We left Lone Pine about 8:30 am under clear and windy skies.
It was a long, but very pretty drive up US 395 on the east side of the Sierra. We stopped at the Mono Lake Visitors Center then continued north to Reno then home on I-80/CA 20, arriving home about 5:30 pm.
It was a great trip but it is good to be home.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 77
After having a mocha at the local McDonalds,the only place open in town early Easter morning, we drove to Manzanar about 6 miles north of Lone Pine.
Manzanar was one of ten relocation centers established by the United States government in 1942 for the forceable relocation of Japanese Americans living along the west coast. The presidential executive order by President Roosevelt directing the relocation was in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese government and the perceived threat to national security by Japanese Americans who were thought to be potentially sympathetic to Japan.
Although clearly a violation of the rights of U.S. citizens established in the US Constitution, the action was described by the Army and the government to be for their protection. In the context of the time, when the US was at war with Japan and the national outrage towards Japan and its sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, along with long established attitudes of racial prejudice in many parts of the country. There was also widespread public support of the relocation action. In the decades before WWII, politicians, newspapers and labor leaders fueled anti-Asian sentiment in the Western United States. Laws prevented immigrants from becoming citizens or owning land. Immigrants' children were born US citizens, yet they too faced prejudice. The Pearl Harbor attack only intensified hostility toward people of Japanese ancestry.
Manzanar was established in 1942 at the abandoned townsite of Manzinar into a camp that would confine over 10,000 Japanese American citizens and Japanese immigrants. The camp was guarded and run by the Army and a government agency administering the program. The camp was closed in November 1945, three months after the war ended. Despite regaining their freedom, many had a difficult time adjusting, and spent decades rebuilding their lives.
In the 1980s a congressional authorized commission recognized that race prejudice, a failure of political leadership, and war hysteria were responsible for the relocation and recommended a presidential apology and individual payments of $20,000 to each person incarcerated. The recommendations were approved by President Reagan and implemented in 1988 by President George H.W. Bush.
After the war all the relocation sites were dismantled and materials were sold as surplus.
At Manzanar however Buddhist and Christian ministers returned to the cemetery each year to remember the dead. In 1969 a group of activists came on their own pilgrimage of healing and remembrance. With the formation of the Manzanar Committee, this pilgrimage grew into an annual event attended by over a thousand people each year. These efforts to remember and preserve the camp led to the creation of the National Historic Site in 1992. This pilgrimage continues each year the last week in April and the 50th anniversary of the annual pilgrimage will be held next weekend with over 1,000 people expected to attend.
Manzinar today has been partially restored with some buildings housing examples of what they looked like when the camp was active. There are also numerous interactive displays inside the reconstructed buildings. There has been a dedicated effort by the Park Service to capture as much oral history as possible from people who were at the camp. They have an excellent job in doing this and many recordings are available to listen to as you tour the buildings.
A focal point of the restored site is the camp cemetery, It is marked by an iconic stone monument. A Catholic stone mason in the camp built the obelisk in 1943 with help from other residents of the camp. A Buddhist reverend at the camp inscribed the kanji characters that mean "soul consoling tower". Camp residents attended religious services here during the war. Today the monument is a focal point of the annual pilgrimage, serving as a symbol of solace and hope. The site is visited by thousands of people each year who come to reflect, worship, remember or protest. Many leave small offerings or artifacts in memory of not only the 150 people who died at Manzinar but all 120,313 Japanese Americans confined by their own government in WWII. Judy left a small offering during our visit today.
There is also an outstanding visitors center with a great introductory documentary movie and excellent exhibits.
After touring Manzinar we went into Lone Pine and had a late lunch/early dinner at a local café. Nothing fancy, but good.
On the way back to the RV park we stopped at he Lone Pine Visitors center, operated jointly by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service. This is where you get permits for hiking up Mt. Whitney, backpacking and camping reservations and other information about recreational opportunities in the area. Lone Pine is the gateway to Mt. Whitney and an access point to Death Valley about 100 miles to the east. There are also a number of excellent displays and exhibits as well as a native plant garden adjoining the center.
It was then back to the RV park after another long but enjoyable day. it is the end of our sightseeing as we return home tomorrow - north on US 95, then over to Tahoe and Donner Pass to Nevada City.
Manzanar was one of ten relocation centers established by the United States government in 1942 for the forceable relocation of Japanese Americans living along the west coast. The presidential executive order by President Roosevelt directing the relocation was in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese government and the perceived threat to national security by Japanese Americans who were thought to be potentially sympathetic to Japan.
Although clearly a violation of the rights of U.S. citizens established in the US Constitution, the action was described by the Army and the government to be for their protection. In the context of the time, when the US was at war with Japan and the national outrage towards Japan and its sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, along with long established attitudes of racial prejudice in many parts of the country. There was also widespread public support of the relocation action. In the decades before WWII, politicians, newspapers and labor leaders fueled anti-Asian sentiment in the Western United States. Laws prevented immigrants from becoming citizens or owning land. Immigrants' children were born US citizens, yet they too faced prejudice. The Pearl Harbor attack only intensified hostility toward people of Japanese ancestry.
Manzanar was established in 1942 at the abandoned townsite of Manzinar into a camp that would confine over 10,000 Japanese American citizens and Japanese immigrants. The camp was guarded and run by the Army and a government agency administering the program. The camp was closed in November 1945, three months after the war ended. Despite regaining their freedom, many had a difficult time adjusting, and spent decades rebuilding their lives.
In the 1980s a congressional authorized commission recognized that race prejudice, a failure of political leadership, and war hysteria were responsible for the relocation and recommended a presidential apology and individual payments of $20,000 to each person incarcerated. The recommendations were approved by President Reagan and implemented in 1988 by President George H.W. Bush.
After the war all the relocation sites were dismantled and materials were sold as surplus.
At Manzanar however Buddhist and Christian ministers returned to the cemetery each year to remember the dead. In 1969 a group of activists came on their own pilgrimage of healing and remembrance. With the formation of the Manzanar Committee, this pilgrimage grew into an annual event attended by over a thousand people each year. These efforts to remember and preserve the camp led to the creation of the National Historic Site in 1992. This pilgrimage continues each year the last week in April and the 50th anniversary of the annual pilgrimage will be held next weekend with over 1,000 people expected to attend.
Manzinar today has been partially restored with some buildings housing examples of what they looked like when the camp was active. There are also numerous interactive displays inside the reconstructed buildings. There has been a dedicated effort by the Park Service to capture as much oral history as possible from people who were at the camp. They have an excellent job in doing this and many recordings are available to listen to as you tour the buildings.
A focal point of the restored site is the camp cemetery, It is marked by an iconic stone monument. A Catholic stone mason in the camp built the obelisk in 1943 with help from other residents of the camp. A Buddhist reverend at the camp inscribed the kanji characters that mean "soul consoling tower". Camp residents attended religious services here during the war. Today the monument is a focal point of the annual pilgrimage, serving as a symbol of solace and hope. The site is visited by thousands of people each year who come to reflect, worship, remember or protest. Many leave small offerings or artifacts in memory of not only the 150 people who died at Manzinar but all 120,313 Japanese Americans confined by their own government in WWII. Judy left a small offering during our visit today.
There is also an outstanding visitors center with a great introductory documentary movie and excellent exhibits.
After touring Manzinar we went into Lone Pine and had a late lunch/early dinner at a local café. Nothing fancy, but good.
On the way back to the RV park we stopped at he Lone Pine Visitors center, operated jointly by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service. This is where you get permits for hiking up Mt. Whitney, backpacking and camping reservations and other information about recreational opportunities in the area. Lone Pine is the gateway to Mt. Whitney and an access point to Death Valley about 100 miles to the east. There are also a number of excellent displays and exhibits as well as a native plant garden adjoining the center.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 76
We are in Lone Pine, CA, in the shadow of Mt. Whitney. At 14.494 ft., Whitney is the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states.
It was a hard drive today with lots of wind. We left Palm Desert around 9:30 am after getting gas and a mocha on the way out of town. We had probably around a 20 mph cross wind most of the way to San Bernadino on I-10. We then turned north on I-215/I-15 where we picked up US 395 north up the east side of the Sierra. The wind continued, mostly a cross wind from the west, but not quite as strong as it was leaving Palm Desert.
Once we got on 395 at Victorville we were in the high desert at 3,000 ft.+. There is not much along the road except a few cows, several half-alive ghost towns and not much else. The scenery improved a little as we approached the Sierra and the wind died down a little. It was only a 250 mile drive today but it felt much longer.
The RV park where we are staying, Boulder Creek RV Resort, is a nice park . We have stayed here before, several years ago on a trip east. The park is crowded, probably since it is spring break for the Easter weekend. It is still windy, but not too cool. We are at 3,700 ft. so it may be a little chilly tonight.
The plan tomorrow is to visit Manzanar, the partially restored Japanese American relocation center in WW II, that is now a National Historic Site. Depending on timing, we may also do some more sightseeing in the area.
It was a hard drive today with lots of wind. We left Palm Desert around 9:30 am after getting gas and a mocha on the way out of town. We had probably around a 20 mph cross wind most of the way to San Bernadino on I-10. We then turned north on I-215/I-15 where we picked up US 395 north up the east side of the Sierra. The wind continued, mostly a cross wind from the west, but not quite as strong as it was leaving Palm Desert.
Once we got on 395 at Victorville we were in the high desert at 3,000 ft.+. There is not much along the road except a few cows, several half-alive ghost towns and not much else. The scenery improved a little as we approached the Sierra and the wind died down a little. It was only a 250 mile drive today but it felt much longer.
The RV park where we are staying, Boulder Creek RV Resort, is a nice park . We have stayed here before, several years ago on a trip east. The park is crowded, probably since it is spring break for the Easter weekend. It is still windy, but not too cool. We are at 3,700 ft. so it may be a little chilly tonight.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 75
We had another uneventful drive west today. We bypassed Phoenix to the south, heading west on I-8, then north from Gila Bend joining I-10 again about 30 miles west of Phoenix.
We filled up with gas just before leaving AZ. The cost of gas then went up a $1.00+ a gallon to over $4.00 a gallon as we crossed the Colorado River at Blythe, CA. We are now back in CA where the only thing we found anywhere else on this trip that was cheaper in CA was wine.
We are staying at the Emerald Desert RV Park in Palm Desert. We stayed here on the way east and several times on previous trips. It is an upscale park that has mostly thinned out as the snow birds have headed north. There is a big music festival, Coachella, going on this weekend just down the road in Indio, but it doesn't appear very many people staying here are festival goers. It looks like, based on the festival line-up, many attendees are younger/hipsters who probably don't stay at high end RV parks.
We went to dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby. We had a great meal then returned to the RV, passing up the opportunity to attend the music festival. Maybe next year.
We go on to Lone Pine, CA tomorrow for a 2-night stay. Lone Pine is on US 395 in the Owens Valley on the east side of the Sierra near Mt. Whitney. It is also near Manzanar, the site of a WWII internment camp for Japanese Americans. It has been partially restored and is now a National Historic Monument. We visited the site several years ago and it is worth a return trip.
We will then continue up US 395 on Monday, cut over to Tahoe near Carson City, and head over Donner Pass to home late Monday afternoon.
We filled up with gas just before leaving AZ. The cost of gas then went up a $1.00+ a gallon to over $4.00 a gallon as we crossed the Colorado River at Blythe, CA. We are now back in CA where the only thing we found anywhere else on this trip that was cheaper in CA was wine.
We are staying at the Emerald Desert RV Park in Palm Desert. We stayed here on the way east and several times on previous trips. It is an upscale park that has mostly thinned out as the snow birds have headed north. There is a big music festival, Coachella, going on this weekend just down the road in Indio, but it doesn't appear very many people staying here are festival goers. It looks like, based on the festival line-up, many attendees are younger/hipsters who probably don't stay at high end RV parks.
We went to dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby. We had a great meal then returned to the RV, passing up the opportunity to attend the music festival. Maybe next year.
We will then continue up US 395 on Monday, cut over to Tahoe near Carson City, and head over Donner Pass to home late Monday afternoon.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 74
What a difference today.
We left Las Cruces about 8:30 am under clear skies and calm winds. It was pretty much a straight shot west on I-10 through Tucson to Eloy, AZ just south of Phoenix where I-8 heads west to San Diego.
The wind remained essentially calm the whole way and we made good time covering the 330 miles to our destination. Traffic was also light, just us, the usual trucks, some fast moving cars and some local traffic near the towns along the highway. There was also very little road construction enroute and manageable traffic through Tucson.
We also stopped for lunch at one of our favorite rest areas, Texas Canyon, just east of Benson, AZ at the Texas Canyon Summit at 4,975 ft. The summit area is noted for its unusual rock formations and scenic views of the surrounding countryside.
We left Las Cruces about 8:30 am under clear skies and calm winds. It was pretty much a straight shot west on I-10 through Tucson to Eloy, AZ just south of Phoenix where I-8 heads west to San Diego.
The wind remained essentially calm the whole way and we made good time covering the 330 miles to our destination. Traffic was also light, just us, the usual trucks, some fast moving cars and some local traffic near the towns along the highway. There was also very little road construction enroute and manageable traffic through Tucson.
We also stopped for lunch at one of our favorite rest areas, Texas Canyon, just east of Benson, AZ at the Texas Canyon Summit at 4,975 ft. The summit area is noted for its unusual rock formations and scenic views of the surrounding countryside.
We will bypass downtown Phoenix tomorrow by heading west on I-8 to Gila Bend then north to I-10 again and west to Palm Desert, CA our stop for tomorrow night. We also gained another hour and are now on CA time since AZ doesn't do daylight saving time.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 73
It was a challenging drive today.
We left Ft Stockton at 8:30 am after we got gas and a truck stop mocha (French Vanilla). The wind was not bad for about the first 50 miles then a fairly strong cross wind kicked in. It was then "two hands on the wheel" with hard right rudder applied pretty much the rest of the 250 miles remaining. There is essentially not much between Ft. Stockton and El Paso and certainly nothing that can be called a wind break.
El Paso is also an interesting place. It surprisingly takes about twenty miles to get through the city if you count the suburban sprawl. And every time we have come through the city over the last 5 years there has been road construction in progress. It continues.
After we turned north from El Paso to Las Cruces,NM the wind got worse - a 25 mph sustained crosswind with higher gusts. Fortunately we only had 30 more miles to go to the Hacienda RV Resort, our destination for the night.
After resting awhile, we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner at the La Posta de Mesilla, our favorite Mexican restaurant here. It is located in Old Mesilla, just down the road from the RV park.
Old Mesilla used to be the main stagecoach stop here. It was a station on the old pony express trail as well as a trading post and cross road for commerce. When the railroad came through however it went through old Las Cruces and the town declined as Las Cruces grew. Today, Old Mesilla is essentially a suburb of Las Cruces and is both a tourist attraction and a modest residential community of working class Hispanics and most likely a number of arts and crafts people. There is a town square ringed with tourist shops and galleries and a Catholic church at the top of the square. There are also several good restaurants including the La Posta de Mesilla. We had a great meal after a long and tiring day.
We did stop for a few groceries at the nearby Walmart on the way back to the RV park. It was then early to bed to rest up for the next leg of the return trip, Phoenix, AZ.
We left Ft Stockton at 8:30 am after we got gas and a truck stop mocha (French Vanilla). The wind was not bad for about the first 50 miles then a fairly strong cross wind kicked in. It was then "two hands on the wheel" with hard right rudder applied pretty much the rest of the 250 miles remaining. There is essentially not much between Ft. Stockton and El Paso and certainly nothing that can be called a wind break.
El Paso is also an interesting place. It surprisingly takes about twenty miles to get through the city if you count the suburban sprawl. And every time we have come through the city over the last 5 years there has been road construction in progress. It continues.
After we turned north from El Paso to Las Cruces,NM the wind got worse - a 25 mph sustained crosswind with higher gusts. Fortunately we only had 30 more miles to go to the Hacienda RV Resort, our destination for the night.
After resting awhile, we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner at the La Posta de Mesilla, our favorite Mexican restaurant here. It is located in Old Mesilla, just down the road from the RV park.
Old Mesilla used to be the main stagecoach stop here. It was a station on the old pony express trail as well as a trading post and cross road for commerce. When the railroad came through however it went through old Las Cruces and the town declined as Las Cruces grew. Today, Old Mesilla is essentially a suburb of Las Cruces and is both a tourist attraction and a modest residential community of working class Hispanics and most likely a number of arts and crafts people. There is a town square ringed with tourist shops and galleries and a Catholic church at the top of the square. There are also several good restaurants including the La Posta de Mesilla. We had a great meal after a long and tiring day.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 72
We left the San Antonio area (actually Boerne, TX) around 9:00 am under cloudy skies and moderate winds. After getting gas, we headed west on I-10. There were no cities to go through today, just lots and lots of open space.
It was pretty windy most of the day but that eased up a lot as we got closer to Ft. Stockton, TX. We have stayed at this RV park just about every time we have come this way. It is a convenient stopping point between El Paso and San Antonio/Houston and has all the amenities needed for an overnight stop. We have even spent extra time here in the past. There is a lot of history here and an interesting place to visit. There is also a nice little café at the park that serves dinner and breakfast at reasonable prices.
We travel to Las Cruces, NM tomorrow just NW of El Paso to another familiar stopping place on our east/west route along I-10.
As a side note: parked next to us is an Urban Assault Vehicle RV. If it isn't it could be. It looks like a high end SWAT vehicle, but there is no twin 50 caliber gun turret visible - perhaps it is retractable. I checked the web site for the company that makes these. The sticker price for the basic model is $650,000 then you add things. My guess is this one comes close to $1,000,000 or maybe more. All are custom made. Not in our price range.
More sunset pictures:
Monday, April 15, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 71
We got an early start today at 8:30 am after a motel style breakfast supplied by the RV Park, something you don't often see at RV parks.
The drive took longer than normal. We had to drive through Houston and San Antonio traffic and what seemed like endless construction and lane compression delays throughout the route (I-10). All this along with a little wind made it seem like we would never get here.
We are staying at an OK park in Boerne, TX about 15 miles NW of San Antonio just off I-10. It is another long haul tomorrow over mostly open spaces to Ft. Stockton, TX, the second leg of the Texas transit. Right now the weather looks good ahead with only the wind to deal with across the prairie.
The drive took longer than normal. We had to drive through Houston and San Antonio traffic and what seemed like endless construction and lane compression delays throughout the route (I-10). All this along with a little wind made it seem like we would never get here.
We are staying at an OK park in Boerne, TX about 15 miles NW of San Antonio just off I-10. It is another long haul tomorrow over mostly open spaces to Ft. Stockton, TX, the second leg of the Texas transit. Right now the weather looks good ahead with only the wind to deal with across the prairie.
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 70
We are in Texas.
We left the RV park in Hammond and headed west on I-10 about 9:00 am under clear to partly cloudy skies but windy. The bad weather had moved through during the night and we only had a little rain and some wind, but nothing serious.
The trip to Beaumont, Texas, just inside the Texas border was not easy. We had a quartering crosswind out of the NW at 10-15 mph with higher gusts. That, along with lots of traffic and narrow lanes in construction areas on the highway, made for a "two hands on the wheel" driving day.
We arrived at our stop for the night at a RV park just passed Beaumont, right off of the highway. We are not planning to un-hook and will eat dinner in the RV and get an early start tomorrow. We have three days of driving to get through Texas. It will be San Antonio tomorrow night then Ft.. Stockton on Tuesday and Las Cruces, NM on Wednesday. Right now, the weather forecast looks good.
We left the RV park in Hammond and headed west on I-10 about 9:00 am under clear to partly cloudy skies but windy. The bad weather had moved through during the night and we only had a little rain and some wind, but nothing serious.
The trip to Beaumont, Texas, just inside the Texas border was not easy. We had a quartering crosswind out of the NW at 10-15 mph with higher gusts. That, along with lots of traffic and narrow lanes in construction areas on the highway, made for a "two hands on the wheel" driving day.
We arrived at our stop for the night at a RV park just passed Beaumont, right off of the highway. We are not planning to un-hook and will eat dinner in the RV and get an early start tomorrow. We have three days of driving to get through Texas. It will be San Antonio tomorrow night then Ft.. Stockton on Tuesday and Las Cruces, NM on Wednesday. Right now, the weather forecast looks good.
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 69
Kind of a quiet day today. We are here just to avoid the weather moving through and passed the time waiting in place. We didn't do much other than relax in the RV. It looks like it was a good decision to come further south however. Most of the really bad stuff passed to the north.
Actually, we had a pretty good weather day here - no rain, partly cloudy but windy. This evening however we have had rain, some thunder and lightning but nothing extreme so far. It is all supposed to pass through overnight and be clear tomorrow.
We are ready to continue west and will do so in the morning on I-10W to Beaumont, TX, on the eastern border of Texas, our next stop.
Friday, April 12, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 68
We have changed our itinerary due to the threat of severe
weather along our route tomorrow.
The original plan was to travel down the Natchez Trace to
Natchez, MS then on to Beaumont, TX on Saturday. Due to the forecast of
severe thunderstorms, possible tornados and high wind and hail we decided to
head straight south and not travel on Saturday. So, we turned off the
Trace north of Jackson, MS and headed down I-55 to Hammond, LA where we will
spend tonight and tomorrow night. The weather here is not expected to be
that severe tomorrow but travel west to Texas from Natchez, and even from here
would be risky.
Our new travel plans will require a few changes as we head west.
After we get to Beaumont, TX we will skip the 2-day stop in Schulenburg, TX and
head to San Antonio instead on I-10. It will be an overnight stop and we
will be back on schedule at Ft. Stockton, TX.
The RV park where we are staying is about 12 miles north of Hammond on a lake. It is not very busy and should be very quiet tonight. We have no plans for tomorrow other than to relax around the RV.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 67
We left Anniston, AL around 9:30 am after getting mochas at the local Starbucks. It was about a 200 mile drive to our stop for today, an RV park just south of Tupelo, MS on the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The drive was pretty much due west to Birmingham then slightly northwest to Tupelo. It is Interstate all the way, except the GPS got disoriented going through Birmingham highway construction and we had a nice little tour of the city before getting back on track. The drive was also windy as we had a pretty good crosswind out of the south all the way here. There was little traffic after we left Birmingham and a lot of open space through the rolling hills of northern Alabama.
We are staying at a small "mom & pop" RV park just off the Natchez Trace Parkway about 12 miles south of Tupelo. Nothing special here, but we are in a level pull-through site with full hook-ups.
The drive was pretty much due west to Birmingham then slightly northwest to Tupelo. It is Interstate all the way, except the GPS got disoriented going through Birmingham highway construction and we had a nice little tour of the city before getting back on track. The drive was also windy as we had a pretty good crosswind out of the south all the way here. There was little traffic after we left Birmingham and a lot of open space through the rolling hills of northern Alabama.
We are staying at a small "mom & pop" RV park just off the Natchez Trace Parkway about 12 miles south of Tupelo. Nothing special here, but we are in a level pull-through site with full hook-ups.
We will continue down the Natchez Trace Parkway tomorrow to its terminus at Natchez, MS. We did the upper part last year from Nashville, TN to Tupelo, MS and we wanted to do the rest of it this year.
The Natchez Trace National Parkway is 444 miles long and was established as part of the National Park System in 1938 and officially completed in 2005. The parkway commemorates the most significant highway of the Old Southwest.
This natural trail corridor that became the Natchez Trace dates back many centuries and bisected the traditional homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Native American nations. As the United States expanded westward in the late 1700s and early 1800s, growing numbers of travelers tramped the rough trail into a clearly marked path. Where the ground was relatively soft, walkers, riders and wagons wore down the "sunken" sections that are still visible today. In 1801 President Jefferson designated the Trace as a national post road for delivery of mail between Nashville and Natchez.
Many famous Americans have travelled on the Trace, but most were working folks. In the early 1800s through the mid-1800s "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 back or rode horseback home via the Old Trace. As the road was improved, stands (inns) provided food and lodging to travelers.
Today, the parkway creates a greenway from the southern Appalachian foothills of Tennessee to the bluffs of the Mississippi River. It crosses four distinct ecosystems and eight major watersheds. It is habitat for nearly 1,500 species of plants, 33 mammal species, 134 bird species and 70 species of reptiles and amphibians.
The temperature here is in the 80s. It is still windy and some rain is expected tonight, but nothing severe. It will be dinner in and a quiet night.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 66
We got up early to take the RV in to the tire shop to have the front end alignment checked. The shop was just down the road and specialized in big truck tires, alignments and related repairs.
While the RV was being worked on we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and looked around town a little. Anniston is essentially co-located with Oxford, AL that is also home to Jacksonville State University., a fairly large regional school. The area has a lot of motels, plenty of restaurants, chain and otherwise and the usual shopping centers and even an enclosed mall anchored by a Dillards department store. There also seems to be a lot of industrial park type of activity going on. The area is also close to a large NASCAR track in Talladega, AL where at least two major NASCAR races are held each year. Football is also very big here with local loyalties divided between Alabama and Auburn.
As it turned out, the RV wasn't too badly out of alignment but we had a flat tire on one of the inside rear tires (20 psi) that we hadn't known about. Tire pressures were also out of balance on the other tires. They fixed the flat, did a front end alignment and stabilized all the tire pressures, probably for about half the price it would have cost in CA. Actually, the only thing we have found on the trip so far that would be cheaper in CA is the wine.
After picking up the RV we returned to the RV park to relax a little before meeting our friends for an early dinner.
We had a dinner with Paula and Dallas at a Japanese/Asian restaurant. We had hibachi with all the usual flair that goes with hibachi meal preparation. It was good to see them again and get caught up on how things are going and reminiscing about old times. We went to high school with Paula and have kept in touch ever since. She joined the Army after college and met her husband Dallas who was a helicopter pilot in the Army while they were stationed here in Alabama. After they both retired, they stayed here worked for the Army in a civil service capacity.
Tomorrow, we head for Tupelo, MS then head down the Natchez Trace to Natchez, MS on Friday. Most of the sightseeing/visiting is now over and we begin a series of "one nighters" as we head home. Right now the weather looks pretty good along the southern route we will be taking, but things can change rapidly and we will take our time as needed.
While the RV was being worked on we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and looked around town a little. Anniston is essentially co-located with Oxford, AL that is also home to Jacksonville State University., a fairly large regional school. The area has a lot of motels, plenty of restaurants, chain and otherwise and the usual shopping centers and even an enclosed mall anchored by a Dillards department store. There also seems to be a lot of industrial park type of activity going on. The area is also close to a large NASCAR track in Talladega, AL where at least two major NASCAR races are held each year. Football is also very big here with local loyalties divided between Alabama and Auburn.
As it turned out, the RV wasn't too badly out of alignment but we had a flat tire on one of the inside rear tires (20 psi) that we hadn't known about. Tire pressures were also out of balance on the other tires. They fixed the flat, did a front end alignment and stabilized all the tire pressures, probably for about half the price it would have cost in CA. Actually, the only thing we have found on the trip so far that would be cheaper in CA is the wine.
After picking up the RV we returned to the RV park to relax a little before meeting our friends for an early dinner.
We had a dinner with Paula and Dallas at a Japanese/Asian restaurant. We had hibachi with all the usual flair that goes with hibachi meal preparation. It was good to see them again and get caught up on how things are going and reminiscing about old times. We went to high school with Paula and have kept in touch ever since. She joined the Army after college and met her husband Dallas who was a helicopter pilot in the Army while they were stationed here in Alabama. After they both retired, they stayed here worked for the Army in a civil service capacity.
Tomorrow, we head for Tupelo, MS then head down the Natchez Trace to Natchez, MS on Friday. Most of the sightseeing/visiting is now over and we begin a series of "one nighters" as we head home. Right now the weather looks pretty good along the southern route we will be taking, but things can change rapidly and we will take our time as needed.
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 65
We left Stone Mountain about 10:00 am. We ended up going on the northern loop around Atlanta instead of through town on I-20. The distance around the loop was a little longer but the GPS said it was the fastest. So, we were expecting moving traffic as rush hour was over - however, that was not the case. Traffic was very heavy, lots of trucks, slowdowns, 3 separate accidents, construction and the usual number of weavers and speeders. And, we had a few rain showers to add to the Atlanta traffic excitement.
We made it through it all, joined I-20 on the west side of town and headed towards Alabama. Along the way there was more showers, sometime heavy, and the inevitable road construction. At least they are upgrading the interstate infrastructure in the area.
We always eat out on laundry day so that is plan for this evening.
We did eat out. We went to a BBQ place down the road from the RV park. When we went inside we remembered we had eaten there several years ago and had forgotten we had done so. The BBQ was good. It is a no frills place, but worth a return visit.
Alabama is an "open carry/concealed carry" state with certain restrictions including permission from private property owners. We have seen several signs like this prohibiting firearms in restaurants, stores, etc.
The forecast is for clearing skies and 84 degrees tomorrow.
Spring Training 2019 - Day 64
It was partly cloudy with a few showers this morning. We decided to just relax in the RV after a very busy day yesterday.
We drove over to Kevin's again for dinner. We even got to experience Atlanta rush hour traffic in the rain - impressive. We had another great dinner at the Avalon community where he lives. Tonight, it was Tex-Mex. It was an enjoyable meal and we even had ice cream after dinner at the local gourmet ice cream shop. After watching an inning of the Phillies - Nationals game back at Kevin's we headed back to Stone Mountain. The traffic was much better as most of the commuters were probably back home resting up to get up and do it again tomorrow.
We leave for Alabama tomorrow to visit our high school classmate, Paula (Schell) Smith, and her husband Dallas. They are both retired from the U.S. Army and we have kept in touch and visited them several times in the past on our way back from Florida.
We drove over to Kevin's again for dinner. We even got to experience Atlanta rush hour traffic in the rain - impressive. We had another great dinner at the Avalon community where he lives. Tonight, it was Tex-Mex. It was an enjoyable meal and we even had ice cream after dinner at the local gourmet ice cream shop. After watching an inning of the Phillies - Nationals game back at Kevin's we headed back to Stone Mountain. The traffic was much better as most of the commuters were probably back home resting up to get up and do it again tomorrow.
We leave for Alabama tomorrow to visit our high school classmate, Paula (Schell) Smith, and her husband Dallas. They are both retired from the U.S. Army and we have kept in touch and visited them several times in the past on our way back from Florida.
Monday, April 8, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 63
We had heavy thunderstorms with lightning move through last night but it was clear when we got up. It turned into a clear and sunny day with mid 70s temperatures. We have stayed here before but decided to drive around a little and check out some of the things we didn't do last year.
We then decided to visit the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield about 15 miles north of Atlanta. The battlefield is the scene of the definitive series of battles for Atlanta during General Sherman's campaign into the heart of the south in 1864.
The park is interspersed with sections of residential and commercial development and is not a self contained Civil War battlefield park as we have seen elsewhere. The visitors center is very nice with a great introductory video about the battles fought here. You also cannot drive to the summit of the mountain due to parking limitations but there is a shuttle that runs every 30 minutes. You can also hike to the summit, either on one side of the road or on a hiking trail. The park was very crowded and a lot of people, including kids in strollers, dogs on leashes and older people were hiking up the road. We took the shuttle to the top. There are excellent views of the city and beyond in all directions as well as more exhibits and artifacts (cannons).
Afterwards, we visited the site of one of the more famous battle sites, Cheatham Hill. This is where one of the most deadly attacks in the battle where Union forces attempted a frontal assault uphill against fortified Confederate positions. The site was called the "Dead Angle" by survivors of the battle. The Union forces lost 1400 killed and wounded and the Confederates 800.
The park is interspersed with sections of residential and commercial development and is not a self contained Civil War battlefield park as we have seen elsewhere. The visitors center is very nice with a great introductory video about the battles fought here. You also cannot drive to the summit of the mountain due to parking limitations but there is a shuttle that runs every 30 minutes. You can also hike to the summit, either on one side of the road or on a hiking trail. The park was very crowded and a lot of people, including kids in strollers, dogs on leashes and older people were hiking up the road. We took the shuttle to the top. There are excellent views of the city and beyond in all directions as well as more exhibits and artifacts (cannons).
Afterwards, we visited the site of one of the more famous battle sites, Cheatham Hill. This is where one of the most deadly attacks in the battle where Union forces attempted a frontal assault uphill against fortified Confederate positions. The site was called the "Dead Angle" by survivors of the battle. The Union forces lost 1400 killed and wounded and the Confederates 800.
It was then over to Kevin's house for a visit and dinner. Kevin lives in an upscale residential, professional and commercial complex called Avalon. It is a neat place and very busy with many restaurants, and common areas. We had a great dinner at a Neapolitan pizza restaurant then headed back to Stone Mountain.
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 62
It was an easy drive from Columbia to Stone Mountain, GA along I-20 today. We got an early start and were here by 1:30 pm. Stone Mountain is a family style resort with lots of things to do. We stayed here last year. It is the closest RV park to where our son Kevin lives in Alpharetta, GA, another suburb of Atlanta on the NE side of town.
We are meeting Kevin for dinner tonight. Plans for Sunday and Monday are still TBD.
We are meeting Kevin for dinner tonight. Plans for Sunday and Monday are still TBD.
Friday, April 5, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 61
It started raining pretty hard late last night and continued into the mid-morning. We slept in, then after the rain stopped and it cleared up a little we headed into town around noon.
Columbia is an interesting city. It is the South Carolina state capitol, the home of the University of South Carolina (Gamecocks), and Ft. Jackson, a major U.S. Army base that is home to most Army basic training, the Army Chaplains School and several other Army training functions. Also nearby is the Conagree National Park where several varieties of old grow bottom land hardwood trees have been preserved, many of which are over 500 years old.
Columbia has been the center of many historical events from early colonial days to the Revolutionary War, Civil War and beyond. The city escaped major damage during the Civil War until General Sherman arrived towards the end. After marching through Georgia to the sea (and Savannah), he turned north into South Carolina and devastated the city of Columbia, destroying virtually everything in his path.
Columbia Army Airfield was also the site where The Doolittle Raiders received their training before their historic bombing raid on Japan in 1942. The region was also a thriving center of cotton milling, with several large mill towns in this part of South Carolina (Up Country).
Our first stop was the state capitol. We have a thing about visiting state capitols whenever we can. Most are showplaces for the state, and as the center of state government they are usually impressive structures with lots of history on display. South Carolina's state house was no exception. Unfortunately, there was a water leak last night (broken pipe) and the top two floors of the capitol were closed as they were cleaning up the mess. Our visit was consequently limited to the ground floor although we did see a movie shown to visitors before a normal tour starts and we had a nice chat with a tour guide about the building and its history.
We also walked around the beautifully-kept grounds viewing the gardens and statues of historical South Carolinians dating back to the Revolutionary War. As South Carolina was a primary participant and the first state to succeed from the Union during the Civil War, we thought there might be a more visible remembrance of that war but that was not the case - there was not a confederate flag in sight. If anything was emphasized, it was South Carolina's contribution to the Revolutionary War, where over 30% of all the battles during that war were fought.
After our tour of the capitol, we travelled a little ways down the street to the South Carolina State Museum. The museum is housed in a historic building, the Columbia Cotton Mill that operated into the 1950s. It is an impressive museum and one of the best we have seen. There are 4 floors of exhibits covering just about every aspect of South Carolina history. There is also a planetarium, and observatory, a 4D theater, various galleries with special exhibits, hands-on science rooms for kids, natural history exhibits and special programs on a variety of subjects of interest. There is also an adjoining museum of military and Confederate history.
We had a late lunch at the museum café than toured the exhibits until the museum closed at 5:00 pm. We barely scratched the surface beyond the 4th and a little of the 3rd floor. Every exhibit we saw was extremely well done and are excellent representations of South Carolina History. It is a great place to bring kids to learn about it all and have fun while doing so. As we were leaving, they were also setting up in the lobby for a welcoming reception for incoming University of South Carolina students. The museum is truly a community and state treasure.
After a long day, we returned to the RV Park and had a take-out dinner from a very popular local restaurant just down the road from the park.
It is on to Atlanta tomorrow to visit our son Kevin.
Columbia is an interesting city. It is the South Carolina state capitol, the home of the University of South Carolina (Gamecocks), and Ft. Jackson, a major U.S. Army base that is home to most Army basic training, the Army Chaplains School and several other Army training functions. Also nearby is the Conagree National Park where several varieties of old grow bottom land hardwood trees have been preserved, many of which are over 500 years old.
Columbia has been the center of many historical events from early colonial days to the Revolutionary War, Civil War and beyond. The city escaped major damage during the Civil War until General Sherman arrived towards the end. After marching through Georgia to the sea (and Savannah), he turned north into South Carolina and devastated the city of Columbia, destroying virtually everything in his path.
Columbia Army Airfield was also the site where The Doolittle Raiders received their training before their historic bombing raid on Japan in 1942. The region was also a thriving center of cotton milling, with several large mill towns in this part of South Carolina (Up Country).
Our first stop was the state capitol. We have a thing about visiting state capitols whenever we can. Most are showplaces for the state, and as the center of state government they are usually impressive structures with lots of history on display. South Carolina's state house was no exception. Unfortunately, there was a water leak last night (broken pipe) and the top two floors of the capitol were closed as they were cleaning up the mess. Our visit was consequently limited to the ground floor although we did see a movie shown to visitors before a normal tour starts and we had a nice chat with a tour guide about the building and its history.
We also walked around the beautifully-kept grounds viewing the gardens and statues of historical South Carolinians dating back to the Revolutionary War. As South Carolina was a primary participant and the first state to succeed from the Union during the Civil War, we thought there might be a more visible remembrance of that war but that was not the case - there was not a confederate flag in sight. If anything was emphasized, it was South Carolina's contribution to the Revolutionary War, where over 30% of all the battles during that war were fought.
We had a late lunch at the museum café than toured the exhibits until the museum closed at 5:00 pm. We barely scratched the surface beyond the 4th and a little of the 3rd floor. Every exhibit we saw was extremely well done and are excellent representations of South Carolina History. It is a great place to bring kids to learn about it all and have fun while doing so. As we were leaving, they were also setting up in the lobby for a welcoming reception for incoming University of South Carolina students. The museum is truly a community and state treasure.
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 60
We had a short (120 miles) and relatively easy ride to Columbia, SC today.
We will be here for two nights and plan to do a little sightseeing tomorrow. We are expecting rain tonight and tomorrow so whatever we do may have an inside orientation. Possibilities include the state capital and the state museum. Columbia is the state capital and the home of the University of South Carolina. It looks like a nice city so we'll see what we can do after sleeping in tomorrow.
We are staying at the Barnyard RV Park. A strange name but is right next to a huge fairground-like facility called the Barnyard Flea Market that is open on weekends. the park is O.K., not bad really and certainly will do for two nights.
We will be here for two nights and plan to do a little sightseeing tomorrow. We are expecting rain tonight and tomorrow so whatever we do may have an inside orientation. Possibilities include the state capital and the state museum. Columbia is the state capital and the home of the University of South Carolina. It looks like a nice city so we'll see what we can do after sleeping in tomorrow.
We are staying at the Barnyard RV Park. A strange name but is right next to a huge fairground-like facility called the Barnyard Flea Market that is open on weekends. the park is O.K., not bad really and certainly will do for two nights.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Spring Training 2019 - Day 59
We had another busy day planned for today. The weather was much better with sunny skies and warmer temperatures, but still a little cool.
Our first stop was Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. It is located on the northern shore of Charleston Bay on the Cooper River and is home to the USS Yorktown (CV-10) a WW II era aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1943 and decommissioned in1975. It is the second Yorktown carrier, the first being sunk in the Battle of Midway in 1942.
Patriots Point is also home to the WW II destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724), a famous ship that survived 22 Kamikaze attacks during the battle of Okinawa. There is also a post WW-II diesel submarine, USS Clamagore (SS-343) berthed there. In addition to the ships there is a Medal of Honor museum, an Apollo 8 Mission Exhibit, a Cold War Submarine Memorial, lots of historic aircraft and a unique Vietnam Experience exhibit, recreating highlights of the war in a living history format.
We then drove back to the RV park after another long but enjoyable day. We leave for Columbia, SC, the state capital, tomorrow, finally turning west on our journey home.
Our first stop was Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. It is located on the northern shore of Charleston Bay on the Cooper River and is home to the USS Yorktown (CV-10) a WW II era aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1943 and decommissioned in1975. It is the second Yorktown carrier, the first being sunk in the Battle of Midway in 1942.
Patriots Point is also home to the WW II destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724), a famous ship that survived 22 Kamikaze attacks during the battle of Okinawa. There is also a post WW-II diesel submarine, USS Clamagore (SS-343) berthed there. In addition to the ships there is a Medal of Honor museum, an Apollo 8 Mission Exhibit, a Cold War Submarine Memorial, lots of historic aircraft and a unique Vietnam Experience exhibit, recreating highlights of the war in a living history format.
After touring the Yorktown and the Laffey we had lunch at the snack bar in the Yorktown and got ready for the next activity, a 15-minute boat trip and one hour tour of Ft. Sumter that departs from Patriots Point.
The trip out to the fort was pleasant. It wasn't too windy and the water was almost calm. Along the way we got to see lots of activity as the waterway is used by boats large and small. There is also a very beautiful bridge across the Cooper River.
Ft. Sumter is now a National Monument administered by the National Park Service. It is only accessible by ferry service by a park concessionaire. The trip to the fort takes about two hours, including travel time and is controlled by park service rangers, one trip at a time.
Ft. Sumter today looks very different than it did at the start of the Civil War. It was continuously bombarded, first by the Confederates to start the war and later by Union Naval forces throughout the siege and blockade of Charleston Harbor until the war's end. The fort was virtually destroyed, and after the war the Army attempted to put it back in shape. From 1876 to 1897 it was not garrisoned and served mainly as a lighthouse station. The impending Spanish American War renewed activity there - deferred maintenance of the installation was addressed and new guns were installed. During WW I the fort was garrisoned for the next 20 years. The outmoded guns were removed during WW II and antiaircraft guns were installed late in 1945. The fort was then transferred from the War Department to the Park Service and designated a National Monument in 1948. It was a nice visit to a historic site and another old fort we have added to the list of ones we have visited.
After we returned to Patriots Point we visited the Vietnam Experience exhibit. It is like nothing we have ever seen before regarding Vietnam War History - a living history exhibit that attempts to create what it was like being there.
You start in a Quonset hut containing displays and artifacts with a theater playing video clips of life and activity during that time and reminiscences of veterans who were there. You then go outside to exhibits, including a US Navy Advanced Tactical Support Base (Brown Water Navy), a US Marine Corps Artillery Firebase and the Battle of Khe Sahn during the Tet Offensive in 1968. The exhibits are augmented by the sounds of gunfire, helicopter noise and other associated battle sounds including explosions. There are also hoochs with exhibits of a medical facility, living quarters and a mess hall. There is also a gun/watch tower that sometimes guarded a compound in the field.
There were also Vietnam era helicopters and military equipment and weaponry on display throughout the grounds of the exhibit. It was all pretty realistic as it could be, especially with the battle sounds. I can see where the experience might be disturbing to some veterans who experienced Vietnam on the ground, bringing back unpleasant memories, but on the other hand, perhaps it might give children some idea of what their parents and grand parents went through back then.
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