And So It Begins
I know, I left June 8 and now we're into the third week of July. Truly, there has been little time to reflect and write. This trip has been a bit more scheduled than I'd hoped and quite the whirlwind adventure. But here we are. Let me start from the beginning.....
June 8, 2019, van is packed and we're off. Yes, WE. Sitka's ashes and his mini-me ride beside me. I am having a bit of a conundrum regarding my battery. I know it is just not right. A few nights in the north part of the state and a visit to Sunshine State RV lets me know there is a bit of wear and tear on the battery, but it is still holding its own and the RV tech tells me to take the trip!
My first few nights, I overnight with the Grahams in Citrus Springs, Florida. My other neighbors who abandoned us, Pat and Shawn, meet up with us to go for a bite to eat at the Monkey Bar in Homosassa Springs. Food, fun and laughter is a prescription for the entire trip I think. Springs, springs and more springs... I love the water here and at the rate everyone is relocating, Gerard and I are giving it some serious consideration. I think this post is going to be pretty photo intensive and I hope it gives you even a small sense of the journey.
While waiting for the above mentioned RV repair appointment in Gainesville, I scoot over to Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest. I love Florida springs, I love to snorkel and kayak these waters. I will need to get back here to explore more.
So enough of Florida for now. I spend a long day on the road to arrive at a Corp of Engineers campground in LaGrange, Georgia. Holiday Campground is peaceful and restorative. Sitka and I stayed here last year and I definitely need 2 nights on the edge of the water. This campground affords me water and electricity and lots of space. The heat that was predicted never comes and no air conditioning is needed. A slice of heaven.
Heading north, I have mapped out a few covered bridges to find... a sort of treasure hunt. These bridges aren't the usual destination places like the Bridges of Madison County in Iowa or the trail of Bridges in Brown County, Indiana; however, old bridges make for good pictures. I have five to find , but I only get to three. One was torn down. I didn't discover that until after I stepped in fire ants. Damn, I hate those tiny creatures. The other one... well, Google Maps just couldn't find it.
Now, I am certain I will not be able to explore Stephen's Gap in northwestern Alabama. I always plan too much to cover in a day. I won't get to this cave in time for the lighting to be just right. I decide to let this destination go.... for now. I head to Dismals Canyon in Phil Campbell, Alabama. The Canyon is a sandstone gorge in Franklin County. It was declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1974. The canyon is home to two waterfalls, Secret Falls and Rainbow Falls, and six natural bridges. Dismals Canyon is operated commercially as part of an 85-acre nature preserve. Past twilight, the canyon lights up with tiny bioluminescent creatures they call Dismalites. These "glowworms" require a select habitat to survive and are unique to only a few places on Earth. They are close cousins of the rare glowworms found in Australia and new Zealand. There are no campgrounds around, no wineries, no boondocking sites and I decide driving on those narrow, winding, twisty roads after dark is just not going to happen. It doesn't occur to me to ask if I can just stay parked in the parking lot overnight. I will ask in the future and hopefully I will go back.
I have my first glass of wine from a $350 bottle.... no, I wasn't buying. I am treated to a nice pour. I end up purchasing a $20 bottle of Merlot that surprises me. Maraella Winery is my overnight spot in Hakes Bluff, Alabama. After this tasting, I am glad I am not driving any farther.
My next accommodation is on a 50 acre hobby farm that is absolutely stunning. My hosts are amazing folks. They even take me on a little site seeing tour of Muscle Shoals. The dam and locks on the Tennessee River are something to be seen. They raise and drop the water level 90 feet!
Boondockers Welcome site in Killen, Alabama
My campsite at Maraella Winery
It's these river roads that capture my heart. i suspect over the next several days, I will be exploring more than the Tennessee. The Mississippi, the Missouri, the Illinois and Vermillion are all in various stages of flooding but there is still a lot of accessibility to these fast flowing waters.
I see Belmont Columbus State Park in Columbus, Kentucky has campsites high up on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. I had no idea the tragic history this place holds. The Park is a National Scenic Byway and National Trail of Tears Site. It is also on the Civil War Heritage Trail.
I walk inside the Confederate trenches. I can feel the weight of the history here. Kentucky is rich in Civil War history. As one of the states that bordered both the Union and the Confederacy, Kentucky seemed destined to be a battleground. Despite the state’s attempted neutrality, the commonwealth soon had troops from both North and South on its soil. The role that the Columbus-Belmont area played in that conflict had a long lasting effect on the outcome of the war. The Confederacy fortified the bluffs above Columbus to such an extent that many military experts felt the position to be impregnable. Columbus had become the most heavily fortified place in North America. General Grant upon hearing that General Polk intended to bring more Confederate troops into the area decided that an attack on Belmont had to take place. Union forces landed on the Missouri shore and attacked the Confederate camp forcing them to retreat. Grant’s men turned Belmont’s guns on Columbus and began to fire on the Confederate defenses. Columbus could not be taken by direct assault, but it could be outflanked. The fall of Forts Henry and Donelson in February 1862 had opened a route into central Tennessee. General Polk wanted to withstand a siege, but his superiors ordered Columbus to be evacuated. On March 3, 1862, Union troops occupied the Confederate fortifications at Columbus. This victory gave Grant and the Union their first success in securing the Mississippi and thus cutting the Confederacy in two.
Earlier history tells the story of 1100 Cherokee forced across the Mississippi in 1838 at this very site. I wonder how well I will sleep if there may be souls who linger here. The wondering is short lived when a storm brews quickly and winds come out of nowhere. I am putting away my outdoor items when the wind twists my roof fan cover. I am in trouble now, what if it rains? Luckily, nothing more than a drizzle. But now I am in search of an RV repair place in the morning.
What do you know...I arrive at 8am in Jackson Missouri at Country Remedy RV and Steve, the owner, replaces my fan cover before he even opens at 8:30am. I deserve a bit of this kind of luck. Today, I roll into Kirkwood, Missouri to spend a couple days with my sister and brother-in-law. We'll explore some of Missouri's wine country... yes, wine country IN Missouri.
Onward,
Catherine
The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams ~Oprah Winfrey
