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

Horsin' Around

Destination: Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington

Green pastures and meticulously manicured fence lines welcomed us to Horse Country on this overcast, rainy afternoon.  Fortunately, the rain kept the temperature lower, and our morning travel was spared the stress of driving in inclement weather.

The Parade of Breeds showcased several types of horses and even a miniature trick performing horse who may be a better mathematician than some second graders - he added, subtracted & multiplied! The Palomino reminded me of Sandy, our family horse from my childhood.

Breeds Barn at Kentucky Horsepark

Parade of Breeds

A zigzag bi-colored mane

We visited with the farrier, who paused a bit while he was shoeing a draught horse. Growing impatient, this gentle giant turned his head to us as if to say, "Hurry along, folks." 

Visiting the farrier

Our farm boys were intrigued by a display of antique farm implements, pointing out ones they had some experience with in their youth.

Strolling through the barn, we saw several championship retirees who've made their home here at the Horse Park.  Their accomplishments were posted on the stall.  Some of them were older than our kids!

Becky & John with Secretariat

The museum traced the history of the horse, from prehistoric to modern times, and celebrated the various competitive events of horses. 

Horsin' around with the blue screen

Nearby we found a quaint restaurant for dinner.  Red State BBQ served up some deliciousness: pulled pork, brisket, ribs, and six distinctly different sauces. I slathered Alabama Show Horse and Kentucky Small Batch on my pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. Yum! 

BBQ - it's what's for dinner.

A happy granny waited on us.

Becky and I added to the wall graffiti at Red State. If you ever go there, maybe you'll find our additions. Our window seat provided a view of a gorgeous stacked stone fence that reminded me of ones I've seen in England (oops--I failed to take a picture of it for you, Sandra!).

For the record, J&B won all three games of Rummikub after dinner. Oh, well, there will be a next time.

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

Anticipation

Fond memories of my grandparents plotting vacations on a worn Rand McNally atlas flooded over me as I planned our upcoming adventure. Whether it was to California, Maine, the Florida Keys or North Carolina's Outer Banks, my grandparents nearly always had a trip in the works.

Although we sometimes pull out a paper atlas to see the big picture of where we're headed, most of our routing is planned on Google maps, where we drop pins for lodging and sightseeing.

Sitting at the kitchen table together, my grandparents planned for months, sharing their enthusiasm with family and friends, making reservations, and saving a few extra dollars for that special something they hoped to find along the way.

Much like my grandparents, our planning began months ago. We identified a region we'd like to visit, then we began exploring potential sites.  With the choice to travel with another couple, we adjusted our route to include ideas they had.  Our route is generally set, but will remain flexible as we travel.

Recently, I came across this tidbit of wisdom: spend your money on experiences, not things; experiences have lasting value.

That sunk in.  I vividly recall a Sunday afternoon in Del Rio crossing into Mexico with my baby brother and grandparents; catching fish off the coast of Walker's Island in the Keys; riding a late night ferry with Jamie and the kids from Seattle to Bainbridge Island; walking alone down a lane in Corsham, England, to comfort a grieving friend; whizzing down the Virginia Creeper on two wheels with Jamie - no pedaling needed; and dabbling my toes in the clear, cool water of Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi River.

Yes, novel experiences! That is why we travel.

Planning and preparation become a part of the experience.  Anticipation!

The SolAire is nearly ready. She's had a fresh cleaning, inside and out.  Her cupboards and closets have been reorganized and restocked.

Let the fireworks begin!

After the finale, the Chief will be off duty, and the SolAire will head north.

We'll be posting as regularly as stable internet allows...check in to see where we are and what we're up to!

Always love to see the SolAire moved to the "get ready" position!

Getting her shine on!  A bath is a good thing.

Fish Camp on Lake Talquin

Sometimes it's nice to have a reason to visit someplace new; such was the case with our visit to Lake Talquin near Quincy, FL and Ingram's Marina campground.  Jamie's parents asked us to join them at a family reunion across the lake on Sunday afternoon, so finding this campground tucked along the lake made for a happy camping weekend.

This little jewel is just an hour and half drive from home, close enough that departing home after work still allowed us to arrive and set up long before dark.  As we pulled into the driveway, we were met by two separate ambassadors on golf carts.  The first, a helpful guest, willing to assist two first-timers; the other, a boss's man, calling repeatedly for which site to place us.  Fortunately, we were finally awarded our first choice - the one suggested by the helpful guest - an easy to pull in site situated next to the boat slips: as good a view as available at this old-Florida style fish camp.

Dinner recommendations came from the helpful guest and from the marina attendant; we opted for Country Boys, an inexpensive, but tasty seafood choice about a mile from camp.  Typical seafood for us: fried shrimp & fried pickles; the portions were quite large!  We were delighted to share our basket of pickles with the helpful guest as a thank-you when he arrived at the restaurant.

Friday evening's cool and windy weather turned to warmer and windy on Saturday.  We found a spot near the dock to stave off much of the wind and soak up the warmth of the sun's rays while we finished our morning coffee and planned our day.

We ventured out, touring many of the roads leading into residential communities around the lake.  It's a pretty lake, and lakeside homeowners have some lovely views across the water.  Way leads on to way, and eventually, we found ourselves at Camping World, and then Tallahassee's Harbor Freight, before topping off our afternoon with scoops of freshly made butter pecan (for him) and sea salt caramel toffee (for her) ice cream at Bruster's.

Though we had intentions of grilling our dinner both evenings, we were drawn to the local spots, so Saturday evening we walked over to The Whip, a bait-shop, bar and restaurant boasting good food and poor service.  We snagged a table outdoors, where two boat slips were turned into a deck.  Water ran from the rooftop, creating just enough ambient noise to keep conversations private.  While the sun set over the lake, a sly gator eased toward the fish cleaning area, and ducks flew across in the distance, we dined on crab cakes and snapper.  A bit pricey, as we had been forewarned, but delicious nevertheless.

Returning to camp, we checked out the night fishermen on the dock and their catch. Looks like the fishing in this lake is pretty good!

At Ingram's we were allowed late check-out on this Sunday afternoon; apparently, they weren't expecting new arrivals.  After the reunion, we returned to pack up the SolAire and head home.  We were most appreciative of the full-hookup site.

And so ends another perfectly peaceful camping weekend.

Spring Break Getaway to Crooked River

Our early departure plans for this Wednesday morning were slightly delayed by a fire call; unattended food on a hot stove will start a house fire, and a house without working smoke detectors is asking for disaster. Make sure you have smoke detectors with fresh batteries, and turn off the stove before you leave the kitchen.  This PSA brought to you by the chief & his sidekick.

After a quick shower to wash away the smoky odor we absorbed on the scene, we headed for the Georgia coast. Fortunately, we had spent the previous weekend spring cleaning the SolAire, purging the unneeded collection of various doo-dads, replacing out-of-date items, replenishing our food supply, and updating our wardrobe.  An outside scrubbing left her shining and ready for a spring break jaunt.

We arrived at Crooked River State Park near St. Mary's, Georgia, just before 3:00 PM, checked in at the office, and pulled our rig to the campground to discover a nearly perfect site.  Nearly - because our view of the water was obstructed.  Perfect - because the site was level.  Not a single leveling block needed.  Easy setup!

Crooked River State Park, St. Mary's, Georgia

Wouldn't it be courteous if every camper would remove his site tag upon departing the campground? The perfect campsite, the one with a gorgeous water view, was empty, but tagged.  Our gut told us they had left the camp a day early, but our southern manners wouldn't allow us to replace their tag with ours and take the site.

The campground is spacious, with easy back-in sites and some pull-thru spaces, plenty of room to maneuver big rigs without fear of taking out a pine tree or a site post.  Even so, the neighbors placed bets on Jamie's ability to back into the site with me directing (yes, they admitted this later).  Our radios come in handy at times like these - no shouting back & forth for the neighbors to hear.

The park sits atop a cliff - a sand hill is more like it - in a sharp bend of the river.  Fencing with warning signage prevents you from stepping too close to the edge and potentially dislodging a hunk of earth and landing in the swift current.

We explored the park by truck and by bicycle: a marina with bait shop and boat dock hosted pelicans and seagulls and a few afternoon fishermen; several group shelters, including one lovely enough for a wedding venue; mini-golf for those so-inclined; cabins; a nature center where schoolchildren on a field trip oohed & ahhed over petting a snake - I quickly departed the building; several trails through the palmetto forest; and a path down to the river's edge where we found a couple of grandfathers and their grandsons had filled a cooler with a day's catch.

Our hybrids took a beating, and so did we, when we went off-road onto the trails, first bumping along the boardwalk, then over tree roots and finally onto the sandy floor of the forest.  Thanks to a layer of pine straw, we managed to pedal through the sand.

We climbed up the stairs to a bird viewing stand to gain a bird's-eye view of the forest, only to find we were viewing a solar farm on the grounds of the Kings Bay Naval base.

We found better bird-watching at our campsite.  A pair of cardinals visited each morning, and another soon-to-be mother tried to build a nest next to our outdoor fridge.  She selected the softest of materials and was persistent in her attempts to start her nest in our camper until we finally closed the door, shutting her out entirely.  I wonder where she found to start anew.

A squirrel and his buddies enjoyed Jamie's can of Planters peanuts.  That plastic blue lid was no barrier. He chewed his way into the goodies.  We didn't intentionally feed the wildlife; they are thieves, scampering about, up and down the pines, climbing onto our tables and chairs, not afraid of humans.

Our sightseeing trip into the city of St. Mary's quickly turned into a trip to Fernandina Beach. St. Mary's was sleepy, with just a few businesses open downtown.  We had visited here one evening on a previous trip to find the park bustling with activity, but on this midday trip we found little to hold our interest.

In Fernandina, we visited the historic district, browsed in a few shops, and found a local spot for dinner, The Crab Trap.  Food was good!

What a small world - we failed to recognize until we had returned home - that some college friends of ours were in Fernandina with their son playing baseball at the same time!  Missed opportunity to reconnect.  We'll plan better next time.

Jamie had high hopes of kayaking and fishing along the river and in the marsh, but the wind was too brisk and the air a bit cool to venture out on the kayak this trip.

We'll definitely revisit Crooked River State Park, but only when we know we can arrive early. This park stays full, so late arrival will yield few, if any, choices of sites.  It's a quick trip from the Jacksonville area; those Florida tags were all over this campground.

Mountain View So Close to Home

F.D. Roosevelt State Park sits high atop a ridge in Pine Mountain, Georgia.  Driving up Highway 190 into the park, dormant trees allowed me to see off into the distance in both directions. The views are incredible!

I arrived to find that Jamie had already set up camp for us and had the campfire burning.  He really must be an expert trailer backer; the Minnesota neighbors complimented him on backing into the site on the first try; apparently, they'd had some good laughs in recent days at the expense of some less-apt backers who gave up trying to situate their rig in that site.  Good for us!  Jamie claimed the site with ease, and I wasn't even there to assist.

The temperature dropped significantly during the night; we woke up to a reading of 29 degrees. I'm appreciative of the electric fireplace in the SolAire; it sure does come in handy occasionally. Fortunately, the sun came out and it warmed up outside so we could enjoy the day.

We took in a short hike at Dowdell's Knob, the overlook where President Roosevelt often picnicked. We traversed the rocky, root-covered path to a memorial for a 1950's era plane crash. The season is perfect for a hike; no jacket needed and no perspiration, either; and with the leaves gone, we could see through the trees for miles.

We explored the region: first, Manchester. Of course, we checked out the trains!  Then we drove into Pine Mountain, found a barbecue shack and a few gift shops to browse, before heading over to West Point, taking a look at West Point Lake and circling the Kia manufacturing plant, just to see what's there.

We returned to camp in time for an afternoon siesta, and then completely skipped dinner; we were engrossed in playing Rummikub with the Minnesotans.  A little logic workout for the weekend.

A really nice park!  We'll return here.