Lora's 60th Birthday Trip

For Lora's birthday she wanted to go to Fort Payne's Boom Days. We had camped in Mentone before at Tranquility Campground so we got reservations there. We headed out Friday for a couple of nights. After we got set up at the campground we hiked around their pond and then over to DeSoto Falls. After dinner we headed over to Ft. Payne and listened to "Chasing Payne" and "Night Moves" doing a tribute to Bob Seger.

Saturday we headed out in a light rain to the Little River Canyon. We hiked to Little River Falls and then took the Little Falls trail down to the river. The water was low so you could walk across the river on the rocks. We went to the Little River Canyon Rim Parkway and had lunch. Afterwards we drove the parkway checking out the overlooks and hiking Beaver Pond. Then we headed back to Fort Payne to see "Boys in the Band" do a tribute to Alabama and then Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin, and Collen Raye.

Sunday we got up and went to DeSoto State Park and hiked to four different dry waterfalls. Lack of rain is a problem.

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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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