Aiming for Ohio Amish Country

Long haul today from Lexington, Kentucky, to Winesburg, Ohio.  The first half of our drive was interstate.

We stopped at a store to pick up a few items and grab some lunch from the deli. It seemed like we stayed a bit longer than we should have.  The sky was growing ominously dark and we still had miles to go.

Ominous sky ahead

We made it safely through a torrential downpour and wind.  As always, though, God's timing is perfect.  When traffic on our two lane road came to a standstill, we discovered significant damage: a large tree blocked the road and a crumpled tin roof lay in a field.  Had we been there sooner, we would have been in the midst of the storm.  Now I know "why" I forgot the bathmat at home & needed to shop a few extra minutes during our lunch stop today.

Wind damage evidence in a field

clearing a downed tree from the roadway

We continued on our journey, arriving in authentic Amish country - not the tourist area - at rush hour on a Friday afternoon. We met dozens of horses and buggies trotting along the road.  Our Google Map claimed to be taking us on the fastest route; I seriously doubt this route qualified as such, but we were happy with the result.

Rush hour in Ohio Amish country

Buggies on the move

Our four lane freeway turned into a two lane highway, then into a narrow road, before becoming a country lane winding through cornfields and bean fields dotted with homes and barns.  Bicycles, buggies and vehicles shared the road.  So picturesque, but few pictures taken - we were on the move.

Hay stacks in Ohio

Our home for the night is Amish Country Campsites.  Tight spaces! Glad Jamie is an expert at parking and making turns! Friendly neighbors, too.

The temperature has dropped: 64 degrees this afternoon. We enjoyed dining outside this evening, but as the sun set, the cool became cold to us. Our windows are open; no air conditioning needed!

Fireflies are darting about! 

The cooks busy preparing dinner

View from our campsite

A Bang, a Boondock & a Dam Good Time

City of Camilla fireworks were pretty awesome for a small town celebration. We are grateful for the freedom and liberty we have as Americans. This year, the finale signaled the start of our summer sojourn.

At precisely 11:11 PM, the SolAire and her keepers departed Millerest, northbound.  The four hour drive was most pleasant: very little traffic, dry highways and two large coffees-to-go; only a slight fog clouded the roadway as we neared Atlanta.

We arrived at our first campsite - Cabela's parking lot in Acworth - to find plenty of space; just one camper, a few scattered vehicles and a couple taking a stroll on the sidewalk. At 3:00 AM.

Cabela's parking lot near 3:00 AM

Traffic was light during this late night run

Boondocking in a parking lot was a first for us!  We had prepped for a night without air conditioning by cooling the trailer throughout the day; we were in hopes some of that cool air would stay.

At 3:11 AM we laid our heads on our pillows, the window open and a battery operated fan running.  Moments later, raindrops tapped our roof, and a flood followed. God is good and His timing is perfect!  We were comfortably cool and had a restful sleep.

In the morning, we found a Dunkin Donut shop across the street. I ran in to grab some morning java and breakfast for us, while Jamie circled back around. We were northbound by 8:15 AM.

And by noon the SolAire was situated in a campsite at Norris Dam State Park near Rocky Top, Tennessee, awaiting the arrival of John and Becky.

Our campsites at Norris Dam State Park

Their route from Hiawassee wasn't quite as easy as ours.  MapQuest sent them on some curvy, narrow mountain roads in search of the park.  Lesson learned! 

After lunch, while waiting for an afternoon thunder shower to pass before sightseeing, we helped them set up their Google Maps in their smart phones so we can share routes and drop pins when we get separated. 

We couldn't help but hum a few lines of "Smoky Mountain Rain" and "Rocky Top" -- perfect for this setting!

Our foursome strolled across the Norris Dam, in awe of the engineering that holds a wall of water to create a reservoir along a river.  The rocky face of a lakeside mountain in the early evening was beautiful.

On top of Norris Dam

Looking across the lake from the top of the dam

  

We noticed the clarity of the lake water, a characteristic we agrarian southerners aren't accustomed to; runoff from a rocky mountainside is much cleaner than the runoff of a sandy field.

We turned in early, fatigued from our Fourth celebrations and sleep deprivation of the previous night and eager for our next day's travel and sights.

Becky, John & Jamie at Norris Dam in Tennessee

Benchmark on top of the dam

Looking down river

view from the bottom of the dam at river level