2010-23 Whitehall Michigan, Family Visit

Whitehall Michigan
Montague.  A two week family visit.

I've arrived in Michigan and will be visiting my sister Dorothy for two weeks.  I had dreams of good cooking for months as her husband Dave is a wonderful cook, but at this point it’s not to be.  Like a number of my readers are experiencing, our Dave is not doing well health wise.  It’s one of those situations where we’re all trying to figure out what’s best when the patient does not want to go to a doctor or hospital to have things checked out.  What to do.  None of us are qualified to determine the “right time” to go in.  So we muddle through, worried that we are making the right decision or non decision and have sleepless nights worrying about our loved ones.

Dorothy is holding up as well as can be expected, going to work, running home at lunch time to check on her husband, doing the chores Dave would normally do.  Neighbors hover and stay the afternoon concerned about their buddy and trying to add comfort where they can. Calls back and forth between two daughters in St Louis and Florida add to the drama as they want to keep in close contact as to the current situation.

The next day, after a couple of Dr’s appt. Dave was feeling much better.  Amazing the changes that can be made within 24 hours.  All are relieved and breathing easier.

I’m staying at a city park called Trail Way in the town of Montague.  Only one mile from my sisters house.  A 25 mile bike path winds around the campground for easy access to exercise and views of a boat marina.  Nice to be this close in case I’m needed for any reason.

Ok, so I went to a local restaurant called The Favor Café.  They are known for a good breakfast, but since I was there for lunch, I decided to try a BLT salad.  Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato.  Pretty simple and almost impossible to mess up.  The lettuce was crisp, the bacon was perfect but instead of vine ripened Michigan tomatoes, it came with chunks of canned tomatoes.  Can you believe?  Skinned soggy tomato chunks. Oh and then the waitress proudly placed a basket of their famous “bread crust ends”.  Pieces of crust from their  home made bread that were then deep fried in grease.  Double Yuck!  She assured me I would love them….. I didn’t.  Sure wish I could have tried their home made fresh bread… wonder who gets served that?

Visiting with family.  Kim has arrived with her two daughters, Megan and Cammy.  Husband Aaron will arrive in a few days.  Kim has learned to be quite the professional cook and along with Dave they are making me a wonderful Cajun Pasta dinner for my Birthday.  Did I time this visit well or what.  After dinner the girls invite me up to their bedroom/artist retreat where they want to draw me.  Megan draws me while Cammy draws a picture of her mother.  The youngest gets tired and cranky.  Mom deftly brings her back around and teaches her how to communicate without raising her voice.  A smooth and seamless lesson that the Super Nanny would be proud of.

Conversation continues around the outdoor patio, around the kitchen butcher-block table and a hundred pictures are taken as it seems the whole family has a camera ready for that perfect shot.

COMPUTER TIP:  I had a perfluxed moment the other day when I hit the Shut down mode of my laptop.  It started to log off and as I closed the lid, I noticed it was attempting to load new software on the computer.  You know that’s a no no to turn off the computer before it’s finished loading software, but I’d already closed the lid.  Now I couldn’t get the computer to re-boot and start again.  What to do.  I ran into my sisters house and told Kim (my niece) my perfluxumed situation.  She’s a computer guru.   Kim said, “remove the battery”.  It closes all activity running in the background on the computer and when you re-insert the battery it can usually start up again normally.  It Worked!  Yippee, Kim is soooo smart.  And if I had not be in such a state, I might have remembered this tip from my many computer classes.

A trip to the beach, Duck Lake and Lake Michigan.  Building sand castles, hiking to the top of the dunes, swimming, splashing and laughing.  What better way to spend a sunny day in western Michigan.

An evening outdoor concert put on by a local band at the White Lake Band shell here in Montague.  My sister Dorothy, her daughter Kim and the two girls enjoyed the band as the sun finally faded behind a bank of trees.  The band leader could have picked up the temp on most of the selections, but when it’s free one doesn’t voice their opinion too loudly.  The fat lady sang two songs operatic style, well ok she wasn’t really fat but she did sing the last song and we left….

Drove around the farming communities in the area.  Many fruit tree orchards, asparagus farms and lush green countryside.  Small scattered towns and hidden cottages along the shores of Lake Michigan.

And the last couple of days before heading into Northern Michigan brought another bought of  Illness for Dave.  Ambulances came (no siren please).  Hospital emergency room, oxygen tubes in place, sedation to ease the recovery period.  Drives back and forth to the hospital.  Days later and Dave is back with us.   A bit grumpy… who wouldn’t be after the all he’s gone through.  Tension, relief and a learning curve of what to do, not to do and plans for the next time.  

Finally time to move north and into the U.P.

2010-22 Indiana

Southern Indiana

Campsite:  Whitewater Memorial State Park.  $16-$26 depending on the day as they charge differently for weekdays, weekends, holidays etc.  Beautiful grassy and treed sites, but campsites are fairly close and busy on weekends.  22 over-the-air  HD TV stations.

Campsite:  Elkhart County 4H Fairground.  $19 for Water and Elect.  Beautifully maintained Fairgrounds and the least expensive place to stay in the area.  30 over-the-air HD TV stations.  Just minutes from downtown Goshen IN.

I arrived at a state park in southern Indiana on Saturday, usually not the greatest time to get to a state park.  But as luck would have it, and luck was on my side today, the camp registrar, gave me one of the few paved, pull thru sites.  I felt like I’d won the lottery.  It’s like having a deluxe campsite.  An estate site next to common gravel sites.  A large paved parking area and patio with a big picnic table.  Giant shade trees provide a canopy for the grassy campsites against the scorching sun. No tracking in mud and dirt into the camper… this is what campers dream of.

Being in a state park over a weekend, I see all the family activities, kids and whole families riding their bikes, campfires blazing even in the heat of the day. Trying to use up all that wood they’ve brought on their journey and then on Sunday, one by one they pack up and head on out and go back home.  Having no home to go to, except for the one I travel with, I get to enjoy the ebb and flow of these weekends and the quieter days that follow, as the “ weekender's” vacate the campground leaving behind empty grassy campsites, awaiting the next weekend.

Or, I’ll head on out and tour the area like today where I ended up in the hamlet of Metamora Indiana and the Whitewater canal.  It’s one of the few places that one can take a ride on a passenger barge drawn by two horses.  And it’s the only place in the world that has a covered aqueduct.  Now how cool is that.  The small town that developed next to the canal is now pretty much a tourist town filled with quant shops in historic buildings.  The State Historical Society runs and maintains this small section of the canal as well as a grist mill.  Now here’s an interesting fact.  After the very brief rise of barge canals that were replaced by the steam engine trains, the canals had a second life by placing mills along the canals.  Over 100 on the Whitewater canal alone utilizing water power to run all those mills.  The State of Indiana went bankrupt over building the canal and a second constitution was later written that stated that Indiana could never again purchase anything on credit.  To this day, Indiana continues to have a conservative government paying cash for everything and has never been in debt since.  Something Washington and many states could learn from.  I learn something new every day.

Indiana has the most covered bridges in the Nation, if I have my facts straight.  I drove around Rush County in the SE corner of the state where many covered bridges are still in service.  I drove through two of them. Many of them built by A.M. Kennedy and Sons.  Kennedy was quite a salesman.  He would go to a town that was putting out a bid for a covered bridge and unlike the other bridge makers who would bring a set of plans on paper, Kennedy would bring a model of one of his bridges.  He would then have his full grown son stand on top of the model bridge and hop up and down on it to show how strong it was.  He usually got the job.

The weather has turned a beautiful 72-78 daytime and evenings are expected to be in the high 50’s.  Low humidity too.  Just perfect.

In the town of Liberty, I went into the library and one of the staff told me about some of the history of the area, including the fact that inspiration for the Little Orphan Anne who was really Mary Alice "Allie" Smith originally lived in the area.  I also stopped by the Post Office and to take a picture of the restored WPA painting.  Wouldn’t it be great if we could put all those people getting Unemployment benefits to do public works projects like the ones way back when the WPA and CCC programs were created.  I think a lot of people would feel better about getting the extended unemployment benefits if they could do some work in return.  Just a rambling thought as I travel the back roads.

Northern Indiana

And today, Wednesday, it was another moving day as I traveled up the eastern side of Indiana along hwy 27.  A two lane country road as straight as an arrow.  I enjoyed the miles  and miles of rich farm land, stitched together by water towers peaking over the tops of the trees every 10 to 20 miles indicating a small town or crossroads community.  The corn fields are lush with green stocks waving in a gentle breeze.  Farms, silos and farmhouses every couple of miles.  Early on I saw the most beautiful brown fox with his pointy ears and big fluffy tail run across the road, continually looking left, right and back behind him.  Just a gorgeous creature.

I’m Staying at a the Elkhart 4H County Park.  They have 4 or five plots of mostly grassy campsites.  Only one other camper in my section next to the race track where I get to watch the horses training.

This is Amish country.  Where ever I drive, there are black horse drawn buggies on the roads.  Unlike Canada, where they have gravel skirting along the paved roads so the Amish can ride on the side of the roads.  Here the Amish must drive their buggies on the pavement.  Even the local Wal-Mart has a covered stall for their horses.  Or one can see the women and some men riding bikes to and from their neighbors in the area.  Women wearing their simple long blue dresses and white dolly type hats.  The men and boys with their home made pants, shirts and suspenders and straw hats.

This is home to many of the Rv manufacturers and I’ll be taking tours of a couple of them.  And no I’m not buying one.  But always fun to see how they are built.  One of the places I’ve toured already was the Carriage 5th wheel plant.  They can build and assemble 5 per day. Well built units, but very heavy.  None are built unless a dealer has ordered them and it appears they are back to full production.  A Good sign since so many camper manufacturers have gone out of business.

 I even went to an Amish furniture builder, Carlyle Lehman, who does custom work just for Rv’s.  His business is called Focal Wood Products LLC.  Carlyle, with his full beard (no mustache), clear bright face with the most intense brown eyes that look right through you.   I had a chance to see his workshop, a second home on the property that they are using just as a showroom and the grounds.  Beautifully landscaped with 20 foot high shrubs, flower gardens throughout and lush grass lawns.  His wife takes care of the house’s and yard work.  Carlyle worked as a quality control manager at one of the Rv manufacturers before teaching himself his carpentry skills.  Oh and he had all the electric power tools and machinery along with a/c etc.  Wonder if he still rides in a horse and buggy?  Probably.

In Elkhart, I visited a few Rv surplus places and could have gone crazy buying more stuff for the camper, but limited myself to a new extendable brush for washing the camper and a side table that folds down to as little as 6 inches wide and opens up to create a small table that can be raised up to any height for eating or for ones laptop.  And of course I made it to the RV/MH Hall of Fame.  An impressive new building only about 3 years old and has a wonderful display of old campers from the late 20’s on up to today.  Less than half the campers are available as the rest are still in storage in California.  Still worth the visit as I felt like I was going to the Mecca for Rv’ers.  I particularly liked the home made custom units and one made for May West.

I’ll be heading to Lower and Upper Michigan to visit with family (Ann and Dorothy) and friends in July and will probably only post a short report during that time.  I’m also planning on heading into Canada around Thunder Bay to visit with my good friends Elaine and Gary and may even get to visit friends in Minnesota but they tell me the state bird (the mosquito) is voracious this year so I’m not sure about that visit yet.

2010-21 Cades Cove, Tennessee and Kentucky

2010-21

Cades Cove, Great Smokey Mountains, Tennessee
Lexington Kentucky

Campground:  Camp Nelson, near Lexington Ky.  A Recreation USA campground, $10 per night, full hookups.  Sitting low along the Kentucky river, this campground was completely underwater in May after being hit by the 5th largest storm in the area in 100 years.

My last day in the Knoxville area, I decided to drive through the foothills of the Smokey Mountains and right into the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.  Thanks goodness for gps as there was no straight route getting here.  A know the kudzu vines that can grow 3 feet a day are bad, but to me they’re also beautiful.  Climbing up and over huge trees and the sides of mountains, draping over cliffs and walls, they create the most magical scenery.  Like giant green drapes over the landscape.  Natures own Cristo at work.

My adventure today is about a 130 mile journey to Cades Cover.  A large cove nestled in the heart of the Great Smokey Mountains.  Tennessee and North Carolina started buying up the land in 1927 hoping eventually to encourage the Government to create a national park.  The last resident moved out I believe in 1999, leaving the cove in a permanent state, frozen in time.  A park ranger told us that many of the descendants still come back to the cove for reunions and a few remember growing up in a home in the valley.

Climbing up over into the valley, my eagle eye spotted wildlife right away.  I’ll tell you my secret for seeing wildlife.  First, look for a group of cars on the side of the road.  I immediately stop and get out with camera in hand as the cars will have attracted wildlife to them.  In this case the people and vehicles had obviously attracted a mother black bear and two baby cubs.  The mother bear intent on eating grubs and foraging for food.  The two baby bears played with each other and climbed every tree they could. Occasionally tumbling and rolling down the side of the hill. (I’ve posted two short movies on the Picasa website)

The land continued to rise and the road wound around and over the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains.  The mountains layered in there characteristic blue haze, enhanced by the early morning fog hugging the deep valleys.  Hickory, ash, chestnut and pine trees creating a canopy over the roadway.  I entered Cades Cove and continued along a 12 mile loop road.  A single ribbon of asphalt skirting the mountains surrounding the most beautiful valley I’ve ever encountered.  I felt as if I’d entered paradise on earth.  Note:  most of the chestnut trees were killed by a disease a number of years ago.

 At one of the first stops I was able to pick up a booklet describing all the remaining homes, churches, gristmills, cemeteries and open pasture lands, once farmed here in Cades Cove.  Electricity never came to the cove while the residences lived there.  I didn’t want the slow 12 mile ride around the cove, with mesmerizing views around every corner and turn to end.  A steady stream of vehicles traveled around the ribbon of road.  Lots and lots of pullouts to view the scenery and log cabins.  A number of sites had park volunteers who provided really great stories about each building and life of the settlers.

Hint:  Over 2 million visitors come to Cades Cove each year.  I recommend going early in the day, or much later in the day to avoid the crowds.  Note, the park is closed two days a week, check their schedule before going.

Amazing that Tenn. and N Carolina realized so early on that this place was special and needed to become a National Park.  See Picasa Photos.

I can’t emphasize enough the impact that this most beautiful place has made on me.  I’m sure I’ll dream of it’s magical charm for a long time to come.  That mix of man made fields and pasture lands, the simple log cabins, the stark white churches nestled in a glen, surrounded by the natural beauty of the land.  It appeared to me that well over 80% of the land had never been touched.  The Great Smokey Mountains draped in their blue haze surrounding and protecting the cove.  What a day, what an adventure.
Kentucky.  I’ve been through the state before, but thought I’d check out a few places along the way.  I found a campground that’s part of the Recreation USA group and was able to get a campsite for $10 a night.  What’s interesting though is this is one of the campgrounds that was flooded not more than 6 weeks ago.  When Kentucky had a storm cell stay over the eastern part of the state for days and days and days, creating a deluge.

 The owner told me how the river was supposed to stop at the flood stage of 2003.  It didn’t, and kept right on rising.  First the campsites were underwater.  Then the bathhouse, swimming pool and office building. Next came the homes higher up.  At one point a mobile home floated down the river, side swiped the office building, took out the fence on one side of the pool now underwater and landed on top of the bath house.  All the picnic tables which had been stacked and secured, floated away.

Quite a story.  More so if you could see the park and all they’ve done to restore it to use again.  All the campsites have been cleaned up and functional.  The large swimming pool is open and enjoyed much as a community center for the locals, as it is open for their use with a charge of course.  We campers have it included with our stay.  All of the homes on this lower river level have been destroyed.  Windows wide open.  I can see they’ve striped all the walls to bare studs and are in the process of rebuilding.  So much trash had to be disposed of, the county permitted them to have a huge bonfire to burn it.  And even with that they still had a couple dumpster loads hauled away.  And all within the past 6 weeks.  Amazing.

Oh and her son, now 26 got in a wooden canoe along with a 19 year old and paddled out into the raging river at the height of the swollen river.  His Mom calls him an idiot.  I had to agree.  They got dumped out of the canoe, which got caught in a swirling current.  Both guys and canoe were rescued.  People do dumb things.

This is beautiful farm country by the way.  Most of the barns and outbuildings are painted black.  Found out after asking many questions of the locals that the black is creosote and helps to preserve the wood longer. Up to 10 years longer.  A practical solution to ordinary paint.  Another question I had of the locals was, what is the name of all the blue wildflowers along the highways, both here in Kentucky and Tennessee?  It’s chicory.  Most folks didn’t know.  Of course I had to know for my readers… and my own curiosity.  You might remember from a past posting of mine, that this is the area where they paint large squares on the barns of quilt patterns.  How cool.  I understand the idea started in Ohio, but has caught on big around here.  Anyone interested in quilting should love exploring the back roads around here just to see all the quilt designs.

A few more days and lunch with former co-works Nancy and Jerry.  Good people.  We toured Berea, a small artisan town with a college that’s tuition free.  The students work for their tuition in local establishments like the Daniel Boone Tavern.  And more touring, as I drove down scenic byways and ended up at a restored Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill.  Enjoying a walk through history, communal living and an unusual take on religion by the Shaker people.

A final note, just so you don’t think I don’t do any work at all, I spent a day washing the camper.  (note to myself, get a pressure washer) It really needed it and another morning doing laundry and vacuuming the camper.

More pictures available at my Picasa Web site.

2010-20 Eastern Tennessee

Eastern Tennessee
Niota
Oak Ridge (The Secret City)

Campground:  Tennessee Country Rv. A Recreation USA park.  Discount price $10, full hookups w/cable tv.  Discount is only good for two days, but that’s all the time I need in the area.

Campground:  Volunteer Park.  A Passport America Park.  $17.50 per night.  Full hookups w/cable TV.  Swimming pool and country store.  Nice place and no limit on stay.

Another week has gone by on the road and I’m down the road a bit further heading NE on I-75.  I’m in an area called Niota with other towns nearby like Sweetwater, Hopewell, Pleasantville, and Athens.  There are two places I wanted to visit, The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum and The Lost Sea Adventure.

The Sequoyah museum tells the story of a Cherokee Indian who created the first writing language for the Cherokee nation.  The only person to ever create a written language by himself! What a fascinating story.  He never learned the English alphabet but had been exposed to it and what writing could do for a people. After creating the written language for the Cherokee (it took 12 years), he taught his young daughter how to read and write.   On trial as a witch, the Cherokee elders gave him one chance to prove his new writing.  His daughter read what he had written and with months thousands of Cherokee learned the new Cherokee alphabet and became literate overnight.

The next day, after waking up and getting ready to go out for the day which involves what I call putting on my cartoon face.  That being putting on a daub of white Neutrogena Age shield Repair sun block.  One daub on my nose, one on each cheek and one on my forehead.  I can’t help but grin at myself in the mirror before I spread the cream all over my face.  What a way to start my day, laughing at myself.  Gheeez.  But after years of sun damage, one has to put the sunblock on.

Then I’m out the door on my next adventure, this one to the Lost Sea Adventure.  The trip is through a huge cavern, down a 140 foot drop of sloping pathways past low ceilings, waterfalls, an old moonshine still and finally to Americas largest underwater lake.  At almost 3 football fields long can you just imagine?  What a fun adventure to get down deep in the earth and see a huge lake underground.  Dim lights just below the waterline create an eerie glow to the water and walls of the cavern.  Our small group piles into the boat and the guide slowly propels us across the dark water.  Rainbow trout swim past us and leap into the air as the guide feeds them.  Silently we drift around the lake, just marveling at the sight of  a whole lake underground.  They tell us that there’s even a bigger lake under an offshoot of one the caverns we are walking through, but the cavern is completely filled with water.  The two divers who discovered it barely made it out alive, as pieces of the caves ceiling started to fall around them.

I’ve been watching the most wonderful fireflies this evening.  I kept seeing flicks of light out my large windows against a black night.  So I went outside and saw the most awesome display of fireflies dancing close to the ground and through the trees.  Big swirls of brilliant white liquid light.  Sharp punches of light blinking off and on, then all is dark again.   And oh so bright.  Haven’t seen a display of fireflies in years.

I’ve headed NE on I-75 just north of Knoxville TN to a campground called Volunteer Park, right off of Raccoon Road.  After setting up on the side of the hill, nice shady cedar trees and picnic table, I headed out to Von’s Market and Deli.  A true country market and deli, after ordering lunch I sat down at one of the half dozen booths.  A fellow retiree sat across from me and I could just tell he was dying to talk to someone.  Jack ended up telling me about growing up in these parts, starting out by cutting grass at age 12 until dark and then running all the way back home, a couple miles down the road.  He’s Me-PA now to his 5 year old grandson and dotes on him so.  Bought him a small goat who follows the grandson around everywhere.  The little guy said he needed a tool box and Jack got him one and filled it with lots of old tools.

 Jack worked a few places before moving back to his roots where on the second day back he was already working at the local electrical manufacturer in the area.  Would have still been working there, except they closed down.  Went back into the lawn care business and within two years had over 150 accounts.  Retired now after a few heart attacks.  Told how one day he was driving home and called his wife and said, would you like to go on a vacation?  She said when?  He said I should be home in about an hour.  His wife was packed and ready to go.  Hopped in their truck with the truck camper and headed out for 3 or 4 weeks.  Exploring the New England states and even into Canada.   His wife has since died, but Jack lives for his grandson.  Not a bad life considering his daughter and son-in-law are lazy %^&$ and out of work.  Though he didn’t quite put it quite that way.

Just up the road a piece is the Museum of the Appalachia in Norris Tenn.  One would at first glance categorize this as just another Discovery Village, Heritage Park or Historic Recreation, but I can tell you, having visited all of the above that this park is so much more than all the others.  It’s main focus is on the people who made up this eastern Tennessee area.  Focusing on a way of life, the music, their skills and what made them the people of Appalachia.  Individual stories are told of the banjo maker, weaver, homesteader. From Harrison Mayes, the coal miner who erected concrete crosses across the country to the Carter Family and all the wonderful music they made.  They even have a frontier home that was used in filming the Tv series “Young Dan’l Boone”.

My last stop here in eastern Tennessee is to Oak Ridge.  The site of the Manhattan Project, The Secret City and development of U-235, used in the development of the first atomic bomb.  The story is told through the
American Museum of Science & Energy and bus tours which go around the perimeter of the K-25 site.  The museum tells the story of WWII and the need to build the first atomic bomb before the Nazis could, so we could win the war.

It’s more than just the story of creating U-235 to build an atomic bomb, it’s a story of the people living the area who were displaced.  Given 30 days to move off of their land that was seized for the war effort.  It’s about the vision of scientists to go where no one had gone before.  A vision that took 75,000 workers to create, in secret enriched uranium, most of the workers not even knowing what they were accomplishing.  Creating the largest buildings in the world to produce the right kind of uranium.  And this was just one of three sites created to build the A-bomb.

The tour guide on the bus filled us in on lots of technical stuff, but I was more interested in the people.  One story involved the scientist who leaked the plans for building the atomic bomb to Russia.  Later moving back to his homeland of England after the war, where he was arrested and imprisoned for 18 years.  But worse, after he got out, he sold the plans to China.  One person who spread the most dangerous weapon around the world.

And the story of John Hendrix.  John died in 1915, 40 years before the Manhattan project was conceived.  After his wife left him and took all his children with her, he fell into a depression.  Asking God what to do.  He heard a voice that told him if he slept on the ground for 40 days, it would be revealed to him.

Upon coming out of the woods after 40 days, he told anyone who would listen about his visions.  Bear Creek Valley would be filled with great buildings and factories that would help in winning the greatest war that will ever be.  A city would be built on Black Oak  Ridge, that a rail line would come into the area. Big engines will dig big ditches and thousands of people would be running to and fro.

These are the stories one can only hear by exploring a place and talking to the locals.  It’s about the people who made up this region and their experiences.  I’ll give a link to a poem written by Curtis, one of John Hendrix sons.  You see, the son was affected first hand by what John saw in his visions, as he and his family had to move of their land due to the Manhattan project, 40 years after John made those predictions.  A compelling first hand account.  Hope you take the time to read it. See the end of this report for poem.

Worth seeing the site of three giant interconnected buildings over two miles long.  They are now being dismantled and there will only be the footprint on the land of where they stood.  Other buildings that are still being used or refurbished for new industrial purposes will remain as reminders of the heroic efforts 75,000 people put in at this site.  And the 30,000+ scientists and engineers who are still working in the Oak Ridge Energy Labs creating and discovering new applications that will hopefully improve our lives in the future.

That's another report from my Travels down the back roads.

"Come listen to me, people,

And hear my tale of woe,

And if you feel it tiring,

I'll shut my mouth and go.

"I had a home in Robertsville.

They call it Oak Ridge now.

T'was home for all my younguns

and their chickens and the cow.

"One day a bunch of men rode in

With papers in their hands

And great big shining badges.

They came and took our land.

"They read a lot of great big words

I couldn't understand,

But when it was all over

I didn't own the land.

"I had seen the Revenoors (sic)

Come and search and take the stills,

But I didn't think the government

Would ever seize our hills.

"Of course, we had to get right out

And start to paying rent,

But now, what can poor folks do

Against the government?

"Just sixty acres t'was all I had.

Some rich land and some poor.

But the check they sent me

Wouldn't buy a pure bred bor (sic).

"Now see I ain't complaining.

It's just my blamed bad luck,

On any deal I ever made

I'm always getting stuck.

"Of course the government was right.

They always are, you see.

T'was just the land looked worse to them

Than it ever did to me.

"I moved to Union County,

Once famous for its Stills,

And bought another cabin

and a bunch of slatey hills.

"For I couldn't keep my younguns

And their chickens and the cow

Without a little pasture

And a piece of land to plow.

"But I've done seen me a vision

And it's one I understand.

In the none too distant future

Working folks will own no land.

"There will be a bunch of planners.

Everyone will live by plan.

Plan our work, plan our religion,

Plan our schooling and our play,

Won't even have to study,

'Now what must I do today.'

"The thing to do is win the war

And when we end that strife,

Stop electing Presidents

For longer terms than life.

“Well I guess I'd better hush.

I could have said some more,

But her just let me whisper!

I'M skeered (sic) of Elinor.

"Written by: Curtis Allen Hendrix"

2010-19 Chattanooga Tennessee

Chattanooga Tennessee 

Campground:  Harrison Bay State Park. $16, $20 and $25 premium sites.  I picked the older camp loop at $16 where sites are paved, but not necessarily level.  Elect/water.  Lots of trees and lake and restaurant.

I left Rome Ga using my Droid phone GPS directions.  It took me through Rome and up US 53 to I-75 and onto my campsite just outside of Chattanooga.  You know, I gave my Tom Tom GPS away, as my Verizon Droid phone works just as well if not better and the maps are always updated free by Google.

It’s been raining almost every day for the past couple of days.  Had quite a downpour while setting up at the campsite.

Just a note, I’m averaging over 300 visits to this Blog weekly.  So a big shout out to all you visitors.  Feel free to e-mail me any comments or suggestions at:  douglas.palosaari@gmail.com

Chattanooga is home to Rock City, Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga Choo Choo rail museum and lots more.  I made it to two of the local attractions so far, the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and Rock City.  The first, the National Military Park, has a wonderful view from a mile up overlooking all of Chattanooga.  It’s where a critical battle took place during the Civil War.  Union soldiers climbed to the summit one mile up and took control thus ensuring a critical supply line thru Chattanooga for the Union troops.  Countrymen fighting against countrymen to free slaves.

Later, after driving around the top of lookout mountain with it’s stately homes nestled in a thick forest setting, many perched on the edge of this steep mountain ridge, forming a unique community in the clouds, I drove down to a lower elevation and just over the Georgia/Tennessee boarder to Rock City.

We’ve all seen the signs for Rock City from Florida to Michigan and beyond, advertising, See Rock City.  You’d have to live under a rock not to have see the signs.  Well I finally did.  It is of course one of those true old time road side attractions that continues to draw tourists today.  About $18 to enter this world of trails leading one through a unique world of rock caverns, slot canyons (some where I had to walk sideways to get through), swing bridges over deep passes, and awesome cliff views overlooking 7 states.  It is touristy and yet charming in it’s own right.  Nature meets the Barnum and Bailey of the outdoor attractions.

Daily late afternoon rains have kept everything sparking clean and green, after a couple of years of horrid drought, the entire south eastern U.S. has recovered and overflowing with full rivers and lakes.  This morning I awoke to a misty world of fog.

Well today was one of those just about perfect days out on the road.  So let me describe what to me is the perfect day.  First off, I got up and had my usual coffee and instead of a bagel, I had a banana, read my e-mails and decided to go into Chattanooga  for a boat ride.  On the way I stopped off at the local post office and picked up my mail I had sent General Delivery a few days earlier.  Since this was the beginning of the River Fest downtown, I had called ahead for info and was told if I could find a metered parking spot, it would be free on the weekend.  Didn’t take me long and I found a free spot, so I saved about $10 on parking.  You know me, that was a great way to start off my adventure.

As I walked down Broadway, one of the main streets downtown, passing a homeless person, I noted all the new buildings and refurbished older building that have been turned into shops, coffee shops and restaurants.  I decided to try Peppers Deli.  What a good choice.  Had a super Cuban sandwich with the best potato salad I’ve ever had.  It’s a small chain of restaurants in the south and if you happen to go past one, stop on in.  The food is awesome and with a great atmosphere and really cool music.

After the early lunch, I headed down to the Aquarium and Visitor Center where I got my ticket for the high speed catamaran boat ride.  Since I had time and was just outside the aquarium area where they were having free performances throughout the day, I was able to enjoy a couple of really great music acts.  One, a local swing band with really great singers and then a couple smaller groups.  One of the big band singers sounded just like Mike Bublea.  A solo artist performed some great blues music.  And did I mention it was free.  Gad the day was just getting better and better.  Even though it was hot out, I found a few shady spots to sit and listen to the music and even joined the kids and parents as we all soaked our toes in these wonderful concrete rivers throughout the beautifully landscaped park setting.  Stepping stones across the winding river and fountains with lots of great places to sit and wade at the waters edge.

I talked to a number of locals and told them how Impressed I was by the downtown area.  Everything is so vibrant and alive.  They told me about 15 years ago you’d never see anyone downtown, except bums and hookers.  The city put in the huge Aquarium along the river walk and that started a downtown revival that has continued.  With new shops, apartments and condos.  What a come back for a super nice city.

Finally it was time to go on the catamaran, which had indoor air-conditioned seating for about 75 passengers on a sleek new powerful boat that travels at speeds up to 55 miles an hour.  We traveled down the Tennessee River to the gorges where we could go outside and take pictures from the top deck before going back upstream for the return trip.  A fun ride, though nothing terribly exciting to see.

Listened to a bit more free music before stopping by the coffee shop on the way  back to my truck and got an iced coffee, which for me is so decadent as I’m not really supposed to have caffeine with my blood pressure.  But it was just so darn good and just a great way to cap off a fun day.

So that to me is a perfect day of fun and discovery.

Until I describe the next adventure, have a great day of discover yourself.

PS lots more photo's on my PICASA web site.

2010-17A A Bonus Report, The Little White House: Warm Springs Georgia

Roosevelt’s Little White House, State Historic Site

Warm Springs Georgia

I've traveled from Macon to La Grange Georgia so I could visit the Roosevelt Little White House in Warm Springs Georgia.  I could have stayed at the FDR state park, but they now charge $28 a night for an Rv site which is just a bit much for my budget.  As a full time Rv’er, that equates to $840 a month in camping fees.  I know it sounds like I pinch my pennies, but I do have to watch them, as the cost of camping can quickly get out of hand if I don’t.  

This should be on any travelers itinerary.  The Site includes the Little White House, a home FDR had built while he was Governor of NY and was running for President.  He started coming here in 1924, when he contracted polio as the warming spring waters eased the pain and hardship a bit.  A first rate museum as well as the restored original pools are available for tours.   

The museum has the 1940 Willy roadster that FDR drove while down here along with story boards describing his accomplishments as well as Eleanor Roosevelt’s.  Though the museum and house are really about his life, challenges and triumphs.  The guide inside the little white house told me that the locals in the area did not like Eleanor, as she began supporting education for all the black children in the area.

One of the story boards said how he was always Optimistic, something I try to be most of the time.  For some reason, that along with the story of his life grabbed a hold of me.  Visiting the Little white house, a  simple pine paneled 3 bedroom cottage, with two out buildings, one for the servants quarters above the garage and the second as a guest house, exuded charm from every angle and vantage point.  

This is the first presidential home or museum that I must admit, I got choked up about.  From the minute I walked into the small kitchen and read the handwritten note: “Daisy Bonner cook the 1st meal and the last one in this cottage for the President Roosevelt” written above the stove, next to the panty entrance, I was hooked.  The house was left almost completely as it was the day he died in the cottage.  The simplicity of the only house President Roosevelt ever built for himself has enough charm to warm the coldest heart.  

So as I wandered through the main living area, dining, out onto the patio over looking the sloping wooded terrain, I could almost feel his presence.  A man who led our country through the great depression and WWII.  His fire side chats, the new Deal, the Civilian Conservation Corps, Rural electrification and the Tennessee Valley Authority all came about by his hand.  A man who understood the common man and his struggles and did so much to help them out.  

This will most likely be the highlight of my summer travels.  The small town of Warm Springs is filled with shops and restaurants along a compact two block district.  Weekends you will find a farmers market and local flea market sales on the corner.  The adjacent Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute which was founded by Roosevelt is still active and available to those in need of healing and rehab.  

This is truly a world heritage site if I’ve ever seen one.  Though I don’t think it has that designation yet.  Glad I could feel the power of this man and walk though the home he cherished.  With a bit of a moist eye, I leave the place as others explore and discover some of what I felt and saw that day.