Back Roads

Even with our compressed schedule, we vowed not to do a “Forced March” on the Interstates.  We wanted to see the changing countryside through Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio even if we couldn’t tarry. We were spectacularly successful; in close to a thousand miles we rode less than 70 miles on Limited Access roads.  We scribed each Rand McNally Scenic Byway that halfway led us to our goal and in the process learned that scenic often means narrow and twisty and hilly with no shoulder and often drop-offs or stone walls to add a little excitement. It was grand! Driving that requires close attention but pays dividends in sleepy hamlets, clear streams and tidy farms. There are, however, fewer pictures to share, but we know exactly where we’ll return to snap the scenes we still hold in memory.
The purpose of  all this hurrying was to welcome “Our Sister” Beth at the Pittsburg Airport.  Recently released from captivity at the Medical College of Milwaukee, she will be with us for the next two week or more.  We call these the “Driving Miss Daisy Tours” whereby both Pat and Beth giggle continuously in the back seat while Al drives, occasionally tips his cap and says “Yes' am”.
Outside Pittsburgh we “Courtesy Parked” with our good friends Bill and Nora, where we were warmly welcomed, fed sumptuously and often.  Laughter and Airstream stories filled the comfortable front porch and the Golden-doodles seemed to like the extra attention. 

“If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.”


Courtesy Parking at Bill & Nora’s
Is that a BRAND NEW Airstream??
Why yes. Yes, it is.
With Bethy on board and checked out on all things Airstream, we followed Bill over hill and dale to a lovely lunch at the Foxburg Inn.  Bill learned these Pennsylvania back roads on years of classic auto tours. He showed us hills and mountains, the oldest golf course in America, old churches and vistas of every shade of green. (It’s been raining A LOT lately.

 

By mid afternoon, we were slipping into Penn Wood Airstream Park and another warm gathering at the totally unofficial “Pre Bash”

Fantastic Vents -- They really are.

 

Every Airstreamer loves the little Fantastic Fan that quietly draws air into our Aluminum homes.  Many fans (Vents) sense the temps and turn on and off by magic and some even close in a rain shower.  Remote controls? Sure. But what really makes this company world class is their customer service. Call them from some outpost in the wilderness and confess that you (OK, that’s Me) stuck my finger in the 13 year old fan and broke a blade. They will send you a whole new fan assembly FREE, with Motor FREE,  freight free and say ”Thanks for your business.”  When that happened to me, I pledged to tell everyone I met about this great product and buy another for the bedroom at my earliest convenience .

Being adrift in Michigan gave us the opportunity (thanks for the reminder Jason.)  We arrived at Imlay at the scheduled time and Chris expertly led us through our options. In minutes, he was on the roof peeling off caulking. He often travels to the big Airstream rallies and installs/upgrades and repairs dozens a day.  He knew where the wiring lay and what extra steps were required to deal with the roof curvature.

THEN he wanted to look at my existing fan.

“This motor mount is cracked”   Whirl, snip. it landed in the tool belt. 

“This lifter seems to be bent and the fan isn’t opening all the way…”  

“Well”, I stumbled, “that might have been bent when the awning flew over the top…”  Whirl, whirl of the screw gun and both were replaced.

He tried the new pieces and still wasn’t satisfied. “Are you having trouble with the temperature control?” 

“Err, I really don’t ever use it…” 

“I think it’s the circuit board.”  THOSE would be ominous words anywhere but at Fantastic Vent. Chris found the board, some new trim and pretty much the whole assembly and sent me on my way with two perfectly matched, silent running fans and one of their new covers which allow the vent to stay open while on the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FANTASTIC VENT:  Great Product

Made in America 

World Class customer support

LONG MAY THEY PROSPER!

PENN WOOD AIRSTREAM PARK

 

Imagine an oval green field, surrounded by tall Hemlocks and bounded on one side by a trout stream.  Imagine it fringed with Airstreams, some polished to a mirror finish, others flying flags.  Handsome, well-behaved dogs of every description, an abundance of camp chairs and a few Parrots… PARROTS?  Oh yes,  parrots, some with more Airstream time than we have.  This is the Penn Wood Airstream Paradise Park, our overnight stop on the way to Birthday Bash 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a breathtaking sight, but the best parts are the smiling faces. 

 

 

 

 

 

Lost Highways

Frost was blanketing the ground and ice fog lifting in the sun as we pulled past the “Elk Fields” leaving the GSMNP. There was a huge bull grazing close to the road in the shady corner of the field giving the “Bugle Corps” volunteers a problem -- this guy obviously didn’t want  a  respectful margin, he wanted that tall untrampled green the mower missed.

We were heading home.  For a couple days it had seemed we were lingering here too long.  There were clear signs -- Pat squeezing in one more session with her nemesis, the big brown trout under the ledged rock “RIGHT IN THE CAMPGROUND” , Al  doing housework and making lists of  trailer tasks to do before winterizing.
The route had been carefully crafted to avoid tall hills, Atlanta and Chattanooga.  Is that Possible?  Why, Yes it is.  There are thousands of miles of perfectly adequate two lanes called Blue Highways which wanderers turn to when the scenery, human and pastoral,  is preferred to interstate blandness and thruway sprawl.  EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. We discovered this afternoon that there are also major arteries called US Highways that proceed directly and independently of the Interstates with broad, sometimes multilane tracks, right where we want to go – mostly.  US 441 and US 27 were without traffic, moved directly down the valleys and beside railroads choosing the “route of least resistance”.  The speeds were pleasingly moderate, the occasional traffic stop actually welcomed as a chance to look around.  Bypasses were in place around most larger towns, but we didn’t have to guess which attractions and opportunities lay beyond exit signs.
We wheeled into the only restaurant in White, Georgia, and found that Willie Nelson stops here. Was it for their chicken fried chicken, deep fried mac and cheese or deep fried cheese cake? Or was it to see the old car yard across the highway, “photographers paradise” spray painted on a car body near the gate?
We took on a month's worth of cholesterol, and proceeded  on. When we did tag the Interstate, the contrast was apparent.  Big trucks in a hurry, compacts with impatient adolescents and debris everywhere.  We sped up unconsciously and tightened our grip on the wheel.  NEVER AGAIN.  We have found our new route to the mountains and will be searching for the yellow and red highways each  time we must make time slowly.

CAMP CHAIR BLISS

Loyal readers will recall (and no doubt anxiously await) our promise to report on the search for proper campground  seating. search for the ultimate camp chair  We received absolutely no assistance from the dear doctor Whirl; He apparently took my reference to “broad aluminum beams” personally and withheld vital purchasing information.

Adrift as we were in the bewildering world of portable furniture, we stumbled on so many many unsuitable options—with multiple drink holders, tables left and right, battery operated rope lights, and umbrellas. (Sorry, flamingo fans, only this one.)
Notable is the new Camping World offering –a swiveling folding chair with BUILT-IN SPEAKERS (batteries not included). click here for a video which should have "Gypsy" theme music. Sorry, we prefer our outdoors unplugged.
We have settled into (and that is appropriate)  two ALP SPORT aluminum chairs with  “broad Aluminum beams”, nice blue upholstery,  and nearly inconspicuous drink holder.  (We have loved Alp Sport since they issued mimeographed catalogs and George Lamb answered the phone himself). 
Our Broad beams are power coated, so the true aluminum goodness does not shine through, but we know it’s there and it comforts us.

OK.  We like this one too.  

Westward ho ..through the Gap

Movin again.  Old Timers weekend coming to the Cove, so we are heading north to the Cumberland Gap. Had a nice time talking with our neighbors but still got away early, for us. Groceries in Townsend.  Once through Knoxville, the two lane highway 11W was running parallel to the escarpment through lovely farmland. Then left on 25E through some huge grades over a set of tall ridges.  These would have been a tough slough with an Airstream on the old roads; hard to imagine how rugged the country was before the Wilderness Road.  This is new country for us and we are anxious to get to the visitors center and start our own exploration.

Back Roads and Billy Goat Trails

Indecision reigns. The Coleman Lake CG was tranquil, sunny and cool. We imagined a day with feet up and a gentle breeze.. Nah! We are retired and a little tired, not catatonic.  We studied out our options and decided to reach for Indian Boundary Campground  in the Cherokee NF.
 “There’s no fishing here,” says Patty and that settles it.

The bonus of yesterday’s diversion to the East was that we could now drive back roads and  avoid the onerous bumpy interstate circuit through Ft Payne AL and Chattanooga GA.
Tallapoosa GA was a treat, for the Memorial and the great Victorian homes.   Hwy 27 was great with the second cutting of hay in the fields and Turkey working the edges for displaced protein.  Once past Rome with its multiple versions of hwy 53 and short section of I-75, we hit 225.  What a sweetheart of a road –flat, gently curving two lane up a valley with the Cohutta mountains rising on the East and the long spine of Lookout Mountain far to the West.  Lots of Cherokee history here.  225 follows the Trail of Tears from the New Echota Historical site past Chief Joseph Vann’s home. (Sorry, both open only Thursday to Sunday.)
Sure, we see you, highway 411, all four-laned now to the Tennessee line.  We might have abandoned you for the gorgeous eastbound 64 through the Ocoee gorge and up highway 30 past Reliance with the “only fly shop in Tennessee with a working fireplace”, but we would have missed the fun on the MECCA PIKE. 
The fun starts at Etowah on a deceptively modern highway 310 East. It winds and twists like a old buffalo trail, which it no doubt was. It climbs and wanders at 40 mph and no one even thinks about passing an Airstream gamely sweeping through the curves.  I guess you know you are on a thoroughfare of note when the majority of oncoming vehicles are motors and places like “Hog Heaven” are featured.  310 gives way to 39 perhaps because it is just too narrow for three digits and it continues to gyrate until it splashes into Tellico Plains.
The Plains are surprisingly gentrified of late with food and biker joints going upscale like motorcycle prices. The “original” Tellicafe is still serving from its antiquated old Hardees building; hope it is still as good as always…
It’s just sixteen miles now up the Cherohalla Skyway.


“Road Work next 23 miles” translates to beautiful new top coating, bright striping and lots of guardrails. (Thank you President Obama).

It’s late afternoon now and the road is quiet, winding along the Tellico River then up through huge rock cuts to start its climb toward Turkey Creek Mountain. 
 








We turn off at Indian Boundary Campground, find friendly camp hosts and set up in a shady level site just as the sun sets over the lake.
Thought for the day (from a fellow Airstreamer)

I AM what I wanted to be when I grew up –– RETIRED.

Preparations Anew

Evidently a week home from the beach is  just enough time to remove all pesky sand particles, rinse off salt spray and erase all memory of how really HOT it is in a Tin Can on the Gulf.  Of course no power on earth could resist a visit from Joanie and Anthony, a family friendly condo on the low rise part of the Gulf Shore for Jeff and his girls and Airstreaming all packaged together with predicted lower humidity.
Joanie and Anthony will fly in from New Jersey Wednesday, Airstream with Meme and Papa at Grayton Beach State Park and move into the  Condo with the Montgomery contingent Friday Thursday through Sunday.  The Grannies will maintain sleeping quarters at the park and a strong presence at the Condo a couple miles away.

Lottie has been rinsed inside and out, had  her pesky TPMS repeater system rewired (see Arcane Airstream stuff),  LED taillights added for better visibility in coastal thunderstorms, as well as the regular refitting, rearming and refueling.

Grandgirls have had a week to plan every minute and another week to get too excited to remember they are starting school.

About ready here for an August  23 departure….

The Gulf in August–It’s Beachin

Hot…Very Hot, and Predicted to be Hotter!
The ride down from Montgomery is pleasant with good roads and little traffic.  We stopped at the Pensacola Visitors Center and stepped out into sizzling heat.  Oh Boy!  This is not going to be like it was in May… 
Another disappointment –the Blue Angels are out on Tour and won’t be practicing this week.  (Patty has a little crush on the Blue Angels; in May we watched three practices and she really, really wanted to attend the autograph party.)


All signed in at the old Coast Guard building, we are off to get set up in site A001, just yards from the boardwalk to the beach.


   All set up
Fort Pickens Campground, Gulf Islands National Seashore.  Nicely rebuilt campground.  Note the damaged trees from the Hurricane winds and salt water surge.
We would never have made if if it weren’t for the help from both young ladies and especially Emilyn, “The Water Police”, who kept us hydrated in the really really stifling noonday sun.


At Last, it’s time for the beach.
Checklist: Drinks, boogie boards, flip flops, light coat of oil on young and ….




  Yeah, right there.  No, just a little to  the  left…  




Record number of Turtle nests on the seashore this year –70 so far. This one only last week.  Volunteers watch them at night and are on site when they hatch out in 60 days.  We asked to help, but there is a long waiting list.


We’re tired.  Let Papa cook.

Today I Am a Man ..Airstreamer

In three score and seven, I have passed (or perhaps slipped by) many of those markers on the way to MANHOOD, but none which so filled me with such manly pride as RIVETING. (Ok, you may have seen Someday59’s kids gripping Air powered Rivet guns and polishers, but they’re home schooled and thereby advanced in so many, many ways.)
Although life’s experiences may be riveting, my own exposure to actual riveting has been limited.

• patching Marshall Bennet’s rusted out ‘47 jeep with Aluminum and Bondo. If you know Marshall, you know I never got to touch any ‘chinery.
• I may have been present at the installation of a few “rivet patches” in Hueys in RVN, but I was distracted counting the number of rivets in the tail boom so I could be as smart as all the Warrant Officers.
• When my aluminum canoe had an unfortunate encounter with a mid stream rock and required repairs, the guys at the National Guard Flight facility got so tired of my lame questions that the Maintenance Chief bucked in a few while I held the canoe.  Thanks Tommy, but aren’t ear plugs required?

So it was with excitement and trepidation that I opened the box from Vintage Trailer Supply..
Let’s see.  New power converter to solve my recharging woes.  (it’s only ELECTRICITY; what could go wrong?)
100 big head rivets, (wonder which end…?)
and CLECOES (CLECOS are little 3” gadgets that you insert in the newly drilled holes to hold the two pieces together while you drill many many more holes.

Clecos are the Talisman, the sure sign  of an Airstreamer capable of  actual riveting and ready to confront sagging belly pan, dislocated banana wrap and perhaps even panel replacement.) I have 25 of them.  Actually that’s five times the number I will need but I intend to carry 2-3 in my pocket at all times and perhaps drop them casually on a bar, the ultimate challenge coin.
The actual riveting was a little anti-climatic.  I could perhaps have dramatized it a little by sticking my legs out in traffic as I crawled under trailer parked at curbside, but Pat and Emilyn were doing girl things, so the audience response was muted.
I know now why the machine shop GAVE me the perfect sized drill bit I was shopping for –he knew I would be back for more.
So, belly pan secure, banana wrap repositioned, computer desk de taped and tie downs secure.  I feel so proud. 
Oh yes, Old Army surplus looking Converter replaced with sleek new electronic version with three stage charger, battery serviced—what could go wrong; it’s just ELECTRICITY….?

Back to the Rhododendrons

From Wine (berries) to Rhododendrons ….We left The Skyline drive with 700 miles to reach Montgomery.  Seeking a midpoint, we settled on The Mount Rodgers NRA and a chance to ride the Virginia Creeper trail again. On Monday we will avoid the crowds. 
The ride was the same on I-81 but there were some surprises on the back roads.  This bridge work was the same Recovery Act money that brought us the silky smooth new pavement on the Skyline Parkway; Thank you President Obama!  The tornado damage a few miles back is still being cleaned up.
The Drive up , way up, from Damascus VA to Beartree  campground is part of the Transamerica Bike Route (the 76),  a scenic byway and probably should be a national treasure. THE JEB STUART HIGHWAY (US 58) climbs and twists through mature timber,  the Straight Fork rippling alongside and blooming Rhodos in all directions.  We can’t wait to see the trail tomorrow.
Around camp you will notice  Our Lady of the Airstream appearing in the window.
 

Keen observers will  note the silver Coleman stove has been deployed and that can only mean BACON…
lovely BACON, bear attracting, fat dripping, extra crispy bacon for BLT’s with the last of the Jersey tomatoes.

We also note with sorrow yet another embarrassment for poor Lotti.
And for the Trailer curious who are hanging in here to find out about the Tire Troubles … We pulled the tire and found a roofing nail,  (remember all ten of those cars fixing flats as we drove past Philly last week?). Carl plugged it expertly (as well as handled all the heavy lifting for the old Airstream couple) and freely shared even more tips. 

Dears and deer

Morning at Loft Mountain Campground in Shenandoah National Park dawned brilliantly clear and bright.  Sun filtering through the trees and bright cloudless skies, temperatures in the low sixties –big change from July last year when it was 90+.  The campsites here are mostly circular pull thrus with various amounts of  camping area separated by lush walls of vegetation.  Nice neighborhood, an Airstream with three little ones who immediately introduced us to ”wine berries” which taste like raspberries and grow abundantly here.  Justin and his lovely assistants, Christine and Jenna, are scouring the whole area. 
Carl has had his AS for five years and has solved a number of issues; he  shared lots of tips and even used his electronic moisture detector to check ours for leaks—no leaks except in the tire. 
We idled away most of the morning then the old folks retired to the bed for reading and
 relaxation
.
The culmination of the wine berry foraging was a delicious cobbler which Laura created.  Ah, the Airstream Life –good friends, beautiful girls and inspired cooking.

Our paltry attempt at exercise was a sunset walk –on the AT, if that counts.  There we saw signs of Bear and a couple more local beauties .