SPRING ROAD TRIP - APRIL 2012

This post was prepared when we started our 2012 travel adventure; however, I could not figure out the new rules of blogger.  So, instead of sending it to alphabet heaven, we're posting so you'll know we are alive, well, and continue to dance like no one is looking, so here goes!  Promise the next posting won't be so long!

Since you heard from us last, we enjoyed most of the winter with a flock of our snowbird friends at the Florida Grande Motor Coach Resort in Webster, FL.  On April 1, we said our goodbyes, and if all goes well, we will return to Florida around the end of October.

Florida Grande Motorcoach Resort - Webster, FL 

Florida Grande Motorcoach Resort - Webster, FL

Florida Grande Motorcoach Resort  -  Webster, FL

 First stop was to enjoy a full week packed with fun with family/friends in Green Cove Springs, FL.Our grandchildren are growing up so fast and we just don't get to see them enough.  We treasure our time with everyone we get to see on our whirlwind trips through GCS.

Kenzie - Kiley - Kenneth - Khloe

Kenzie Kenneth, Khloe and Kiley

An added bonus to our RV lifestyle are the friends we meet on the road, as well as Tiffin motor home owners we have met through the Tiffin RV Network (about 6000 members).  The second week in April we met about 80 coach owners at the Coastal Georgia RV Resort in Brunswick, GA for a few days. We also had an awesome visit with dear friends on St. Simons Island and enjoyed a spectacular low country boil on the beautiful Frederica River.  In our opinion, no trip to the Golden Isles would be complete without a shrimp fix at B and J's in Darien, GA. They offer some of the most delicious Georgia white shrimp and oysters that you'll ever eat.

Waiting for supper to jump out of the water - SSI, Ga

Sunset on the Frederica River, SSI - Ga

What a wonderful way to end a busy day.  SSI - Ga

 After the rally we traveled to Twin Oaks Campground near Perry, GA, then on to Flowery Branch, GA for 2 weeks at Old Federal COE on Lake Lanier.  We visited Chris and Lauren (younger daughter and son-in-law) for their 7th wedding anniversary (can you believe it?) as well as to assist in the plans of their new chiropractic office in Suwanee, GA.  We'll return in a couple of months to do lots of grunt work, help with decorating the new office, and get ready for their grand opening.

Old Federal Corp of Engineers Campground - Lake Lanier, GA

Old Federal - on Lake Lanier - Flowery Branch, GA

Old Federal Campground - Lake Lanier - Flowery Branch, GA 

 We spent a couple of days in  Lake Guntersville area of Alabama on our way to northwest Alabama. After Lake Guntersville, we stopped at  McFarland Park.  Florence, AL, one of our favorite cities in Alabama.  This post was written in Red Bay, AL while waiting for our annual service appointment at Tiffin Motorhomes. A trip to Red Bay wouldn't be complete without adding additional accessories while you're waiting on service!  You may not notice the new lights inside the lower galley cabinets OR the Winegard Road Trip In-Motion Satellite on the roof , but they are there.

Yes, RV commandeered a fork lift!

Tiffin Service Center - 45 bays of fun!

We would love to hear from you.  We miss all of you.  Hope to talk to you soon so leave a comment if you have a moment.  We've been trying to figure out the new format of blogger, and  plan to post more frequently.    Lots of exciting things on the way.  Blogger changed the rules in November so it has taken a while to get used to how to do this again.  Talk soon ....LYMI!

OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE

You may recall our trip to Chattanooga, TN, Bardstown, KY (the Bourbon Trail), and Louisville, KY last year.  We were with our friends Ray and Louise DeCarlo, who live in Davenport, FL.  We are on another adventure with Ray and Louise, and we'd like for you to know them a little better.  Ray and Louise have been married almost 55 years.  They are originally from Long Island, NY (and speak the language very well).  Louise graduated from St. Johns University and worked at Bellevue Hospital while Ray graduated from City College of New York (CCNY), and was an engineer for over 40 years, and retired from Lockheed Martin.  We met Ray and Louise through Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA), where they have had their membership since 1988.  We could not be with a couple who knows more about where to go, what to do, and how to do it right the first time.  We plan to share our experiences as we travel in the next month with Ray and Louise and their wonder dog, Abby.

Ray and Louise drove up from Florida and met us at Apple Valley Motorcoach Resort in Lake Lure, NC, to begin our adventure.  We stayed in Lake Lure a couple of days to talk about our trip, and Ray has prepared an itinerary that would knock your socks off!!!  If you are reading this, and you know our on-site engineer and navigator, Ray, you are not surprised to hear this.   We would be remiss if we didn't thank our good friends Jim and Joyce Maddox, who made it possible for us to meet Ray and Louise and plan our trip from the beautiful Apple Valley Motor Coach Resort.  


Before leaving, we had an opportunity to have lunch in Hendersonville, NC with Susan Lohman Lanahan, our high school friend who lives in Etowah, NC, and were able to catch up on the things happening in her life as well as ours.  Susan brought a vase of beautiful roses and  some hand-picked blue lake string beans fresh out of her garden, which we enjoyed immensely that night for dinner.


On Friday, we departed Lake Lure, NC, and drove slightly less than 200 miles to a city north of Knoxville, Heiskell, TN, to see a couple of interesting sights in the area.  After parking the coach, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in Oak Ridge, TN.  Oak Ridge was known as the Secret City, sight of The Manhattan Project, and while we were aware of its existence, we knew very little.  The Manhattan Project's Clinton Engineer Works (CEW), is nestled in a valley in eastern Tennessee, 20 minutes from Knoxville, and was kept a secret from the entire world.  


The year was 1942.  The 3,000 residents were moved from their communities of Scarboro, Wheat and Robertsville, and within a month, their homes and businesses were destroyed and replaced by a bustling secret city, with unprecedented speed and secrecy.  Even the 75,000 residents and 82,000 workers had no idea what they were doing to help end WWII.  Everyone knew of only their specific job, and it wouldn't be until the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima that they realized what they were working to create.  Anyone over the age of 12 was required to wear a badge at all times, where children got lost coming home from school because new streets and houses were added to their neighborhoods during the day, and the average age of the population was 27.

We spent quite a bit of our time in Oak Ridge at the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE) which offers a history of Oak Ridge and all types of hands-on exhibits.  We didn't have any idea, for example, radioisotopes, which led to the technology of CAT scans and MRI's were developed in Oak Ridge.  Of course the security has changed in the Oak Ridge area to where you can now take a bus to get a sneak peak behind the fence at the Y-12 National Security Complex.  This year was the first time visitors could tour the first building completed at the Y-12 site, Building 9731.  This is the building where the Medical Isotope program had its beginning when Dr. Chris Keim determined Calutrons could be used to separate isotopes other than uranium.  Get this:  The world's only Alpha Calutron Magnets (20 feet tall) are in this building! If you plan to visit in the future you can also visit  the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Graphite Reactor) (wartime name X-10), the Y-12 National Security Complex and the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) (wartime name - K-25).  Oh, and don't forget to bring your proof of citizenship.  


Our next blog will be about our trip to the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, Tennessee, a 65 acre display of log structures, and over a quarter million items.   Hope you are having a wonderful summer.  

THERE GO THE WHITNEY'S!

Just a warning...this is going to be a long catch-up blog. Go get your favorite beverage, a bag of popcorn, and we'll try to brief you on what's gone on since our last blog.....

Our blog had to come to an abrupt halt back in September...we knew we were going to help Harold, our son-in-law, recuperate from knee surgery; however, we didn't have a clue what would follow, so you'll have to bear with me while we take you down that precarious and bumpy road. More important, is that here we are, resuming our great adventure. The problem will be how to recall how to do the Blog, so bear with us.


After a painful and careful recovery, we left Harold in the care of his physical therapist and his parents, and, of course, our 4 darling grandchildren. Kristen was the cheerleader, encourager and head nurse - and did I mention she opened her second office during this time - but we did all we could, and then we floated on down the road in our coach - headed for a Challenger's rally at Camelot in Miramar, FL. This was the first time we had witnessed a spaceshot from Kennedy - it was grand.


Then we headed over to check out a motor coach resort we had heard about from our friends in Lake Lure, NC, called Florida Grande Motor Coach Resort, in Webster, FL. On about our third day of our visit, I received a call from my 89 year old stepmother, Doris, who had been physically assaulted in her home - in the garage - all for a few dollars - and that changed everything for the next 3 or more months. This was the worst thing that has happened in our family and we went to work to help her recuperate - something very difficult, much less for an 89 year old. To make a very long story a bit short, it was necessary to move her from her home for the past 45 years to a more secure environment. Everyone in the family was involved in making the transition as easy for her as possible. We were so blessed to find the perfect place, very close to her former home, and in the same general neighborhood. - and after so many prayers and the passing of time, she is so much better, and we feel things are getting better for her each and every day. We're ready to start planning Doris' 90th birthday party for 2010.

Doris has met so many caring friends who have helped her throughout this entire ordeal. Doris was right in the middle of "fruit cake" season - and if you know the Knapp's, you know what I'm talking about. If you don't, I'll explain...after my dad passed away, she continued to sell fruit cake materials out of her garage, not just to supplement her SSI, but to see her friends year after year, starting right before Thanksgiving. Trust me, people had been coming to buy materials like candied red cherries, green cherries, dates, pineapple (sliced and chopped) and the freshest Georgia pecans, whole or pieces, you could find anywhere - less expensive than just about anywhere in Jax. This was a ritual for the past 35 years - many of her customers either took their favorite fruit cake recipe with them to heaven, or they would bring samples by after they had baked their prize fruitcake.

OK, that's enough about fruit cakes! After this, we returned to Webster, and decided we'd like to stay here more often, particularly in winter, just like the snowbirds from the north. We loved the people, the camaraderie, and just about everyone was just like us - "plain ol', plain ol'". We enjoyed shopping in many areas we had never heard of - like Bushnell, Brooksville, Leesburg, Clermont, The Villages, Ocala - and many more. Florida Grande Motor Coach Resort is in a beautiful, low key country setting - in a prairie with a beautiful breeze blowing most of the time. We bought a large RV lot - and built a beautiful little Key West-style cottage for guests - next to our RV pad.


SO, in about mid-April everyone from the north starts making moves to get ready for their journey back north. I'm thinking, how are they doing this; it'ssnowing and the ground is still frozen up there? Yes, they should wait until Mother's Day; they know it, but they get homesick and they think they need to get back to their friends and family, who call them every day. When they leave, we miss them, but what's so good about FGMCR is that we'll see them starting September and October. Just like birds - showbirds, that is. We're less than 3 hours from our family and friends in the Jax. and surrounding areas.

Another issue happened at the end of December. I had surgery and contracted double pneumonia, and RV and I spent New Years at Baptist Hospital for about a week. What a relief to have those miserable days behind us. And then, another week convalescing in a local hotel because I wasn't able to climb stairs.

We felt well enough to make arrangements to go to Brooksville FMCA RV Rally (for those of you who don't know, FMCA - Family Motor Coach Assn. Rally). We had both volunteered to help in this all-volunteer rally. The weather was deplorable, and I couldn't get out of the RV so Bob worked for us both. We received word our very dear friend Nana Davis, 89 years young(Di Hope's mother,) had suddenly passed away while they were at Magnolia Point in Green Cove Springs. We were so blessed to have known Nana on her trips from England - and will never forget her. We were so happy to see all our friends at a reception that Di and George had for Nana at the Clubhouse. Nana would have been so happy to be remembered by so many at such a beautiful memorial service at St. Margaret's - no less by a Scottish bagpiper! George did such a wonderful job of putting into words what a special lady Nana was, special memories, and his love for her.

Our Spring adventure started with our trip to Fort Wilderness at Disney. We took Kenneth and Kiley - our 9 year old and 5 year old grandchildren. We had such a wonderful spring break with them and everything everyone had told us about the facilities at Fort Wilderness were true and maybe even better! The Hoop de doo Review was awesome, and Kiley was selected from the audience to be a member of the cast and play the role of a Texas Ranger. Both she and Kenneth were delighted when one of the female cast members walked over to Bob, sat in his lap and started saying how handsome he was, and an assortment of other cute things. They both laughed and smiled while she teased with PopPop. We returned Kenneth and Kiley to Green Cove Springs, ran errands, and headed to Stone Mountain, GA, for Easter.

Chris took us to the Atlanta Falcon Training Facility in Flowery Branch, near Atlanta. On Saturday evening we went to see the Braves play the Washington Nationals - the Braves won. Prior to the game we went to Legal Seafood in downtown Atlanta. Unfortunately, we weren't hungry for all that great artery-clogging stuff you get at a ball game! Turner Field was awesome and probably has the largest Jumbotron anywhere.


We went out of our way to eat at a couple of places suggested by Guy Fiery in Dives, Diners and Drive-ins, Matthews Cafeteria in Tucker, GA, and Silver Skillet in Atlanta, near GA Tech.

We left Chris and Lauren and continued to Freightliner (our chassis manufacturer) in Gaffney, SC. for our annual M2 appointment. All went well until we lowered one of the leveling jacks on a curb - bad move. The jack will be replaced in Kings Mountain, an RV service center; however, we went on to Lake Lure, NC, and stayed on Jim and Joyce Maddox's beautiful lot in Apple Valley Farm. We've had several interesting side trips while we've been here - Rutherfordton, Ashville, Hickory Nut Gorge - as well as Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.

One continuous photo shoot after another, and I'm going to try to remember how to post our pictures. Spring is beautiful and we've had the opportunity to enjoy it in 4 different places - Florida - Georgia - South Carolina and North Carolina - and on to Virginia and Pennsylvania.

We had a great visit with our high school friend, Susan Lohman Lanahan, and had a delicious lunch at the Hob Nob, in Brevard, NC. After shopping for "white squirrels", which is what Brevard is famous for, we traveled to nearby Pisgah National Forest where we saw several of the beautiful waterfalls, mountain trout hatchery, and Sliding Rock, which make Transylvania County, NC famous - thank goodness it is too cold to go in the water. Susan lives in a beautiful area outside Hendersonville, on a mountain, and we love to visit with her when we are in the area.


OK - we're caught up now. Tomorrow, we leave for Kings Mountain to get the leveling jack replaced (under warranty, thank goodness!) and then the wagon train heads northward. I'll be back in the blog mood....but we are headed to Hershey, PA, yum, yum! So, if you have my email address, or just leave a comment, send your favorite chocolate requests for your birthday, or whatever. We celebrate everything on the road, so I'm not saying the chocolate will get back to you in tact. There may be bite marks.....

We promise the next blog's going to take less time to read.