Our Wander Years

TS4-2 Hop 7: Bushnell FL to Ft Myers FL

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Sparky

TS4-2 Hop 7

178 miles via CR 475, FL 48, I-75 and local roads. Cumulative tow miles: 1013. Truck miles: 193. Cumulative truck miles: 1438. Two trips to run errands in Bushnell accounted for the extra truck miles.

Notice that Google gave me an alternate route down US 301, US 98, US 17 and FL 31. I almost took it because it was the best route, 20 miles shorter and 10 minutes faster, when I looked before breakfast. But after breakfast I-75 was, once again, the fastest route, by over 30 minutes. I am always amazed at how quickly the route can change due to traffic conditions. Google maps is smart enough to not only update the route when an accident is detected but is very good at estimating the length of the delay. Someday I will have to figure out how they do it.

This was an easy hop over roads that we have traveled many times. The weather was bright and sunny (hey, it’s Florida, what else would you expect), but very warm – 90ish. And no A/C. So we kept the windows open. Rusty seemed to enjoy the breeze.

We did the first 175 miles non-stop, then pulled into a Love’s truck stop to change. My shirt was soaked. We then drove the final 3 miles to our new home park, the Cypress Trail RV Resort. They were expecting us and gave us gate badges and a modem at the gate. The modem surprised me. Apparently one of the perks of ownership is free internet service. Loved the place when we bought it, love it even more now.

We got set up quickly and in the first 30 minutes on site met our neighbors to the west and were invited to a huge party thrown by a guy across the lake. Rusty also met a beagle at his new dog park

A good start.

Our new home!

The view from our patio while setting up

The party, circa 9pm

Marking our territory

Categories: FL, Places, Routes, TS4 | 1 Comment

Escapees Chapter 57 rally

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Sparky

Wash and wax at Paradise Oaks

Live auction

Losing plane

We spent 5 nights at the Paradise Oaks RV Resort in Bushnell FL. The reason for being there was the Escapees Chapter 57 (the “Florida Sun Gators” chapter) rally. We were newly-minted members of this chapter, having just forked over our $20 for a 5-year membership. Attending the rally cost another $30. But for the total of $34 ($30 plus the $4 for this year) we got to meet a bunch of great RV people, eat lots of food, bid on some charity auction items (more on this later) and make some paper airplanes.

Yes, one of the big events was a paper airplane building/flying contest. I thought this would be right up my engineering alley but I failed miserably. I just couldn’t get it to fly in a straight line or for a long distance. Since I didn’t get any awards I had to settle for having fun.

It was a very good time and we are glad we went.

We also took the opportunity to give the RV a wash and wax (see the photo above). It had been a tough trip south and was pretty darn dirty. I think we carried mud all the way from Chenango Shores. It looks great now and won’t be embarrassing when we take up residence in our new home in Ft Myers.

Becky and the chapter flag

Paradise Oaks is a very nice park. However, it is really two different parks: a park for long-term residents and a park for transients. Yes, they share the common facilities, which are very nice – a large meeting room and several smaller meeting rooms, a huge exchange library, an exercise room, a laundromat, a pool room and a dog park. It has a beautiful swimming pool with hot tub, 4 pickleball courts, shuffleboard courts and a 9-hole disc golf course. I tried the disc golf course and it wasn’t very good. Two holes appeared to be missing and none of the tees were marked, so I will call it a disc golf course in name only.

However, the transient area has one thing that the residential area does not have: ear-splitting train noise. A heavily used rail line runs very close to the boundary of the transient area and those trains run 24/7. Several times during our stay I was awakened at 3 or 4 am with a loud blast of a train horn that seemed to be next door.

The transient area also lacks one thing that the residents have: cable TV. We had no cable TV and almost no OTA TV. Two useless English channels and one even more useless Spanish channel.

Both areas had some nice sunsets.

Nice sunset

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Hand, knee and foot scoresheet

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Sparky

Trying something I have never tried before – attaching a PDF. This is the scoresheet we use for playing Hand, Knee and Foot. Jett designed it and I think she did an outstanding job. We have played hundreds of games and have never once found a reason to update the scoresheet.

It is designed for 2-sided printing, so just set your printer (if you can) to duplex printing and you will get a 2-sided scoresheet. Saves paper. If you can’t do duplex printing, then 1 copy will give you 2 scoresheets.

I hope it is self-explanatory. If not, let me know and I will give you a walk-through of how to use it.

Hand Knee & Foot Scoresheet

I have also included a simpler scoresheet for a game in which there are no wildcard books and no special counting for 3’s. This is the game that Marlene and I now play.

Simpler scoresheet

Categories: Games | 12 Comments

TS4-2 Hop 6: Tifton GA to Bushnell FL

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Sparky

TS4-2 Hop 6

217 miles via I-75 and CR 475, with a detour at the end. Cumulative tow miles: 835. Truck miles: 228. Cumulative truck miles: 1245. The few extra truck miles were from a refueling/shopping trip.

The GPS is still obstinately refusing to function, but for this hop it wasn’t needed. We traveled about a mile to get to I-75, then 203 miles straight down I-75. Flat roads, but heavy Sunday traffic and intermittant showers most of the way. Not the most pleasant of hops, but no real problem. The only difficulty was a detour (bridge out) on CR 475 as we approached the destination. That added about 2 miles to the trip.

When we arrived at Paradise Oaks RV Resort, the office was closed. This was not a surprise as they had called us on Saturday to tell us that they would leave the site information for us at the door and indeed an envelope with our name on it was there. We got parked and set up, then I took a walk around the park with Rusty.

At rest in Tifton

I will give a full review when we leave, but there are two obvious problems: no cable TV (and only 2 crappy OTA channels) and nearby train tracks. I am praying that the VERY noisy trains do not run in the middle of the night.

Our overnight stop in Tifton was at the Tifton KOA. This is a pretty basic campground, with a very small pool (closed) and a nice campground store, but not much else. But it had what we sought – a pull-through with full hookup – so we were very happy with the place.

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TS4-2 Hop 5: Stone Mountain GA to Tifton GA

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Sparky

TS4-2 Hop 5

197 miles via US 78, I-285 (around Atlanta), I-675 (south of Atlanta), I-75 and I-475 (around Macon). Cumulative tow miles: 618. Truck miles: 233. Cumulative truck miles: 1017. The extra truck miles were due to a couple of trips to WalMart to buy food and fuel and our sightseeing around Stone Mountain Park.

This was one of the more pleasant hops on the TS4 trip. Basically it was all on expressway, the roads were relatively flat and in good repair, the traffic, once we got about 20 miles south of Atlanta, was not heavy and the weather was bright and sunny. The temperature climbed into the low 70s, so it was a good day to travel in a truck with no heat or A/C. Most importantly, the truck ran fine.

We took a short break at a rest area near the halfway point, more to stretch the legs and relieve the bladders than to eat lunch. We parked next to a very similar rig and had a nice chat with the driver about RVs and the lifestyle.

A good day on the road.

Wooden patio with grill

Our three nights in Stone Mountain GA were at the Stone Mountain Park Campground, within the confines of Stone Mountain Park. It is a large campground nestled on the banks of Stone Mountain Lake. Many of the sites are directly on the water. Very scenic and wonderfully appointed: every site had a wooden patio with a propane grill. The recreational facilities, while not extensive, were very nice. I liked the side-by-side playground for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12. Presumably 5-year-olds can take their pick. The pool was full but the gates were locked (I suspect they open the pool if the weather is warm).

Age-specific playgrounds

My flights. Yum!

The weather during our tenure was far from ideal. The sun basically did not appear until the morning of our departure. But when it came out it revealed some lovely fall colors.

We dined out on our final night at Stone Mountain. Jett decided that I needed a treat and selected the local German restaurant, the Village Corner German Restaurant & Bakery. I like a good German meal, with a preference for great German sausage. Well, I didn’t see any sausage on the entrée list, so I chose the sauerbraten, a dish that I probably haven’t had for 50 years. I think it was a mistake as it is marinated pork that is, indeed, sour. Not my favorite. But the spaetzle and red cabbage that came with it were very good. If you like German food and are near Stone Mountain GA, this would be a good choice. Yes, it is your only choice, but it is still a good one.

They also brew their own beer and have an interesting selection. I chose a 4-flight combo of grapefruit heffewiesen, a nut brown ale, a pale lager and an Octoberfest. Delicious!

A colorful morning

Restaurant interior

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Stone Mountain Park

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Sparky

The carved face of Stone Mountain

3-D theater

Stone Mountain Park claims to be “Georgia’s most popular attraction.” I can understand the appeal. There is something for everybody, though it seems to be more adult-oriented than, say, Disney World. The things that would appeal to kids are:

the adventure course
the 3-D theater
the train ride
a petting zoo

It has, for adults, two golf courses, hiking trails and a museum. The cable ride to the top of the mountain and the historic square appeal to all ages.

Train station

Adventure course

In the center of the park, carved into the rock face, is the largest bas-relief in the world – a depiction of the three great heroes of the Confederacy, Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis. It is not a great piece of art, nor is it as epic as Mount Rushmore. But it is worth seeing. Viewing it is one of the things you can do for free once you pay your $20 to get your car into the park.

Desolate museum hallway

When I viewed the mountain the park was preparing for “Snow Mountain“, a snow festival that runs from mid-November to mid-February. The festival centers around a huge snowtube slide that runs from the museum to the base of the rock. My first thought was that using this key space for that kind of entertainment was nearly sacrilegious, like setting up a bowling alley in The Louvre. But after mulling it a bit, I think I understand. The rock art, while interesting, really only grabs one’s interest for about a minute. A 400-foot snowtube course, on the other hand, can amuse a family for hours. Definitely something that would add to the appeal of the park as a destination.

The park is open year-round, but I got the impression that this time of year is its off season. When we arrived at the campground it was probably no more than 25% full. The Native American Pow-Wow was attracting some visitors (see my previous post), but the rest of the attractions were desolate. How many people do you see at the train station or the theater in my photos above? None. And the adventure course was closed, as were all of the refreshment stations. I walked through the museum hallway to the gift shop (also empty) and saw no one except for a very bored guard who was struggling to stay awake. Almost spooky.

So Disney World it’s not.

Maybe that is a good thing.

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Stone Mountain: Native American Pow-Wow

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Sparky

Vendor area

Native dance

Quite by accident we arrived at the Stone Mountain Park just in time for the start of the annual 4-day Native American Festival and Pow-Wow. It was an unexpected opportunity to meet some real Native Americans and to buy some authentic Indian gifts for the grandchildren. We also had, for lunch, Indian tacos (made with frybread) and watched some tribal dancing. A good time, even though the weather was less than ideal – we got home just before the skies opened up.

The Pow-Wow was held in Stone Mountain’s “Historic Square” area, which is a small collection of authentic historic buildings from the south, including slave quarters. It is a very small version of Sturbridge Village or Greenfield Village, but interesting. I found the ancient barn and the slave quarters the most interesting.

We were warned that there would be a LOT of schoolchildren there on Thursday and that was accurate. But they were well-behaved and didn’t ruin the day.

Ancient barn

Jett at the slave quarters

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TS4 Hop 4: Trenton GA to Stone Mountain GA

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Sparky

TS4-2 Hop 4

150 miles via I-59, I-24, I-75, I-285 (around Atlanta), US 78, GA 10 and local roads. Cumulative tow miles: 421. Truck miles: 242. Cumulative truck miles: 784. The extra truck miles were primarily due to my visit to the Chickamauga battlefield and Lookout Mountain (see my previous post).

This was a fairly easy hop, mostly on interstate roads, in clear weather. However, the GPS made it more interesting by failing to function, putting the navigation burden on Jett who guided me using the printed map and, as we neared the destination, the GPS on her phone. I guess the GPS failure was our “ding” on this hop, but a minor one. Jett actually relished her role as navigator. I doubt if she would have had as much fun if the route had been more difficult.

Traffic was heavy and there were several points at which I had to brake hard. I am happy to report that the brake controller is working fine and the RV brakes assisted very well.

I knew that our destination – the campground at Stone Mountain – was within the park boundaries. However, I was surprised to discover that it costs $20 to even get into the park. Hope it is worth it. The toll booth was interesting in that it was very tight – I squeezed through with maybe 6 inches to spare.

Our home in the Chattanooga area was the Lookout Mountain / Chattanooga West KOA Holiday, a very nice park on the side of a mountain southwest of Chattanooga. I really liked this campground. It was very scenic, with large shaded sites, beautifully maintained facilities (including a very nice dog park) and friendly, efficient staff. I think it may be the nicest KOA we have ever visited. And they were all decked out for Halloween, although I did not see any children in the campground while we were there. Still, it added to the festive, fun atmosphere. Recommended.

Black cat at the office

Bounce pad (flat)

Dog park

Our site

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Chickamauga Battlefield and Lookout Mountain

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Sparky

Chickamauga fields

Monday was beautiful, though a bit coolish, in Chattanooga. I was feeling a bit sniffly, but decided to ignore my stuffy nose and take advantage of the clear skies to get some photos at Chickamauga National Military Park and Lookout Mountain, sites of two very significant Civil War battles. Significant for the outcome of the war and very significant to the 10,000 men who died there.

The Chickamauga battlefield is huge – larger than Gettysburg – and the battle of Chickamauga is second only to Gettysburg in the number of casualties (about 35,000). But the battlefield is not nearly as dramatic as Gettysburg, consisting mostly of woods and fields on relatively flat terrain. No Little Round Top, no Devil’s Den, no Missionary Ridge. But it is scenic in its own way and was definitely worth a visit.

Visitor’s Center

I started at the Visitor’s Center and viewed a 26-minute film that put the battle into context for me. It came just a few months after Gettysburg and was the Confederacy’s last best chance to regain control of the war. The Battle of Chickamauga was, technically, a Confederate victory, but not a conclusive one. Both sides were battered and the Union forces were able to withdraw to Chattanooga. The Confederates laid siege to Chattanooga but were unable to roust the Union army who retained control of this vital railroad crossroads. Ultimately, Ulysses S. Grant took control of the Union army there and was able to break the siege with battles on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. That opened the way for Sherman’s march to the sea which broke the back of the Confederacy.

Marker at The Gap

As at Gettysburg, the battlefield is sprinkled with monuments to individual brigades that were significant in the battle. There are also many permanent markers that describe the action that took place at that point. It is hard now – particularly on a bright, calm, sunny day – to imagine the carnage that took place on that battlefield over 150 years ago.

View from Point Park

The Battle on Lookout Mountain became known as “The Battle Above the Clouds” because it occurred high up on Lookout Mountain, perhaps some 400 to 500 feet above Chattanooga. The promontory overlooking Chattanooga is now Point Park and is popular more for the vistas than the history. It is easy to see how an army that controlled this mountain could control Chattanooga.

It was a good day of tourism, but I didn’t see Chattanooga itself. I will have to leave that for another trip.

Artillery in Point Park

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TS4-2 Hop 3: Walland TN to Trenton GA

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Sparky

TS4-2 Hop 3

134 miles via US 321, US 11, I-75, I-24, I-59 and local roads with a rest stop at the halfway point. Cumulative tow miles: 271. Truck miles: 189. Cumulative truck miles: 542. The extra truck miles were incurred primarily in our trip out to Tellico Village to visit with friends Roy and Patricia.

Whispering River

This hop had a little glitch at the start – I discovered, when trying to pull the awning in after disconnecting the power (and therefore running off of battery) that the RV’s entire 12V system was inoperative. Fortunately I knew exactly where to look – the breaker reset in the front basement – so that was easily solved.

The rest of the trip was relatively smooth and pleasant. I-75 through Tennessee is a beautiful road, a joy to travel. But I-24 and I-59 were pretty rough, so things got jumbled a bit.

We stopped for a break at the halfway point, primarily so we could shut off the blower. Remember, I now have to open the hood and remove a breaker to shut it down. It was pretty warm by that point – about 72 – so no heat was needed.

The cozy sitting area in the office

Our two nights – reduced from the original planned 3 nights due to the truck’s turbo problem – in Walland were at the Whispering River RV Resort. This is a park with very nice facilities – one of the most attractive offices that I have ever seen and a very nice bathhouse/laundry room. It also had a very good cable TV system. What it didn’t have was Verizon connectivity – it was as bad as Chenango Shores. We couldn’t reliably make phone calls and had very spotty internet service. The campground has WiFi, but it was heavily used and very slow.

Snoring Bear Diner

It was also very cold – in the low 50’s for highs – both days, but I can’t fault the campground for the lousy weather.

Walland itself is a hole in the wall. It is very rural. We had to go over 7 miles into Maryville to get fuel. But Walland does have the Snoring Bear Diner, a cute little place serving very tasty pancakes and eggs. The service was outstanding and we both enjoyed our meals very much. It was definitely the best of Walland. If you are ever in Walland TN (and why would you be?), stop by the Snoring Bear.

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