Autumn Color Tour

Pleasant Hill Lake

“Another Time” has arrived.  Time to depart!   We thought the truck and trailer was all packed but after we pulled out, H thought of something important we forgot so – around the block we went!   The sun was shining and traffic was fairly light on the expressway around town so we finally got started on this “Fall Color Trip” to and thru sections of southern Ohio -starting in Loudonville and the Mohican State Park.   In Ohio and Michigan there are pumpkin, apple and Halloween festivities ALL month long.  He thought that we’d have no trouble getting a site since we were arriving on a

Wednesday and not Friday.  HA  - they fooled him - It was their Halloween Weekend coming up and they were already full!   So were several other nearby campground/resorts.  Those that weren’t full – weren’t worth staying at so we left Loudonville and headed around the other side of the reservoir to Pleasant Hill Campground.

Pleasant Hill is not a state park but belongs to the Muskingum Watershed, a flood control group that oversees the local rivers, the dam, the resulting reservoir and the land surrounding them.  The campground does not have organized activities and no campwide Halloween decorations so it was a much quieter stay!  Our trailer is decorated tho!  On the front jack, sits a large gourd with purple bat wings and goofy head.  A stick on purple and black witch clings to the side of the kitchen slide, greeting us as we climb the steps to the trailer! A flat styrofoam pumpkin looks out from the kitchen window.  A jack-o-lantern lampshade has replaced the plain one on the dining area table lamp.  A plastic blow up pumpkin grins out the big back window!

Halloween at Mohican State Park

 Back at the state park there were a plethora of families, with their sites loaded with fake tombstones and blowup ghosts and goblins – each hoping to win a prize. The campground hosts even got in on the festivities and decorated one entire corner with cobwebs, talking ghouls, witches and skeletons.  Some were seated in various camping scenes.  Two were fishing in an empty ditch and three were even floating down that empty ditch in their innertubes!  In town, the quaint streets were festooned with pumpkins, cornstalks and bright fall flower plantings. We shopped our favorite shops and even toured the local history museum.  H was quite taken with the big display on the company “Flexible” which made the first motorcycle sidecar that had an axle that actually flexed when going around a corner.  The company went on to manufacture intercity buses and ambulances and had several factories in town.   “HAD” is the operative word!

From that area we continued our fall back roads color tour down and over to Rocky Fork Ranch Resort with a stop at Roscoe Village and Coshocton on the way.  The restored historic canal town had plenty of folks wandering in and out of the small era type shops and the weather cooperated perfectly!  The colors on the hillsides were really starting to pop!

Rocky Fork “Ranch” occupies a small green valley where the guest area and the horse barns are located and several “mountain” ridges where the actual campgrounds and the recreation center are.  We pulled in on Saturday and were just in time for the 3RD of their 4 Halloween Weekends!   All the little ones and teens were kept busy with trick or treating in the afternoon and in the evening was the costume judging.  The adults held their golf cart parade and late evening dance!  Sunday was the grand exodus as they all pulled out and left the place almost empty! 

Winding narrow roads

Our days were filled with exploring the narrow, winding back roads that connected all the small towns.  Once we drove right thru a muddy farm complex with free roaming chickens in the middle of the road.   

          Up the road (or down?) we spotted a deer by the side of the road.  She didn’t move as we slowly stopped near her.  Perhaps she thought it was just a big smelly blue cow talking to her - since we had just driven thru the muddy barnyard and the farmers were spreading manure in their fields (and on the road?).   One skinny road wound down and around to Cambridge, the home of William Boyd and the Hopalong Cassidy Museum.  There used to be a festival & parade but there are only a few of us who still fondly remember that name so they are no longer. The museum has even burned down and is no more!

On another day’s journey we ended up over the Ohio River to downtown Wheeling W Va. – a tired old river town that is trying to make a comeback.   Down that side of the Ohio River we passed coalmines with their long reaching conveyors that spew their black contents onto waiting barges or train cars that would haul it to other destinations.  On the river, huge tug type “push” boats steered their collections of barges filled with coal or gypsum up or down the river!  We crossed back over the river in Hannibal Ohio and spotted the lock and dam.  We parked just in time to watch a tug with 4 barges, slowly ease her way into the narrow lock.

The fall colors are growing in intensity!  Golds, oranges and reds are spreading across the hills and valleys.  The wind has picked up and now the leaves are even starting to fall – it must be time for us to move on, too. 

Short Trip To Canada

School is back in session - which means families with children won’t be on the roads and it’s time for these old folks to travel! 

Bayfield Ont.

On the beach near Kettle Rocks

Our first attempt to get some miles on the tires came in the form of a quick foray up US 75, right thru downtown Detroit in mid day (when the traffic is the lightest) and on up RT 94 to Port Huron Michigan.  From there the beautiful Blue Water Bridge rose high above the St Clair River and deposited us at Canadian Customs and then downtown Sarnia, Ontario.  With a few minor hops and skips, false turns and a stop to change our US funds to Canadian we finally found the closest road that would keep us near the   eastern shores of Lake Huron.

On the beach near Kettle Rocks

In and out of every small lakeside town, park and beach, we inched our way up the coast.  One minute the sun would be shining on that small town’s inlet, lined with marina’s, cottages and lighthouses and the next stop would be on a desolate beach with angry dark clouds threatening to release their cache of wet cold rain if we stayed in that spot any longer.   We found the spot where “Kettle Point” was but the water was too high and the kettle shaped rocks were not to be seen.  We were allowed a visitors pass to drive thru Pinery Provincial Park!  Grand Bend, St Joseph’s, and Bayfield were all “explored” before we even made it to Goderich!  Then on farther north to Kincardine – finally!  It had been a very nice but very long day!  H found us a sweet little motel for our evening’s rest.  Small and old but VERY nicely redone!   The Lake View Motel did have a view of the lake but it was just a peek between the trees and you had to squint at that!

Ships on the St. Clair River

When morning arrived, it was decided to reverse our direction and return home.  And - it was my turn to drive.   Back over the bridge, the line at US Customs took longer than going over, but we made it.  A side trip took us off of RT 94 and we took a break in Algonac Michigan at the state park to watch the cargo ladened freighters chug down the St Clair River, pushing the water in front of them as they came.   Then it was back on the highway and US 75 thru

Ships on the St. Clair River

Detroit – only this time there was rain AND lots of semi trucks.   Enough of that – we exited and chose a smaller, a bit safer state route to get us home – to recoup, regroup and get ready for another trip – another time. 

Boyne City Area

Whiting Park

  Just like in Florida – when we move – we move in short distances!  This “move” was about 50 miles downstate from Petosky – to the south shore of the east branch of Lake Charlevoix, about 5 miles from Boyne City.  From our vantage point at Whiting Memorial Park you could see the hills behind Boyne City and directly across from us was Young’s State Park, where we’ve traveled by boat on other adventures.  Whiting Park is an older county park that is mostly non-electric campsites and 12 that you are able to reserve and have just electricity.  The last 2 sites have only 20-amp service and were all that were available.  And - may I tell you that you CANNOT run the air conditioning AND the microwave at the same time on only 20 amps!  Site #2 was good because it was away from the hoards of tents on the weekend but it was a long walk to the facilities!  Exercise –right?

Holtel at Wallon Lake

                       Between Petosky and Lake Charlevoix is Earnest Hemmingway’s favorite Walloon Lake – a beautiful lake that is surrounded by all types of magnificent homes – some northern rustic log mansions, some New England wealth and some were southern white 3-story plantation-esque with brightly colored hanging baskets everywhere!  Some of their vivid canvas topped boat shelters were bigger than our house!  Of course, inside these shelters were a vast array of pontoon, ski and antique wood boats!  While on the lake we had to pause on one of the shallow sand bars that jutted out into the deep blue water for a cooling dip.  The public boat launch is a sliver of land wedged between the historic hotel and the cottages.

Cooling off

Boyne city

  Boyne City, with her manicured waterfront parks and marina, sits in the eastern cove of Lake Charlevoix.  A plethora of flowers fill the planters that top the railings of the bridge over the Boyne River where it enters Lake Charlevoix at Sunset Park.  This park is home to a rather worrisome looking Gnome.  The picture I took of him is better than the one H took - because I am not in it!  Don’t I look worried too?  I wanted to take him home but H said NO – and he is too big for my Gnome Village!

  Also in Boyne City is the Boyne Boat Works, owned by the Van Dam family.  While the 2 monstrous steel buildings next door house some of the biggest boats around, the one by the road is home to 20-25 SUPER classic autos.  There were a 57 Chevy Nomad, a Woody, an amphibian car, old Fords, Lincolns, Packards, MGs, a 54 Kaiser Darrin and the world’s only 77 Corvette Convertible. It was a prototype that never made it to production!   Some of these cars have even been on display at the Gilmore Museum, downstate in Kalamazoo!

Aboard the Ironton Ferry

  As always, we found it necessary to traverse the fork in the lake at the small town of Ironton via the 1883 Ironton Car Ferry and then have fish for lunch at the water front restaurant on the other side.  The price to ride the ferry is still very reasonable but since our last visit the quality of food at the restaurant has gone down but the price has gone way up.  The gray clouds rolled in again as we finished our lunch and headed for the city of Charlevoix with it’s lighthouse, Mushroom houses and the always traffic stopping bridge.  As we watched the boat traffic from the pier, the bridge once again lifted and a trio of tall stately sailboats slid under its blue arches, while a half dozen powerboats snuck thru also!  They seemed anxious to get in off of Lake Michigan and to their home docks before the inland lake was covered with gray clouds also.

Charlevoix Library

  Since there was no wifi in Whiting Park, we located the local library while in town and were amazed at the awesome place!  One of the elementary schools had closed but was given a second life when the library system took it over.  The building looks much more like a stately old high school than a grade school and the interior is full of dark oak and comfortable furniture.  One whole wing of the library is dedicated to children!  The classrooms of the old school are now for different age divisions and are all cheerfully decorated.  In one room is a wooden boat that is a puppet stage.  A rack FULL of hand puppets stands near by!  Also on one wall is mounted the door from an old refrigerator – with word magnets stuck to it for youngsters to arrange their own messages!

  The town of Boyne Falls is famous for Boyne Mountain and skiing.  We’d seen the signs for the resort many times but never entered to explore, so after a hearty breakfast at Betty’s we wandered up into the normally winter wonderland.  In the winter the Swiss style lodges and surrounding areas are usually covered in white but now all is green and/or floral!  H’s daughter and family frequent the mountain when the weather is cold and skiing is their top priority!  We found the indoor waterpark and imagined our grandsons having a soaking good time on all the slides and wave action surfing area!  We even had time that day to wander down to the small town of Wolverine to locate several campgrounds we had been advised about.  One was praised by R&N who had just stayed there and some folks from our home area just recently purchased the other.  Both were nice but both were down several miles of washboard gravel roads.

                      One more move and this one was a bit more than 50 miles and was out in the middle of nowhere – half way between West Branch and Tawas, near Hale.  It also has new owners and they have a long way to go to get their property up to good standards.  They were very gracious and accommodating and allowed us to pick one of the few spots on grass and one that was almost level.  Two vans full of young folks (plus chaperones) were tent camping behind us, which put the ailing bathroom facilities on overload!!  But they were good kids and we worked around their morning and evening schedule! 

Some good fishing this trip

  Rumors were that the neighboring Sage Lake was good for fishing so off we went to find the DNR boat launch.   Sage Lake is also home to a lot of loons and they all soon made their presence known by their unique calls that drifted over the quiet water!   We had several nibbles and bites but when that bass lit onto H’s hook and purple beetle spin – it hit and did not let go!  This largemouth bass was a keeper but we took H’s proud picture and released the big fish back into it’s watery home, perhaps to bite another hook, another time.

  That’s it.  It’s the weekend again.  It’s been almost 3 weeks since we left home.  It’s hot and it is muggy.  The traffic is going to be hectic but let’s go home.  We’ve got grass to mow and weeds to get out of the garden.  There should be tomatoes to pick!   See you next trip!

Up North

10 days in peaceful Petasega County Park!  Petasega sits on the SE edge of beautiful Pickerel Lake, which is one of the lakes included in the Inland Water Route that runs from Cheboygan on the east to Crooked Lake on the west! (Here it is – See Previous Michigan Blogs!)  10 days nestled in the cooling shade of the woods that cover the rolling hills of the “Tip of the Mitten” of Michigan!  AND - 10 days with no TV reception!  Lots of knitting and reading each evening until H could find a VCR at some resale store!  10 warm days of visiting with friends, exploring, fishing and boating!

One day we had the boat on Pickerel Lake when the ominous dark clouds slid in over the lake.  We hurriedly headed for the boat launch!  As soon as we had the cover back on the boat, up in the parking lot of the park – the sky opened up and it poured!  No problem – the day was still young so we headed for Petosky to hunt for H’s VCR.  Our hometown neighbors – Tom and Chris were up camping in the area so we located their trailer and left a message since they didn’t stay home during the rainstorm either.  A few days later, they came to visit us at Petasega.

One morning we headed out to the small tourist town of Indian River for breakfast and then north to Mackinaw City.  The sun was high and the white caps that dotted the blue water were rolling in to the gravel beaches as we watched the geese bob along in the waves.  The magnificent “Mighty Mac” was standing tall against the clear noontime sky as the steady stream of cars and trucks cautiously crossed the 5-mile length of the bridge. The streets and stores were busy with tourists.  Back down the eastern coast of the “mitten” we stopped in Cheboygan for a fish dinner at Alice’s Restaurant.  We cruised the main roads to see what, if anything, had changed since our last visit.   Not much!  As always we revisited the local “junk” store and low and behold – there was the VCR that H had been hunting for!  And the remote was with it!  He even picked up some new movies to watch!

H’s favorite thing to do while in this area is to run the Inland Water Route!  The Tracker sliced thru the quiet waters of Pickerel Lake and Crooked Lake, thru the small lock on the Crooked River, thru Alanson and under its famous one lane swing bridge.  Crooked River is just that – and H took full advantage of the lack of boat traffic as he slid around ALL the curves and we watched as the boat’s wake slapped both shorelines behind us.  As we crossed Burt Lake the wind picked up but we were traveling with it, so our crossing was easy and we found our way into the busy, narrow Indian River that was now congested with slow

Downtown Indian River

moving boats.  Making a U turn in the strong currant and traffic was no easy feat but H maneuvered his craft around and we secured it to the dock in the shade under the bridge.  Ice cream was the target and after we had devoured our sweet treats we wandered out onto the pedestrian bridge that crosses the river right next to the vehicle bridge.  It’s another great place to watch folks and their boats as they travel up and down the river!  Our journey’s turn around point was the bridge for I 75 and we

Crossing under I-75

reversed our route back towards camp.  We crossed Burt Lake, this time heading into the wind and the ride was rougher than the first.  H kept checking his GPS and the depth finder.  Double click on the picture and you’ll see that the lake at that point was 45 ft deep!

Our dear friends, Mel and Donna are a MUST whenever we are this far north.  It’s always fun to zigzag thru the back roads to the shore of Paradise Lake and their log home with the bright red roof!  Our 2^nd get together was at our place and the baby back ribs H grilled over the campfire were     delicious!

H even got to go shoot skeet!  We found the Emmet County Sportsman’s Club, north of Harbor Springs and east of Good Hart on W Robinson Rd.  It is listed as “Northern Michigan’s Premier Shooting Facility!  And it is!  They have a really nice clubhouse, staffed by extremely helpful folks and free coffee and rolls for shooters (and those that accompany them!).   They told H that he would be shooting with a very good shooter but wouldn’t you know it – H shot a perfect round and beat him!   To celebrate his score, we enjoyed lunch at the Polish Kitchen in Harbor Springs!

Harbor Springs and Petosky are always fun to visit and “explore”!  There are plenty of city parks right on the waterfront, public boat launches with tables and benches in the shade to rest on and to people watch.  In Petosky we finally stopped at the high scenic overlook to take in the expanse of the bluest water and the busy harbor with the lighthouse that guards it.  Out on the breakwall to the lighthouse, the local teens were showing off and doing diving tricks into the deep clear cool water below.

Yes, we did fish and yes, H did catch several walleye (aka pickerel) right out on Pickerel Lake in front of Petasega!  And yes – they were delicious!  He even had a huge bass but it spit out the lure right as he got close to the boat. 

Camp Petasega

This trip seems like our trips to Florida because now it’s time to move on to another new campground and another part of this northern adventure!

To Northern Michigan

Do you realize that I 75 has a lock at one end – the Soo Locks in Sault Saint Marie Michigan and keys at the other end – a whole string of them just south of Miami Florida!  Go ahead – get out your U.S. map and see for yourself!  Last winter in Florida, H and I passed over or under that hectic, traffic jammed roadway a lot and managed to stay off of it as much as possible.  Heading north into the tip of the mitten of Michigan we tried to do the same - until we reached Grayling Michigan.  In the highway’s defense – that section of cement north of Grayling and south of the city of Mackinaw, is the prettiest stretch in the entire 1700 miles of it!

In order to stay off of either I 75 OR US 23 we chose to drive state roads that led north on our annual trip “up north” - especially since H and I had our own wagon train going – him in the truck, pulling the trailer and me in the minivan with the boat.   Rt 50 is dotted with small farming towns and the Victorian town with an Indian name – Tecumseh.  Rt 52 is lined with farm fields and small towns w/names like Chelsea and Stockbridge.  A left turn onto Rt 21 in Owosso, led to gently rolling hills and an easy traveling expressway - US 127.  Farmlands gradually gave way to tall pine forests!

Higgins lake south beach

Just south of where US 127 joins with I 75 are two of the prettiest and largest lakes in the state of Michigan.   Houghton Lake is Michigan’s largest inland lake checking in with over 22,000 acres of water and is over 5 miles wide in some areas.  Higgins Lake, just to the north, is somewhat smaller at only 3 miles wide, but has clear blue water and has been proclaimed by National Geographic Society as the 6^th most beautiful lake in the world!  We parked for 2 nights at the West Houghton Lake Campground, which is a Passport America campground.  The “facilities” are old but used to be kept up much better. The road needed grading, the grass needed cutting and the “facilities” needed cleaning!  Neither H nor I remembered smelling so much sulfur in the water before!  We spent our two hot afternoons, out exploring the circumference of both lakes with stops at most of the small township parks and the 3 state parks – 1 on Houghton and 2 on Higgins.   On future visits – either the north or the south state parks on Higgins would get our votes!

Boat ramp at Houghton lake

On our only morning there and before the heat of the day set in, we slid the boat in the water at the DNR boat launch that was across from the campground and cruised by the cottages and homes along the waters edge. The waters were calm in the bays on the south side of the lake so it was a nice ride.  Part of the time we trolled for whatever fish might choose to sample the generic taste of the rubber lures we tossed out over the water.  Only one lunk of an underwater creature latched onto my lure.  It hit like a big dead log and never fought until I had it almost to the boat.  It was no bass.  And it was not a feisty bluegill either.  I had hooked a 20-inch, toothy pike and H does NOT like pike in his boat!  He slid my knitted water bottle sleeve over his hand, grabbed the fish right behind its ugly head, carefully removed the hook from its mouth full of sharp teeth and then quickly flipped that slimy thing back into the water!

Thursday morning we packed up and hit the road early so we could meet my high school friends, Glenn and Beth for breakfast!  We entered I 75 just south of Grayling and exited at Waters, which is the exit just south of Gaylord.  Traffic was light, the scenery was gorgeous, the sky was blue and the sun was shining!  No more WJR out of Detroit on the radio so one of my favorite CD’s was playing!  We made a right turn at the exit and then an immediate left turn into the sprawling parking lot of our usual meeting place – the Hilltop Restaurant.  Good food and great conversation followed with a promise of getting together again before we headed back home.   Then it was back in the vehicles for the last leg of our road trip to Petasega Campground on Pickerel Lake! (See Previous Michigan Blogs!)  

June Update

It’s Summer 2016!   And – Papa’s got a brand “new” toy!   In past summer’s blogs, H had a 1985 Citation I/O boat that he’s had for the last umpteen years.  He sold it last fall and with his back getting as grouchy as he is, he also sold his small fiberglass fishing boat this spring, because it needed a good tug on the starter rope and a stronger back to adjust the 15 hp Honda engine that powered it.  The newest occupant of the now emptier garage is a 2001 Tracker V16 with a 40 hp Mercury engine.  As in “olden days” when our kids were young – we are now “Gone Fishing” at least one day a week! The second week he owned it we drug both it and the trailer up to a favorite chain of lakes and Angel Cove Campground in Coldwater Michigan.  The boat worked well and we could squeeze thru/under almost all of the low/narrow bridges and culverts that we could with the smaller boat!  H was happy!  A stop in Hillsdale Michigan and Baw Beese Lake topped off the venture and the fishing was good besides!  Too bad that Michigan law says that Bass must be 14 inches to keep since all of ours were 12-13 inches!!  Some really good fillets got slipped back into the water that day!

The boat was backed into the garage and the van was backed out for our hasty jaunt to Branson Missouri on Tues, June 14^th.   Evansville Indiana, down on the Ohio River, was our first nights stop over.   After unloading our suitcases at the motel we headed “downtown” and the river to do some local exploring. We found the massive 1888 Vanderburgh County Courthouse right away and were so impressed that the folks there have preserved it so well – not like some other towns who have demolished and then rebuilt a modern block of blah for their official buildings.  It was after we got home and did some research that I found out that both Harry Truman and John F Kennedy both used the courthouse steps during their presidential campaigns!  And, that grand lady was no longer being used as a courthouse but was now offices and venues for parties. Oh well. 

Evansville In.    -    Ohio River

Driving up and down the riverfront, we found the Casino, a little park that encased several old restored railroad trestles, the Evansville built WWII landing vessel – the LST325 that landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, and 

wonderful views of downtown Evansville and it’s major mode of river transportation – the river barges!

Wednesday morning we crossed over the corner of Kentucky and the bottom edge of Illinois and wound up on the very scenic, VERY winding RT 160, heading west in Missouri!  It was hot when we left Michigan and got even hotter every day.   H selected a motel as soon as we arrived and we set off to go explore the local area and get acclimated – of course in the comfort of the air-conditioned minivan!  The traffic on the main thoroughfare was hectic and the heat made it worse. Neon lights, resorts, theaters touting famous past entertainers and even the Titanic and King Kong lined the way!  Historic downtown was crowded and too hot to do much exploration by foot.  We did check out the new Bass Pro Shop, which was right on the riverfront!  The waterfront had plenty of seating areas for people to watch the delightful dancing fountains that lit up at night!

Fish Hatchery

Thursday morning H chose to go find Table Rock Lake and the mammoth dam that holds it all back.  Right over several hills (they’re not big nuff to call mountains!) and about 6 miles from town sits the Table Rock Dam and the Shepherd of the Hills (see!!) Fish Hatchery, that sits at the bottom of the huge cement spillway.  We toured the hatchery and the adjoining nature center – just in time to watch several snakes devouring their breakfasts of whole (thankfully - already dead) mice.  Ugh!!!   I do have pictures but H said it was not appropriate to put them on the blog.

  We located all the best viewing sites - both on the river below and the sprawling lake above.  We found the boat launches, the marina, the campgrounds, the visitor center and its 3 story tall overlook!  Back in the van we ventured out again to see if we could drive around at least part of the lake and find the bridge that cuts it in half at Kimberling City. We stopped for lunch at a small conglomerate of businesses all in one building that had a restaurant and enjoyed greasy but good Reubens!  The owner of the store came over to chat and told us she was from St Joe Michigan, which is across the state from us!

Temps in Branson reached a scorching 101 while we were there so the decision was made to head back home.  We avoided RT 160 but chose Rt 60 instead – a bit farther north but a much more level path!  In one small farming town, with the help of a mailman who was walking his route, we found Clarks -a small local eating place right on the town square!  Such a breakfast!  Fit for a hard working farmer!  Instead of toast we were served biscuits, swimming in a large bowl of fresh hot sausage gravy!  And then she brought out the eggs, sausage, and potatoes!

Before we exited Missouri, we hesitated in Cape Girardeau to see the historic downtown area and the floodgates that protect the town from the Mississippi river when she floods.  The massive walls were decorated from end to end with vibrant murals that depict the town’s history.  The courthouse sits up the hill – 3 blocks from the riverfront!   Time to move on and cross the mighty river once more – on across southern Illinois and then Indiana.  Our final motel stop was just north of Evansville again and then came the hard push to get home Saturday evening.

Our annual “Up North” trip is coming up soon!     Chores to do before we pack up and pull out!   See you then!

Almost Back Home

As we headed north up Rt 19, we passed the area of the “prescribed burn” that I wrote about last time.  The charred black trunks of once green pine trees lined the roadway, their feet in a mangled mess of burned undergrowth.  On the east side of the road was another area of blackness where the intense fire jumped the highway but must have been quickly contained.  Thankfully, as in other areas of burn, the healthy trees are not killed and will return to being tall and stately – just with black trunks. In coming years the fern will return to the forest floor in welcoming shades of bright green!

Ocean Pond is a small campground in the middle of the Osceola National Forest and we were both looking forward to visiting a new campground, a new lake and a new forest.  That’s all we got – a drive thru visit.  The small, way back in the woods campground was full!  This campground has no phone other than the main National Forest phone number which was never answered so we had no way of knowing ahead of time.  All of the state parks in the area were full also.  It’s Spring break time in Florida!

 We had plenty of daytime left, so we headed for Georgia.  Northern Florida and southern Georgia look the same – especially in the spring when the azaleas and redbud are in full bloom!  Instead of the blackened roadways in the forests of Florida, these roads were dressed in light mauves with bright corals and pinks dotting yards and woods.  Sugar Mill RV Campground is located just north of the picturesque town of Thomasville and was our home for the night.  When I opened up the back blinds of the trailer, the view was of bright pink azalea blooms! 

F.D.R. Little White House

Our second stop on this trip north was Georgia’s biggest state park - FD Roosevelt State Park in the rugged hills and valleys of Pine Mountain. This 9000-acre park and surrounding area was a favorite spot for President FDR to visit and enjoy while being drawn to the health benefits of the nearby warm springs.  The large stone lodge at the park was built in 1938 by the CCC and sits atop the ridge with a commanding view of the world that lies at its feet.  Roosevelt was fond of Dowdells Knob on the other side of the ridge for his picnics and it rises 1400 ft above the valley below.

Roosevelt’s “Little White House” was built while he was still Governor of New York but was his retreat when he was the 33^rd President and suffering from the effects of polio.  The Museum houses artifacts of his life, including his original wheel chair and leg braces that he helped design.  There are two cars on display.  One is a custom built 1940 pale yellow Willys Roadster convertible built by the Willys Overland Co of Toledo Ohio for then President Franklin D Roosevelt for his 59^th birthday in 1940.  Its serial number is: 440-29021!  The other is his 1938 Ford convertible with hand controls!  Once thru the museum, the large round garden with its tall fountain, and walkways, shows the way to the cluster of small white buildings beyond.   On the right are the servant’s quarters, with the garage below and on the left side is the matching square guesthouse.  The small white cottage sits on the edge of the small wooded hill and inside we saw where FDR held his “fireside chats”.   On April 12, 1945, while sitting for his portrait, he suffered a massive stroke and passed away shortly thereafter.  That famous “Unfinished Portrait” is housed in a small building near the cottage.  Nearby the complex are the warm springs that drew him to the area. Georgia’s largest and most famous warm springs delivered 914 gallons of 88 degree water to a catch basin below the buildings.  Today the pools are empty and just one small cement incased area has the warm mineral water bubbling up out of it.

 Not too far from the town of Warm Springs we even found the Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge, built in 1840 by freed slave and noted bridge builder Horace King.  It is the oldest and longest wooden covered bridge in Georgia!

Cloudland State Park Ga.

Our last stop in Georgia was Cloudland Canyon State Park for 2 more nights on our voyage home.  This was our 2^nd visit to this mountain top park with its awesome cliff-side views of the waterfalls and vistas beyond.   A return trip to Battle of Chattanooga National Park was required and the same queasy feeling of being too close to the edge returned to the pit of my stomach as we dared walk along and read the markers that described the battle that took place on that high point above the Tennessee River.  Down at the rivers edge we explored downtown Chattanooga for the first time and followed the river along its 13-mile long Riverwalk Park.

I 75 across Tennessee included an extensive delay on Jellico Mountain followed by lunch at Golden Girls in Clinton with my oldest son and a stay at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky filled our next day and night.  Our very last night on the road north was at Deer Creek State Park just SW of Columbus Ohio!  A visit with H’s daughter, husband and 2 of their 3 sons was the BEST part of that stop over!  Easter dinner at the lodge, overlooking the still partially empty lake, listening to the hopes and plans of our two almost grown grandsons was the highlight of the last leg of our long trip home!