Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 81

Judy's appointment went well today and we successfully navigated the heavy San Francisco traffic to and from the RV park.

We went out to dinner tonight at Joe's Taco Lounge in Mill Valley, a favorite area Mexican restaurant.

We head for home tomorrow, "sailing with the morning tide".

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 80

Judy had her two doctor's appointments in San Francisco - her 6 month CT scan and oncologist appointment.  Every thing looks good with no progression.  Good news!

After returning to the RV we had dinner and went to bed early.

Judy has another appointment tomorrow, an orthopedic follow-up.  This appointment is also in San Francisco at UCSF on the other side of town.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 79

We drove over to Sonoma and Napa after breakfast, picking up some wine and doing a little wine tasting. We also had a late lunch/early dinner at a favorite restaurant in St. Helena in the Napa Valley.

The weather was great, the scenery beautiful with all the grapes starting to grow, and a pleasant change from most of the "drive over" country we just travelled.

Judy has two doctors appointments in San Francisco tomorrow and another on Thursday.  After that, we head home on Friday.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 78

We are in Marin.  We arrived this afternoon after an uneventful drive through heavy traffic on I-80 to the Marin RV Park, just north of San Francisco.

We will be here for 4 nights. Tuesday is the extra travel day we planned into the trip in case of unexpected delays, weather or otherwise.  As it turned out, we didn't need it so we will do something fun today.  The plan is to pick up some wine club shipments in Napa and Sonoma and maybe do a little wine tasting in moderation.

Judy has medical appointments in San Francisco on Wednesday and Thursday and we will leave for home Friday morning.

It is good to back in CA and are looking forward to getting home on Friday.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 77

Today was our longest road segment - 400 miles from Las Vegas to Fallon, NV.  The good news was that it wasn't too windy, no dust storms or heavy traffic.

The road from Las Vegas to Fallon is pretty much a straight shot up US 95 from south to north.  The road is mostly 2-lane with no dividers with lots of "wide open spaces".  We were able to go mostly 70  mph  but it still took us 7 hours to get here.   Anyway, we are here, spending the night at Fallon Naval Air Station, now the home of the Top Gun fighter school and the home base of a Naval Air Wing when they are not deployed on an aircraft carrier.  It is a busy base.

It is dinner in the RV tonight and early to bed.  We are heading for Marin tomorrow and will be there for 4 nights for medical appointments at UCSF and associated activities.  We will be home on Friday and are looking forward to it.  It has been a long trip.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 76

We slept in this morning.  There was nothing on the agenda today other than laundry and getting a few things from the BX and Commissary. Oh, and I wanted to get the truck washed as the RV and Truck got really dirty as we came through the slush around Kingman.

I got the truck washed at the base self service car wash and the RV will have to wait for later.

The laundry got done as well as the shopping. Dinner was take out pizza and spaghetti, delivered.  The weather is warm/hot 85 degrees today and no wind - it feels great!

It is a long drive tomorrow as we head north through the desert to Fallon Naval Air Station, East of Reno .  The weather looks good, not much wind and plenty of great Nevada scenery along the way.

Marin on Monday.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 75

We got up early this morning feeling bad about missing Winslow, AZ.  The wind was just too bad yesterday.  So, since the wind had subsided quite a bit, we decided to backtrack the 20 miles to Winslow before getting on our way west.  We got the RV ready to go then took the truck and headed for Winslow - 20 miles east of the RV park.

The thing we wanted to see in Winslow was "The Standin' on The Corner Park".  You may recall the Eagles, a 70's rock group, recorded a song called "Take it Easy".  The lyrics include reference to Winslow, AZ, a stop on Old Route 66..." I was standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ and such a fine site to see.  Its a girl my Lord, in a flat board Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me....".

Well, Winslow, AZ didn't have a lot going for it after I-40 bypassed the town, so an inspired community decided to make the song an attraction to the town. The Standin' on the Corner Foundation was formed to create a renaissance of Winslow. Determined to build on tourism, the foundation took advantage of the town being mentioned in the song "Take It Easy" made famous by the Eagles. From 1997 until 1999, the foundation was busy finding donors and planning design concepts. On September 10 and 11, 1999 the park was opened to the public.

The park contains a two-story trompe-l'œil mural by John Pugh, and a bronze statue by Ron Adamson of a life-sized man who is standing on a corner with a guitar by his side. In 2016 a statue of  Glen Fry, lead singer of the Eagles, who along with Jackson Browne wrote the song, was added to the park.

The park is surrounded by a wall of bricks, with windows to peer into; each brick has a donor's name on it, and a story by each of the donors describing their fondness for Winslow, Arizona.

The park is now a photo op destination and over 10,000 people a year make the pilgrimage to have their picture taken "standin' on the corner".

We finally got on the road west about 10:00 am.  We encountered wind to Flagstaff, then snow flurries as we crossed the Arizona Divide at 7,300 ft  just west of town.  As we descended towards Kingman,  AZ it was still windy but not as bad as it was mostly a quartering headwind.

We turned north at Kingman, AZ towards Las Vegas and arrived at our stop for the night at the Nellis AFB FAMCAMP in NE Las Vegas around 3:30 pm local (we gained another hour as we are now in the Pacific Time Zone).  We will be here two nights.  Tomorrow will be an R&R day with nothing planned other than maybe laundry.

It was a long day, but we are glad we took the extra time to backtrack to Winslow.  The adventure continues.

Pictures Day 75 - Winslow

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 74

The plan for today was to tour the Meteor Crater then head into nearby Winslow.

We got an early start and arrived at the crater visitors center about 10:00 am.  It is only 5 miles south of the RV park but by the time we got there, the high winds expected with the forecasted frontal passage had arrived.  The winds on the rim of crater where the visitors center is located were blowing at least 40-50 mph with gusts much higher than that.  The area surrounding the crater is barren - nothing to be seen in any direction and the wind had no resistance as it blew across the plains.  One of the staff at center said they had recorded a 95 mph wind gust.  Based on our experience while outside at the crater viewing area where we actually had trouble standing up, I don't doubt it.

Inside the visitors center they had a number of interesting displays, explaining the history of the crater as well as other exhibits about meteors, meteorites, asteroids and other meteor strikes around the world.  As best as anyone can tell, the meteor strike here occurred about 50,000 years ago, was about 150 feet in length and impacted the earth at 26,000 mph.  In case you wondered, an asteroid is a non-planetary object orbiting the sun, a meteor is an object that enters the earths' atmosphere and burns up before it lands, and a meteorite is an object that actually impacts the earth.

The bottom of the crater is closed to the public due to ongoing scientific studies, although there are guided tours around the rim, but not today due to the high winds.

When we left the visitors center it seemed like the winds had increased and dust was being blown into the air and decreasing visibility, so we returned to the RV, brought in the sliders and hunkered down.  The forecast is for the wind to settle down into the evening as the front passes so we are unsure about going into Winslow at this point.

The high winds are from the south are causing major problems for travelers on I-40 which runs east and west.  Right now the RV park is filling up early as people cannot fight the dangerous cross winds.  It is good we were not planning to travel today.

The forecast for tomorrow looks better as the front moves east and the winds shift from out of the south to the west  and reduce in velocity.  Our destination for tomorrow is Las Vegas, NV.  We will be staying at Nellis AFB and the weather there looks like warm and sunny. We are ready for that.

Pictures -  Meteor Crater

The winds didn't die down very much so we decided to forget about Winslow this trip.  We stayed in the RV watched a DVD movie and went to bed early.  We didn't want to "push the envelope" so maybe next time for Winslow.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 73

The wind died down last night and it was essentially clear, calm and chilly when we got up this morning.  We were on the road by 9:30 am and we had a smooth trip west.

Before we reached our destination for today, Meteor Crater RV Park, we stopped at Petrified Forest National Park, just off of I-40 near Holbrook, AZ.  We were glad we did as we discovered another special place.

The park sits within the Painted Desert, a distinct ecosystem in the northeastern part of Arizona.  The park is one of the best places in the world to see the fossil record from the Late Triassic Period.  It encompasses the remnants of prehistoric forests, now petrified wood; plant and animal fossils; and artifacts of Ancestral Puebloan people including pottery, arrowheads, and petroglyphs dating back thousands of years.

The Petrified Forest is also part of a natural travel corridor that has been used for over 10,000 years.  In 1853 the corridor was surveyed as a possible transcontinental railroad route and in 1857 the government contracted to build a wagon road through the area.  In 1926 US Route 66 was established as one of the original highways in the US Highway System stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles. A section of the old highway passes through the park and has been preserved, the only section of the highway in the National Park System.  The hulk of a 1932 Studebaker marks a portion of old Highway 66 in the park.

In 1906 the Petrified Forest National Monument was created and it became a National Park in 1962.  Here is a link to more information about the park and the surrounding area:

Petrified Forest National Park

We started our visit at the visitors center, watched a short movie about the history of the park and looked at the exhibits.  There is also a nice café and gift shop there.  We had lunch ordering Indian Fry Bread Tacos that were very good and we bought a few souveniors at the gift shop.

After lunch we took a driving tour of a portion of the park, stopping at various vista points.  We also visited the restored Painted Desert Inn, a popular stop along Old Route 66.  It is  a National Historic Landmark and displays original furniture and outstanding murals  describing various aspects of Hopi Indian life.  There was also an 88 year old Navajo grandmother weaving authentic and very beautiful Navajo rugs.  All were for sale along with a large collection of jewelry and necklaces.

After our visit to the park, we continued west for another 75 miles to our destination for the next two nights, Meteor Crater RV Park.  The park is adjacent to a large meteor crater more than a mile across and over 500 ft deep.  It is estimated that it hit the earth about 50,000 years ago.

Depending on the length of the Meteor Crater visit, we are also planning to backtrack a little and visit the town of Winslow, AZ, a stop on Route 66 and the town identified in the popular song by the Eagles, some may recall.

Pictures - Day 72

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 72

We got an early start today in attempt to help mitigate the high wind forecast as we headed west to Albuquerque. 

Things weren't too bad or the first hour of so, then things got worse.  We fought sustained winds of 35-45 mph with occasional gusts higher than that.  The wind was mostly  a quartering headwind from the WSW.  It was really a tough drive as we had to slow down to 50-55 mph most of the way on a 75 mph highway.  The big trucks and autos were not affected to the extent we were by the wind and they continued to blow by us, causing additional swaying of the RV as they passed.

We are staying at an RV park just west of Albuquerque.  We arrived about 3:30 PM local time, gaining an hour after entering the Mountain Time Zone.  The park is part of a new casino complex and is very nice.  They also have a complimentary shuttle that will deliver you to and from your RV to the casino.  We are resting right now and may or may not go over to the casino for dinner later.  The wind is still blowing very hard but is expected to diminish during the night.  The forecast for tomorrow is for much lighter winds as we continue west.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 71

After getting gas and a truck stop mocha, we departed the RV park in Weatherford about 10:00 am and headed west on I-40 to Amarillo, TX our stop for today.

The wind picked up considerably as the day progressed and we fought a fairly strong crosswind out of the south.  It was definitely a "two hands on the wheel" day.

We are staying at a nice RV park just west of Amarillo.  The city is surrounded by plains and ranch lands in all directions and is the major city in the Texas Panhandle.  The best description of the area is "wide open spaces".

The weather looks good to the west (but still windy) so it looks like we can continue on to Albuquerque tomorrow then 2 nights in the Winslow, AZ  area to tour the Meteor Crater and other local attractions.

The RV park here makes its own pizza, so that will be our dinner tonight.

Pictures - Day 71

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 70

After our dose of unwanted winter, we left McConnell AFB this morning for Oklahoma City, OK.

It was cold and windy again last night.  There were sustained winds of 20 - 30 mph winds, with occasional wind gusts higher than that.  The overnight temperature also dipped into the 20s.  The sliders were in, the water hose disconnected, and the furnace was on during the night.

When we got-up we hooked up and got out of town despite the wind and cold temperatures.  The good news was that the wind was from the north and we were heading south.  The skies began to clear and the wind direction remained constant as we approached Oklahoma City.

After turning west at Oklahoma City on I-40 we continued our stop for tonight in Weatherford, OK, about 40 miles west of the city.  The temperature was warmer (almost 80 degrees), the sun was out and the wind had subsided.  We did pass through a wildfire smoke plume from a huge wildfire in NW Oklahoma.  We are not near the fire but the plume is wind driven and extends over 100 miles downwind.

We are staying at a nice RV park, very new with lots of space, level pull-through concrete pads and pretty good Internet.

We will continue west tomorrow to Amarillo, TX.  The weather looks good, but windy again. 

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 69

Not a lot to report today.  We are staying another day at McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS.

We got out of Lincoln before the snowstorm yesterday and today the strong low pressure area and cold front continue to hammer areas north of us and elsewhere in the midwest and further east.  This deep low pressure area has a strong pressure gradient causing high counter clockwise winds over a large area as it moves eastwards.

The result of this storm where we are is no rain/snow but cold temperatures and high winds.  The temperature yesterday was 74 degrees,  The high today was 40 degrees.  The winds today were also 30-35 mph sustained with gusts up to 50 mph. This is North Dakota weather for sure and very unseasonable, even for here.

The highlight of the day besides avoiding getting blown over while walking, was doing the laundry.  I also made a quick visit to the BX and Commissary for a few things.

The forecast is forto be better tomorrow as the wind subsides.  We are heading south to Oklahoma City then west on I-40 towards home.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 68

We left Lincoln about 9:30 am and headed due south to Wichita, KS.  It was a very windy drive through small towns and lots of prairie in southern Nebraska and northern Kansas.  It was a two lane road with not a lot of traffic but a strong wind that seemed to change direction with every  bend in the road.

We are staying tonight, and tomorrow at McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS.  The base has an RV park (FAMCAMP) that is open to active duty and retired military personnel.  It is a nice facility, with full hook-ups and certainly secure.

The forecast tomorrow here is for much cooler temperatures as the front moves through with lots of wind, continuing into Sunday.  We will ride things out here until the weather settles down a little.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 67

Getting caught up with the blog.

We left the RV park in Nevada, MO and drove up to Lincoln, NE to visit our son Brian and his family.  We are at the Camp A Way RV Park in North Lincoln.  We have stayed here several times in the past and it is a great place to stay.

We met Brian and the grandkids for dinner and had a good time getting caught up with how everyone is doing.

Our plan was to stay two nights, but after checking the forecast for Friday Night - Saturday, Lincoln was on the edge of a blizzard warning, expecting 1-3 " of snow on Saturday.  So after an abbreviated visit, we decided to leave Friday at morning and head south towards better weather.  It was good to see Brian and the kids again and we had an excellent , although abbreviated, visit.

Florida Sprig Training 2018 - Day 66

Well, we are in Nevada, no,not that one, but rather Nevada, MO.  We are half way between Little Rock, AR and Lincoln, NE on our detour to visit our son Brian and his family in Lincoln.

We left Little Rock about 9:00 am and headed west towards Ft. Smith, AR then north to Fayetteville, AR and into Missouri on I-49.   It was clear and very windy, mostly a quartering tailwind so it wasn't too bad.

We are staying at a roadside RV park, the Osage Prairie RV Park in Nevada ,MO, nothing fancy but adequate for an overnight.

We will be in Lincoln, NE tomorrow for a minimum of 2 nights, and maybe 3 depending on the weather that has snow in the forecast.

The journey continues.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 65

We left Tupelo about 10:00 am after getting gas and a truck stop mocha.

It was a fairly easy ride to Memphis, TN then west on I-40 to Little Rock, AR, our stop for the night. We hadn't made any firm plans for heading home from here, remaining flexible due to weather issues that can arise this time of year.

After looking at all the issues, we decided to take a detour up to Lincoln, NE to visit our son Brian and his family for a few days on the way home.  So, tomorrow we will head for Lincoln, NE with a stop tomorrow night in Missouri. From Lincoln, we will evaluate the best route home considering the weather forecast and wind predictions.

We are staying at a KOA in North Little Rock, just off of I-40.  We stayed here several years ago.  It is a nice park and a great overnight stop.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 64

After sleeping in this morning and getting mochas at a Starbucks we travelled back up the Trace a little to a spot we missed yesterday. 

It was the site of grave stones for thirteen unknown Confederate soldiers and a section of the Old Trace.  It was short walk from the parking area and we were glad we went back to see it.  It was a very peaceful site and other visitors had left small mementos on the grave stones including coins and other small trinkets obviously left as tokens of respect.  There were also small Confederate flags along side each tombstone, each appearing to be almost new.  It is a small tribute to the men who died fighting for their cause and not necessarily a Confederate memorial. It was a very nice and unexpected experience.

Our next stop was the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitors Center in Tupelo.  It is another excellent National Park visitors center.  After watching a short movie about the parkway and touring the exhibits, we travelled south on the parkway a bit to visit the site of a Chickasaw Native American village.

We then went into Tupelo for a late lunch.  We came across a Mexican restaurant and had a great meal, the first Mexican food we have had for awhile.

After lunch we decided further sightseeing along the parkway and in Tupelo would have to wait for another time.  We passed up a visit to Elvis's home where he was born and several other local Elvis attractions.  Maybe next time. We did pass a monument to a small Civil War battle in 1864 in Tupelo that was a Union victory.

After getting a few groceries at the local Kroger, we returned to the RV to rest and get ready for the next leg of our trip tomorrow to Little Rock, AR.

Pictures - Day 64

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 63

It was very cold last night, the coldest of the trip so far.  When we got up this morning it was 31 degrees outside and our water hose from the outside spigot to the RV was frozen.  We still had our internal water supply however.  The weather is clear and no wind and its supposed to be warmer today (we think, as we have no real-time access to the outside world at the moment).

Our first stop on the Natchez Trace Parkway was the grave site and memorial to Meriwether Lewis who died on the Trace in 1809 on his way to Washington DC.  The small visitors' center is in a replica of the cabin where Lewis died.  We also saw a segment of the original pathway of the Old Trace that goes through the grave and memorial site.

As we travelled down the parkway we stopped at numerous historical spots and other parts of the Old Trace along the way.  It was all very interesting and informative.  The parkway was almost deserted and we had the 2-lane road to ourselves  except for the occasional bicyclist, RV and car.  The day remained cool with mostly cloudy skies. The trees and bushes are just starting to blossom out as spring approaches.

We arrived at our stop for the next two nights in Tupelo, MS. The park is just off of the parkway and very near the main Parkway Visitors Center.  After getting set-up and resting for awhile, we had dinner at a local BBQ restaurant that was very good.

The plan for tomorrow is to check out the visitors center, do some more exploring of the local area and see what else develops.  The weather seems warmer, but still cool with a forecast of sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s for the next two days.

Pictures - Day 63

Florida Spring Tarining 2018 - Day 62

It rained again last night but had ended when we got up this morning.  The skies were still cloudy however and it was a lot cooler.  We got a little bit of a late start, leaving around 11:30 am after getting gas.  We only had 200 miles to go though and the later start helped the traffic situation going through Chattanooga on I-24.

In Chattanooga we turned NW towards Nashville, turning left at Murfreeboro south of Nashville then SW through rolling hill country to join the Natchez Trace Parkway.  We then headed SW on the parkway to the RV Park where we are staying tonight.  We had a hard time finding the park due to poor instructions and bad directions on the GPS.  We are here now however and buttoned up for the night.  The park is a huge Thousands Trails campground, but is best described as “rustic” and sprawling around a man-made lake.  It looks most of the people here are permanent/semi-permanent residents.  We haven’t seen any other overnighters.  No banjo music however. We are also off the grid with no Internet or TV service (cable and Antenna).  We are not going anywhere tonight, because we didn’t unhook and the temperature is presently 42 degrees and windy.

The Natchez Trace Parkway was established as a unit of the National Park System in 1938 and was officially completed in 2005.  The Parkway commemorates the most significant highway of the Old Southwest.  It stretches 444 miles from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS through the three states of Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi and 10,000 years of history.

The trail that became the Natchez Trace goes back many centuries.  It bisected the traditional Native American homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations and was a trading and transportation route for them.  As the United States expanded westward in the late 1700s and early 1800s, growing numbers of travelers used the trail, turning it into a clearly marked path. In 1801 President Jefferson designated the Trace a national post road for mail delivery between Nashville and Natchez.

In the early 1800s through the mid-1820s, “Kaintucks” from the Ohio River Valley floated cash crops, livestock, and other materials down the Mississippi River on wooden flatboats.  At Natchez or New Orleans, they sold their goods, sold their boats for lumber and walked or road horseback back home via the Old Trace.  As the road improved, stands (inns) provided lodging, food, and drink to the travelers.

Today the Parkway creates a greenway from the southern Appalachian foothills of Tennessee to the bluffs of the lower Mississippi River.  There are many historic landmarks along the way and the Trace crosses four distinct ecosystems and eight major watersheds.  It is habitat for 1,500 hundred species of plants, 33 mammal species, 134 bird species and 70 species of reptiles and amphibians.  The parkway also has limited access and commercial traffic is prohibited.  Traffic at this time of year is virtually non-existent. It is still early spring (or late winter) here.  The trees are just starting to bloom and it is cold at the moment.  I am sure it will be busier during the summer.

The plan tomorrow is to visit various stops along the parkway as we head south to Tupelo, MS. Our first stop tomorrow is the nearby Meriwether Lewis Monument and Gravesite.  Lewis stayed here on the Trace in 1809 on his way back to Washington, DC and died under mysterious circumstances from gunshot wounds.  Many believed he had taken his own life while others were later convinced that he was murdered.

Pictures - Day 62

Florida Spring Training - Day 61

Rain was on the way when we woke up this morning.  The first wave came through around 9:00 am, not severe but just light rain.  So, instead of taking the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain this morning, we decided to do laundry instead.

After the laundry was done, the rain stopped although the next wave was forecast to come through later in the afternoon and be more extensive.  We still wanted to see Lookout Mountain though, so after lunch at the nearby Cracker Barrel, we drove up the mountain instead of taking the railway.  The rain started again as we arrived on top and by the time we left, is was coming down pretty good, but again no thunder and lightning.  The view from the mountain was mostly obscured by the low clouds but we were able to get a glimpse here-and-there of Chattanooga and the surrounding river valley.

The area we visited on the mountain is called Point Park, part of the Chattanooga and Chickamauga National Military Park.  It is on the north end of the park and  has excellent views of the surrounding area (when the weather is clear).  The rest of the mountain is mostly residential with many expensive-looking homes.  There are also several tourist attractions besides the Incline Railway, including Ruby Falls, Rock City, and a Civil War battle show, a digital projection of the battle with an adjoining Civil War Relic and Weapon Collection.  All charge admission and are mostly tourist oriented.

The Battle for Lookout Mountain was part of the Battle for Chattanooga and is known as the "Battle Above the Clouds".  It was fought in November 1863 after the breakout of the Union forces from the city during the siege by the Confederates.  The siege had followed the Union defeat at Chickamauga in September.

From early October through Late November, the Confederates occupied all the high ground and had the City surrounded. In late October, the Union forces, now under General Grant, successfully opened a supply route into the city.  On November 24th, Union troops under Gen Joseph Hooker swept the Confederates off Lookout Mountain in a battle fought mostly above clouds covering the valley below.

The Confederates then withdrew to Missionary Ridge where the next great battle of the campaign was fought.  It was marked by the famous charge up the ridge without orders by veterans of General Thomas'  14th Corp, seeking revenge for their defeat at Chickamauga.  The daring charge drove the Confederates off the ridge causing their army to retreat south towards Atlanta.  The Union victory was one of the most decisive of the war, opening up the gateway to the South's industrial heartland and cutting off major supply and transportation routes for them.

After driving down the mountain we headed back to the RV park  SE of town, joining the congested traffic on I-24, the connector route at the convergence of major interstate highways connecting Birmingham, Nashville, Knoxville and Atlanta.  Chattanooga was, and still, is a major transportation hub.

We had a light dinner in the RV and retired  early after a busy day.  It was a good visit despite the rain and it was great to see the battlefields that played such an important role in the Civil War.  The RV park was also a good choice.  It had all the accommodations we needed  and even a monument to a Union regiment placed by veterans that were encamped here during the Battle of Chickamauga. 

Like many battlefields such as Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, a lot of encroachment and development occurred after the war that precluded preservation of the battlefields for future generations. Historical preservation of these battlegrounds is an important part of our national heritage and helps recognize and help understand the sacrifices made by so many in support of their cause during the Civil War. It was good that the Chickamauga Battlefield has been preserved  before it was plowed under and developed.  It is a lasting monument to the many men who fought and died here and the ferocious battle that occurred.

Tomorrow, we drive up towards Nashville then down the Natchez Trace as we continue our history tour on the way home.

Pictures Day 61

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 60

We toured the Civil War battlefield of Chickamauga, TN today.  The battlefield is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Battlefield just south of the city of Chattanooga.  The park is managed by the National Park Service and was the first such park set up in the United States. It was authorized by Congress in 1890, dedicated in 1895 and has served since then as a model for most national military and historical parks.

We started our tour at the visitor's center and watched a 28 minute film about the battles in the area.  It was well done and very informative.  We then toured the visitor's center and got information to do a driving tour of the Chickamauga battleground.

The battle was fought in September 1863 between the Union Army of the Cumberland, under General William Rosecrans and the Confederate Army under General Braxton Bragg's Army of the Tennessee.  The key objective was control of Chattanooga, TN, a small city on the banks of the Tennessee River that cut through the Appalachian Mountains.  The city also was the convergence point for four major railroads.  If the Union could capture Chattanooga, it could cripple Confederate supply lines and provide a major departure point for invasion of the south towards Atlanta.

The Union forces originally occupied the city after Bragg was outmaneuvered by Rosecrans, forcing the Confederates to evacuate the city and the surrounding heights.  Rosecrans continued south but was surprised by Bragg's army that had regrouped.  The two armies then met south of town at Chickamauga. Between September 18-20, 1863, the two armies battered each other.  The South gained the advantage when a Union miscommunication on troop positioning left a huge gap in the Union lines. The Confederate troops stormed through the gap, causing panic and confusion forcing the Union forces to retreat back into Chattanooga.  The Confederates than occupied the surrounding heights and decided to put the city under siege until they surrendered. The battle for Chickamauga came at a terrible cost.  Union forces engaged over 58,000 troops and had 16,000 casualties with over 1,600 killed and 4800 captured or missing.  The Confederates engaged about 66,000 troops with 2,700 killed and 2,000 captured or missing.  The total wounded on both sides was over  26,000, many with horrible wounds that only had minimal, if any, primitive medical care.

The siege continued into November when the Union forces, now under U.S. Grant, were reinforced.  They attacked out from the city, driving the Confederates off Lookout Ridge and. after a decisive battle, captured Missionary Ridge.  The Confederates were then forced to retreat, opening up the route south for the Union Army.  This also transformed Chattanooga into a supply and communications base for General Sherman's upcoming invasion of the south.

After leaving the visitor's center, we did the driving tour of the battleground.  The grounds are well maintained with numerous monuments to the various units that fought there, both north and south.  It was a great tour with detailed descriptions of the various engagements and who was involved, and a fitting tribute to everyone who fought there.  We have visited a lot of Civil War battlefields, and Chickamauga is one of the best.

We are planning to take the Incline Railway up to the top of Lookout Mountain tomorrow and "look around" a little.  Missionary Ridge is fully developed and nothing there has been preserved except for a few roadside monuments.

Pictures- Day 60

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 59

It rained last night - pretty hard with thunder and lightning as another cold front came through. They had a few tornado warnings further north but nothing developed. When we got up this morning the front had moved on, it wasn't raining and the skies were partly cloudy, it was windy and much cooler.

We got on the road about 10:30 am for another relatively short drive (120 miles) to Chattanooga, TN. We have never been here before and wanted to see the Civil War sites in the area. As we traveled NE to get here we actually went through a part of GA again before entering the SE corner of TN. And, we are now back in the Eastern Time Zone.

We are staying at a nice RV park on the east side of town. We arrived here in the afternoon after an easy drive from our last stop in Oxford, AL. We then relaxed in the RV and had an excellent shrimp and rice dish Judy cooked for dinner.

We will be here three nights. The plan for tomorrow is sightseeing, There is a lot to do here and hope to get an early start after breakfast. Pictures tomorrow.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 58

We left Stone Mountain about 11:00 am for a short 110 mile drive through Atlanta on I-20 to Anniston, Al to visit our high school classmate Paula Smith and her husband Dallas.  We met them for dinner and had a great time talking about old times and getting caught-up on current events and activities.

After dinner we picked -up a few groceries and returned to the RV.  The forecast is calling for some weather overnight but it looks pretty good out there right now.  The time zone changed as we crossed into Alabama and we are now in the Central Time Zone.

We head north tomorrow up to Chattanooga, TN where we will spend three nights, touring Civil War sites and other attractions.  We have never been there and wanted to check it out this trip.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 57

After staying up late to watch the laser light/fireworks show reflected on the face of Stone Mountain last night we decided to check out some of the attractions in the park today. 

The first thing was a visit to Memorial Hall.  It is a large building that features two films - one about the history of building the monument on the face of the mountain, the other about Georgia's participation in the Civil War. We also visited the museum in the building.  It was very interesting and featured the history of building the sculpture as well as the history of the area and Georgia from the earliest times to the present day.

After a light lunch at the snack bar, we took the tram to the top of the mountain.  From the mountain top you can see about 60 miles in any direction on a clear day. Today was a perfect day with little wind and temperatures in the 70's.  There is also a walk-up trail.  It has about an 800 foot altitude change and is about a mile in length.  There were a lot of people on the mountain top today including families and young children.

After coming down from the mountain we walked over to the train station for a 5-mile train ride around the mountain.  It is a real train with a diesel engine and can carry up to 350 persons per trip. It was a nice ride and we got to see the back side of the mountain with its numerous quarries close-up.  It was also good to sit down and relax for awhile.

After the train ride, we drove around the park a little, driving over a real covered bridge which had been moved here from somewhere else in Georgia years ago.  We also saw (again) the quarries where granite was mined and used for buildings all over the world, and a grist mile that apparently used to be a working mill at some time in the past.  The quarries have been closed for years.

Our energy batteries were flashing "red" by then so we retired to the RV for drinks and snacks before dinner (leftovers).

We had a nice visit to the park and it was great to see Kevin and his new "digs".  The state and the management company than runs the park operation have really done a nice job.  It is a great place for a family vacation, a picnic, or a variety of outdoor attractions for almost anyone.  It is a real bonus for the region to have such an attraction nearby to a large urban area.

We are on the road tomorrow, heading to Anniston, AL to visit a high school friend and her husband.  It is only about 120 miles from here but we have to go through downtown Atlanta on I-20 to get there.

Pictures - Day 57 

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 56

After we checked out of the Hotel at Avalon this morning we had breakfast/lunch with Kevin before returning to Stone Mountain.  We ate at Goldberg's, A New York style deli with a large variety of menu choices.  Again, it was an excellent meal.

We then headed back to Stone Mountain and arrived in mid afternoon.  We will be staying here another day to see the sights and attractions in the park.  We are going to the laser light show in the park tonight with the mountain in the background.

Pictures - Day 56 - Alpharetta

We went to the laser and light show this evening.  It was a spectacular production with moving images projected on the mountain face with music, lights, columns of fire shooting into the air, lasers moving around here-and-there, fireworks during each segment and a grand finale fireworks show.  I am not sure how the Confederate heroes (Lee, Jackson, and Davis) would feel about the location being used as an entertainment venue. It is after all a monument to them and their cause.  However, the fact that it is there at all is quite an achievement.  I am sure a project of this scope could never be done today in our current culture of political correctness and revisionist history but it is here and it is the centerpiece of a popular attraction that is being enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures.

The production was a mixture of pop entertainment, patriotic themes and music, a tribute to each of the southern states in the Confederacy and a presentation of Georgia's participation in the Civil War.  The Confederate point of view was downplayed however and the underlying theme was that we are now one nation working together. Also, there wasn't a Confederate flag anywhere in sight.

It was an entertaining event and we were glad we attended.

Pictures - Day 56 - Stone Mountain

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 55

We drove over to Alpharetta, GA today to visit our son Kevin who recently transferred from San Francisco to his new position as Director of Operations, Enrollment & Billing, Delta Dental Insurance Company.

Alpharetta is in the northern suburbs of Atlanta and is about a 30-minute drive from where we are staying at Stone Mountain. He is living in an apartment in a mixed use development called Avalon.  It is a connected community of up-scale shopping, dining, entertainment, living and working.   His apartment is on the 6th floor of one of the three apartment buildings in the complex.  It is a "gated" facility with secure parking and access limited to residents and their guests.  it is really a nice apartment and everything is new. The complex just opened last year and he is the first resident of his apartment.

The area stretches for three blocks along a major street, Avalon Bvld.  There are numerous  shops and many restaurants on the street level and professional offices on the upper levels and adjacent side streets. Anchored  at one end of the community is a brand new hotel, The Hotel at Avalon.  Since we were going to the baseball game tonight to see the Phillies play the Atlanta Braves, we decided to spend the night at the hotel.

Prior to leaving for the game we walked around the Avalon area and had lunch at a Persian Restaurant, Rumi's Kitchen.  We ate outside and had an excellent meal.

The ball game was not so great. The Phillies lost to the Braves 15-2.  It was a real "clunker" with questionable managerial decisions and a poor performance by just about everyone involved.  It is still early, but the first three games of the season have not promoted much optimism about how well the team will do this year.

Pictures - Day 55

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 54

It was raining when we left the RV Park this morning about 9:30 am.  As we headed north on I-75 it started raining really hard and continued for about an hour as the cold front moved through the area.  The skies cleared eventually and it cooled down quite a bit.

As we approached the Atlanta area the traffic significantly increased and remained so until we arrived at Stone Mountain Park a little bit east of Atlanta.  The park, a big deal in this area, is a state park that surrounds Stone Mountain.  

Stone Mountain is a granite dome. elevation 1,686 feet, 825 feet above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain is well known for not only its geology, but also the enormous carved relief on its north face, the largest bas-relief in the world. The carving depicts three Confederate figures: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

The park is a great destination attraction, is a very popular place to visit and an excellent place  for a family vacation.

There is a 400-site RV park, two hotels , numerous sights and attractions, lakes, a golf course, restaurants, hiking and nature trails, picnic areas and group pavilions, evening laser light shows, boat rides, a cable car gondola ride up the mountain, a train that circles the mountain, nightly fireworks and a conference and environmental center.  Mostly though, the mountain is a Confederate war memorial that so far has escaped revisionist history outrage.

After getting set-up in the RV park and relaxing a little, we had dinner at The Commons Restaurant at the park golf course.  We had a great dinner with a lakeside view, then drove around the park a little to get oriented to it all.

We are going over to Kevin's apartment tomorrow, then to a baseball game between the Phillies and Atlanta Braves tomorrow night.  We will be staying in a hotel near Kevin's place tomorrow night and coming back here on Sunday.  We will be staying here on Monday to explore the park, then leaving Tuesday for Alabama to visit a high school friend, Paula and her husband Dallas.

Pictures - Day 54

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 53

We left Oldsmar around 10:30 am this morning after topping off with gas and propane.  It was a fairly easy drive on the Interstate through Tampa then north on I-75 toward Atlanta.  The traffic was heavy, lots of trucks and RVs heading north.  The snowbirds are heading for home.

We arrived at our stop for the night, the Eagles Roost RV Park, just south of Valdosta, GA.  It is a nice park for an overnight stop under a lot of trees with Spanish Moss hanging from them.  Although Spanish Moss is neither Spanish or a moss, it makes a pretty sight.

We are about half way to Atlanta and will follow I-75 to Atlanta and our stop at Stone Mountain, GA for the next few days.

It feels good to get on the road again and are looking forward to the trip home.

Pictures - Day 53

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 52

It was "breaking camp" day.  We both got haircuts, Judy had her nails done, I got gas in the truck, picked-up a few groceries and Judy did the laundry.  Dinner was take-out pizza.

We are a packed and ready to leave in the morning for Atlanta.  We will go half way tomorrow, then Atlanta on Friday.

Florida Spring Training - Day 51

Well, its a wrap on spring training baseball.  The Phillies and the Pittsburg Pirates tied 5-5 after an interesting game .  The weather was perfect - warm and sunny and my sister Eileen came down from Crystal River for the game.  We also had breakfast at Lenny's again and I had the"Redneck Benedict" one more time - two poached eggs on biscuits with sausage, all covered with gravy with a side of country potatoes and onions.   It was probably about 2,000 calories. Not health food but probably O.K. once a year (Well, maybe twice this year).

The Phillies finished spring training on an optimistic note despite losing a few more games than they won.  They have a lot of young players with the potential to do well and a mix of veterans who still have not yet reached their full potential .  Pitching may be O.K., but there are a lot of variables so it is hard to predict how well they will do this year.  I have a pretty good feeling about it all however and am going out on a limb to predict they will win 75 games this year and have an outside chance to make the playoffs. They open the season Thursday sday afternoon in Atlanta.

After the game we had dinner with Eileen at the Lucky Dill, a NY style restaurant just north of the park.  After returning to the RV we went to bed early.  Tomorrow we will be getting everything ready for our departure Thursday morning for Atlanta and the beginning of our trip home.

Pictures - Day 51

Florida Spring Training - Day 50

We didn't go to the beach today.  After sleeping in we decided we had enough to do here to get ready for our departure so we stayed "home" and started to break camp a little.  We also had someone come in to wash the RV as I am not allowed on the roof of the RV despite my "cat-like reflexes" and a fairly stable ladder.  We went out for lunch while the guy was washing the RV and bought a few supplies for the road.  It was a fairly late lunch so we just had nachos for an appetizer in-lieu of dinner.

Tomorrow is the last spring a manicuretraining game.  My sister Eileen is coming down from Crystal River for the game.  We are meeting her at Lenny's  for breakfast  before the game and maybe dinner afterwards.

Wednesday is more departure preparations including haircuts and a manicure for Judy.  We will then leave for Atlanta by way of Valdosta, GA Thursday morning.

The team appears to be shaping up pretty well.  They have looked pretty good the last few games and their roster appears to be set.  It will be a long season (162 games) but hope springs eternal and we'll see how it goes.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 49

Baseball today with the Baltimore Orioles.  The Phillies were winning until they brought in the minor leaguers in the 8th inning and ending up losing 6-5.  It was  a great day for a game, weather wise, 80 degrees, sunny and no wind.  We even had a 4-star general, the head of Joint Special Operations Command, a Philadelphia native and Phillies fan throw out the first ball.

The beach tomorrow. More baseball on T uesday - the last game.

Pictures - Day 49

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 48

Today was Oldsmar Days.  The City of Oldsmar is having its annual city celebration this weekend.  The event celebrates the founding of the town by R.E. Olds the founder of the town and the inventor of the Oldsmobile and the REO automobiles.  The history of the town and background on how R.E. Olds was involved is interesting.  Here is a link to more information:

Oldsmar History

The highlight of today was the parade with the usual collection of politicians sitting on the back of convertibles throwing out candy with their outriders walking alongside  handing out campaign literature and assorted trinkets.  There were also civic groups, organizations, businesses and public safety agencies with various floats, mostly homemade.  All were throwing beads, candy and other assorted things.  The highlight of the parade however was the large number of vintage Oldsmobiles in the parade from the first one in 1906 to the last of them in the 1990's.  There are several Oldsmobile clubs in the region and there were probably at least 20 -40 cars here today.  All were beaautifully restored, chaparoned by "olds guys", affectionally known as "lug nuts" by the fraternity of antique car buffs.

We arrived at the main city park on the bay before the parade started and walked around a little before finding a spot in the shade before the parade started. The crowd was not large but family oriented and a very nice "small town" event.  The parade lasted about an hour and a few of the floats and cars even came around again at the back of the parade.

After the parade we walked through the grounds in the park which featured a full service carnival with the typical games, rides and food booths.  Another section was a number of booths selling crafts and things and organizational booths touting their various services.  There was also a food court and continious live rock music being played by what appeared to be local bands.

We had a great lunch from the BBQ booth in the food court, walked around the area where the antique Oldsmobiles were displayed, then had ice cream for dessert while listening to a featured local band (The Homies) playing mostly rock cover songs as well as some of their own music (we think).  They were good and there was a good crowd listening to them as it appears they have a pretty good local following.

The weather was perfect - 78 degrees, sunny and no wind.  We were back in the RV about 4:00 pm after a very enjoyable day.

Baseball tomorrow, our next-to-last game.

PIctures - Day 48

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 47

Another day of taking it easy. We stayed around the RV today doing not much of anything.  I did some paperwork and trip planning for heading home.  Judy just relaxed.  The next thing we knew it was time for dinner.  After appetizers, I grilled steaks outside on the grill and Judy made a delicious rice dish.

Tomorrow we are going to Oldsmar Days and Nights, the city's three-day annual festival and parade. The Oldsmar name dates to April 12, 1916 when automobile pioneer and inventor of the Oldsmobile and REO autos, Ransom E. Olds purchased 37,541 acres of land by the northern part of Tampa Bay to establish "R. E. Olds-on-the-Bay". The name was later changed to Oldsmar, then to "Tampa Shores" in 1927, and finally back to Oldsmar in 1937.

A unique feature of the Saturday event is the display and participation in the parade by regional Oldsmobile car clubs that come from all over the south to display their vintage and restored Oldsmobiles.  We went last year, had a great time and are going back tomorrow.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 46

Today was a wild one - both at the game and weather-wise.

The Phillies new high-priced pitcher, Jake Arrieta, made his Phillies debute.  He was a late acquisition and this was his first spring training game.  He only pitched two innings and gave up 2 runs and three hits.  The game was another "clunker" as they lost to the Detroit Tigers 6-2.  The game was also marred by a series of ejections by the umpire who perceived that several players who were hit by pitched balls were thrown at on purpose.  Everone later denied trying to hit anyone on purpose but the umpire thought otherwise.

The other part of today's game experience was the weather.  It was clear but windy (right at us out of the NNW) and the temperature never got above 63 degrees.  That doesn't sound too bad compared to what others are experiening at the moment, but for here, that is cold.  We were bundled up pretty good but we only lasted to the 7th inning then left.

After a trip to Whole Foods in search of dried peaches (they didn't have any), we decided to head back to the RV rather than going over to the coast for dinner and a sunset as planned.  Plan B was Cracker Barrel for a hearty and delicious dinner of solid comfort food.

We have two games to go - Sunday and next Tuesday.  We also still have a few other things we want to do around here before leaving on Thursday for Atlanta to visit our son Kevin on the way home.

Pictures - Day 46

Phillies Spring Training 2018 - Day 45

Well, we stayed "home" again today.  After the front moved through yesterday it was very windy last night and much cooler.  When we got up this morning it was clear, but still very windy and cool.  We were going to vist the Florida Heritage Village again, but decided instead to do the laundry.  Not quite as exciting but a necessary travel chore.

That was about for the day and dinner was leftovers in the RV.  Life in the fast lane.

More baseball tomorrow.  The weather will remain cool then heat up into the weekend.

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 44

Baseball today was under a forecast of heavy thunderstorms and possible tornado warnings. Another cold front was coming in from the NW with a bunch of weather associated with it.

The game started under cloudy skies with the threat of rain.  The ground crew even had the tarp positined to put on the field.  The game started at 1:05 pm and moved along pretty well, but the rain and wind came in at the 7th inning and the game was stopped.  As it is spring training, they didn't wait until the rain moved on but rather just stopped the game at that point.  It was actually a pretty good game for the Phillies and they recorded an abbreviated 2-0 win.

Things were OK back at the RV park as most of the heavy weather went either north or south, although the park got a pretty good soaking.  By dinner time, the skies cleared, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped as the front moved through.  We are in for a few more days of cool and breezy weather and then it looks like Florida summer will start to kick-in next week. 

We are "off" tomorrow and plan to do some sightseeing.  There are three more games before we break camp on March 29th and begin our journey home.

Pictures - Day 44

Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 43

I guess we are staring to feel our age. We couldn't think of any thing we really wanted to do today, so we took another day off.

We slept in, putzed around for awhile, went out to Steak-and-Shake for lunch, got a few groceries, then fixed a few little things around the RV. I grilled sausage sandwiches  with onions and peppers for dinner. And, another early to bed is in the works.

The forecasted thunderstorms never materialized but the skies were threatening all day and the humidity was high.  Another cold front is due tomorrow with a couple more days of cool weather then more warm temperatures and humidity.  Florida summer is not far away.