DADGUMMIT!

The Old Federal Corps of Engineers (COE) Park on Lake Lanier is in Flowery Branch, GA, and is high on our list of favorite places to enjoy the outdoors.  Old Federal is beautiful, peaceful, and the volunteers that manage the park are so "dadgum" nice (a word I learned from retired FSU Coach Bobby Bowden).   You can stay a maximum 14 days every 30 days.  Scores of Canadian Geese also like the campground and create quite the mess during their visit.

Old Federal Corps of Engineers Campground
Flowery Branch, GA

Old Federal Corps of Engineers Campground
Flowery Branch, GA

Old Federal Corps of Engineers Campground
Flowery Branch, GA

Our only incident with a non-human occurred last week when we left the campground for a short time.  What animal could have possibly ripped our brand new Tommy Bahama beach chair to shreds?  If it wasn't a squirrel, a canadian goose, a shore bird...what could it have been?!  The fiber in the new chair was shredded. This attack involved one of four chairs propped up against the motorhome.

Either a squirrel, goose or bird loved this fabric!

These geese are waiting for us to leave our coach.

Upon departing after our 14 day stay, we drove through impossible Atlanta traffic on I-85 to I-285 to I-20. I'll usually tuck my head into a book and stay very quiet until we get past Six Flags Of Georgia.  Almost 5 hours later we arrived in McFarland Park in Florence, AL, and for the first time in the six years we've stayed at McFarland, every spot in the campground was taken!

McFarland Park, Florence, AL

McFarland Park, Florence, AL

So we continue our drive to Red Bay, AL, about an hour away (we're having work done at Tiffin Motorhomes).  Upon arriving, the only campsites in the Allegro Campground are dry camping, think boondocking.  For those not aware of this term, dry camping/boondocking is where you park your motorhome without water, electricity or sewer.  At the Allegro Campground someone would have to leave for you to get a spot with a full hookup.

Tiffin Allegro Campground
Red Bay, AL

Tiffin Allegro Campground
Red Bay, AL

The campground office suggested a brand new full-service campground owned by Dr. Jim Nabers, a local physician, in the middle of downtown Red Bay.  This turned out to be a jewel!  Our camping spot is conveniently located near all cultural events, shopping, the main financial district and the post office (tongue in cheek), quiet and quaint, and very reasonably priced.  Dr. Nabers has opened a campground on land that has been in his family since 1906.

The New Downtown Red Bay Campground
Red Bay, AL

We are planning to be in northwest Alabama about 2 weeks. Red Bay is an old fashioned, All-American town, with All-American values, and we always look forward to visiting here and seeing old friends.  Tiffin Motorhomes is the largest industry in town so everyone seems happy to see us return.

WE'RE NOT SEEING RED................ BAY, THAT IS! (Bonus Added)

We're at Tiffin Motorhomes in Red Bay, AL for service on our coach.   While our door handle isn't being held together with duct tape (Alabama chrome) or bungee cords, it has to be replaced.  We accidentally locked ourselves out of the coach while getting ready to leave a campground in Michigan (cell phones inside, motor home engine running, etc.) Luckily, we were able to borrow a ladder and RV successfully made entry through a passenger side window.

Just follow the directions!

Main Street - Red Bay, AL

Many Tiffin Motorhome owners who make the pilgrimage to Red Bay usually aren't happy campers.  They are often frustrated because they are unable to obtain adequate service from Tiffin dealers in their local areas, and frequently wind up staying in the Red Bay area much longer than anticipated for a variety of reasons.  It isn't unusual to meet owners who have traveled from all over the U.S., Alaska, and Canada.   Many of the owners stop in Red Bay to have service work done while en route to warmer climates for the winter or vice versa.  Red Bay graciously welcomes all the money that is spent by the people who come to Red Bay.

Main Street - Red Bay, AL

Veterans Park - Downtown Red Bay, AL

Sometimes when people travel to this area of the country they have difficulty understanding the Southern English dialect of some of the people from northwest Alabama.  Northwest Alabamans have a beautiful dialect, but it may be a little difficult to understand if you are from another part of the country.  We were born and raised in the South and there have been times when we've asked for clarification, but we love the subtle nuances that make us all different, no matter where we travel.  

If you get this far, you've made it!

We arrived on Tuesday after Labor Day at the Tiffin Allegro Campground, and upon arriving we could see the place was jam-packed with coaches.  The campground host informed us we would be dry camping at least 2 days before we could expect a site.  If all the sites are taken (which is the way it is now), you are directed to a designated area to do what is called "dry camping".  That means you have no electric, sewer, or water hookups - you're on your own until a space is available, and if it gets too hot, just turn the generator on.  Yay, no cooking!  To get Express Service, which is all we need, will be a 4 day wait. 

Allegro Campground on old airport runway

Waiting for service

Tiffin Service Campground

 So, until we can have our issues resolved at the Tiffin service facility, we opted to stay about 10 miles out of Red Bay at our favorite off-site place, Custom RV, owned by Brannon Hutcheson, in Vina, Alabama.   We are comfortable, safe, and secure and staying in one of Brannon's  most luxurious 50 amp RV sites.  We are now genuine "squatters" and have told Brannon we'll be his nighttime security and we're sure he will rest a lot easier at night knowing that his place of business is protected.

Brannon Hutcheson - Custom RV - Vina, AL

 Bonus to this blog:  Anyone out there homesick for Red Bay?  Here's a couple of pictures that may make you feel better.

Downtown Mural - Red Bay, AL

Manufacturing Plant - Tiffin Motorhomes

Tour Entrance - Tiffin Motorhomes

Bruce Deaton's Paint Factory

Red Bay Paint Shop

Two old familiar faces

Sunshine Dog Food Factory - Red Bay, AL

Off-Site Campground - Red Bay, AL

THERE NOW, DON'T YOU FEEL BETTER that we're here and you're not?!

ACCESSORIZING!!! RED BAY, AL 2009/2

Driving from West Memphis, AR to Red Bay, AL isn't a problem - unless you think driving 170 miles a day is strenuous. Borderline for us! When we arrived at the Allegro Campground in Red Bay, it was packed with coaches awaiting service and we were assigned a site in no-man-land area of the campground (where they replace cracked/broken windshields); however, this is what we refer to as "dry camping"(no sewer, no water, but 50 amp service). Hopefully, a site will become available before too long. As long as we are here it is at no cost, - we meet our neighbors and before too long, we're having a great time.

Accessorizing. We've opted for 2 recliners instead of the couch we had previously. We added another custom louvered wooden fan cover installed as well as our bedroom end tables, and our "Zephyr" closet shelf with support. What a difference this makes! We had an exhaust brake switch added as well as a couple of electronic adjustments.

It is SO dusty and dry in Red Bay; (cough, cough) but we enjoy so much about this area! It is so enjoyable we already can't wait until next year. (Catfish at Swamp Johns, daily lunch specials at The Pig, buying local country sausage/thick sliced bacon and brown eggs at the campground office, etc.). Small world: we met a couple at Tom Sawyer Campground in W. Memphis, on their way to RB, from Quebec City, Canada, and enjoyed seeing them again when we got settled in Red Bay. Waiting on service, we took a tour of the downtown Red Bay Museum. Red Bay has celebrated their 100 year birthday just a few years ago. In another journal I mentioned this was Tammy Wynette's home area, so the museum has dedicated almost a half of the second floor to her memorabilia. You don't meet too many old-timers in this area who didn't know her personally. In Florence, AL, I commented about all the pictures of Tammy and George, and was told the owner of the restaurant did Tammy's hair over for over 25 years. Anyway, Tammy's last husband, George Richie, and his new wife (an ex-Dallas Cowboy's cheerleader)still come in with their little girl. Whoa!

It's Homecoming weekend in Red Bay, so we have to leave before the homecoming parade begins downtown. We've accomplished everything on our list, and look forward to moving over to McFarland Park, a city park on the Tennessee River, in the beautiful town of Florence, AL. (home of W.C.Handy).