Alabama Georgia Weekend

We found an article in the Chattanooga Now about music and a movie at Paradise Garden in Alabama. Loaded the camper, and off we went. Found a really nice campground in Mentone, AL called Tranquility RV and Campgrounds. Small and quiet with a pretty little lake with a trail around it. SOMEBODY forgot to get the hot dogs for our dinner so we drove into Mentone to find some. We tried again to visit the church we had seen last year, St Joseph's on the Mountain...doors still locked. We heard music coming from one of the shops so we followed the sound and and settled in to listen to Jerry and Pixie Bloom singing 60's and 70's music. This couple is really talented!

Then back to camp for the hot dogs, and on to Summerville, GA to see Paradise Garden. We walked around the Garden looking at all the art pieces, collections, sermons, wondering if the chapel (which you can't go in) would collapse if you did go in. The Foundation is trying to preserve this place, it's going to be quite the challenge from looking at the roof and the foundation.... Artist/Reverend Howard Finster, well, just go see it for yourself.

 Artist Sam Wheelock was there to perform and introduce the documentary The Winding Stream. This was quite the history lesson and family saga of the Carter and Cash families and their impact on country music. Movie under the stars.

Sunday morning we hiked from the campground to the overlook of DeSoto Falls. The campground owner/aka marathon runner had a map on the back of his clipboard for us to follow. Took a pic, managed to find it.

Heading home we followed the scenic route to Johns Mountain Overlook in the Chattahoochie National Forest. The last two miles was a winding gravel road, a first for our camper, four wheel drive country! The overlook sure was a beautiful lunch spot. We ate in the shade of the camper. When the shade left, so did we.

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Hooper Bald

TTA East TN chapter hike led by Rosemary. Two hikers were celebrating their birthday and this is Leslie's favorite hike. We met at Tellico Grain Bakery, dangerous because EVERYTHING in there looks and smells yummy. I think everyone came out with something. Mine was peach filled pastry, and a loaf of sourdough bread.
The drive up the Cherohala Skyway was beautiful. Sunshine and cool air, felt like fall. Wildflowers blooming in high elevations, purple, white and yellow. Asters all over, filmy angelica, some yellow ones I can't id. We hiked from the Hooper Bald trailhead to a retreat of some sort with cabins, covered pavilion and a nice view. We bushwhacked to the road to get to the parking lot for Huckleberry Knob. On the knob we stopped for lunch so I ate half of my pastry, mmm.

On the way back we drove the rutted bumpy gravel road to Whigg Meadow where the bird banders were working. They welcomed visitors, so we watched them remove a bird from the nets, band, weigh, and inspect everything. Leslie got to release the Meadow warbler. Added to her happy birthday.

After driving back to Tellico Plains we stopped at Iron Works Grill for a bite to eat. It was loud in there with football games on 3 or 4 screens and fans cheering. Hard to hear yourself think, but our server was great.

Both balds have historical significance.    There is writing engraved on a rock on top of Hooper Bald thought to be of Spanish origin with a date of 1615.  Also Hooper Bald was the site of a hunting lodge built about 1911.  In April 1912, a shipment of European wild hogs was delivered to the lodge.  A number of the hogs escaped from their pen and proliferated throughout the National Forests and the Smokies..  Huckleberry Knob is the site of a marked grave of Andy Sherman, one of two lumbermen who were walking from the mouth of Sycamore Creek across the mountain to Robbinsville on Dec. 11, 1899.  Both perished near the peak due to the bitter cold,   snow and fog.  Their bodies were found nine months later by a hunter. It is marked by a cross and a plaque. 


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Arnold AFB camping trip

We took a trip over to Arnold AFB Famcamp for the weekend. Dad, Mom, and Lora went over on Friday and set up. I joined them Saturday after I got off work. Mom had been wanting to go here to see the beach that she took us to when we were young. The campground which wasn't here back then was really nice. She was a little let down by the beach which was no longer being used as a beach. We found the old Officer Club and the foundation of the pavilion and the rock wall.

After her disappointment, we headed out to Lynchburg for a tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery. That was a very good tour and we learned alot. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone. After the tour we ate lunch downtown and Mom got her fix on with shopping the square.

Back at the campground we made the last minute decision to head to church. We drove to Decherd and attended Mass at Good Shepherd Catholic church. After church we had dinner and hung out for the evening.

Saturday we got up, ate breakfast and then hung out at the swimming area. Dad and Mom took a tour of the recreation area and found the replacement for the old beach and Officer club. She was happy again because it was beautiful like she remembered.

Monday Lora headed out early for work and the rest of us headed out later. We had a great time in a nice campground with some wonderful weather.

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