TOUR AMERIA 2023 – CAMP DAVID RV PARK, COLUMBUS, GA

August 17, 2023

One RV Park Closer to Home – Camp David RV Campground

It was time to move again. Our objective this time was two fold: avoid traveling through Atlanta; and, be off the road by 3 pm.

Thankfully, we achieved both objectives but not without some minor drama.

After a whole lot of research and deliberation we settled on the following route: Route 75 South, to Route 53 West, to Route 27 South, to Route 185 and our next RV park. This route would take us west of Atlanta.

What I discovered was that Route 27 was the primary north/south route on the east coast long before all the other interstates were built. It runs from Miami, Florida to Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is almost all 4 lanes and the road overall is in great condition – at least this stretch of it. There are several good size towns you need to work your way through but none of them proved to be a problem. I won’t hesitate to come this way again.

As for the drama? Within 30 minutes of getting on Route 75 we were in stopped traffic. It took us 45 minutes to go 3 miles to our exit. I was oh so glad to get off.

But there is more. I was trying to get around a truck with an oversized load and had almost made it when our mirrors decided to get acquainted. My right, his left. Thankfully, the mirror didn’t shatter nor did the arm holding the mirror break. However, we had to find some place to get off the road inorder to properly fix the wobbly mirror. All in all, it cost us about 30 minutes in time but we were oh so thankful that nothing broke. All that was needed was an adjustment of the mirror and locking it back in place.

So did we make it by 3 pm? Yup, we achieved that goal as well. Just.

We’re at Camp David RV Park in Columbus, GA. It’s a great campground/park but hardly a resort. It’s easy to get to, any updated GPS will take you to the front gate. The roads are gravel, really large gravel, easy to navigate, and well taken care of. Our site is the same gravel, nice and long, reasonably level – I don’t believe there any more dead level sites in any park anywhere – and the utilities are right off the wet bay.

What we didn’t count on was the heat. We are in a heat dome and the temperature is in the mid 90’s and the low 100’s. Thankfully, Elvira is well insulated and the two AC’s are able to keep us nice and cool inside. But I sure can’t wait to get out of here next Wednesday.

Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. We have a couple of attractions we want to see and we’ll probably do that in the next couple of days. Thankfully, both are museums so we’ll be inside for the most part.

It’s hard to believe but in something like 12 days we’ll be home again. Yes, I’m looking forward to being home, but at the same time I’m also beginning to plan our next trip out. The itch to travel is still strong and I don’t think it will ever go away.

Thanks again for spending some time with us. It’s always great to be able to share our story with family and friends. Comments? Feel free to share them with me. And always remember, cherish every moment of every day that God gives you and live those moments to the fullest.

TOUR AMERIA 2023 – HAWKINS POINTE PARK, ROSSVILLE, GA

August 15, 2023

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

It’s running once again! We so wanted to ride the incline railway so I’m sure you can understand how disappointed we were to discover it was out of service. Last week it was hit by lightening and the main fuse blew. It took several days to purchase and install a new fuse but as of today the fuse is in place and the railway is back in full service.

So, let’s go for a ride.

Built in 1895 today it is recognized as a National Historic Site and a Mechanical Engineering Landmark.

In this photo from the 1930’s you get a glimpse of the entire amazing mile from the station at the bottom to its terminus at the top.

Another photo from the 1930’s that shows the steepness of the railway.

The railway incline is 72.5%, one of the steepest in the world. However, you never realize you are going up an incline because the seats are built in such a way that while on the railcar you are actually sitting level.

Of course getting a railcar up such a steep incline is all but impossible under normal circumstances. The wheels would never get enough traction to propel the car.

The solution? A Funicular Railway! A what you say? I had no idea either what it was so I did some investigating. A Funicular Railway uses cables to pull the cars up the hill. Today, two 120 volt electric motors and cables are used to pull the railcars up the steep railway. With the cables the steel wheels don’t need to have traction, but are used only to guide the railcars along the track. Next, the Funicular Railway is made even more efficient by counterbalancing the two railcars and using the weight of the descending railcar to help pull the ascending railcar up the incline.

But wait a minute, one track, two railcars, what happens when they meet?

Another historic picture from the 1930’s.

One zigs and the other zags! This is called the switch and is just about midway on the ride. In this picture you get an idea of how steep the incline really is.

Well, we’re at the top of Lookout Mountain so off to the observation deck we went.

There before you is the Chattanooga Valley. We were very fortunate to be able to make this ride on a perfectly clear day. What an impressive view The clouds themselves just seem to be floating by. It’s days like this that we get up for.

Time to go back down. Can you imagine doing this on a sled? Nope, me neither!

Coming back into the lower station.

So, we can now count ourselves among the thousands who come here year after year to ride the Incline Railway. Not a long ride, and there were a few attractions at the top that we didn’t take the time to hike to, but it was a fun and enjoyable way to spend some time in the summer sun. If you are ever in this area, I urge you to take the ride. It’s worth the time.

Almost forgot.

The newest T-Shirt.

TOUR AMERIA 2023 – HAWKINS POINTE PARK, ROSSVILLE, GA

August 15, 2023

International Towing Museum, Chattanooga, TN

Yup, we’ve moved a bit further along. Mile by mile, RV park by RV park we’re making our way back home to Florida.

This is our new home until Thursday of this week. It’s a pull through at Hawkins Pointe Park, in Rossville, GA. Not a bad place to hang out but my oh my is the weather crazy in these parts. You start out with a nice sunny day and bam! Just like that you now have thunder storms, wind and rain. It sort of makes sightseeing difficult to plan.

However, we did get out today and saw some of the local sights. One attraction came about because of a show I watch called Highway through Hell (a show about tow trucks working a dangerous highway in Canada) and in one episode they mentioned the International Towing Museum in Chattanooga, TN. Now, that I said to myself, is a place I have to see.

So off we went to see it.

The museum began as a traveling museum sponsored by the Friends of Towing. The museum in its early days fit into a single semi-truck trailer. It went from one two show to another in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

However, due to the growth of the museum’s collection a permanent home was eventually needed. Thus, in 2003 the museum built a permanent home at the foot of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.

The purpose of the museum? Per their website: It all started more than 20 years ago when a group of dedicated towing professionals, the Friends of Towing, decided to recognize outstanding individuals in the towing and recovery industry worldwide, record the industry’s history, collect and display artifacts and memorabilia in a museum setting, and provide information about the industry to the public.

Why Chattanooga?

Because this is where the towing industry got its start. The story told is that an unlucky motorist ran his automobile into the Chickamauga Creek and the challenge was to safely retrieve it. This is a replica of the original wrecker that Mr. Earnest Holmes Sr. created to do the job. It is a 1913 Cadillac that was chosen because of its long wheelbase that added to its stability. It is a twin boom design, a design that was popular for many years.

OK, since I don’t of many people who get all wide- eyed like I do over tow trucks, let me just highlight some of the more unique trucks in the display.

A 1974 Ford painted with the American flag on one side,

and the Canadian flag on the other side. It was painted in this manner to emphasize the joint cooperation between towers in the two countries.

This 1943 wrecker was used in France following the invasion of Normandy and was part of the Red Ball Express. The Red Ball Express was the supply line created after the invasion to maintain roads and bring supplies to the front lines. It was the primary wrecker on this route and was used to clear disabled vehicles from the road.

From the big to the small.

Yes, this is an actual wrecker – with a two cylinder 20 HP engine. It was proven when they used it to lift a Ford Escort and tow it around the parking lot! Yup, that’s me in there. And I was actually able to get back out.

Here we have the world’s fastest tow truck.

OK, now for some odds and ends of interest.

My, my what some people will do to promote their business!

Me thinks he tried to lift too much.

Like father, like son.

There was also a full wall of models on display. The blue one was Ms. Barbara’s favorite.

A quilt made from numerous T-shirts.

I found my golf cart for back home!

Outside is a memorial to those who have lost their lives in the towing industry. The statue depicts a tow truck driver pulling her mother and child from a river into which their car had plunged.

Of course, I had to have a T-Shirt!

The museum proved indeed to be a delightful find and we are glad we had the opportunity to visit it. We learned about the towing industry and so considered our day to be a good one.

TOUR AMERIA 2023 – RIVERSIDE RV PARK AND RESORT, SEVIERVILLE, TN

August 9, 2023

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Over and over I had read that this is the most visited national park in America. I knew someday I wanted to visit it. However, I also read about the overcrowding and the difficulty navigating the roads in the park due to the crowds. Point of fact a couple of years ago an individual in the park suffered a heart attack and died because they were not able to get EMT’s to him in time due to the traffic and parked cars along the road. I wasn’t to eager to face that kind of an onslaught myself so what to do.

How about a guided tour of the Park?

Pink Jeep Tours to the rescue! Why are they pink? The business is owned by a husband and wife couple. The wife felt pink jeeps would be highly visible and attract business. The husband said he would never drive a pink jeep. Today, that is just what he is doing!

We booked the only tour available which was at 1 pm in the afternoon. It would be a three hour ride, factor in the time needed to get there and back, and we figured we would be away from the rig and Proton just about 5 hours.

Past the entrance sign and into the park we went. We learned that the park consists of over 500,000 acres. The park came about due to two unlikely forces. First, there was the backlash to the local logging companies. Before the park was formed and dedicated they clear cut over 90% of the land that the park encompasses today. The next group, motorists. Auto clubs wanted good roads through beautiful scenery. So they pushed for the development of the park.

The park was established in 1934 and was officially dedicated by President Roosevelt in 1940.

The park runs through Tennessee and North Carolina. We’re in a parking lot off of Newfound Gap Road which is a major highway between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, North Carolina. It is a road that twists and climbs up to 5046 feed and then goes back down. At the entrances to the road there are signs prohibiting commercial vehicles. Nevertheless, we were told, and witnessed, individuals who actually bring travel trailers and Class C RV’s over this road. One trucker tried it with a semi not too long ago and lost his life. Not for me, not on your life!

There over 800 miles of trails and unpaved roads in the park for hiking, including 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

On the Appalachian Trail on my way to Maine, and here I am coming back. Believe that and I have a bridge I want to sell you! OK, maybe I only went some 50 feet but I can now honestly say I’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail!

Sixteen mountains in the park are over 6,000 feet in height. Over 100 species of trees grow in the park. More than 10,000 species of plants and animals are known to live in the park. Oh those mountains, just spectacular.

This I found really interesting, The park is known as the Salamander Capital of the World since about 30 species of salamander are found within the bounds of the park.

There are over 2,000 miles of streams within the park. All streams are now open for fishing. It was so refreshing to just sit for a minute, and watch the rushing water.

As with so many other national parks, the Civilian Conservation Corps was primarily responsible for helping to shape the park we know today. During the 1930’s over 4,000 men worked here building roads, tunnels and bridges, campgrounds, buildings, and trails.

So that is how we spent our Wednesday. We absolutely enjoyed our tour, but it left me wanting to spend more, much more time within the park. I want to visit the visitor centers, the historic buildings, hike some of the trails. I even want to have a picnic at one of the many picnic areas within the park. Yes, I want to come back and I’m sure we will.

Yup, another T-shirt. How could I not.