R & R on trip back to Texas

During our stay at Midway Campground the much anticipated solar eclipse occurred.  If we had been just a few miles west, we would have been at the optimum place for viewing.  However, the traffic jam created by people flocking to the location would not have been worth it, in my opinion.  We enjoyed the eclipse just fine where we were and did not have to wait hours to move either.

The visit to Magne Shade was fantastic.  Got to meet the owner and family while waiting on shades to be made and fitted.  I was super pleased with the service and the end result.  Here is a picture of Winnie’s new sunglasses after returning to Midway.

These sunglasses should really help the inside temperatures!

Next stop is look at the rear A/C unit.  After inspection and assessment, the repairman pronounced the unit to be beyond help.  Time to replace the unit.  Ouch!  This involved a delay while the replacement is found and shipped to this location.  After a couple of days, the new unit is in and another trip to the service bay for an all-day session.  Good news is we now have two fully functioning A/C units without the extra noises of a jet airliner landing on the roof of the RV.

A stopover back at Tom Johnson’s campground for a couple of days and to pass the Labor Day holiday weekend before traveling to our next adventure was required as people had booked up all the 'camping' spots including our Midway spot for the holiday.

The next adventure is at a small privately owned oasis in the mountains.  Our newest full-time friends, John and Sandi, told us about the place when we were in South Carolina.  What a great place to R&R away from the tourist crowds.  This is our view from the rig and patio area adjacent to the front door.  This is just what the doctor ordered.

Not a bad view from the rig - right?

Perfect relaxation place

Such punishment of having to enjoy these sunsets.

While there we met several people that came from Florida to escape the hurricane that threatened Florida.  It felt strange to be there with them when the remnants of that storm blew right over the top of us.  There was no damage where we were but there was plenty of wind and rain.  Just down the road a ways, multiple trees were blown over and onto the highways creating quite a mess.

What a waterfall and you can walk behind it too.

Our view from behind the waterfall

After a week it was time for us to move on into Northern Georgia to another bluegrass festival.  This is one we actually planned for in advance before we began this trip.  It is Dailey and Vincent’s Land Fest and is an annual event.  It is held in the mountains and on the lake at Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, Georgia approximately one hour’s drive north of Atlanta.  Mountains in Georgia?  Who knew and how pretty they are too.  Definitely a return trip is in order for this place.  Great music, great venue, super RV parking and I could not have wanted anything more.

 

After the festival, it was time to move on and start making our way back to Texas.  Doctor’s appointments were looming along with the holidays.  As we started the journey back to home base, we stopped along the way.  First stop was Chattanooga, TN.  The last time we were here, the government had a shutdown and closed the national parks which included the battlegrounds from the Civil War around Chattanooga.  This time we were able to visit.

We chose to visit the Chickamauga battlefield.  I have a keen interest in the Civil War and World War II as key points in history.  It is especially interesting to be able to read about the people involved and the circumstances around the events involving them.  As we walked over some of the ground and reading the plaques, it really struck me as to how many people were killed and wounded in these battles and the chaos that surrounded the soldiers during the battles.  It is incomprehensible to me that they would line up (standing shoulder to shoulder) in a straight line to charge a fortified position that contained rifles and cannons shooting straight at them.  There is no wonder there was such carnage during this war.  And yet, most of the casualties were due to unsanitary conditions and lack of nutrition in the camps between battles.

It is truly sobering to walk over the ground where so much blood was shed by both sides of the conflict.  There are no words to describe the feelings as you contemplate what happened in each location and realize that this war was truly a pivotal moment in American history.  As it turned out it saved the Union of the individual states and allowed America to become a world leader for individual freedoms.  As horrible and devastating as it was, it allowed a strengthening of the nation to become an example of how precious freedom is to the rest of the world.

After the trip to Chattanooga and the Chickamauga battlefield, we moved to Savannah, TN following US 64 across the state.  It was such a pleasant, scenic and relaxing drive we will not use I-40 anymore unless we have a deadline.  We chose here because the Shiloh Battlefield National Park is just across the Tennessee River and east of Corinth, MS.  The park we stayed at was Green Acres RV Park and is located just outside Savannah.  It was quiet, clean and definitely well maintained and contained lots of references to the old TV show of the same name.

We experienced the same feelings touring this battlefield as before during our visit to Chickamauga.  The plaque in the picture below explains how these battlegrounds were established.  I found it very interesting that both North and South veterans cooperated to help preserve the history and locations associated with battles fought and it was all riding on a wave of American nationalism.

Both sides wanted to preserve these battlefields.

Cannon lined up ready to kill

This line had over 40 cannon lined up.

In addition to touring the battlefield, we ate at one of the oldest established hotel/restaurants in the area.  The name is Hagy’s Catfish Hotel Restaurant.  It is located right outside the battlefield and is situated on the Tennessee River.  Its origins started as a private residence of a settler that would feed and house travelers as they traveled the river through the wilderness.  Over the years, the number of folks stopping by increased to a point where the enterprising family decided to open a full time dining facility.  As a self-proclaimed connoisseur of catfish, I declare this to be a definite destination for hungry travelers.

After a few days, we finished this adventure by returning to our home base park and the previously mentioned doctor appointments.  More next time.