Thursday, November 10, 2016
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Caruthersville, Missouri... We're behind because we haven't had wi-fi much. Please bear with us and we'll try to get some more of the vacation posted!
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
near Hohenwald, Tennessee... We're behind because we haven't had wi-fi much. Please bear with us and we'll try to get some more of the vacation posted!
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
near Decatur, Alabama... We're behind because we haven't had wi-fi much. Please bear with us and we'll try to get some more of the vacation posted!
Monday, November 7, 2016
near Scottsboro, Alabama, again... We're behind because we haven't had wi-fi much. Please bear with us and we'll try to get some more of the vacation posted!
Sunday, November 6, 2016
In the morning, we left the Wranglers Campground driving towards Scottsboro. Along the way, we stopped at Fort Donaldson Civil War battleground.
The purpose of Fort Donaldson was to defend the Tennessee River from Yankee invasion. Upriver was Nashville, a really important railway hub for the Western South. Admiral Foote had sent 4 ironclads against Fort Donaldson, but the inexperienced gunners had successfully fended off the attack. On the right is a picture taken immediately after this battle showing the fattest gunner in the Confederacy. Fort Donaldson is not much of a land battle. Fort Donaldson is significant because it was Grant's and the North's first major victory of the Civil War. Grant demanded the fort surrender "unconditionally" and it did. This is where U. S. Grant received his nickname, Unconditional Surrender Grant. Fort Donaldson is also where we meet Confederate General Gideon Pillow for the first time on this trip.
General Pillow is known as one of the worst generals in the Civil War because of his string of bad decisions. In this battle, the Confederate plan was to break out of the federal siege and escape to upriver to Nashville. When the Confederates attacked, Grant was miles away visiting Admiral Foote. The Confederates successfully pushed the federal back about a mile creating a large escape route. In the middle of this success, General Pillow called the troops back into the front right before Grant returned. Upon his return, Grant counterattacked and closed the gap, resulting in the surrender of 13,000 Confederate troops the next day. General Pillow escaped upriver on a Confederate steamer.
We drove on to Scottsboro, Alabama and Unclaimed Baggage. - car
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Wranglers Campground... We were located in Section D of the campground, called "The Pines" because of the numerous tall pine trees shading the lots. We were the only people without horses. All the other camps had horse, some had mules, tethered behind the campers. A few campers brought fencing to make corrals at the rear of their campsite. The horse on one side was named Zipper. On the other side was Cheyenne and Pace. And a little terrier named Shotgun. Don't remember the people's names.
All day, the horse were whinnying back and forth. Every minute a horse in the distance would whinny and a horse nearby would respond and vice versa. I am not sure what is being communicated. A horse in a stall across the way appeared distressed at being alone in the stall with no one around. The horse stomped around, kicked the door and whinnied frequently. And horses in the distance would respond. I bet this horse communication happened frequently during the 1800s. Western movies seem to leave it out.
In the morning, we watched people feed and brush their horses. At about 9 people began putting blankets and saddles on their horses. Some exercised their horses by running them in circles round and round, one direction, then the other direction. At about 10 to 11 groups road out of camp to the many trails surrounding the campground. I heard of two accidents, a girl fell off her horse and hit her head. And someone else was taken to a hospital.
A little afternoon, Kathy and I walked to the camp store and bought lunch. I had two hot dogs. Kathy had chips I think. Then we walked back. When not watching the horses, Kathy and I read. I fell asleep several times. -car
All day, the horse were whinnying back and forth. Every minute a horse in the distance would whinny and a horse nearby would respond and vice versa. I am not sure what is being communicated. A horse in a stall across the way appeared distressed at being alone in the stall with no one around. The horse stomped around, kicked the door and whinnied frequently. And horses in the distance would respond. I bet this horse communication happened frequently during the 1800s. Western movies seem to leave it out.
In the morning, we watched people feed and brush their horses. At about 9 people began putting blankets and saddles on their horses. Some exercised their horses by running them in circles round and round, one direction, then the other direction. At about 10 to 11 groups road out of camp to the many trails surrounding the campground. I heard of two accidents, a girl fell off her horse and hit her head. And someone else was taken to a hospital.
A little afternoon, Kathy and I walked to the camp store and bought lunch. I had two hot dogs. Kathy had chips I think. Then we walked back. When not watching the horses, Kathy and I read. I fell asleep several times. -car
Friday, November 4, 2016
After leaving the campsite today, we
drove to Grand Rivers, KY, to check out a potential place to visit.
We were disappointed that it didn't look that interesting, so we went
grocery shopping instead.
We've decided that we are going to
pretty much take it as easy as possible this year, so we are going to
spend a couple of days actually in the Land Between the Lakes area.
Two lakes, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, have been formed by damming the Tennessee River and the
Cumberland River. Many families, towns, cemeteries, etc. had to be
moved while the land was flooded. However, there is still a strip of
land running between the two lakes, much of which is now designated a
National Recreation area.
After reading about some of the campgrounds in the area, we decided to try the more unconventional (for us) campground, Wranglers Campground, This is a campground designed for campers with horses. It was pretty full, but we did find a spot. More on the campground and it's charms tomorrow.
We spent the afternoon doing some sightseeing in the Land Between the Lakes. First we drove south to The Homeplace. This is considered an 1850s "working farm and living history museum." At this time of the year there were few visitors, so the atmosphere was quiet (especially considering the Independence Day celebration that Kathy and the kids took part in years ago!) We walked the grounds until we found the field that two of the men were plowing with a team of mules.
Chris visited with one farmer and another visiting couple, while I chatted with the other farmer and petted the mules. We both were told interesting tales about the antics of the mules, past and present, the chickens, and the hogs that had escaped (again!) earlier in the day. The hogs were still to be found...
Chris visited with one farmer and another visiting couple, while I chatted with the other farmer and petted the mules. We both were told interesting tales about the antics of the mules, past and present, the chickens, and the hogs that had escaped (again!) earlier in the day. The hogs were still to be found...
Eventually, we arrived back at the farmhouse. After touring it and we first spent quite awhile in the kitchen talking to one of the women about cooking various foods. She had just finished a pumpkin pie and a sweet potato pie; they smelled great. We discussed whether making a pie with all our extra butternut squash would be similar and other ways to use it.
Then the three of us joined another of the women on the porch for a nice chatting session. These southern style homes with the rooms separated by a breezeway (even the second story bedrooms are separated with another breezeway) are great for sitting outside, rain or shine, and letting the breezes blow around you!
A little way past The Homeplace was an example of a limestone slab furnace used by the Great Western Iron Works during the late nineteenth century. This whole area had a number of similar furnaces producing iron, principally pig iron, to ship elsewhere.
Returned to campground!-- kdr
Returned to campground!-- kdr
Thursday, November 3, 2016
We ate breakfast at the truck stop
right near the campground and continued east.
Today was really just driving. Our
short-term goal became the Land Between the Lakes area of
Kentucky/Tennessee. Both of us have memories of camping there: Chris
and his father went there when Chris was middle school-aged and my
kids and I have camped there more than once. My kids have definite
memories of hot, muggy days, the Independence Day celebration at The
Homeplace, and catching Tennessee bugs for some of their biology
classes!
We reached the north end of Kentucky
Lake this evening and camped at Cypress Lake RV Park at
Calvert City, Kentucky. It appears that more of the campgrounds are
beginning to have individual shower areas. Somewhat like “family”
restrooms, there is a door and each individual room has a sink,
shower, and stool. It's much more personal and truly does become a
family restroom, if necessary.-- kdr
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
We got a late start today. Chris gave
an online session to the 2016 Apple class of Kansas librarians, we
packed our food in the camper, ran a few errands, and, finally,
headed east. Our destination... well, we've decided on Alabama.
Specifically, Scottsboro, Alabama.
Last week, when Chris was at the ARSL
(Association of Rural and Small Librarians) conference in Fargo,
North Dakota, the Scottsboro public librarian told him about the
Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro. It's become a travel
destination and just sounds kind of fun. Anyone that has followed the
Rippel Vacation in the past knows that we tend to stop at Goodwill or
other thrift stores during vacations. This sounds like an extension
of that!
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