Home 11/8/2013

Yesterday, (Thursday), we drove from Staunton, VA to Cuddebackville, NY (I came to fondly call it Paddywhackville) in the Catskills. Yes, it's really nowheresville.

The day had started with a bit a of spitting rain, but it was dry as we packed up for the drive north. Unfortunately, we ran into the main rainstorm, and traveled for about 4 hours in rain. By the end of the driving day, skies had cleared, and we were definitely in colder northern climes. Somewhere in PA, a doe darted in front of the truck on the highway, and gave both of us some MAJOR palpitations, especially since a large buck was starting across about 50 feet ahead of us as well. Fortunately, the doe retreated, and the buck froze as she did. All this happened in the blink of an eye.

We planned on staying at the KOA in Paddywhackville, and figured if we just showed up there would be no problem getting a spot for the night. Unfortunately, we had opted to follow the directions given by the KOA guidebook, instead of those provided by the GPS, based on the address. The KOA book had indicated that the more direct roads were steep and snaky, and could be a problem for RVs, and offered an alternative route that took us about 40 minutes out of our way. Those 40 minutes proved to be important later on when darkness became a major hindrance.

About an hour and a half ahead of our expected arrival, I called the KOA to confirm not only that we would be coming and that they had a space, but also that they were open. (Many campgrounds in the area close by mid-October.) I got an answering machine. Hmmmmmmmmm. Not good. I left a message asking them to call me back. (Maybe the desk person had stepped out to the rest room.) Tick tock, tick tock. No call. The KOA website had indicated that this campground was open all year, so we rolled the dice and headed to the KOA. Meanwhile, the sun was setting, and the cold settling in. By the time we reached the campground, it wasn't late--maybe 5:00, but it was dark. There was no one in the office, and the office was locked. There were instructions on the whiteboard outside, that latecomers could take one of 2 spots they had set aside. So, we headed for that area of the campground. Of course, the spots were not pull-throughs. Of course, the ground was wet and soggy. Of course, the angle of approach was difficult to put the trailer in the spot. Of course the utilities (water and electric) were spaced weirdly. After about 10-15 minutes of wrangling, car headlights pierced the darkness. A KOA staff member greeted us, and subsequently told us that the site into which we were trying to situate ourselves had had the water turned off, and that the campground staff had neglected to alter the latecomer spot numbers. At any rate, he led us to a nice pull through spot in which we spent the night. Let me just say that setting up in the cold really bites (just about as much as waking up to snow on the camper--see Kansas blog entry). (One side note--the camp store at Paddywhackville sold these--YUM)

Tomorrow I will post some tidbits that did not make it into our daily blog.

Road day 11/6/2013

We're one day closer to home, having driven up I81 from Tennessee to Virginia. What a beautiful drive! This road took us up the western side of the Smokies, through the beautiful hills of Tennessee and Virginia. The day started cloudy, and there had been a little rain overnight. By the time we woke and were on our way, skies were clearing. And by the time we were approaching our stopping point for the day at Staunton, VA, we had beautiful blue skies streaked with incredible patterns of cirrus clouds riding over the Smokies. So beautiful!

November 5-- Chickamauga and Chattanooga 11/5/2013

Yesterday was a driving day that took us about 420 miles from Vicksburg, MS to Chattanooga, TN. Here, our intent is to not only come a little closer to home, but also to see another chapter in the Civil War story of our country.

Chattanooga and Chickamauga were the sites of two pivotal and bloody battles of the Civil War. In 1863, Union and Confederate forces fought for control of Chattanooga, considered the gateway to the deep south. It was a key rail center fro the Confederacy, through which southern forces accessed supplies. Northern and southern forces met here in some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. We took the auto tour, which takes visitors around to some of the more important battle sites, offering an audio accompaniment on smartphone that helps to explain the significance of each stop. At one spot, the narrator of the audio presentation read a letter written by one of the soldiers who had been at the battle. The soldier described the scene he saw at the spot we were standing: the serene field in front of us today had been carpeted with dead bodies, to the extent that he could walk across the field without his feet touching the ground. Losses on both sides were second only to those at Gettysburg. More men were lost at Chickamauga than the total lost in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Unlike Vicksburg, fighting occurred in and around the forests of the area.

After the auto tour, we drove to Lookout Mountain,

View from Lookout Mountain down to the Tennessee River

another site of Civil War fighting. It's hard to believe that Confederates, with a superior position at the top of the mountain, were overcome by Union soldiers who attacked by ascending the steep terrain.

Lookout Mountain offers panoramic views of the valley. We cruised the neighborhood at the top and saw some fabulous ($$$) homes that hover at the edge of the mountain. This is a beautiful area, and the trees are decked in fall color. We'd like to return some day.

Vicksburg 11/3/2013

After making a crock pot dinner to be ready on our return, we set out for the Vicksburg National Military Park.

At the Visitor Center, we watched a short movie that explained how critical it was to Union forces in the Civil War to capture Vicksburg from Confederate control. Vicksburg is situated at a critical point on the Mississippi that allowed supplies to flow to the Confederates. Cutting off this supply route was necessary for the Union Army. But its location, high on bluffs above the river, made the assault on the city very difficult. From May 18 through July 4, 1863, the city was in siege by Grant's army. Union casualties for the battle and siege of Vicksburg were 4385, Confederate, 32,697 (29,495 surrendered). The full campaign since March 29th claimed 10,142 Union, and 9091 Confederate killed and wounded. It's hard to wrap your mind around those numbers.

But this story is not one of numbers, but of the people who endured this battle: the Confederate soldiers who surrendered due to starvation and sickness, the Union soldiers killed and wounded (although death occurred more frequently due to illness than to wounds), the townspeople who hid in crudely dug caves during the siege.

The Military Park takes you on a 16 mile auto tour of the battlefield. What comes to mind as you drive the route is how different the landscape is now from what it was then. Before the Civil War, all this area had been  cleared for farming, and the battles took place on sites and fields that were completely open.
So Union forces, to defend themselves, dug trenches at night, and attacked from those positions during the day. Now, there are many trees there, planted in the 1930s to prevent erosion. All along the road, there are monuments to the various Union and Confederate units that served here.

One particularly moving monument was erected by the state of Illinois. It's a massive marble dome whose inside walls are lined with plaques listing the names of Illinois men who fought at Vicksburg. The ceiling of the

Illinois memorial

dome is open to the sky. Unfortunately for us, a family including small children ran in just as we were entering. The children ran in, screaming and laughing, sliding on the smooth marble floor. Their parents obviously had no respect for others who were visiting, nor the somber nature of the memorial that spoke of tears and loss and the over 36,000 Illinois soldiers who fought there.

We had the opportunity to see the salvaged remains of a Union Ironclad boat named the Cairo that

Remains of the Cairo

Confederates sank in the Mississippi during the siege. And the auto tour takes you into the Vicksburg National Cemetery where 17,000  Union soldiers are buried, a number unmatched by

Vicksburg National Cemetery

any other national cemetery. 75% of the dead are listed as "unknown".

The odd thing about Vicksburg is that this city on the east side of the Mississippi is very hilly. As you look across to Louisiana, you can see that the land there is absolutely flat. This is due to an oddity of geology. We had an interesting chat with a park ranger in the visitor center about Vicksburg's history, geology, and people. She is one of the reasons our National Parks are a treasure.

After the auto tour, we drove through the old Vicksburg village--obviously a work in progress. There are some beautiful historic buildings, but for every one great building, there are at least 3 or 4 empty storefronts. They've put concrete planters in the street (not on the side of the street) that are nothing short of hazardous.

Lastly, we felt compelled to visit at least one of the casinos here in Vicksburg. All I can say is that I guess we're just not casino people. We walked in, the cigarette smoke hit us in the face like a brick, we walked around the hundreds (thousands?) of slot machines, then walked out. It was weird to note that every one of the at least 30 handicap parking spots in front of the casino was taken, but the whole parking lot was no more than 1/4 full.

BTW, we really like our site in the RV park we're staying in.

November 2--The Landscape Changes 11/2/2013

Today was a driving day, as we are heading for Vicksburg, MS. Shorter days mean shorter driving time,    and to ensure that we can set up in daylight, the max we can travel is about 400 miles.

First a note about the campground at Weatherford, TX at which we stayed last night: check out the sinks--

Not to say that Texans love their state...
We did see these flags not far from the LA-TX state line on I20:

The Texas flag looked bigger and as if it were flying higher than the US flag--hmmm

Not long after our departure from Weatherford (which is to the west of Dallas), we ran into a lot of traffic on I20, most of it exiting in Canton. Then we saw a sign touting "Trade Fair". A quick Google search found what was happening: First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX. It all began in the 1850′s when the circuit judge stopped in Canton on the first Monday of each month. This was the day the Judge held court. People from the area came to town on that day to conduct their business, stock their pantries and sit in on court proceedings … and watch a few “hangings”. History relates one incident where a man was hung for stealing his partner’s wagon of goods for trading. He is buried facing south (not east) in Hillcrest Cemetery by the First Monday grounds. Quite naturally, many also brought their own goods, produce and livestock with them to sell or trade. This took place just off the west side of the courthouse square. Most history versions include the trading of wild horses, which were rounded up in the region and brought to Canton to sell. By 1965, First Monday had outgrown the Town Square, It was then that the City of Canton purchased six acres just two blocks north of the courthouse. First Monday was moved off the square.
Originally, First Monday only “happened” on the first Monday of each month. However, now it takes place on the Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of the month.

The one major take-away from our trip east through Texas is the difference in scenery as you drive from west to east. Pictures tell the story:

West Texas

East of Dallas

To Texas! 11/1/2013

With many miIes ahead of us, we set out early (for us) toward Texas. We have a long way to go to get back east.

Our drive took us down long straight roads with views to the horizon.
 Highlights:

• WIPP--Waste Isolation Pilot Plant--26 miles south of Carlsbad, we saw signs for this, a deep geological repository for radioactive waste.
• Wide open desert--as in desert landscape in 360 degrees
• A huge mansion in the middle of the desert behind a screen of trees along Route 180 near Seminole, TX
• Cotton and sorghum fields to the horizon on both sides of the road
• We were beyond startled when the driver's side mirror with mirror extensions (for trailer pulling) blew back into the driver's side window as a tractor trailer truck roared by us on the opposite side of the road. (180 is a 2 lane road with a 75mph speed limit. We were traveling at 63mph.)
• All along the roads, there were white balls of cotton that had blown off cotton plants from the fields. Fascinated, I asked Ray to stop, so I could pick up a few and feel raw cotton balls. We stopped along an empty stretch of road to use the trailer bathroom, and I got my raw cotton. It feels just like the cotton balls you buy in the store! (except for the seeds and sticks stuck to the raw cotton)
• I saw antelope running in the desert.
• Wind--lots of wind, all the way to Weatherford, TX, west of Dallas. There"s a reason they have wind reports on the news as part of the weather report. 

We are at a small KOA in Weatherford tonight--small as in 49 sites versus hundreds that are common to KOAs.

Grand Canyon Underground 10/31/2013

Rocky slopes and canyons, cactus, grass, thorny shrubs, and the occasional tree, who could guess at the hidden treasures deep underground? Carlsbad Cavern is one of over 300 limestone caves in a fossil reef laid down by an inland sea 250 to 280 million years ago. We opted to take the self-guided tours of the Caverns, assisted by the audio tour offered by the park. We walked down the path to the natural entrance to the cave, the same entrance used by the first explorer to investigate the cave, Jim White.

What a wonder met us on our descent into the cave. Large passageways led to small corridors which led to an incredibly grand room filled with all manner of cave "decorations": stalagmites, stalactites, straws, drapery, flows, you name it.We have visited many other caves: Mammoth Caves, Jewel Cave, Wind Cave, Luray Caverns... but this was so ....grand. What made the experience special is that we were able to walk through the cavern alone, without any accompaniment. It was quiet, and it was ... grand. In the largest "room", we saw 2 ropes suspended from a point high above us (225 feet). The audio tour we took explained that in order to explore an area above the "Big Room", early explorers attached ropes to a helium balloon which they floated up, and succeeded in attaching the ropes to a stalactite. Then one of the explorers climbed the rope to a room above--again--225 feet above the large room. To see the ropes which are still in place is to know that those explorers were CRAZY. All I could think about as we walked the 2 1/2 mile trail through the cavern was that it reminded me so much of the grandeur of the Grand Canyon, underground.

 

After walking the cavern, we took a small break, and then returned to the cave entrance to view the bat flight at sundown.Sure enough, at about 6:15, we witnessed the emergence of thousands of bats from the mouth of the cave we had just walked through. They flew out in waves, at first spiraling in the area in front of the cave, then ascending to the skies and forming ribbons flying to the south. The mass evacuation continued for at least 15-20 minutes. As the sun was going down, so were temperatures. With a brisk wind, temps felt like they were in the low 50s. While we were shivering with the cold (wearing t-shirts and jackets), we were so happy we were here in time to witness this event. Soon the bats will be gone from the area, having migrated south.