We had a great stay at Eufaula, but all good things come to an end. We left early this morning and decided to drive home the back roads- not using the interstate at all. We had an uneventful and pretty stress-free drive- or at least I did, since I can close my eyes any time and Bruce isn’t really sitting close enough to be able to tell whether I am awake or asleep – unless of course I start snoring. I am pretty sure that this time he didn’t hear me at all some times the noise in the motorhome is good for something.
We arrived in Jacksonville around 3 today but didn’t go home – instead we are staying at the Flamingo Resort on the north side at Lem Turner & 295. This is another “resort:” type of place (read I won’t be drinking my coffee outside in my striped PJs overlooking the lake with no one around) – all of the sites close together, although they have done a good job with their landscaping. Our site is on the small lake, but the atmosphere is quite different. So why are we here if this is not our “cup of tea?” We are meeting the couple that did the front motorhome window sun shades for us in Tennessee. We decided we wanted to have them done for the rest of the coach windows since we like to leave the day/night shades up and heat gain is a problem in the summer here, and will definitely occur on our trip out west . They should allow us to keep the coach much cooler during the day. This park is right on their way to Orlando so we met them here, are staying the night and tomorrow they will do the rest of the windows. Then we will go home and get this coach in shape to leave again next Friday or Saturday. Yea!!!!! See you then.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Last Update for This Trip-
Today is Monday, 5/4/09 and it has been several days since my last online update- the campground where we stay has no wireless and there are not any connections in the vicinity to piggyback on either. I have to go into town to pick up a connection – more reason to get a wireless service. We have had a lovely trip so far- although today it is raining and yesterday evening a big storm moved through. We have moved campsites- did that yesterday (Sunday) to be near our friends. The weekends are always reserved, but we had our pick of wonderful close sites Sunday evening. Our new site is also on the water, but on White Oak Creek rather than the Chattahoochee River. On the creek it is more protected and we get fewer breezes, although that usually makes it a much better place to ride out a storm.
We have visited most of our regular places in the last few days - Wal-Mart (yes, they do have different things in different locations), all of the antique stores and we have gone to Dothan for our major thrift store/flea market shot. I actually found a few things this time, some nice Franciscan bowls for the camper, a couch and a wicker chair set for my dolls and my absolute favorite – paperbacks for $.10/each if you bought 10 or more. Between us, Herman and I easily found 10 in the cart that we would read. I have been working on a small crewel piece in the evenings but my vision is getting fuzzier, so may have to put that aside until we get back.
Food intake has been moderate, exercise still mostly just walking and even that is not enough. Camping with our friends makes it much harder to moderate anything, but I am trying. Bruce cooked this morning, some bacon (not a whole pound this time thank goodness) and pancakes with wheat germ so they had at least some slow grain absorption(although apparently not enough as my eyes are closing- indicating a sugar low already – maybe the addition of an egg next time will help). He is currently out in the drizzle cleaning the windshield of bugs, etc. while I get my thoughts down on the computer. I have found that is the eay way to do this, type everything in Word and then cut and paste when I get to upload- the only parts I have to worry with then are the pictures. Once I am done with this, we will run uptown to post (apparently the library will let you come in and use their wireless connection), cruise the Wal-Mart and just bum around with Ann & Herman this morning, Rainy days are really good for a movie or two and getting some nap time in also- so who knows what the rest of today will bring. . Maybe the sun will come out later and we can have a nice long walk and a drink by the water this evening – my kind of winding down.
Update: Tornado Warning while we were at the Eufaula Library- posting this. Had to stop mid-way and go downstairs- fortunately it did not hit the campground- where it originated or Eufaula- just dissipated.
Addendum – Again-
I know that many of my entries show the same date - but that is not when they are written, just when I get them posted. I will try to make the ruminations shorter and the posts more often in the future – again, need that wireless connection. May just have to bite the bullet and buy the service when I get home so the blog entries on upcoming trip west beginning mid-May will be more often and more consistent. Just a teaser- the itinerary goes something like this: Leave Jacksonville, stop Fontainebleau State Park, LA (outside ew Orleans), Potters Creek (outside Austin, TX), Lakeside, near Coleman, TX, Brantley state Park, NM (outside Carlsbad), Sugarite State Park, NM (outside Raton) Cheyenne Mountain State Park, CO (outside Co. Springs), Boyd State Park, CO (Ft. Collins), Wapiti Campground, WY (between Cody and Yellowstone), Fishing Bridge (Yellowstone), Mountain View RV Park ID (Near Arco), Farewell Bend State Park, OR (Farewell Bend), Black Butte RV Park, OR (Camp Sherman- Sisters, OR), Valley of the Rogue State Park, OR (Rogue River), LePage Park, OR( Near Rufus), St. Mary Campground, MT (east side of Glacier National Park), Downstream Park, MT(Ft. Peck, MT Project), Downstream Garrison Lake, ND(Garrison Lake Dam, Riverdale), Nebraska Tailwaters, SD(Gavins Point Project- Nebraska River Tailwaters, Yankton), Whitebreast Campground, IA(Knoxville), Buffalo Point, AR (Yellville), Whitten Park, MS (Fulton) and back to Karick Lake in Crestview, FL by 8/31. The details of each place and why we stopped there, etc. will follow in the blogs. See you then …………
We have visited most of our regular places in the last few days - Wal-Mart (yes, they do have different things in different locations), all of the antique stores and we have gone to Dothan for our major thrift store/flea market shot. I actually found a few things this time, some nice Franciscan bowls for the camper, a couch and a wicker chair set for my dolls and my absolute favorite – paperbacks for $.10/each if you bought 10 or more. Between us, Herman and I easily found 10 in the cart that we would read. I have been working on a small crewel piece in the evenings but my vision is getting fuzzier, so may have to put that aside until we get back.
Food intake has been moderate, exercise still mostly just walking and even that is not enough. Camping with our friends makes it much harder to moderate anything, but I am trying. Bruce cooked this morning, some bacon (not a whole pound this time thank goodness) and pancakes with wheat germ so they had at least some slow grain absorption(although apparently not enough as my eyes are closing- indicating a sugar low already – maybe the addition of an egg next time will help). He is currently out in the drizzle cleaning the windshield of bugs, etc. while I get my thoughts down on the computer. I have found that is the eay way to do this, type everything in Word and then cut and paste when I get to upload- the only parts I have to worry with then are the pictures. Once I am done with this, we will run uptown to post (apparently the library will let you come in and use their wireless connection), cruise the Wal-Mart and just bum around with Ann & Herman this morning, Rainy days are really good for a movie or two and getting some nap time in also- so who knows what the rest of today will bring. . Maybe the sun will come out later and we can have a nice long walk and a drink by the water this evening – my kind of winding down.
Update: Tornado Warning while we were at the Eufaula Library- posting this. Had to stop mid-way and go downstairs- fortunately it did not hit the campground- where it originated or Eufaula- just dissipated.
Addendum – Again-
I know that many of my entries show the same date - but that is not when they are written, just when I get them posted. I will try to make the ruminations shorter and the posts more often in the future – again, need that wireless connection. May just have to bite the bullet and buy the service when I get home so the blog entries on upcoming trip west beginning mid-May will be more often and more consistent. Just a teaser- the itinerary goes something like this: Leave Jacksonville, stop Fontainebleau State Park, LA (outside ew Orleans), Potters Creek (outside Austin, TX), Lakeside, near Coleman, TX, Brantley state Park, NM (outside Carlsbad), Sugarite State Park, NM (outside Raton) Cheyenne Mountain State Park, CO (outside Co. Springs), Boyd State Park, CO (Ft. Collins), Wapiti Campground, WY (between Cody and Yellowstone), Fishing Bridge (Yellowstone), Mountain View RV Park ID (Near Arco), Farewell Bend State Park, OR (Farewell Bend), Black Butte RV Park, OR (Camp Sherman- Sisters, OR), Valley of the Rogue State Park, OR (Rogue River), LePage Park, OR( Near Rufus), St. Mary Campground, MT (east side of Glacier National Park), Downstream Park, MT(Ft. Peck, MT Project), Downstream Garrison Lake, ND(Garrison Lake Dam, Riverdale), Nebraska Tailwaters, SD(Gavins Point Project- Nebraska River Tailwaters, Yankton), Whitebreast Campground, IA(Knoxville), Buffalo Point, AR (Yellville), Whitten Park, MS (Fulton) and back to Karick Lake in Crestview, FL by 8/31. The details of each place and why we stopped there, etc. will follow in the blogs. See you then …………
White Oak & Eufaula, AL – Final destination on this trip
Since my last entry we have left Kentucky and are driving to Eufaula, AL. We left at 5:30 AM this morning (Thursday, 4/30) so we would get through Nashville before the rush hour traffic got really bad. We hit a small back-up where I-24 joins I-65 (during rush hours the interstates in Nashville are a real cluster) but otherwise breezed through. We are currently just outside of Birmingham, AL. We stopped twice, once early on after we hit a branch leaving the campground and had to make sure we had not broken the satellite or TV antenna (Bruce had to climb on top of the motorhome for that inspection in the drizzling rain) and then for about 30 minutes at the Alabama welcome area for a quick cereal breakfast and Hazel walk. I-65 south out of Nashville is a new road for us- one not yet driven in all of our travels. We drove through the Tennessee mountains to just outside Huntsville, AL. Since we whizzed by we will have to return some other time to explore the space related area. Once in AL, the ruggedness of the mountains has given way to more rolling hills with beautiful farms, although I know Birmingham is famous for its mountainous views. Then we are on to Montgomery, where we will exit to travel southeast to the AL/GA line to the White Oak Campground just south of Eufaula, AL on the Chattahoochee River. We are about half way into today’s trip and should reach the campground mid-afternoons.
Since I am just sitting here being a perfect passenger, I thought I might being you up to date on our KY activities. Although we had contemplated leaving the Kentucky area early, we decided to stay yesterday and so some auto touring. There are 2 towns that were displaced when Barkley & Kentucky Dams were developed – Kuttawa and Eddyville. We drove though the relocated Kuttawa every day- not much to see, but had not explored Eddyville. The camp hosts told us about a small homemade doughnut place in Eddyville, so we left early in the morning and went in search of Miss Edna’s Doughnuts (yes, we did have to try them). We drove around Eddyville, found a laundromat, went on to Fredonia (on the Trail of Tears) and found another junk yard. Since I was not willing to sit in the car again while he shopped for junk, I did the laundry and listened to the rest of a book on my MP3. Those 2 hours ended up win-win for both of us (if ever doing laundry is a win for anyone).
In our post-laundry explorations we stumbled on the Kentucky State Penitentiary – a contract in architectural style. I did not have my camera when we first saw it so had to return later in the afternoon for these pictures. It probably was not waterfront property before Barkley Dam was flooded- but it is now, and sits on some very prime property. We spent the rest of the afternoon just lazing about, reading and dozing. It ended up being a good day to stay at the campsite and get ready for today’s trip.
We got off the interstate just south of Montgomery and took 2 lane roads over to Eufaula. At that time of the day, the traffic wasn’t bad, so the drive was nice. Arrived at White Oak Campground (another picture perfect Corp of engineers park) and pulled into one of the first come sites on the river. I couldn’t ask for anything better. If you have a boat- you might want more of a beach, but because it is still to early to swim, and we don’t pull a boat- one of the sites directly on the Chattahoochee River is our perfect cup of tea. The wind blows to keep you cool, you have this wonder view of the water, and again, your neighbors are not in your back yard.
Our friends Herman & Ann had already been camping at one of the reserveable spots on the creek (they have a very nice pontoon boat and fish quite a bit so beach front is a necessity). We had a lovely dinner with them after setting up camp. We intend to stay about 8 nights. I have included a picture of our campsite and also the view from the front door of the camper (and the window by the chair I like to frequent) . White Oak is a very large campground- with plenty of up and down hill walking, so we took Hazel around the park several times today. That was the bulk of my exercise since it was a drive day although I am watching what and how much I eat also.
Since I am just sitting here being a perfect passenger, I thought I might being you up to date on our KY activities. Although we had contemplated leaving the Kentucky area early, we decided to stay yesterday and so some auto touring. There are 2 towns that were displaced when Barkley & Kentucky Dams were developed – Kuttawa and Eddyville. We drove though the relocated Kuttawa every day- not much to see, but had not explored Eddyville. The camp hosts told us about a small homemade doughnut place in Eddyville, so we left early in the morning and went in search of Miss Edna’s Doughnuts (yes, we did have to try them). We drove around Eddyville, found a laundromat, went on to Fredonia (on the Trail of Tears) and found another junk yard. Since I was not willing to sit in the car again while he shopped for junk, I did the laundry and listened to the rest of a book on my MP3. Those 2 hours ended up win-win for both of us (if ever doing laundry is a win for anyone).
In our post-laundry explorations we stumbled on the Kentucky State Penitentiary – a contract in architectural style. I did not have my camera when we first saw it so had to return later in the afternoon for these pictures. It probably was not waterfront property before Barkley Dam was flooded- but it is now, and sits on some very prime property. We spent the rest of the afternoon just lazing about, reading and dozing. It ended up being a good day to stay at the campsite and get ready for today’s trip.We got off the interstate just south of Montgomery and took 2 lane roads over to Eufaula. At that time of the day, the traffic wasn’t bad, so the drive was nice. Arrived at White Oak Campground (another picture perfect Corp of engineers park) and pulled into one of the first come sites on the river. I couldn’t ask for anything better. If you have a boat- you might want more of a beach, but because it is still to early to swim, and we don’t pull a boat- one of the sites directly on the Chattahoochee River is our perfect cup of tea. The wind blows to keep you cool, you have this wonder view of the water, and again, your neighbors are not in your back yard.
Our friends Herman & Ann had already been camping at one of the reserveable spots on the creek (they have a very nice pontoon boat and fish quite a bit so beach front is a necessity). We had a lovely dinner with them after setting up camp. We intend to stay about 8 nights. I have included a picture of our campsite and also the view from the front door of the camper (and the window by the chair I like to frequent) . White Oak is a very large campground- with plenty of up and down hill walking, so we took Hazel around the park several times today. That was the bulk of my exercise since it was a drive day although I am watching what and how much I eat also.
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