2002 December Southern Plantations

 Southern Plantations

X-mas for us was an office dinner party in Charleston, SC. All our staff did come and we had a really good time. There was an acoustic guitar player with songs from the 70 - 90's that everyone could relate to and his playing was quite good. Following the dinner, Nita and Tom departed for Texas with stops along the way that included X-mas day in New Orleans, LA.

First stop is Colleton State Park, SC for the holiday campout with Summerville Sam's (Good Sam Club). It has been awhile since meeting with this club and it was good to get reacquainted. Bob and Kay also shared pictures and information about their trip to Alaska that summer. Someday we may make the same trip, although it does seem arduous for the lack of paved roads. Not making an awful lot of mileage (Tom is under the weather), next stop is at a Passport America campground in Jessup, GA. It is actually kind of nice to start out without rushing toward the next destination, making only enough miles that we feel comfortable with each day and stopping early to enjoy the area or just rest. 

Following Hwy 84 in GA is a pleasant route. The majority of the route follows along a railroad track, and it is very flat and straight as well as a 4-lane road without very much traffic. This all made it enjoyable to cruise along looking at farms and fields. Dropping down along the Florida Panhandle Coastline is Hwy 98 - also known as the "Emerald Coast" that follows the coast, seemingly forever. There are numerous military bases along the way, many with campgrounds. We had heard about an exceptional military campground on the panhandle but could not remember which one it was. After stopping over in the nearest (Tyrone AFB), Nita tried calling some of the other military campgrounds without results. Following along Hwy 98 a person does go by nearby all the campgrounds anyway, so along we go - not deciding to stay in any one place until we stumble across what must be the right campground at Pensacola Naval Air Station. This is arranged in a circle with an enclosed meeting room in the center, fortunately it had an ironwood stove inside, for it is a bit chilly right now. The standard here is to meet there about 4 PM & bring your own drink for social time. Although the evening we stopped here there was no other entertainment, we are told several people do come over with guitars for "pickin & grinnin."

Touring Pensacola is a collection of historic homes all in one location. The tour itself is reasonably priced and provides entrance into otherwise-inaccessible homes. In addition to learning the local lifestyle in 1550, the exhibits had machinery and depiction of the local major industries and how they worked: lumber sawmill, complete machinery collection, brick forming and kiln depiction, and fishing boats. There is much more right on base to see - such as an airplane museum and a very large restored Spanish fort. We vowed to return someday.

The next segment had considerable foul weather so staying on the interstate was in order. Strong winds at times and very heavy rain at intermittent areas made it a little nervous going. Other locations had tornados we learned later. Tom did think that by pushing right through we would minimize the total time we would be inside the weather front. Still - rough going for a little while.

We headed to St. Francisville, an 18the century settlement that grew up around the graveyard of an order of Capuchin monks in what was then Spanish West Florida and arrived at a campground located 8 miles from town. Louisiana is divided into parishes rather than counties, a subtle reminder of the French Catholic settlement of the state. This parish has 6 plantations still in original condition. Two are currently State-owned and offer excellent tours. we were particularly impressed with Rosedown Plantation, which was extremely well kept physically and the records allowed the historians to describe in great detail the owners' lives. The formal gardens at Rosedown were begun at about the same time as the house. As early as 1836, there are records showing the purchase of camellias, azaleas, and other plants from William Prince & Sons in New York. 

The gardens were the province for Mrs. Martha Turnball throughout her life. The French style gardens grew out from the house over 28 acres. The contribution of slave labor to the construction and upkeep of the plantation, as well as agricultural prosperity and wealth accrued by Daniel Turnball was immense. During peak years of cotton production, as many as 450 slaves worked at Rosedown. After Daniel's death in 1861, the family saw a steady decline in a way of life that could no longer be supported. 

Rosedown and two older Turnball plantations were ravaged during the war both by the invasion ofNorthern troops and by the loss of the slave labor workforce. The Turnball/Bowman family, which included the Turnball's only daughter, Sarah, and husband James Bowman, stayed at Rosedown through the war, protecting and farming the property as best they could. This was truly exceptional - most often we have very little was left of these plantations - just the buildings and guesses as to what happened to the inhabitants.

The other state-owned plantation is Oakley Plantation. Nearly 200 years old, this plantation home houses the museum at Audubon State Historical Site. John James Audubon's journal records his arrival in 1821 at Oakley Plantation. The lush, natural setting, with a variety of birds singing throughout the 100-acre forest, still inspires visitors. In these peaceful environs, it is easy to imagine the artist filling his sketchpad with notes and drawings for his famous series of bird illustrations. The tall, airy house where John Audubon stayed is a splendid example of colonial architecture adapted to its climate. Built circa 1806, Oakley predates the period when Southern plantations favored the heavy details of Classic Revivalism. It is distinct for its beautiful simplicity. A West Indies influence can be seen in the jealousies galleries which allow cool breezes to drift through the rooms while keeping out the rain and the glare of the sun. Simple and dignified by its unusual height, the building seems a suitable part of its beautiful forest setting. Although not as imposing as Rosedown in size or grandeur it was very functional.

We ended our evening with a drive through St. Francisville's local history, and as we looked at the homes decorated in white lights and trimmed in local evergreen, we remarked on the age and architecture. Most structures had bicentennial markers and private homes often added to the celebrations.

By Saturday morning (the 21st) we were heading to New Orleans. The roads were in poor condition and hard to travel on. We noticed that the landscape was lined with oil refiners bellowing out smoke and the homes were in disarray and needed new paint. At one point we took a corner and our pantry items in the motor home fell out onto the floor, breaking a number of items, and just making a big mess. We were thankful the cats stay under our seats when we are going down the road because they could have been terribly hurt in the ordeal.

Our next plantation was the Nottoway, located in White Castle, Louisiana. They claim to be the largest plantation in the south. In 1849, John Hampden Randolph, an extremely prosperous sugar planter, contracted an architect to design the largest and finest home in the South and to distinguish it from any other. The Nottoway is an American castle - a gem of Italianate and Greek Revival style boasting 64 rooms and 53,000 square feet of total area supported by 22 massive cypress columns.

It took 10 years to complete and in 1859 it accommodated the Randolph's eleven children and afforded all the wants and needs of a 7,000 acre sugar plantation. Saved from total destruction during the War Between the States by a Northern gunboat officer, a former guest of the Randolph's, Nottaway stands in a remarkable state of restored beauty.

The Randolph's had 7 girls - 5 of whom were married in the Grand White Ballroom (that we noticed had hand-painted Dresden porcelain doorknobs and

 hand-

carved marble mantels). Today, weddings are still performed in this magnificent ballroom. We reflected on the ultimate Southern grandeur and the finest hospitality when we viewed the family dining room. The table was set with hand-painted plates that depicted romantic scenes and were trimmed in gold. We enjoyed hearing the story of the long visits of their invited guests. As the story goes, when dinner was served to you it was on warm plates taken from the warmer. This meant you were welcome and your visit was being enjoyed. But, when you were served your meal on a cold dish, this meant you have over-stayed your welcome and should be on your way.

I had found myself thinking of the time before when we had travelled through here. It was about 4 years previously. We had Jessica, our granddaughter, with us and loved seeing the old plantations with here and sharing this country's history. Things were different now. i realized that I was taking in every moment, listening better and seeing more than I had done some years before. I wasn't in such a hurry to rush to the next attraction or plan so far a head that I lost sight of the here and now. I suppose, that is why we are doing better on stopping and slowing down and planning more time in our travels.

We planned to spend about one week in New Orleans during the Christmas and New Year's holidays. We camped at the Navy campground on base - small but nice, with laundry facilities, and we could walk to the commissary and NEX. We always find that people enjoyable and upbeat at base campgrounds. They are also a wealth of information on local happenings in the area. Tom always gathers literature from the Internet on what to do, where to go and special events that may interest us. Sunday was our day off - spent catching up on cleaning, cooking and resting.

Christmas in New Orleans

The traffic was light, and the city was busy with out-of-towners and it seemed everywhere we looked people were doing the same thing we were. We stopped at Johnny's Po Boy, a local establishment for some local cuisine. The restaurant was packed, you ordered at the counter and ate when your number was called. It was a hard choice, but decided on the Shrimp Po Boy sandwich and wasn't disappointed - it was wonderful.

After eating we decided to take a walking tour - self-guided of course. The area is in disrepair and needed a great deal of fixing and general clean up. The buildings are distinctive with Louisiana-style and history of jazz and Mardi Gras. We enjoyed looking at the designs of the buildings and found them to be decorated in the Christmas separates. We walked in the French Quarter: this is a huge tourist attraction, but is also the heart of old New Orleans. Centering on Bourbon Street (now lined with tacky souvenir stalls and strip clubs catering to conventioneers), this square mile is full of wrought-iron balconies on picturesque brick buildings. Despite the name, only one surviving structure dates from the time when New Orleans was under French colonial control.

New Orleans has some of the best and most enjoyable restaurants to eat in the world, so we planned to take our time and enjoy ourselves. In the French Quarter are some of the oldest restaurants, serving classic French-Creole cuisine and popularized Cajun-style "blackened" food all over the country.

No visit to New Orleans is complete without a stop for coffee and beignets at busy Cafe du Monde. So, dragging Tom in for some French coffee and pastries and serious people-watching I indulged. It was also was a good reason to stop and rest for a minute.


We made some friends here at the campground. Their names are Bill and Julie and are from the state of Washington. Their daughter, Sheila, is here in the Navy so they were visiting her over the Holidays - and escaping from the cold weather up north. We got together a few times for bites to eat and a little wine. We have enjoyed the conversations and the local information they have been so nice to share with us. Bill and Julie invited us to have Christmas dinner at Sheila's home on the river.

The next day, December 26, 2002, we decided to go to the Garden District and have lunch at the Commander's Palace. This is a huge historical house that

 has been turned into one of America's finest restaurants - kind of a who's who in New Orleans. Anyway we decided to see what it was all about. we both had Gumbo du Jour that was out of this world. Tom had Louisiana Crawfish stew with rice and Nita had the pork tenderloin with red cabbage and mashed potatoes. They were also offering martini's for 25 cents - so we each tried one. Desserts were a must: Tom had pecan pie a la mode and Nita had bread pudding parfait with rum sauce. The meal was one you only read about -- easy to believe the awards and write-ups in numerous restaurant magazines! The best-kept secret is the lunch prices: we were able to have the 5-star meals for around $30. And by the way, this was the first time we ever had martini's. We are not sure we will again, unless they are 25 cents again.

After our magnificent lunch we needed to walk - or at least try to - so we strolled the Garden District. This is a very old and very lovely section of town bordered by Jackson and Louisiana Avenues, between St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street. Grand, elegant homes inhabit lush, flowering gardens and feature an unusual mixture of Spanish, English, French and Greek Revival architectural styles.

1134 First Street: Judge Jacob U. Payne owned this home, built by slaves, a friend of the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis. Davis died in one of the rooms in 1889. It is a popular belief that Payne designed this house. Gentlemen of this era thought architecture was a necessary skill to possess.

Lafayette Cemetery is directly across from the restaurant at the corner of Prytania and Washington Avenues. It was laid out in 1833 by the original residents of the Garden District. Within its first 20 years the cemetery was almost filled with people who succumbed to yellow fever. A well-kept cemetery, it is open to the public. This

cemetery also has been filmed in many movies. Aboveground house-like tombs served the same family for generations. They say they buried aboveground because of the watertable being so high. they have walking tour that is a wealth of information, but it is suggested not to walk alone - a number of muggings have taken place and it is not safe to be alone.

We left New Orleans on our way to see Tom's son, Doug, in Texas. He returned from Korea 4 months back and now is stationed out of Fort Hood, TX. We arrived 

Saturday December 29, 2002 late in the afternoon. We enjoyed spending time with Doug, Kendra and the kids. They came over to the campground on base where we stayed for the first two days. Then we moved over and parked our motor home in front of their home the night before we all left for San Antonio on the 31st. San Antonio is Texas' second largest city. We planned to leave at 6 AM for a motor home trip all could enjoy. It was a two hour drive and we wanted to spend the whole day sight-seeing with the family. A must-do was a visit to the Alamo, including touring the church building and the grounds where artifacts including Davy Crockett's vest and rifle are on display. We walked the runes, took in the museums and listened to a story of the old days. We travelled on to the Alamo Plaza that runs under the street at river level and includes a Farmers' Market, children's museum and stopped in at Ripley's Believe It or Not museum.

The city was clean and neat - the buildings were old and had a lot of

history, but were well kept. Everyone we met seemed friendly and upbeat. We enjoyed the city immensely and both agreed we would like to come back here sometime in the future to see more.

We spent New Year's day celebrating Alex's birthday. It wasn't until the next week, but we wanted to spend it together. We all had fun. We had cake and ice cream outside on the picnic table, opened presents, ate and had a good time. The weather was great - not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was around 67 degrees. Picture perfect as you can see.

We knew the holidays had come to an end as we reflected on family and friends we were blessed to be with and share time with and make new memories. We needed to say goodbye to Doug and his family so we could move along to Dallas to do some research about opening an office there. We spent the week gathering information on manufacturing companies, economics and urban development, and interviewing a number of people. We were able to take a break and take in some sights in Dallas.

One of our interests was in seeing Daily Plaza and the Texas Schoolbook Depository. What an eerie feeling - nothing has changed from the dark day the news

cameras swarmed down on Dallas and filmed the location after the assassination of JFK. The town has grown, but the Plaza has not been altered: it was like going back 1963. Wandering around the location, looking at the viewpoints of the shooter's position and crowds gives one a different perspective of what happened. Although we are not detectives, it makes one wonder what really happened.

Another weekend with Doug's family resulted in a very good time for all for us - simply doing things together allowed us all to chat and reacquaint ourselves.

Events moved rapidly at the end of January. We interviewed again in Houston while enroute back to SC. Necessity forces us to be home by Monday and push away we did. 10-12 hours a day driving placed us in Summerville on Sunday at 1pm. And back to work we went.

 

2002 July West Coast to East Coast

 Sea to Shining Sea West to East

The route from Benton City, WA to Yellowstone, National Park.  Along the way we took two-lane Highways through western Washington and eastern Idaho, single lane roads through small towns with an agricultural base.  Interesting how the harvest of alfalfa the farmers would harvest in sections creating designs in their fields.

 The areas with water available would have the most farming. When entering Idaho the route changes more to touristy, following the snake river alongside the Nez Pierce reservation was interesting, small shops in little towns all along the way and the views of tree covered hills following the river was nice.  Not making many miles because of the smaller roads we laid over. Fortunately that we did for our neighbor in the campground had come from the direction we were headed and said rain mixed with snow for her entire day.  Next day as we head out the clouds had diminished some and we had better going.  Following the Nez Pierce evacuation route through the mountains into Montana was beautiful, small streams overflowing with rain inside forest covered mountains were pretty.  At last reaching an interstate in Montana we expected to make some mileage but knowing we would not reach Yellowstone that day gave in to Nita to stop off at a fly-fishing shop. Turned out there was a samolnfly hatch in progress so Nita talked Tom into purchasing a new fly rod and some fly’s.  Now with a new rod and a hatch happening Tom could not pass up the opportunity to try his luck, so we stayed over that day and all of the next to try fishing.

What a fantastic experience, Tom had not fished for trout in over 20 years yet was able to land a 15” cutthroat trout!  The range looms loftily over Montanan’s river’s the peaks still traced with snow, but getting ready to burst into full summer color like the valley below.  This view is one of several along road beckon travelers to conclude they’re motoring through “Gods Country”. We all enjoyed our stay and will never forget the how the sun reflects brilliantly from a high mountain stream and nearby fireweed is illuminated during the last moments of a Montana Sunset.

 

Continuing toward Yellowstone we viewed the famous trout streams Madison, Gallatin, and Jefferson in Montana.  They all were overflowing with rainwater and snowmelt but it was interesting to actually be there where so much has been written about in fly-fishing circles.  Camping in a Passport America campground outside the park we made our base of operations.  A nice park 12 miles outside Yellowstone with very friendly people, two in particular we made friends with one a retired truck driver who enjoys fishing, another with a Rexhall Airbus who we exchanged information with and made plans to meet at the next location of Mount Rushmore.

 

Yellowstone, NP

Sitting astride the Continental Divide, high up in the northern Rockies at the northwest corner of Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park is one of the true wonders of the natural world.  A veritable greatest hits of Mother Nature, the park is packed full of burbling geysers, magnificent canyons, raging waterfalls, and still-wild wildlife.  The country’s and the worlds oldest national park, established in 1872, Yellowstone was first explored by frontiersman John Colter, who passed through in 1808: it’s also one of the largest parts of the Lower 48 states never to be farmed or fenced.

 

The first day we over did ourselves. Not only did we travel the southern loop of Yellowstone but drove through the Grand Teton, NP also. Covering 250 miles and numerous stops we exhausted ourselves.  Seeing Old Faithful was just as good as when seen on a nature film. And the Lodge at Old Faithful is truly magnificent: constructed throughout with whole logs with unique shapes yet put together in a pleasing manner. Three stories high your eyes are tasked to view all of it. Simply something you have to see for yourselves.

Numerous Buffalo, Elk, geysers, rivers, streams and hot springs throughout the park. Several times buffalo blocked the road as they crossed as a herd. All the traffic would stop and wait for the crossing; we would get out of the cars to take pictures as they took their time crossing. Several times during our stay buffaloes would be walking

down the road so close you thought they would rub the side of your car. The Grand Teton’s were spectacular the entire drive through the park you could see the mountains. We stopped at a lodge for lunch while enjoying the view of the mountains. Getting very tired we passed on seeing more of the Teton’s and finished our route up a 10% grade, glad we did not bring the motor home this was quite a pull even for the truck. Once over the grade it was another 60 miles to camp through farmland and ravines, passing farm trucks along the way.

We saw so very much and covered so many miles we were exhausted. Nita took the next day off to rest and Tom went fishing on the famous Madison River. Fishing that portion of the river inside the park is exciting!

Buffalo wandering by as you standing in the stream is a unique experience. Working the stream hard Tom caught 3 fish the first day one of which was 10” rainbow trout. Returning to camp we had a big meal and turned in early for we expected to tour more of the park the next day.

Having done the southern loop of Yellowstone we headed off to see the northern loop. The first part had road construction and fortunately the road workers were not working at the time we went through. The road was packed dirt but fairly smooth. A hot spring at the creeks edge was interesting for I know the water was cold enough for trout yet the hot water entering the stream had to make it much warmer.

Monmouth Springs looked better on the post card than it did up close. A side trip brought us to a hot spring that we could stand under!

Stopping off along the roadway to eat is always fun, either fortunately or unfortunately Yogi Bear did not come by to get the picnic basket. We did see Black Bears though a mother and two cubs far enough away to feel safe.

The remainder of the northern loop followed the Yellowstone River Canyon but never close enough to see it. This portion was disappointing to us, had a lot of hills and curves to drive but not that much in the way of scenery or animals. The route back went through the same road construction area and since we had seen it already just added to our disappointment.

Next day we camped inside the Yellowstone Park. Nita puttered around the campground and Tom went fishing on the Fire hole River inside the park. Much more productive fishing but much smaller fish. Tom seems to have relearned how to catch trout and is having a good time. Yo had wandered around a little and the camp host was a bit of a stuffed shirt and got very upset about Yo being outside. So outside on a harness and that is not Yo’s favorite thing.

Departure from Yellowstone is a mixture of feelings, we truly enjoyed our stay but the need to move on is strong too.  Along the way out we did see a grizzly bear, definitely far enough away to be safe. The exit out the east side of the park is narrow and winding, we have had enough of wining roads and are ready to make some miles. It took most of the morning to get out of the park and down to Cody, WY. A little shopping and push on down the road. The choices of Hwy 14 or 16 through the Bighorn Mountains looked about the same on the map. Traveling it though I am not so sure. We took Hwy 14 and it was very steep and windy until you reach the top then a large plateau for a nice ride the downside and then again very steep and winding. Extremely scenic though, beautiful colored canyon walls sharp ridges and some wildlife. Actually this could be a nice area to visit. Continuing on we ended up stopping in a high school parking lot for the night in Sundance, WY. Although occasional cars did come by into the school area it was relatively quiet and we rested quite well.

Next morning we attempted to meet up with some acquaintances in Sturgis, WY and missed them entirely, such is the life on the road, you never know that timing to meet others will work out or not. So we continued down to Custer State Park, SD to stay a few days. We had been told that there are more animals here than in Yellowstone. Apparently not at the time we were there. A little searching and we did see Pronghorn Antelope and some burros that would put their heads into the car to ask for a handout.

Nice campground and enjoyed meeting the people there had quite an afternoon visiting the camp host and our immediate neighbors who were from Tampa, FL. Mountain goats were along the road and buffalo walked through our campsite, Yo was not sure what to do with that big of an animal that close to us.

A short drive to see Mount Rushmore and off we go. Mt Rushmore is what you would expect of a stone figure, not very entertaining but definitely impressive in the enormous undertaking it required to make it. Most definitely a unique man made attraction.

South Dakota is a very long state with the western half not too populated. Signs along the interstate were plentiful for Walls Drug store in Wall, SD. We did stop there and were entertained by the exhibits and décor of the shops, definitely a tourist trap! Prices very reasonable though and a lot of people were there. Glad we did stop though and it made for a good break in a long flat boring drive.

Another couple of hundred miles along the road is Mitchell, SD home of the Corn Palace USA.  This building that local merchant started in 1908 to promote their town in the hopes of increased business and election as the state capitol.

Unfortunately, they never did become the capitol but did increase business. Every year with the exception of the world war years they would put up new designs on the walls of the building in different murals. The building had been rebuilt three times for various reasons and the latest one does not have the domes on it, they are attempting to raise money to install new domes on the current building to match the previous buildings.

A free tour (short but offering insight into history of the corn palace) we did shop in the flea market inside. Tom found a Pheasant cape that we put up in the motor home. A lot of color and the cats seem to like it too.

Also in Mitchell is a Cabellas store. Tom had mail ordered a lot of fishing equipment from this store in the past, so we went inside and browsed. The best part of all is they had free camping in the parking lot with water and dump station available. The weather that evening was cool enough to camp without the generator running and the other campers were nice to chat to. This felt very safe to stay at and we enjoyed the stop over.

Next stop is Basswood campground just north of Kansas City, MO. The campground was hosting the national Bar-B-Que Cook Off! We could not even sample the food due to health laws so we did wander around to see all the cooking set ups and watch some of the entertainment provided. Nita went back to rest and Tom was walking around and heard people clapping, so off he goes to see what’s going on. A group of Dodge Motor Homes 1950’s versions were having their National Rally. Naturally there were not too very many of these coaches. They were having an excellent time; there were four members of the camp group who were also a band. They sang folk songs and were very good. Their name is Spontaneous Combustion, from Kansas City, MO. Extremely good musicians and I shall have to look up their web site to learn more.

Next day tour Hallmark Cards home office. A very good film describing the efforts Hallmark places into developing the artists who make the pictures and sayings in the cards, a tour of past cards, mementoes, movies, person gifts. Also a demonstration of how to make the dies for the cards.

An attempt to see the Oregon Trail Museum in Independence, MO was a bust! It was not even there any more. The map and computer showed it and it was definitely not there.

Off to Branson, MO for some touristy fun.

Finding our campground easily we arrived late in the day, the owners had made themselves available to receive us (gated campground) and we got parked and settled in for the night. Next day we found a schedule of events and picked out what shows had an interest to both of us and went to a discount place to purchase tickets.

 

Mell Tills show is good; his family for the most part is involved with his show. His band is apparently the last band to stay with their performer for extended time. 23 years most of his band had been with him! Good show and a good time overall.

Based upon recommendations from people we chatted with we changed our tickets from Mickey Gilley to Pierce Arrow. What a mistake, as soon as the band started they were so loud Tom left! The manager did try to turn the volume down, earplugs and moving to the very back did not help either. We left and they did give us a one-year gift certificate to come back and try again.

There are a lot of restaurants in Branson, we tried a few and could not get the hang of other peoples recommendations. One place was highly recommended and people departing as we were arriving said it is very good – the worst meal we have had yet! Another received no recommendation at all, yet we enjoyed it very much. Go figure!!!

Onward to Memphis, TN, the route through the Ozarks is a pleasant drive some windy areas but rolling hills and small towns. In Memphis the Agricenter International has a large campground with a very small pond and a farmers market. No shade trees but very few people were there and we did park near a lady who made us feel very welcome.

Tour Memphis is interesting. Attractions such as a Pyramid, Southern Folklore, Beal Street (birthplace of the Blues) many historical homes to tour, Mud Island and of course the Mississippi River. Memphis is a nice town, hot yet not unbearably, many mature shade trees lining the streets of the residential areas. A Mexican restaurant that is a good competition to the one in New Mexico!

Touring the Pink Palace is not what was expected, very, very little of the mansion and no furnishings as advertised. Good Museum as an attachment to the Mansion covering civil war events, miniature circus and origin of Piggly Wiggly stores.

Driving through Memphis we were impressed with the numbers of mature trees in the neighborhoods, revealing cool shaded lawns. Clean town with potential, traffic a bit heavy though.

Knoxville, TN and the Blount Mansion! Are we some sort of royalty? Not even to be expected. There may be an important figure in our past though. William Blount signer of the Constitution, land developer, primary individual to making Tennessee a state.

A mansion in its time, a clapboard two story house with windows! Very well kept and the tour is excellent. Taking home some documents to investigate if we are any relation or not.

Over the mountain to a campground with an herbal farm. Turns out also has a trout stream alongside. Tom did catch a few and Yo, Simba, Nita got some rest.

Homeward bound, we have mixed feelings about getting back, some part of us wants to continue on down the road and parts want to stay put awhile. Lets give it a few days before we decide.

 

 

 

 

Overall Trip Statistics:

 

Mileage                8,000

Pictures                1,700

Time Span            6 Weeks

 

 

 

 

 

2002 June CA west coast

 

San Diego, CA

Arriving on Monday morning 20 May through Monday 27 May 2002 we visit Nita’s family and friends and tour San Diego, CA for an entire week. Nita had been looking forward to visiting for quite some time and thankfully we have this opportunity to spend this much time here.

Nita’s brothers Chuck and his wife Jean have been very gracious hosts and made us feel welcome throughout our stay.

The campground recommended by Debbie Poey is excellent, centrally located to all family members, bordering a golf course (excellent clubhouse) and military at that (rates were very good for this area). No more than 10 minutes from the campground to family!

San Diego had grown considerably since Nita was here last. Many streets and business areas are so large now with new housing and businesses that several times Nita was unsure of how to get to somewhere and that lent newness to Nita also. For Tom finally meeting the people Nita has spoken so much about allowed him to put faces with the names.

During our stay here Tena’s daughter Heather arrived to assist Jean in providing care for Jeans parents (several illness’s have made them need help around the house) fortunately Heather has had training in this area and is between jobs at the time, so it worked out for the best for all.  Coming back home to San Diego was especially meaningful to me.  The sounds and smells that were so much a part of my life became alive once again.  The found thoughts of family and friends filled my heart and my mind again.  The filmier sidewalks, neighbor-hoods and street names did so much for my soul and for my reflections of the life I left here sometime back.  I found myself wondering what my life would have been like if I had not moved away?  What would my daughter Sherry’s life been like and what would we be doing now?  I suppose, these thoughts are not needed, I have a wonderful life and husband in South Carolina.   Sherry would not leave the town in Connecticut she loves and she might not have her daughter Jessica that is a blessing and truly a gift form God.

 

We left San Diego on May 28, 2002 heading up the coast to San Juan Capistrano to see the old Missions.  We stopped and visited the grounds, snapped some pictures and reflected on the hard times our for-fathers had during these times.

 

We went on to LA to meet Mom, Dad and sister Barbara. Ate dinner at a wonderful restaurant named Cheese-Cake Factory.  We were able to watch the sun set and the boats come in as we ate dinner, and of course had to try the cheesecake.   Excellent!

 

The next day we went to Lancaster, CA to take in the Motor home for some repairs at the RV manufacturer.  What a magnificent job they did, we were quite happy with the quality and speed of service.

 

We got back on the road around 9:30am on May 30, 2002, as shortstop for breakfast we headed north to Santa Barbara and Solvang California.  Santa Barbara has   grown threefold in the last 50 years, but for the moment at least in manages to retain its sleepy seaside charm.  Much of its character comes from the fact that, following a sizable earthquake in 1929, the town fathers-caught up in the contemporary craze for anything-Spanish revival period.  They required that all buildings in the downtown area exude a mission era feel, mandating red-tile roofs, adobe-colored stucco, and rounded arcades wherever practicable.  The resulting architectural consistency gives Santa Barbara an un-American charm: it looks more like a Mediterranean village than the modern city that, beneath the surface, it really is.

 

Next stop is Solvang, CA it was around 4:oopm and as it turned out fine for our visit. Solvang, American’s most famous mock-European tourist trap; the Danish-style town of Solvang was founded in 1911.  Set up by a group of Danish immigrants as a cooperative agricultural community.  Solvang found its calling catering to passing travelers, and the compact blocks of cobblestone streets and Old World architecture, highlighted by a few windmills and signs advertising the Hamlet Motel among many more suspicious claim to Donnishness, now attract tourists by the busloads. We ate dinner a Knights Inn a Bavarian Smorgasbord, different but good. We all enjoyed walking, gawking and shopping for pasties.

       Layover in Camp San Luis Obispo, the original California National Guard Base. Still training new recruits this base had very few amenities but its location as close to Hearst Castle. A fellow camper warned us that the route beyond Hearst Castle is very narrow and treacherous for RV’s. Actually stated there was a ban on over 30” trailers or motor homes! Since this was the first time we have heard of a ban (although warned of narrow roads) we sought out the chamber of commerce in San Simeon to learn thankfully that this was not so. So off we go to see Hearst Castle while Dad rested at the motor home.

San Simeon: Hearst Castle, May 31, 2002 at the south end of Big Sir: the mountains flatten out and turn inland, and the coastline becomes rolling, open range ranch land.  High on a hill above Hwy-1 stands the coast’s one totally unique and historical attraction = Hearst Castle.  Located 65 miles south of Big Sur Village this castle has 144 rooms, including 36 bedrooms-do give a sense of its scale.  Hearst Castle cries out to be seen, only as a revealing landmark to one of inherited the land, and most of his fortune, from his father George Hearst, a mining mogul, and began work on his castle following the death of his mother in 1919.  With the help of the great California architect Julia Morgan, who designed the complex to look like a Mediterranean hill town with Hearst’s house as the cathedral at its center, Hearst spent 25 years working on his “castle” building, rebuilding, and filling room after room with furniture, all the while entertaining the great and powerful of the era, from Charles Chaplin to Winston Churchill.

We left Hearst’s Castle around noon and headed toward Big Sur, this 90-mile stretch of coastline is one of the most memorable on the planet, with 5,000-foot tall mountains rising straight up from the Pacific Ocean.  Big Sur to the South of Carmel, and the rugged land has resisted development or even much of a population.

Highway 1, the breathtaking drives.  Cut across the very steep cliffs in 1937 required 20 years of convict labor and several fatalities.  Named the state’s first scenic route, and so dedicated by Lady Bird Johnson in 1966, it’s an incredible trip once I got over my fear of the cliffs and the steep curves. The first 10 miles were very hazardous, as we had been told; the remainder of the route was extremely breathtaking.

 

Our first sighting of the California Redwoods!   Tall and intimidating these trees are magnificent that reminded me of morning rapture, down arrives with a burst of sunlight shafting through giant redwoods a scene quite common along the Redwoods Highway.

We ended the day in Monterey, California, spending the night at a campground that was quite interesting; hopefully some of our readers will recognize “Laguna Seca Raceway”.  Fortunately for us it was not a race weekend for camping rates were listed as $300.00 for the weekend!

We headed out the next day early stopping for breakfast then to the Fisherman’s Wharfs.  The weather was cold and damp that morning we found venders selling bowls of Clam Chowder in bread bowls and plenty of fish dishes.  We drove over to see the dozen or so significant historical sites that have been well preserved, most of them concentrated within a mile-long walk called  “Path of History” that loops through the compacted downtown area. 

 

After we shopped, looked and walked we headed East to Sacramento, California to see Tom’s Niece Jenna. We were able to spend sometime with her and her 3 beautiful babies, one of which was 6 months old and what a lovely sweet girl.   Dinner was good we all ate, talked and had a wonderful time.

 

The next morning we left for the wine country, Napa and Sonoma then Santa Rosa California

When we arrived the valley on Wednesday June 5, 2002 it was a beautiful day.  The sun was shinning and it was around the high 70’s when we stop and toured a winery that made champagne, which we all found to be interesting.  The main difference between wine and champagne is to ferment the wine twice! Although we did not purchase any champagne we did leave with some corks as mementoes.

Time to eat so following Napa Valley north on Hwy 28 until we came to a square that had that had some shops that deserved some attention.  As we walked along we found Franco-Italian Market place on Washington Street in Napa Valley.  I was a wonderful dinning experience, with outside garden seating, fresh bread & pastries, pasta, pizza and a great wine bar.  After reviewing the menu with some confusion we all decided to split some dishes to try the variety.  It was unanimous the meal was different and glad we sampled the cuisine.  Some light shopping and we are ready to go on.  The drive not was overly spectacular, we enjoyed the hills and serene atmosphere, and we would love to go back and spend more time and retreat to this beautiful countryside.

 

To reach 101 again our route was through very windy small hills.  Numerous small vineyards doted the landscape. At one point there was a small general store, obviously to service the local populace.

We headed north on 101 toward the Redwoods, bypassing Hwy 1 for a while to make a little time.

Humboldt Redwoods Preserve!!!!!!!  Absolutely the best place along the coast. Towering redwood trees, lay down of gigantic redwood trees that we made pictures with alongside the road to demonstrate how truly large these trees can be. Gift shops with unique items made from redwood. Beautiful drive through towering redwood forests, alongside a babbling stream. Truly a magnificent drive. We highly recommend to everyone to visit this location. We have every intention to visit again ourselves.

Hwy 101 and 1 merge near the town of Eureka, Ca and you follow the coast for the remainder of California. This stretch has sandy beaches with interspersed cliffs, yet the driving is relaxing and faster than along the previous coastline.

Saw our first Elk in Redwood National Park. At crescent city, CA (the northernmost California city) we decided to head inland to Interstate 5 then on to Corvalis, OR where Tom’s Mom and Dad live.  Expecting major passes and a difficult drive, turned out to be actually very scenic and quick.  We stopped at a small lake to have a picnic lunch enroute. This was great to stop and enjoy the scenery while on the road.  We expect to stop for a picnic lunch more often it was so enjoyable.

Corvallis, OR…. Being able to visit Tom’s siblings Mary, her husband Larry, Robert and his wife Jan. Fortunate for us we arrived when we did for Robert was to start his vacation the next morning and we would have missed him. It was good to see everyone again.

 The campground allowed us to wash the RV!! May not seem like much to others but it has been over a month since the opportunity to wash our house.

The route to Washington along the Columbia River Gorge is a truly unique, towering cliff as you slowly climb a steady grade watching the river carve its way through the gorge.  Although dammed a several places and not flowing as it did during the Oregon Trail migration it is still a beautiful sight.

Next stop shall be the last scheduled stop on our trip, Mandy Feth’s graduation in Benton City, WA.   Hoping to find Tom’s sister Patty along the way.

 Fortunately her address had arrived just before reaching Oregon so with a little help from a computer program Tom was able to find where Patty lived.  Such a surprise to arrive unannounced after 22 years since seeing each other! Patty took a few moments to recognize Tom and only after he smiled for she said he looked like their father.

We spent the afternoon with Patty and her daughter Bobby in Yakima, WA.  Even got to meet Patty’s husband briefly.  Then down the road to Benton City, WA for Mandy’s graduation.

 Benton City, WA … Nita’s brother and wife had come from San Diego, CA arriving the same day we have. Their son Chuck and wife Val’s first daughter to graduate high school, which also means the first grandchild to graduate high school!

Chuck and Val’s sister Kathy came in from Seattle, WA and Tena flew in from Connecticut. There was quite a household so we stayed in our RV, Chuck and Jean stayed in Val’s parents RV, Tena in ours and the rest slept on the floor in the house. 

 

Saturday afternoon the graduation took place, it was very good.  The weather even held off from rain throughout the ceremony and we all enjoyed it very much.  It was very special that Mandy’s father “Chuck” was the vice principal at this

school and was on stage to give her diploma.  Impressive numbers of scholarships were awarded.  Of 99 graduates 66 had earned scholarships!!   Simply astounding!!

Following the ceremony we all gathered at the house for a big eating frenzy. 

Excellent Mexican fare that Val made.  We all stayed up late the night before laughing cooked, and drank a little wine to make the homemade meal and memories. We all know Tom went back for a second full plate and was very stuffed.  Numerous friends would stop by for visits, it kept the house full with love and amusement, and we all had a great time.

One of the unique things for us is the town was small.  Which meant everyone knew each other and was involved in each other’s children’s activities.  The entire town would go to all the sporting events and participate in fundraisers with the kids.  This reminds us so much of what America is known for and it is a reality check to realize how much this community spirit is not as prevalent.  We are to be looking for more of this attitude in our travels to determine for ourselves how much change has really happened.

The evening following graduation Mandy and her other graduates did an all night sleepover.  The parents all chaperoned at least were in the vicinity of the kids throughout the night.  There were drawings for gifts to the graduates provided from fundraisers throughout the year.  Not simple inexpensive gifts but DVD players, TV’s, computers.   The rest of us continued to eat and visit until we each turned in.

Following day we all had to depart to go our own ways, this visit shall be remembered for the gathering of family we love so dear.  We are grateful for the time we had together the love, laughter the tears and hugs. But most of all the “I love you”.   Family is a special gift that means we are tied together and we will always be there for each other always.  No one should take for granted for it is truly a gift.