Just a couple Izzy Pics

Clydes loves the little girl.

Izzy didn't like her Easter outfit but she sure was cute.

She is growing so fast!

Nashville and the Natchez Trace

We stopped by the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN on the way to Nashville. They do a great distillery tour including he beautiful grounds with the spring that provide the water for their production. All of the Jack Daniels is produced in this tiny town of 361 people and has been since the 1800s. The creek and lawns and flowers in the "holler" were lovely with spring greens and pastels. The town of Lynchburg is historic and very cute. Stayed at Old Stone Fort State Park which had a fascinating hike around an old Indian mound, a half mile in circumference.

Nashville is a big city with lots of fun spots to see. Took the self guided walking tour of the river front, the 'district' where all the bars are, the Charlie Daniels Band Museum, the State Capitol and lots of other fun sights. Went to the Ryman Theatre (former home of the Grand Ole Opry) and got tickets for the Opry on Saturday. Very excited to see this historic radio show where every one in country music wants to play.

Spent one day on the west side of town and then on to the Natchez Trace. There is a full size replica of the Parthenon in the city park that was impressive. As we drove SW out of town through Belle Meade we passed by several mansions and old plantation homes. Stopped at the famous Loveless Cafe for lunch. Lots of famous people in pictures on their walls. The drive along the Trace is a National Scenic Byway and they aren't kidding. No commercial buildings, very few homes even, and no billboards. Just miles of rolling hills, beautiful trees, and lots of places to walk the old Trace. It was original a hunting path that became a commercial road for farmers returning from floating their goods down to New Orleans. We stopped for nice hikes at two waterfalls, one named for Andrew Jackson who is from the area and followed the Trace to the Battle of New Orleans. Anyone remember the old song? (hint: " in 1814 we took a little trip along with Colonel Jackson along the mighty Missisip"). Great day.

Today on the other hand did not start as a great day. Two nights with very little sleep because the weather radio kept waking us up with severe weather warning sirens. You don't want to be in a motor home waiting for a tornado to come by. After two bad nights, we decided to check into a hotel with a safe room. As I write this I am in a room at the Hampton Inn just east of the Nashville airport. Safe and comfy now.

The weather is supposed to improve tomorrow and we hope to get to President Jackson's family home, the Hermitage. Also looking forward to Opryland and the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday. Then on to East Tennessee and hopefully no more tornado scares.

Itinery for April - June and plans for the summer

Our Itinery is "flexible" as usual but this is where we think we will be for the next few months:

April - Tennesee - Leaving Chattanooga, Lynchberg, Nashville
Early May - Knoxville, Pigeon Forge (Dollywood), Gatlinburg, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Ashville, NC
Late May - Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park, Pittsburgh to see the Bal Family
Early June - Vancouver, Centralia and Alta & Snoopy's 50th Wedding Anniversary
Late June - Pick up Benny in Washington DC and tour Gettysburg and spend some time in Hershey PA. Back to Pittsburgh to pick up Ryan and Annie and head up to the Allegheny forest for a week of camping and other fun.

JULY - NOVEMBER:
Travel through Niagra Falls, upstate New York, Montreal and on to Acadia National Park in Maine.
Then back to Pittsburgh for a short visit before Cuyahoga National Park near Cleveland.
Then slowly head home with a stop to see sister Patsy in Indiana. Hopefully a detour up to Door County Wisconsin to see friends Bob & Barb from Desert Trails.
Definitely a stop at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
Back in Washington to spend time in Brier, Port Townsend and Vancouver before heading to our camp host job in Stub Stewart State Park outside of Portland for November

Big fun!

Chattanooga

Chattanooga is a pretty city right on the Georgia Tennesee border. The Tennesee River takes several big snake like turns right through the middle of the city. One is called Moccasin Bend. Along the river though town is a great 20 mile bike trail. John and I rode most of the trail and especially enjoyed the sculpture park with intriguing metal sculptures. Pegasus about to jump off the hillside into the river was my favorite. The bike trail goes along the river, through beautiful old homes and along a treed swamp area and around a pond. Great afternoon. Also went to see Ruby Falls which is a 200 foot waterfall that is 1000 feet under Lookout mountain inside a cave. Fun tour. Would have loved it at $10 per person. It was just ok at twice that. Next we went to Rock City. It is a walk through park designed around huge boulders and rock formations on the hillside of Lookout Mountain. Cute gnome displays and a kids nursery rhyme display. There were lots of native plants and gorgeous views of the surrounding valley. Another tourist sight that would have been great at half the price. The Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Battlefield is just outside of Chattanooga and has a terrific Visitor Center, museum and movie. There is a cell phone driving tour of the various battle locations and the markers of the states and regiments that fought there. A very moving place, it reminded me a bit of Gettysburg. We have really enjoyed our 3 days in Chattanooga. The RV park we are staying in was also a civil war battlefield and has a walk to one of the monuments.

On to Lynchberg and the Jack Daniels Distillery on the way to Nashville. Should be fun!

More Atlanta area pictures

The place we stayed on Allatoona lake was amazing. And the full moon was too. Fun waterfall hike.

April 19th - Atlanta area and a trip home

Just a quick catch up of the last month. John and I drove to a Corp of Engineers campground at West Point Georgia which is about an hour SW of Atlanta. A huge lake, pretty campground and close enough to the airport for my trip to Vancouver. Lots to see in the area;
-Warm Springs, FDR Little White House was fascinating and the tornado warning scary
-John went to Plains, Montgomery and some Civil War Battlefields

Vancouver was wonderful, tiring, busy and crazy. Izzy is the most beautiful baby ever and Shannon and Chris are great parents. Saw Uncle Erik & Aunt Jenn, Aunt LeAnne, Trina & Sue, Bonny and GrAunt Alta while I was there. Not much sleep but lots of Izzy time so who cares. Izzy loves her bath and I had fun helping Shannon. Can't wait to see everyone in June.

Sweetwater Campground on Lake Allatoona is about an hour North of Atlanta. This is probably our favorite campsite on this trip. We have a spot overlooking the lake and for one week we were the only campers on that loop. So private and love to wake up to the views of the lake. One night we had an huge, orange full moon that lit up the lake like a street light.

Spent one day in Marietta doing the trolly tour of the historic area and the Gone with the Wind Museum. Another day at the Kennesaw Mtn Civil War Battlefield. The most amazing museum is in Buckhead a very ritzy suburb of Atlanta. The Atlanta History Center has a facinating Civil War exhibit. Lovely quiet subtle gardens. The Swan House from 1928 shows how the weathly lived at the time. And the Tullie Smith homestead showed what a pre-Civil War farm life was like. Spent all afternoon here and wished we had more time. Highly recommended.

Hiked at both Red Top Mtn and Amicalola Falls State Parks. The falls required almost 700 stairs to get to the top but worth it as the views all along the way were terrific. Red Top Mtn was a 6 mile hike and we figured out how little hiking we had done with any elevation gain as we were up and down over the hills.

Next post...... Chatanooga