May 16 and 17

Monday, May 16, 2016

Little River Canyon National Preserve is an 11 mile scenic drive with a 45 ft. high waterfall.  Though the water level is low right now, winter rains allow expert “whitewater paddlers (to) test their skills in the rapids”.  We enjoyed walking on the huge rocks that had long flat “steps”, making it easy to climb.  It was so good to discover such a beautiful area so close to home.

In the afternoon, we traveled to Russell Cave National Monument.  This site has been excavated by both the Smithsonian and National Geographic archeologist.  Cane baskets and stone mortar and pestle were found that document that the cave has been inhabited for 10,000 years.  How amazing is that!

After checking with the park Ranger, we parked just outside the park gate for the night.  Roger transmitted there for a couple of hours .  Before we went to bed we went outside to take down the antenna and were happily surprised to see lightning bugs flying around the sky.  We smiled as we each remembered catching them when we were children, putting them in jars to better enjoy their light.

Tuesday May 17, 2016

Today we drove to the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, just south of the Tennessee/Georgia state line.  It is the first Military Park established by the US Congress and honors the lives of both the Union and Confederate soldiers who fought in this Civil War battle.  It is considered the campaign that was the “Death Knell of the Confederacy”.

The park has numerous monuments to individual military battalions, of both the north and south.  The movie in the visitor’s center was very impressive, as it depicted actual people with quotes from letters of soldiers who were actually on the battlefield.  The number of lost lives was so phenomenal that it is hard to believe.  But I try to find the positive in their sacrifice.  Our county survived the huge conflict of the Civil War.  It might have destroyed the nation, but people struggled to rebuild.  The United States has gone forward and continues to prosper.        

5-13-16

5-13-  5-14

This morning we traveled to Horseshoe Bend, a National Military Park.   It is the site of one of the important battles between the US 39^th Infantry and the Upper Creek Indians in 1814.  I find it hard to believe that is has only been 200 years since this area was part of the frontier.  There was a feeling of sadness when I read of the split of the Creek Indian Nation.  Half of the Indians wanted to embrace the more modern ways of the Americans, while the other half tried to maintain their prior way of life by “driving the white man” from the lands that had previously belonged to them.

The battle was named after the shape of the Tallapoosa River where the fighting occurred.  The river makes a nearly perfect horseshoe.  One of interesting things we learned was that the city of Montgomery was named after Major Lemuel Montgomery, who died in this battle and the age of only 28.  Before joining the military he had been an accomplished lawyer in Nashville, Tennessee.

5-14-16

We located the Trail of Tears National Historical Trail site in Ft. Payne, Alabama.  There are multiple sites throughout the US, where various Indian Nations were forced to leave their homelands and travel west to reservations.  This particular site was the only one originating in the state of Alabama.  In the fall of 1838, 1100 Cherokee men, women and children began the 800 mile journey.  John Benge, one of the Cherokee leaders state that “at least 2/3 (of the Indians) are in destitute condition and in want of shoes, clothing and blankets”.  What a devastating and cruel part of our country’s history.

 

May 11-12

5-11 & 12-16

After Roger transmitted from Tuskegee Institute and Tuskegee Airman National Park sites, we drove to Lake Martin.  This is our first time at this campground.  Since it was almost 8 pm when we backed into our campsite, we fixed dinner and went to bed.  The next morning we woke to see that we had selected a beautiful site on the lake.  After breakfast we rode our bikes around the campground.  It is one of the prettiest we have ever seen and it is huge!  There are over 600 sites scattered across six peninsulas so it doesn’t seem crowded.

There are separate picnic areas for day use and a “silo” at the end of one of the points which has an observation area that looks out over the lake.  With a fishing pier and a marina that rents various sized boats, it’s a great place for multiple types of recreation.  There are even a few cabins for those people who love nature but don’t have personal rv’s.  We are certainly glad we found it before the summer season is in full swing. 

On THE ROAD AGAIN

5-8-16

Roger and I were able to get away about 10 am on Sunday morning.  We traveled north to the first National Park site where Roger transmitted:  Selma Interpretive Center.  It documents the civil and voting rights history of black Americans and tells the story of the famous 50 mile walk from Selma to Montgomery Alabama.

After “activating” the park site for a couple of hours, we drove to our favorite campground, Prairie Creek.  ( Activating, means Roger transmits on his ham radio and acknowledges talking with other ham radio operators who are “collecting”  contacts at the various National Parks.  This is a program sponsored by the National Amateur Radio League this year, because it is the 100^th anniversary of the National Park system.)

 

The campground is situated on the Alabama River between Selma and Montgomery.  Our campsite is beautiful.  It provides a 270 degree view of the river and is so peaceful:  just what we needed right now.  We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the gentle breeze and the drifting water as it sparkled in the sunlight.

Yesterday, we went for a ride on our bikes.  Roger said we would be going only about a mile.  A couple of hours later, we returned, worn out, but not discouraged.  Roger checked the map program on the computer and discovered we had ridden at total of 17 miles.  That was a new maximum for us.  So at least we know we could do it again if we had to. (but DON’T plan to).  

New Direction

Well since the Super Loop is just a dream we have to move on to something else. Our land yacht.  RV'ing is MaryJo's thing and we have been doing it now for 17 years.  We started with renting a 21ft class C in New Zealand. That's all it took to convince me that was a good life style. 

We bought an old 1978 33 ft Travco.  In its day it was the top of the line.  You still cant find features  that that RV had.  We have now been through about 5.  All of which we vowed would be our last.  Does not this sound like a boaters experience?  Our friends Jim and Gayle Cummings have a 30' Lazy Daze and we liked that. We keep down sizing and are now in 24.1 Thor AXIS.  It has a perfect layout for us.  Going from even a 30ft to the 24 made handling much easier for MaryJo. 

Other than the SuperLoop, about the last thing on my bucket list was to catch a sailfish.  So we went to Costa Rica in January and I got my fish.

 

Now MaryJo's bucket trip has been to rv the Lewis & Clark trail.  We keep putting it off and decided enough is enough and come hell or high water we are hitting the road on March 1. 

 

Well MaryJo and I graduated from Catholic High in 1966(High school sweet hearts) As such we have always been the one to get the ball rolling on the class reunions.  We got a committee going, had a couple of meetings and set a date of May 7 for the big 50 year event.  I figured we could travel some and fly or drive back for the reunion.  We have great classmates that are doing 99% of the work but I just couldn't hit the road with that on my mind so will leave the day after the event.

 

 

Actually, I also needed the time to get the new rv set up with my amateur radio equipment.   This happens to be the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service.  Ham radio operators are always looking for an excuse to get on the air so to celebrate amateurs are encouraged to setup portable and operate from the various parks.  Each park has a federal designator.  The idea is to activate as many parks as possible with as many contacts as possible.  A contact consist of operating form the park and passing on a signal report to as many other amateurs as possible.  So there are two categories activators and chasers (those that try and talk to as many parks as possible.)   You can do both but since we are going to be traveling, I figured that it would be fun hit some of the parks and operate my station form them.  It is fun to be the station everyone is trying to call.  We just made a short shake down trip down to the Everglades(NP18).  I put out the call that I was on the air and operating.  With in minutes I had a hundred or so people all calling me at the same time.  That's what you call a pile-up.  Its quit a challenge to pick out the other persons call sign, and get it logged correctly so they get credit for talking to you. 

 

We have found a couple of things that the rv dealer needs to fix but I think we will be ready to hit the road May 9.   

 

   

 

 



Difficult decision

Well there just comes the time when you have face to the facts.  We are not going to be able to continue.  My Dad passed away but we were able to spend some great times with him. Actually the last week was very special and was blessed with one week the has been the best in my life and hope it was also his.

What really did him in was his back the just gave out on him with a lot of pain for the last two years of his life.  I already have significant problems myself and need to try and salvage what I have left.  every time I took a wave it just compressed a bit more.  So  a couple of months ago I took the boat to Marc at Wefings in Apalachicola.  No fair well pictures.  I just dropped it off, walked out and told him to call me when it was sold.  It didn't take but about two weeks.

 So the Super Loop is over for me by sea.  It's not easy to toss in the towel.  Its the only thing I've ever not completed.  I did get to hang glide a couple of months ago and headed to Costa Rica to catch a sailfish in January.  When I had my charter boat we caught everything from octopus to tuna but never a sailfish.  I'm going to go where they live and not come back til I get one.  I dont really care if I get it to the boat.  A couple of good runs will do.  

When we get back from Costa Rica we are going to head out in the RV.  The plan is to head to Louisville, Ky and then West following Lewis and Clark.  We'll start another blog for that.  Thanks for looking.

Roger

On HOLD

Well as you can see it has been awhile since I have been able to continue the loop.  My Dad's health is at the point where we need to be here all the time.  He turned 91 in March.  So been sticking close to home.  But never fear the voyage will continue.