Northern Border of Tennessee, Jellico

What a great drive today.  We went from the Southern Border in Harrison to the Northern Border in Jellico.  It was beautiful, rolling, green hills and sunny, blue skies.  Jellico is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  Those high mountains are all of 2,300 feet at the highest.  Actually passed the exit for Rocky Top, another great country hit, sung as we remember by Dolly Parton. We are staying in Indian Springs State Park, another Tennessee park that charges seniors half price.  Love it ! !  ! As far as we can see, we are the only RV in this park.  Amazing since it is so beautiful.  This is our view out the front window.  

Tomorrow we go to Mike and Kelly's in Kentucky for Thanksgiving weekend.. Cannot wait~~  Love them and Macy and Charlie ~ ~ ~ So thankful for family.  Enjoy your holidays !!

Jackson, Georgia to Harrison, Tennessee

We love that Georgia gives seniors a discount at their parks.  This is another beautiful one.  High Falls State Park on the High Falls Lake and River.  We are staying here two nights.

Almost forgot, yesterday being Friday we decided to make our weekly call to the warranty insurance company, however, it has been two weeks this time because we decided that we had a wonderful distraction in returning to Oregon for Chris & Kristina's wedding.  Soooooooo, late in the day we call.  Guess what !?!?!?!?! They made a claims decision two weeks ago and didn't tell us.  They only told the CAT dealer.  The one that we had already paid in full and CAT didn't call us either. Probably didn't care as they already had the full amount. The decision is to pay us $7,000 less than the repairs cost us and we have to prove, with original receipts and bills, that we paid the bill. A paid invoice will not work and neither will email copies or faxes.  They do not get it that we are traveling and that wire transfers of money do not have any notice of who we paid or how we spent the money.  This has been the most amazing thing we have gone through in fifty years of marriage.  It is already too late to repay our retirement account for over half of what we paid.  Hopefully we can get the paperwork together in time for the other part. CAT was already closed so can't even verify anything or find out why they didn't give us a courtesy call.  Monday can't get here fast enough.  Also, drafting a letter for an attorney.  Seems like it might be time. Never done that before.

Oh my, before the end of the afternoon, it was pouring rain and the power went out.  That we are used to, seemed like home...  After a while the power was back on BUT, then right after dark the football game on TV changed to weather warnings.  We determined that High Falls State Park was in Monroe County in Jackson Georgia from the park guide.  Oh boy, right there on TV it looked like we were in the path of a tornado..  WHAT !  This we are not used too!!!  We called the Ranger Station to see what we should do.  They asked "Don't you hear the warning sounds"??  NO, we couldn't hear clear back in the camp and in our RV.  Anyway, she said that we needed to head to the restroom area and out of our RV.  By then, the Volunteer Hosts were coming by telling everyone to go to the restroom area too.  We grabbed Mandy, a computer, our phones, a blanket and headed down the path to the restrooms. We hung around with the rest of the campers and about ten dogs.  After about thirty minutes all was clear and we went back to the RV with no power.  Dinner had been in the crock pot, then on the gas stove and so it was done enough to eat.  Thank goodness.  We went to bed about 6:30 to stay warm.  Woke up about ten and watched TV for a while and then slept through the night.  WOW, glad to wake up to clear, blue skies and load up to head for Tennessee today.  

On the way to Harison Bay State Park we actually crossed over the Chatahoochi River that Alan Jackson signs about.  This State Park is on the Chickamauga Reservoir.  Arriving here was a great relief after getting through about 10-15 miles of 12-14 lanes of traffic in Atlanta, Georgia and some wind. The traffic felt like LA..  It is clear, blue skies here and surprising warm.  Nice ! ! !  

Atlanta, Georgia

We are right across from this marina.  Must be a very busy lake in the summer...

We will finally be at Mike & Kelly's in two days ! !   YAHOO ! ! ! 

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, Florida

This is our last stay in Florida and what a beauty it was.  Probably the most beautiful State park we have stayed in and they were in the middle of decorating for Christmas.  Apparently they start in September and officially open The Festival of Lights on December 5th.  However, if you are there in between, you get to see it as it is coming together.  Much better than competing with 1,000 people per day who come in the middle of the season.  Stephen Foster was a prolific song writer who died in his early 40's in the late 1800's after writing over 200 songs.  Many of his songs are still popular today including "Old Folks at Home" which is about the Suwannee River.  The park is on the banks of this river.  His death was attributed to an accident where he fell against a sink while sick with a fever.  The fall caused massive bleeding and it is thought that he bled to death.

This Carillon Tower sounded chimes on the hour and half hour and played five whole Stephen Foster songs every two hours.  It was so great.  You could hear the music all over the campground.  Surprising how many songs we recognized. Inside it was all beautiful marble and a total tribute to Stephen Foster with copies of many of his works in progress. The workers were busy while we were here installing lights from the top of the tower to turn it into a giant Christmas tree.

The Museum had about 20 piano's that Stephen had played at some point in his career.  All, of course, very old.          

Lots of walking trails 

These buildings are all filled with craft people with their wares to sell.

These dioramas were very good.  They had moving parts that made them very interesting. 

Beautiful Spanish moss again which is really just an air plant

Airboat ride in Orlando

We have been in Florida for about three and a half weeks.  We started in Wachula about an hour south of Orlando.  We left there after one week because of the fire ants and mosquitoes.  So bad that you couldn't be outside.  We changed our Thousand Trails reservations and moved a week early to the Orlando park which is really in Clemont.  From this park we flew back to Oregon for Chris and Kristina's wedding.  We will now leave tomorrow and be at our niece and nephew, Kelly and Mike Prenn's, house the day before Thanksgiving.  

Today we decided that we needed a Florida experience before we left.... soooooooooooo, we took an hour and a half airboat tour on Lake Tohopekaliga. It is four miles wide and fourteen miles long and doesn't look like a lake at all. It is a swamp with a little open water!!  The guide said that it is from mud to 3.5 feet deep.

 The airboat ready for boarding ! ! !

The canal out to the lake..

The boats just cut though the growth making a path.  The guide told us that if they stop a certain route for a month, it will be totally regrown so they make their paths by just going over the same route.

A"dead" live oak tree

 This alligator looked like a log and when we got close, he took a dive.  The guide said that he could stay down for four hours.  We couldn't wait!!  LOL

Can you see the babies??

This baby was quite a ways from mom!! 

We are back !  ! I was surprised how comfortable a ride this boat was.  So stable too.  

It was kinda a cold day here, we wore sweatshirts and heavy coats on this trip.  We did not see any turtles or frogs.  The guide said that they are hard to spot as the noise of the airboats scares them away.  We also didn't see the pigs, coyotes or deer that are seen along the lake.  Good alligator sitings tho.  We are happy!!