Just before 4:00 PM on Thursday afternoon, the SolAire pulled onto US 19 northbound, headed for a week of sightseeing adventures. John & Becky followed. Getting a late afternoon start allowed us to get some extra miles in, plus the most important part: avoid the nightmarish Atlanta traffic during afternoon commute.
Initially, we had planned to stop at Cabella's parking lot in Ringgold, Georgia, but we were making such good time that we pushed forward, finally settling down for a few hours of shut-eye in the Walmart parking lot in Athens, Tennessee. Our first overnight at a Walmart. Jamie only had to run off one meth-fund seeker.
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| Our Walmart campsite in Athens, TN |
We were far enough north and in the foothills of the mountains that a gentle breeze through the window screens kept us cool enough throughout the night.
We awoke early and I caught the sunrise.
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| Love the reflection of the morning light on the SolAire in this cell phone photo |
Fortunately, Dunkin Donuts was nearby, with an empty parking lot next to it, so our morning caffeine fix was no problem.
Our early departure landed us in Cincinnati, Ohio, just in time to situate our campers in Winton Woods Campground and hail an Uber for the ride to the riverfront. Our first Uber ride. In a compact car. We four are not compact people. Becky & I giggled most of the way; it was a laugh or cry situation - we made the best of it. What a sight to see us unloading: similar to pumping air into a folded plastic float and watching it slowly inflate and unfold.
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| Tight quarters; we were squished! |
Cincinnati is son-in-law/nephew Stephen's hometown, so Becky had lots of recommendations from him for dinner choices. We selected Montgomery Inn Boathouse, overlooking the Ohio River a few blocks downhill from the Great American Ball Park. Since the restaurant is known for its barbeque ribs, Jamie and John opted for that menu selection and donned plastic bibs to keep the juices off their shirts. Becky and I selected barbeque nachos. All was delicious! And the view of the river in the evening was beautiful.
A second Uber, this one a smoky mini-van, hauled us up the hill to the ball park since we were cutting it close to game time. We did miss the first few pitches, and the pre-game rain shower, but the usher was kind enough to dry our seats with a chamois.
In each of our three years of summer camping trips with John & Becky, we've included at least one baseball attraction. The ballgame was fun, especially for our baseball lover, though we all enjoyed it. The stadium was pleasantly full, but not packed. Jamie and I stretched our legs with a walk around the stadium to view the Ohio River and the bridge near sunset. After the Reds beat the Cubs, we were treated to a Friday night fireworks display: what a spectacular beginning for our summer adventure!
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| The Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH |
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| The Bridge Tower over the Ohio River in Cincinnati as viewed from the stadium |
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| Boats going under the bridge on the Ohio River in Cincinnati at sunset |
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| Post-game Friday night fireworks at the Great American Ball Park |
Our first full day of adventure ended with, yet, a third Uber ride, this time with James in a pleasantly clean mini-van. James entertained us with lots of name-dropping of his past riders from NFL players to rappers to politicians. He loves Herschel Walker and the "big hat Georgia Troopers" running alongside the Georgia coach.
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| Waiting for Uber on the streets of Cincinnati |
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