ROCK 'N ROLL HEAVEN

The area known for the Muscle Shoals Sound includes the interconnected towns of Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals, either side of the Tennessee River.

The Muscle Shoals Sound could be defined by a handful of songs recorded in the mid 60's. 

"When A Man Loves A Woman"

"I'll Take You There"

"I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)

Muscle Shoals, AL

Not the original building in Florence, AL
but now located in Muscle Shoals, AL

 This is where Rick Hall's (known as "the Father of the Muscle Shoals Sound") FAME Studios (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) and the rival Muscle Shoals Sound Studios Aretha Franklin (who became the Queen of Soul when she recorded "I Never Loved a Man"), found her groove, Paul Simon developed "Kodachrome", and Wilson Pickett cranked up "Mustang Sally".  

A few others who cut iconic hits were Mick Jagger, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Winwood, Otis Redding, Duane Allman, Paul Anka, the Osmonds, Percy Sledge and Etta James.  There were also songs cut by Tina Turner, the Beatles, Jet, Elton John, B. B. King, Tim McGraw, the Dixie Chicks, Leann Rimes and numerous others. 

Keith Richards stated his opinion about Muscle Shoals simply:  "It's rock 'n roll heaven."

North Alabama Recording Studio (NOALA)
Producer and Disc Jockey in Sheffield

Hospital orderly Percy Sledge recorded in 1960
Sheffield, AL

No one can explain the magic.  Some explain it could have been the Tennessee River, known to Native Americans as "The Singing River" in folklore over several hundred years ago.

The Tennessee River looking
toward Muscle Shoals, AL

We've been to this area many times and noticed many large iconic aluminum sculptures throughout the Shoals area which were created to commemorate the Shoals musical heritage.  A local Sheffield company, Wise Alloys, donated the aluminum for the project located in downtown Sheffield.

"The Singing River"
Sheffield, AL

This 18' tall sculpture is one of several throughout the area.  The sculptures are known to represent "The Singing River" and not any musician in particular.

A 25' tall aluminum sculpture is located in Muscle Shoals, AL near the library and the local high school.

A Bass Player as part of "The Singing River"

If you're a baby boomer like us you feel you've been a part of this history.   We could sing just about everyone of the songs I've mentioned above....maybe even dance just the way we did back then!  Tomorrow is a travel day and we'll be heading northward and perhaps you'll hear us going down the road singing at the top of our lungs "On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, or "I've Been Everywhere", by Johnny Cash.

WE DID THE TENNESSEE WALTZ IN ALABAMA

Scenic Alabama US Highway 24 

McFarland Park - on the Tennessee River
Florence AL

Like so many of our RV friends, we have our favorite places, favorite cities, and favorite foods at favorite places.  In many instances we go out of our way to try new experiences, sample new foods, and attend annual regional cultural events.

Scenic Drive into McFarland Park
Florence, AL

That's why every year we look forward to spending time in northwest Alabama and parts of Mississippi, not only because of the friendly and hospitable people, but we choose to have our annual RV maintenance service done on our motorhome in Red Bay, AL.

Entrance - McFarland Park
Florence, AL

Picnic Tables and Shelters located throughout
McFarland Park

Fishing Pier at McFarland Park
Tennessee River

One of our favorites is in beautiful Florence, Alabama - on the Tennessee River, across from Muscle Shoals, AL.  There's nothing better than a couple of weeks of downtime at McFarland Park and Marina after we leave Red Bay.  McFarland Park, a full service campground with 60 sites, is conveniently located to downtown shopping and restaurants, and if we have an opportunity we enjoy going to the University of North Alabama to visit with their live lion mascots, Leo and Una, in their beautiful natural habitat.

Leo and Una - Mascots
University of North Alabama

The University of Northern Alabama has been a well-respected State university since 1830.

Campus of University of North Alabama
Florence, AL

In the past we enjoyed the character of the McFarland Park teepees along the edge of the Tennessee River,  but in the last couple of years these had to be removed after several storms and hard rains made them uninhabitable....yes, people rented these fun places!  While I never had the opportunity to sleep in one, it was on my bucket list.

McFarland Park Teepees - Florence, AL

McFarland Park - Florence AL

Unfortunately, maintenance on the bridge from Muscle Shoals to Florence made it extremely difficult for us to visit the McFarland Park for over a year.

View from Muscle Shoals, AL to
Bridge over Tennessee River at Marina at
McFarland Park - Florence, AL

 Recently we enjoyed returning to McFarland Park to do what we call a "reconnaissance visit".   A short visit told us the park was still a nice place to visit and enjoy the campground facilities, and locals and travelers like ourselves still enjoy the well kept and secure natural park setting as well as beautiful sunsets on the river.   It is also commonplace to see huge barges that continue on down the Tennessee River to other river destinations.

Barge on Tennessee River - Florence, AL

We enjoy the fact that there is so much history in this area since the area was originally occupied by Native American Indians for hundreds of years, and they left historical artifacts before they were forced on The Trail Of Tears to be forcefully re-settled in Oklahoma.  Also of note is that Florence is the home of  the recognized founder of blues, W.C. Handy.

Florence is the home of the world famous FAME Recording Studios.  Such recording artists as The Tams, Joe Tex, Etta James, Clarence Carter, Wilson Pickett, Paul Anka, Jerry Reed, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Pam Tillis, Aretha Franklin, Mac Davis and Otis Redding were just a few of the famous performers and singers with FAME Publishing.

TIFFIN MOTORHOMES - RED BAY, ALABAMA

We left Lake Guntersville, AL, after spending 10 days at Blue Heron RV Resort, and look forward to the next part of our trip which should be a couple of days in Florence, AL, before a scheduled service appointment  at Tiffin's service center in Red Bay, AL.  Wouldn't you know the Tennessee River has started to flood in Florence, and McFarland Park had been evacuated since we called for reservations the day before?!  

After driving all the way to Florence, AL, we continued to the Tiffin Service Center in Red Bay, AL, arriving on Wednesday, September 7.  As dusty, crowded and busy as the Allegro Campground is we were glad to be assigned to a site and get semi-settled in, when we began to see several old friends waiting for their appointments in the service facility as well.  Having friends and making new friends while you are here usually makes the days go by so much faster.  We share impromptu  dinners, go out to dinner, discuss where we've been, where we're going, and what is going on with our coaches, etc. 

We arrived for our 7:00 a.m. appointment in service bay 48, as directed, and were informed our short list of issues was extended to 2 very large service issues we would have never noticed.  We had to leave our coach/home for one night and Tiffin sent us to a charming country cabin close by called Sleepy Hollow, where we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves after all this stress!  We were the first couple to stay in the cabin, and we look forward to returning sometime when we're back in the area.   After we returned to the service bay the next day and told everyone how comfortable the cabin was there will definitely be a waiting list of Tiffin Motorhome owners who opt to stay here while their coaches are in surgery.

It was necessary to replace the driver's side slide floor as well as replace the wet bay floor, all warranty issues that required many hours of labor.  While in Red Bay we usually spend some time with our favorite custom woodworker as well as an off-site electronic guru who have transformed our coach/home into the consummate MAN CAVE for this year's football season.  New sound bar...new HDMI receiver and switch for the outside entertainment center.  "Are you ready for some football"? as they say.  

The area south of Russellville, AL was devastated by a very rare EF-5 tornado (the deadliest tornado in the U. S. in 56 years) on April 27, 2011, the same day the tornadoes hit the Cullman, Tuscumbia, Arab, and Lake Guntersville areas.  The town of Hackleburg, AL, doesn't even exist anymore, and most of Phil Campbell, AL, is gone as well.  The people of this rural area  have lost everything.  The numbers of people who died in these combined tornadoes is astounding...The latest count we heard was 337!   We can't imagine the livestock, pets and economic devastation that has taken place. In talking to local people we were told they had to immediately sell the livestock that survived the storm due to the severity of all the injuries. Trees could not even be processed for lumber because the wood had been so twisted in the tornadoes. There are many people still reportedly living under tarps.  If any readers are interested in sending anything to these areas, we can provide a name and address of an individual who will coordinate any donations (in the Phil Campbell or Hackleburg areas). 

We're almost ready to pay our bill to the Tiffin Service Center as well as the Allegro Campground and be "on the road again".  We'll be taking our time to get to our next destination, but it's the beginning of oyster season and we're going to head for Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, FL,  for the next couple of weeks.  Safe travels to all of you.  We hope to hear from you soon.   Happy Fall, y'all!  

CINCINNATI, OHIO

As we mentioned in the last blog, we are traveling with the DeCarlo's and have seen many interesting things.   When I sat down to write our blog today everything on the blog was 
 lime green.  Yeek!  All I could think is "What is going on?"  The text is there; however, the background was a sickening green, and I was sick too..  I've heard horror stories from others about things that have happened to their blogs, and although you try to be very careful, it isn't possible to protect everything.  So that's why the appearance has changed - until I can find out what is going on.   

The beautiful State of Kentucky is a state we'd like to visit again for a longer period of time.  We said that  last year when we visited Bardstown,  Bowling Green,  Elizabethtown,  Louisville, and other interesting cities and towns.  After a few enjoyable days, we're ready to leave Renfro Valley, and travel 150 miles north to Cincinnati, Ohio.   RV and I enjoyed going to the Great American Ball Park, Paul Brown Stadium, and the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.  We would have stayed in Lexington, KY, where so many beautiful equestrian farms are located; however, Indiana beckons and we're impatient to arrive in Amish Country.   Lexington is preparing for  the 2010 Alltech FEI Equestrian Games beginnning September 30, 2010, at the Kentucky Horse Farm and surrounding area, and it will be impossible to get reservations anywhere.  


One of the photos is of the Frish's Big Boy!  Didn't impress anyone but me, I guess.  It had been years since I had seen that little fellow...and Big Boy's are all over Ohio.  So we splurged and enjoyed Big Boys and onion rings!  Tourists!  Has anyone ever heard of Cincinnati chili?!  Cincinnati chili is a most unconventional chili sold in several restaurants up here....with lots of cheese on top.  The most popular place to get it seems to be Skyline Chili - located everywhere in Cincinnati.  Do you like chocolate, nutmeg or spaghetti in your chili....guess we'll have to try it; apparently there are many choices.  Please follow the link above if interested.   

We stayed a couple of days in the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) Campground in Cincinnati, OH.  FMCA is the national  organization that many RVers belong because they cherish the same lifestyle we enjoy, or  they may just be adventuresome and curious folks.  You must own a Class A, B, or C motorhome, or a bus conversion, that contain all the conveniences of home.  We decided to stay in their campground, with full hookups, at the FMCA Headquarters (at their bulk mail facility location) and found it to be very convenient to travel downtown as well as shop in the area surrounding the township of Newtown. You can stay in the campground for 2 nights free (per month) and $20 per night thereafter.  They offer level sites, full hookups, security, as well as convenience to major shopping areas.  



FMCA publishes a very interesting and educational magazine for members and I recently submitted a response to the question "What's the best Italian restaurant you've discovered in your motorhome travels that you would recommend to other RVers?"  Wow, was I shocked!!...they picked mine!  Put an extra $25 in my wallet - I wrote about Trattoria de Ricatoni's on Court Street in Florence, Alabama, and it was published in the June issue.   As George Miller once quipped, "The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later, you're hungry again."  Amen.

McFarland Park Campground and Florence, AL

As I'm writing, I'm so distracted by the beauty of the Tennessee River just outside our door. Although there are 60 campsites, the layout of the campground is extremely open. For those of you interested in a real value, 50 amp service, water, sewer, picnic table and grill - all for $15/night (we're seniors)! A 7 day fishing permit for FL/TN residents is $16.

From our site we see the Wilson Dam, the vertical rocks across the river to beautiful Muscle Shoals, picnic pavilions down the road with huge fireplaces, and miles upon miles of trails surrounding the marina, golf course, soccer and softball fields, a floating restaurant, and a beautifully manicured driving range (and that's me in the tee pee). Upon arrival, a national bass tournament was taking place, so it seemed crowded. When the tournament ended, we began meeting some of the "real" people. At the end of October they'll be holding a national catfish tournament - imagine a 108 lb. catfish that won last year!

The Wilson Dam, began in 1918, and named after President Woodrow Wilson, was the highest single lock in the world when construction began, and is still one of the largest lift locks ever built. It was originally built to harness waters for electricity to power WWI explosives plants. This dam stands as the only neoclassical structure in the TVA system. Because of the dam, the otherwise dangerous Shoals are now commercially navigable. As we noted when we were on the Mississippi River in W. Memphis, the REAL show are all the barges navigating the river.

Florence was formed in 1818 to develop a thriving river town, and an Italian surveyor laid out the town, naming it after his favorite city in Italy - Florence. THE SHOALS is an area including Florence, Sheffield, Russellville, Muscle Shoals, and Tuscumbia. Some of the men of vision who bought land in Florence in its early days were people like James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, and Supreme Court Justice John McKinley.

While there were no major battles fought here, few Southern towns suffered more than Florence during the Civil War. Florence changed hands over 40 times. We visited LaGrange College (8 miles south of Muscle Shoals), once known as "West Point of the South". LaGrange was the state's first chartered college and was burned by Union troops.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House was built in 1939 for $12,000 as an affordable middle class home. This home, 1 of 26 Usonion houses in the U.S., is the only home designed by Wright open to the public in the southeastern United States. The house is constructed of cypress, brick and glass and has been meticulously restored.


The University of North Alabama was established in 1830, and is located in the heart of Downtown Florence. The campus is beautiful, and was designed by the country's most renowned landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmstead (designed Central Park, the Mall area of D.C., AND Bok Tower). UNA boasts the only live Lion mascots in the U.S. living on campus. If you'd like to see their live cam, click on this link (and wait to see the 24/7 on site mascots:
here