!)
BOONDOCKERS WELCOME: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/6JHXF
Copyright © 2015-2025 Mortons on the Move. All rights reserved.
Any unauthorized reuse, copying, duplication, reproduction, or redistribution in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.
Join us as we point our truck camper west and trade the interstate for America’s two-lane backroads. In this episode, we cross Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas on a slow-travel route packed with unexpected discoveries, small-town history, and real-world RV challenges.
Our journey begins in Sabula, Iowa—the only inhabited island on the Mississippi River—before exploring historic river infrastructure, wildlife viewing, drone mishaps, and quiet conservation campgrounds right on the Cedar River. We continue through the heart of harvest season in the Midwest, sharing close-up views of farms, grain trucks, and autumn fieldwork you just don’t see from the interstate.
In Winterset, Iowa, we tour the John Wayne Birthplace Museum, wander the Iowa Quilt Museum, solve an English hedge maze, and visit one of the region’s iconic Madison County covered bridges. Farther west, we stop at the Captain Merryweather Lewis dustpan dredge on the Missouri River and learn how these vessels kept America’s waterways navigable.
We also visit Nicodemus, Kansas, the last remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi, and reflect on its powerful post-Civil-War history.
From quiet campsites to quirky roadside finds, from mechanical trouble (goodbye, parking brake cable) to new bird-watching “lifers,” this is a look at the overlooked corners of the country that make backroads travel worth the extra time. We end our journey on the flat eastern plains of Colorado, with the Rockies finally coming into view.
If you’ve ever wondered what you miss when you blast across the Midwest on I-70 or I-80, this slow-travel route shows the magic in the in-between places.
---
Thank you for watching our videos!
We are Tom & Caitlin Morton and we are the Mortons on the Move. We are co-hosts of 'The RVers' TV Show on the Discovery Channel, PBS, and Fun Roads TV. We are the Creators of the 'Go North' series available on Amazon Prime and YouTube. We've lived full-time in an RV since 2015.
WEBSITE: mortonsonthemove.com
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE: https://mortonsonthemove.ck.page/
THE RVERS TV SHOW: thervers.tv/cast
Watch GO NORTH on Amazon Prime: amzn.to/3Mox42M
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mortonsonthemove
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mortonsonthemove
MORTON-RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS & SERVICES: (affiliate & discount links)
Visit our Deals & Discounts page for all: mortonsonthemove.com/deals-discounts
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
BATTLE BORN LITHIUM BATTERIES: battlebornbatteries.com/cart/?wt_coupon=mortons&afmc=gn&utm_campaign=gn&utm_source=leaddyno&utm_medium=affiliate ($50 off!)
MOBILE MUST HAVE: mobilemusthave.com/MOTM (5% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
MUDFLAP APP DIESEL: Get $10 credit with code “todb7d”
HUGHES AUTOFORMERS: hughesautoformers.com (10% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
CARGENERATOR: offer.cargenerator.com/mortonsonthemove ($150 off!)
RECPRO.COM: recpro.com/?referral=ONTHEMOVE5 (5% off!)
REAL TRUCK: imp.i128439.net/VmQ5VR (8% off!)
HARVEST HOST: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/2CTPL (15% off!)
BOONDOCKERS WELCOME: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/6JHXF
Copyright © 2015-2025 Mortons on the Move. All rights reserved.
Any unauthorized reuse, copying, duplication, reproduction, or redistribution in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.
