Tell their Story, reflections from the Vietnam Taveling Wall, Arcadia FL

At the opening ceremony for The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall set up in Arcadia Florida the guest speaker was the caretaker of the Traveling Wall. He made a very powerful statement. He spoke about his ten years of traveling with wall and meeting families of the men and women memorialized on the wall. He learned about the soldiers from their relatives and friends. He said he learned that everyone on the wall had a story and it was his job to tell their stories. He spoke of a mother and father that visited the wall every time it was close to them. He got to know the soldier through his family. He started looking forward to seeing this soldier’s parents at the wall. One year, only the mother came … the soldier’s father had passed away. The next year when the wall arrived, no one came. The soldier’s mother had passed away also. That was when he decided, he had to talk about this soldier each time the wall came to his town, to keep his story alive. The winner of the essay contest echoed his thoughts, by researching and learning all about a young corporal from DeSoto High School that perished in Vietnam. She formed a connection with a man she never met. She will continue to tell his story.

This being said, I want to keep a story alive. I want to talk about two men. These men were mortally wounded in Tikrit, Iraq in June of 2005. But before that day, these men were just like most of us. They were sons and husbands.  They had jobs, families, and friends. They believed enough in defending our country that they took the oath to serve.

Philip Esposito, was born in Bronxville NY in 1974, to his parents Joan and Thomas Esposito. He had a sister.  He was an Eagle Scout, an athlete, a high school graduate, a team captain and a senior class officer. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated in 1997, entering active duty Armor officer.  He married and had a daughter. He left active duty in 2000 and joined the NY Army National Guard. Just like most Guard members, he had a full time civilian job. He was employed as Project Manager of Solomon Smith Barney. In the Guard he was the company commander of the 101 CAV. In November of 2004, Phil deployed with the 42^nd Infantry Division HQ as the Company Commander. The majority of the unit was stationed at FOB Danger in Tikrit, Iraq.

Although I had worked with Phil for several years, I had never met Louis Allen before he was killed. But I read his wife’s book ‘Front Toward Enemy’ and learned about him. He was born in 1970. He graduated high school and enlisted in 1988. Later he separated from the Army and became a husband and father of four who drove more than an hour each way to Tuxedo High School where he taught science. In 1999 he decided to re-enlist in the NY Army National Guard. When the twin towers fell, Lou knew his decision to join the Gard was the right one. Lou left the 101 CAV to deploy to Iraq and join the 42^nd ID. Allen was the 42^nd ID company headquarters as the new operations officer. He had arrived at the unit just four days before his death. He never had a chance to make the difference he wanted to in Iraq.

The fragging deaths of Phil and Lou occurred on June 7, 2005, at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Danger in Tikrit, Iraq. They were mortally wounded by a Claymore mine and died. Military investigators determined that the mine was deliberately placed in the window and detonated to kill anyone in that room, including Esposito and Allen. A Staff Sergeant from their unit was charged with two counts of premeditated murder. In 2006, two years before the trial, the SSG volunteered in a plea bargain to plead guilty to murder in exchange for a life sentence without parole. The convening authority rejected the deal. Later in the court martial, the SSG was acquitted in December of 2008. Soon after his acquittal, the SSG received an honorable discharge from the military. The U.S. Army has not publicly identified or charged any other suspects in the killings.

This case is one of only two publicly known alleged fragging incidents among American forces during the Iraq war and the only one to take place in Iraq, in contrast to numerous incidents among United States forces during the Vietnam War of the 1970s.

I want everyone reading this to remember that these two men killed in war and more than just two casualties. They were brothers, husbands, sons, fathers and friends. The legacy of their lives will not be measured by their deaths, but how they lived their lives.

I will continue to share their stories and keep their memories, lives and sacrifice alive.

Something different for Thanksgiving this year

We are trying something different this year, actually we did last year too and froze our buns off. So, no more early morning Turkey Trots for us!

This year we packed up the camper and headed north, not too far north! We are north of Dade City, but south of Brooksville at Sertoma Youth Ranch. They are holding their largest fundraiser, the 35th Annual Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival. It is 3 days of nothing but Bluegrass music!

We arrived late in the day on Wednesday and got our camper all set up. We spent the remainder of the day wandering around watching and listening to small groups of musicians. They sat in the shade of their RVs picking, grinning, singing and talking as a steady stream of recreational vehicles entered the Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival at Sertoma Youth Ranch. These ensembles went from one song to the next with the relaxed precision of experienced group, verses the campfire jams they actually were. It is amazing to watch as each player took a turn soloing on an instrumental jam.

 

We woke early on Thanksgiving day to start our crock pot scalloped potatoes. Then we climbed back in bed to listen to the music that wafted from around the campgrounds. At 1pm we enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner full of all the traditional foods. Sertoma Youth Ranch provided the turkey (22 of them), stuffing and gravy. Campers at the festival provided all the remaining side dishes and desserts! These campers are serious about their food! They were lining up early for the buffet line! There was enough to feed an army, good thing because I think there was an army here! After dinner, the campgrounds got quiet. I think the turkey kicked in and everyone was napping! Good thing the music on stage does not start until 4:30!

The first group up was The Grass Cutters. They were awesome! The group was 5 men and they played a mandolin, guitar, bass guitar, banjo and dobro. Mitch, the leader of the band, is also the contractor that built the new pavilion that we are enjoying this music in. He wrote and performed a song inspired by tearing down the old stage and the man that was responsible for building the original pavilion and stage, Gilbert Turner.

Second group up was Darin & Brooke Aldridge. They had a banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle and a stand up bass fiddle. They are playing tomorrow, so we took this opportunity to warm up! We will catch them tomorrow.

There was a tribute to Evan Carl, he was the longtime MC of Bluegrass festivals in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Kentucky for over 30 years. Evans professional MC work could be seen as the guy who announced the bands, kept the patter going, promoted the upcoming festivals and the vendors selling the food, and sometimes lived out of his car as he traveled the same roads as the musicians, from festival to festival each weekend. He had a smile for everyone, rubbed elbows with the greatest pros in the bluegrass world as they prepared to start their set. Evan always announced each band as if they were the best band in the world, made them feel good as they kicked off their first song. His timing, humor, stories, announcements all came with a friendly voice from a good hearted human being.

Trinity River Band was up next. It is a family band with Dad on the guitar, the eldest sister on mandolin and lead vocals, the twelve year old sister plays the fiddle, their Mom plays the stand up bass fiddle and their only son plays many instruments, including the banjo and dobro.

Newtown drove 12 hours from Lexington Kentucky to entertain us. Sitting near the back of the pavilion, one of the band members looks an awful lot like Rascal Flatts! But, the sound is much more bluegrass.

In for the night, it is getting very chilly out there. Now we are just enjoying the sounds of the campfire sings!

Heading West With No Destination In Mind - Part Ten

We started our day in Lake City, departing the In & Out Campground, with some of our Majestic Oaks family. For the first time on this two lane adventure, we are traveling with another rig. We followed 90 East to the 10A East, which is a bypass around downtown Lake City. We moved onto 100 East and entered Lulu, Florida. Lulu began when the Georgia Southern Florida Railroad came through the area and Robert Gillen, an original 1869 settler, convinced them to put a station there. The town was first named Hagen but mail got confused with another ghost town in Alachua County called Hague. It is

rumored that Walter Gillen, the Postmaster, renamed the town Lulu after his girlfriend Lula. There was two cotton gins, railroad depot, a one room school, three churches, and seven different stores (from 1900 until 1918) and two barber shops. The citizens of Lulu had hoped that their community would become a thriving town but the boll weevil came and destroyed the cotton business. All that remains are a community of proud residents who have lost their only general store and post office.  All that remains are many abandoned cracker homes, Lulu school, and the Gillen Family Cemetery. After Lulu, you enter Lake Butler, Florida. The town was named by an early surveyor and the reasons for the choice of "Lake Butler" are not clear. Late in the 20th century stories circulated that the town was named for a "Captain" Butler who died during the Seminole Indian War and was buried on the north shore of the lake. It was later proven that the heroic soldier who gave his life protecting the white citizens of the area did not actually exist, although the battle he was supposed to have died in did actually occur.

In Starke, Florida we picked up 301 South, also known as Rosa Park Highway. Starke may have been named in honor of developer George W. Cole's fiancée or in honor of Madison Starke Perry, fourth governor of Florida and a Confederate States Army colonel. The Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, adds that the city may have been named after "Thomas Starke, a slaveholder who once owned much land around the area." As we turned off of 100 onto 301, there was a motorhome mural on the side of the Revels RV Accessories building. It was originally commissioned in 2006 and painted by Kellyanne Fitzsimmons. Located just outside of Starke is the Lake Hampton Bed & Breakfast is a contemporary lakefront Florida Bed and Breakfast Inn. This modified A-frame retreat is nestled on 60 acres of open field and 200+ feet of waterfront stretching across a quiet 822 acre Cypress lake. This beautiful setting is surrounded by the sounds of nature to complete this relaxing atmosphere.

In Windsor, Florida you can visit the family owned Bluefield Estate Winery. In the summer of 2006, Jennifer and Bradley Ferguson starting making wine in their kitchen out of the blueberries produced on the family farm after the commercial harvest was complete. They anxiously waited for the first five gallons to be finished. Looking back they felt it was mediocre at best, but they proudly drank it, sharing with friends and family. Each year they produced more and more, and the wine was better and better. After sharing it with friends and family, and the repetitive suggestions of starting a winery, they decided to go for it that was the beginning of Bluefield Estate Winery. It has been a long and slow process going from the hobby of home-winemaking to a commercial winery.

We passed part of the Gainesville – Hawthorne Trail. It connects the university town of Gainesville with rural Hawthorne. This 16.5-mile trail makes for a great day trip, complete with a hill or two and plenty of wildlife. While the path roughly parallels State Route 20, it also traverses one of Florida's most environmentally sensitive areas: Paynes Prairie State Preserve. The well-maintained trail accommodates users with a 10-foot-wide paved path, regular trailheads and benches and even a convenience store here and there. Between the Gainesville and Lochloosa trailheads, equestrians are given free rein on an adjacent grassy trail. From its western endpoint in Gainesville's Boulware Springs Park, the trail soon leads to the Paynes Prairie overlook, and 2 miles from the trailhead you'll enter the preserve itself. This area boasted a thriving lake with routine steamboat activity until 1891, when a sinkhole drained the basin, leaving behind a mixed landscape of prairie, marsh and open water. Several trailside overlooks offer views of the prairie, home to bison, wild horses and numerous alligators.

As we approached Ocala, Florida there are numerous horse farms. Many of the horses in the pastures had colts, what a beautiful sight! A horse farm from days gone by is Irish Acres, it once was a prominent horse farm, now it is a defunct housing development. Ocala Drive In Theatre is a renovated Drive In Theater, re-opened after months of cleanup and repairs, preceded by years of the screen being dark. If you are nearby, please stop by!

In Summerfield, there was one of my favorite Florida sights … the majestic live oaks looming over the road, touching each other from either side of the two lane road and a little bit of Spanish moss hanging.

In WIldwood you can visit the Muddy Hammock Mud Park. It is a 100 acre entertainment complex, which is open 52 weekends a year. The canopies of the majestic live oaks create an inviting setting for an array of outdoor events. Current amenities include: open air bar, restaurant style food vending, 60 x 120 foot truck pull pad/stage/dance floor, 3 beach volleyball courts, a 35 acre jeep obstacle course and a 24,000 square foot mega truck track/mud drag strip and mud hole. Who wants to go four wheeling?!

We cut off 301 South onto 471 South. 471 is the straightest road we have ever driven on! Look at the picture, that road goes on as far as the camera can see! We passed by the Webster Flea Market. For more than 50 years, Webster Westside Flea Market has been a place to find everything imaginable every Monday! Many of the vendors have been in business there a long, long time.... some for more than 15 years. You can find produce, flowers, bakery, jewelry, plants, boutiques, antiques, musical instruments, canopies, electronics, food, drinks and many other products and services! They also hold a Car & Cycle Swapmeet once a month on the first Sunday of every month.

Withlacoochee State Forest is currently the third largest state forest in Florida and is divided into several distinct tracts of land. Withlacoochee State Forest was acquired by the federal government from private landowners between 1936 and 1939 under the provisions of the U.S. Land Resettlement Administration. Colt Creek State Park was purchased from the Overstreet Family in May of 2006. This 5,067 acre park nestled within the Green Swamp Wilderness Area and named after one of the tributaries that flows through the property was opened to the public in January 2007. Comprised mainly of pine flatwoods, cypress domes and open pasture land, this piece of natural Florida wilderness is home to many animal species.

We took 98 North for less than a mile and turned onto CR 54 East. Passing by our friends at Forest Lake Estates … Hello Tom & Bev!

We turned onto Chancey Road, heading west. Soon enough, we can tell we are close to home. There are the brightly colored canopies falling from the sky. We can see the sky divers from Sky Dive City. It is an awesome sight to see, and we are lucky enough to see them almost everyday!

Next we can see the entrance to our home … Majestic Oaks Carefree RV Resort! We are home, it is great to be home … but we are already thinking about our next two lane adventure!

Heading West With No Destination In Mind - Part Nine

We departed the Albany RV Resort on Route 19 north and made the mandatory U-turn to head south.

In the town of Camilla we found the Balfour Pole Company. The wintry weather kept this utility pole supply company busy. Products from Balfour Pole Company are often in high demand during hurricane season. But winter storms can also knock down utility poles. The company sends 40 truckloads a week to treating companies in Valdosta and Alabama. The pole peeler processes more than 300 poles a day. The shavings are sent up to this boiler to be burned. The finished poles sit in these dry kilns for three days before going to treating companies that frame the poles to be used to hold power lines.

Along the same stretch of 19, is the Equity Group Georgia Division. This company engages in hatching, growing, slaughtering, and processing chickens for distribution. It was formerly known as Cagle Foods. The company was founded in 1957 and is based in Camilla, Georgia.

In Meigs, we saw a sign for the Four Corners Gin Company. We were thinking Gin, the kind you drink … but, no, no, no … it is a company specializing in cotton ginning. A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, allowing for much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.

In Thomasville is the best local bakery around, The Bread Wagon Bakery. The name dates back to the 1800's, when baked goods were delivered through cities much like the well known milk delivery wagons.  Their baked goods are all fresh and are intended to be used in 5 days or frozen.  They add no artificial preservatives.  Refrigeration can help prevent molding on breads but will tend to dry out most baked goods.  Almost all baked goods are pretty happy frozen but as we all know, they are best eaten fresh!

The first city we came to in Florida was Monticello, it is named after Monticello, the estate of the county's namesake, Thomas Jefferson. Monticello is home to Indian mounds and many historic buildings including the Perkins Opera House. Monticello’s historic 19th century opera house still features regular musical performances, as well as theater productions and musicals. The first floor ballroom also holds receptions on a regular basis. Annually, Monticello hosts a Watermelon Festival. The area is well known for an agricultural heritage and a rural atmosphere reminiscent of "old Florida". Local farms began growing watermelons during the late 1800's. The soil and weather proved to be a great combination for the watermelon crops. By 1884, Jefferson County was considered the top watermelon seed supplier in the world. Prominent seed supplier William M. Girardeau became very successful after he developed the first commercial machine for separating the seeds from the watermelons.

Monticello is "A Main Street Community" and proud of it. At the very center of the city, in the center of a traffic circle, is the beautiful and historic Jefferson County Courthouse, which is depicted on the welcome sign. Nestled among the tree lined streets of Monticello are many antebellum homes which provide a unique look and feel to the city. During the depression of the 1930s, many of the residents of Monticello could not afford to build new homes and the houses were renovated or restored. Today, these homes offer tourists a rare glimpse of the original architectural styles which prevailed in the south prior to the civil war.
At the traffic circle, we came around the courthouse and out of the circle onto FL Route 90 East.

The City of Madison has a Historic District featuring the Wardlaw-Smith House (also known as the Smith Mansion.) In 1972, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Just outside of Madison was a road name that really intrigued me … Roller Coaster Hill … The funny thing was, it was a pretty level road, why would anyone name a flat road as Roller Coaster Hill?! Something that makes you go … hhhmmmmmmm…

The small Town of Lee, population less than 400, has a big motto “Little but Proud.” It is where heaven smiles down on earth. The Town of Lee is a haven from the stress of big city life. Our residents have created a tranquil atmosphere that offers total relaxation for both mind and body. Chartered in 1909, the Town of Lee is said to have originated in the mind of Greenberry Haven, a pioneer of the pre-civil war era.

We crossed over the Suwannee River. It is a wild blackwater river, about 246 miles long. The Suwannee River is the site of the prehistoric Suwanee Straits which separated peninsular Florida from the panhandle. What is a blackwater river? It is a river with a deep, slow-moving channel flowing through forested swamps or wetlands.

The Historic Town of Live Oak, Why is it historic? The Union Depot and Atlantic Coast Line Freight Station (also known as the Railroad Passenger Depot and Freight Station) is a historic site in Live Oak. The station was built at one of two junctions of an Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Seaboard Air Line Railroad lines. The two railroads merged in 1967 to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. In April 1986, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Today, only the former SAL line survives. The Suwannee County Historical Museum is located in the depot. Exhibits include a telephone display, a 16th-century Timucaun Indian Village recreation and local history artifacts.

We finished our day in Lake City by stopping at the In & Out Campground. We met up with some of our Majestic Oaks family here at In & Out and enjoyed an afternoon of visiting and dinner at Olive Garden. Tomorrow we both will make the final leg home to Zephyrhills via FL 90, FL 100 and Route 301.

Heading West With No Destination In Mind - Part Eight

 We left the Jellystone Campground in Bremen Georgia and went east on 78, turning south back onto Route 27.

We entered Carrollton and skirted the edge of Historic Banning Mills, home to the World’s Largest & Longest Zip Line. Their mission in Historic Banning Mills and at Screaming Eagle Zipline Canopy Adventures is to help preserve God's creation by merging fun and exhilarating experiential adventure challenges with natural and historic educational opportunities. The adventurous part of my mind says stop, stop, let’s do this … the more sane side of my mind says “are you nuts, keep on driving!” The longest and largest zip line canopy tour course in the world has been verified by two Guinness World Records.
We saw Mail Pouch Tobacco Barns earlier in our two lane adventure, in Carrollton we saw an old general merchandise store painted with its name and the Coca-Cola logo. In Roopville Georgia there was a storage building painted with WE Johnson Sweet Potato Curing and the Coca Cola logo. Both were very pretty, it makes me want to really watch for more of them!

In Georgia, if you are traveling on Route 27, it has been designated as the Martha Berry Highway, who is Martha Berry? US 27 was designated the Martha Berry Highway by the Georgia State Legislature. It was named after Martha Berry, she was the founder of Berry College in Rome.

We turned off 27 onto 109 East. It was on 109 East that we found Ringer Park. This 25,000-acre reservoir is operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is surrounded by deep forests and rolling fields. West Point Lake extends 35 miles along the Chattahoochee River on the AL-GA state line. The park offers excellent facilities, including camping, and an abundant largemouth bass population makes West Point Lake a great choice for all campers and anglers.

In Greenville, we found the perfect small plot of land to buy! The Double O Ranch is for sale. For a small amount of eleven million you too could own this 750-acre farm. This property is the perfect retreat or horse farm. It includes an early 1800’s farm house on the historic register. It also has stables, barns, a maintenance shop, fabrication shop and grain silos. Along with the farm house there is a guest house, ranch hand house and corporate offices. A deep well and spring supply water. There are 8 lakes for fishing, excellent fencing, pasture grasses, cover crops and mature hardwoods and pines. Popular with avid hunting and fishing sportsmen, the Double O has been carefully developed in to an excellent habitat for deer, turkey, quail, dove and ducks. The property is fully secured and gated and has 15 miles of roads.

Greenville also has a unique traffic circle in the center of town. The center of the traffic circle is where the County Courthouse is located.

In Thurston, you can find one of Georgia's most peaceful outdoor recreation areas, Sprewell Bluff Park. The enormous park features 10 picnic sites with grills, a scenic lake that allows private crafts (motor size limits), hiking trail, and several streams. Fishing is permitted in the park's lake and streams in season.

This little-known gem on the free flowing Flint River is one of this County’s greatest assets. It rests in the Plains Region of Georgia offering an outdoor haven for water sport enthusiasts. Paddle boaters, and anglers are attracted to the 1,372-acre park. Rocky bluffs and a mixture of pine and hardwoods grace the Flint River shores.


In Thomaston, we turned south onto Route 19. Before we turned onto Route 19, we got a very good look at a Muriel on the wall of a downtown building. It is a well maintained depiction of days gone by!

Entering the small town of Butler, we were lucky to watch a very crazy fawn running around on the edge of the road. It was enjoying itself in the sunshine, we are sure that the fawn’s mother was close by, just out of sight!

We passed by many Pecan Orchards, some were full of mature trees; others were a mix of new plantings and older trees. Do you know how are they harvested? Wow, I looked it up on line … it is a labor intensive process!

We arrived in Albany Georgia and spent the night at Albany RV Resort right on Route 19. It was a newer park, but had many great amenities for the overnight traveler. Most all the sites were pull-thru, all had a large concrete pad for your rig and your awning.

The restrooms were the best we have had on this trip and a very helpful and friendly staff! Another great find from the Good Sam Directory! Stay tuned for the final legs of our two lane adventure!

Heading West With No Destination In Mind - Part Seven

We left the South Chatanooga KOA and headed west on GA Route 2 to 193 North, yes North! We took a detour back to the top of Lookout Mountain to see Rock City. (I will write about that two lane adventure in another BLOG!) After that detour, we headed south again on GA 193 through St Elmo.

The St. Elmo Historic District is a neighborhood in the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is situated in the valley of Lookout Mountain below the part of the Tennessee River known as Moccasin Bend.

St Elmo is at the crossroads of two ancient Indian trails. St. Elmo became part of the city of Chattanooga when it was annexed in 1929. Hundreds of properties in the neighborhood have been listed on the National Register, and in 1982 St. Elmo was designated a Local Historic District. Many of these historic homes are maintained still today!

Lookout Valley is a community that is located on the Tennessee/Georgia line. The  Lookout  Valley   community is rich in history and lore. Like most of this area, Lookout Valley has roots within the Native American culture. In fact, one of the first names of this community was Wauhatchie, named in honor of the Cherokee Chieftain, Chief Skyuka Wauhatchie Glass. The name Wauhatchie is a Cherokee word that can be defined as “Great Wolf” or “ Beautiful  Mountain and Valley." It is a beautiful valley next to the mountain!

We crossed back onto GA Route 2 and then onto Route 27 where the Chickamauga National Battlefield runs. The Battle was fought in September 1863. It marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign. The battle was the most significant Union defeat in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and involved the second highest number of casualties in the war following the Battle of Gettysburg. It was the first major battle of the war that was fought in Georgia. 

Cloudland Canyon State Park is located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain and is one of the most scenic parks in the state. It straddles a deep gorge cut into the mountain by Sitton Gulch Creek, and elevations that go from 800 to 1,900 feet.  There is a beautiful hemlock grove for primitive kike in camping. The most spectacular views in the canyon are the two waterfalls, Hemlock Falls, formerly known as Cloudland Canyon Falls, and Cherokee Falls. They cascade over layers of sandstone and shale into pools below, with their flow depending on recent rains. 

In Lafayette there is a Confederate Memorial. The monument commemorates Civil War soldiers of Walker County and was erected in 1909 by the Chickamauga Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy. It stands today as a tribute to their history.  A Confederate soldier stands holding his rifle wearing a wide-brimmed hat, with a knee-length coat. The sculpture is mounted on a tall square shaft of rough-hewn stone. The section below the shaft has a relief of crossed rifles on one side and a Confederate flag on the other side. The monument was originally installed in Lafayette Park, but was relocated in 1968 when the park was converted to parking. The soldier faced north in its original location, and now faces west.

In Summerville Georgia was a marker for the "original route" of the Trail of Tears. The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

The removal included many members of tribes, who did not wish to assimilate. They were forced to relocate from their homelands to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. The Native Americans who chose to stay and assimilate were allowed to become citizens in their states and of the U.S. The phrase "Trail of Tears" originated from a description of the removal of the Choctaw Nation in 1831.
James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park is a 561 acre Georgia State Park located near Summerville at the base of Taylor Ridge. The park is named after Democrat James H. "Sloppy" Floyd who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1953 until 1974 and was from the area. Why would a Georgia Representative be called "Sloppy?" James Floyd, was a native of Chattooga County in north Georgia. While in high school in the early 1930′s, James was described by coaches as an unusually thin football player whose over-sized football jersey was constantly flopping around his gangly frame. So, coaches began referring to him as “Sloppy.” Unexpectedly, the nickname stuck with Floyd for the rest of his life.

One of the best parts of this two lane adventure is we are seeing less Walmart stores and more Goodwill and "Mom & Pop" stores. Being the parent of a child that owns a "Mom & Pop" store, we appreciate the efforts these Americans make to maintain a way of life that so many sacrifice for the big box stores!

Leaving Rome Georgia, we went by this set of Roman Type Arches at the intersection or Routes 53, 411, 20 and 27. Tried to research their history and I struck out. Any one know the significance or the reason they are there?

In Cedartown, we came across a part of the Silver Comet Trail. It's a free, quiet, non-motorized, paved trail is for walkers, hikers, bicyclists, rollerbladers, horses, and dog walkers. It is wheelchair accessible too! The entire trail is 61 miles long, and starts in Smyrna, Georgia. It ends at the Georgia/Alabama state line, near Cedartown.

We stopped for the night in Jellystone RV Park in Bremen Georgia. This was another good find from the Good Sams Road Atlas.

It is mostly pull sites and set up in two rings of sites with the pools, clubhouse, playground and office in the middle. They even had a few interesting "pets" ... more like a small zoo ... 5 large turtles, 2 macaw birds, 3 peacocks, 2 iguanas, 2 alligators and a free range bunny! We enjoyed a praise and worship session from a local ARC (Association of Related Churches) church.

Stay tuned for the next park of our two lane adventure ... I should change the name, because we are starting to head south and we know our destination will be Majestic Oaks Carefree RV Resort.

Heading West With No Destination In Mind - Part Six

We headed off the hill from the KOA and got back on 25 South and drove right into Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, known as "Kentucky's Country Music Capital"! It is a large destination venue. Inside the green walls of the valley you will find a tradition of classic country, southern gospel and mountain bluegrass music shows. It has been a staple of the area since 1939.

Turning south onto 461, we entered Rock Castle County. Seeing all the rock that was blasted through to create the roads, I can understand how they get the county got it’s name!

There is another “Little World’s Fair?” Impossible … don’t say that too fast … besides the Hemlock “Little World’s” Fair in Hemlock New York, the Brodhead Fire Department hosts a Little World’s Fair in August each year. Their events include a Fun Horse Show;

Miss Little World’s Fair Pageant; Demolition Derby; Lawn Mower Pulls; Look-a-like Contest, Baby show, Tiny Tots, Cutest Kid Contest; Wrestling; KOTTPA Truck Pulls; KTPA NAPA Gold Pulls; Mud Races and a Memorial Run 5K/2Mile Walk.

We passed by a Toyotetsu Manufacturing Complex in Owensburg. What does Toyotetsu do? I asked the same question. They are a manufacturer for parts for Toyota vehicles. Giant presses inside the plant are used to stamp out parts, such as parking break handles and center pillars between doors, for the Corolla, Lexus, and RAV4 models.

General Burnside State Park is on the shores of Lake Cumberland in Somerset Kentucky. One of the unique features is the golf course at the park is located on an island surrounded by the lake. It also features, boating, fishing and camping.

27 Twin Drive In is also located in Somerset Kentucky. I think drive in movie theatres are a tribute to how great America is, especially if they still thrive today! This drive in offers two screens, so you have a couple of options when you head to the drive in movie!

In Burnside Kentucky there is a Kingsford Charcoal Plant. Did you know that the Kingsford Company was formed by Henry Ford and E.G. Kingsford during the early 1920s. Charcoal was developed from Ford Motor Company's factory waste wood scrap. Recycling was a big deal back then too!

The Daniel Boone National Forest embraces some of the most rugged terrain west of the Appalachian Mountains. The forest lies within the Cumberland Plateau, where steep forested slopes, sandstone cliffs and narrow ravines characterize the land. The forest contains three large lakes (Cave Run, Laurel River and Cumberland), many rivers and streams, and the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail that extends across the length of the forest. The forest spreads across 21 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky, more than 708,000 acres of national forest lands.

Often called the “Niagara of the South,” Cumberland Falls has attracted the attention of countless numbers of people. Geologists estimate that the rock over which the Cumberland River plunges is about 250 million years old. Romantics are enchanted with the poetic beauty of the falls, visitors are awed by the majesty of the falls and historians note the uniqueness of the site. Both Cumberland and Eagle Falls were held sacred by many Native Americans. Early maps show the Cumberland River was known as the Shawnee River. The park has a museum that has Indian artifacts too. However, the greatest attraction remains the thundering waters of Cumberland Falls. The falls are 65 feet high and 125 feet wide. When the Cumberland River is at flood stage the width of the falls can quickly expand to 300 feet. 

Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features. The natural twin arches are truly the most impressive rock arches in the eastern United States. The northern arch has a clearance of 51 feet, and a span of 93 feet while the southern arch has a clearance of 70 feet, and a span of 135 feet.



Big South Fork Scenic Railway in Stearns Kentucky operates as a means to preserve, protect, and interpret the rich history of one of the few company towns in America still surrounded by its coal, lumber, and railroad roots. The Kentucky & Tennessee Railway once stretched over 25 miles into the Big South Fork River valley and operated 12 steam locomotives. It served as the primary passage not only for timber and coal, but also for workers and supplies going to camps along its line. Today the train leaves the depot in Stearns for a trip into the gorge of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area with a stopover at Blue Heron Mining Camp and back to the depot. I am sure in the falls the colors of the leaves are spectacular and a great trip for the photographer in all of us!

Traveling on Route 27 through Tennessee, I know understand all the songs about the mountains! Up and down, up and down, and yet again … up and down!

We passed by the Morgan County Fairgrounds, home of the Morgan County Fair each September. From Route 27, the grounds looked to be in rough shape … our research indicated that the fair only had about 8,500 attend in 2013. Heck, they don’t even have a web site! Perhaps they need more volunteers to improve it! If you are local, volunteer … There is nothing better than a great fair!

I love an old theatre in a downtown area as much as I love the drive in! The Princess Theatre was once downtown Harriman’s crown jewel, a 900-seat showplace that provided entertainment to movie-goers from Harriman and surrounding areas. The Princess in 1926 and it was known as one of the larger movie theatres in a small town. In 1939, a blaze destroyed the building, and the loss led to new Princess theater construction in Harriman. In 1987, theatre manager Cecil Johnson began to lease the theatre when he learned that the company which owned the Princess planned to close it. The theatre stayed open until 1999 when Mr. Johnson retired. Then, her doors were closed. Beginning in 2001, an active drive to reconstruct the Princess Theater began. The Princess Theatre Foundation formed in 2004 to raise money for the project, and the organization continues to support the theatre. The renovation was supported by a grant awarded to the City of Harriman by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Two neighboring buildings have been connected to the theatre for restrooms, dressing rooms, green room, storage and an elevator. The City of Harriman owns the theatre. Roane State, with the support of the Princess Theatre Foundation, operates it. The Princess doesn’t show just movies anymore; it is a performing arts and education center that includes a television station. The stage was more than doubled in size, and the theatre was restored back to its 1930s art deco grandeur. Today, the Princess has returned to crown-jewel status and is used for concerts, movies, dance performances, community events, education and more!

The Scopes Trial, AKA State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes and commonly referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was a famous American legal case in 1925 in which a substitute high school teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school. The trial was deliberately staged in order to attract publicity to the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, where it was held. Scopes was unsure whether he had ever actually taught evolution, but he purposely incriminated himself so that the case could have a defendant. Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. Annually, the Scopes Trial Play & Festival features the play that re-enacts portions of the Scopes Evolution Trial, and also tells the story about how the famous trial came to be litigated in the small southern town of Dayton, Tennessee.

William Blyth operated a ferry in the Hiwassee and Tennessee Rivers. During the Cherokee Removal nine of the thirteen detachments under the supervision of Chief Ross exited their ancestral land at Blythe Ferry, which was located in the northwest corner of the Cherokee Nation. Water levels were very low due to a severe drought forcing some of them to camp there for up to six weeks waiting to cross the Tennessee River into an uncertain future. William Blythe went west with his Cherokee wife. Cherokee Removal Memorial Park is dedicated to those that died and those that cried in what has become known as the "Trail of Tears". Stay tuned to tomorrows Blog for more information about the “Trail of Tears.”

Soddy-Daisy is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee. The city was formed in 1969 when the communities of Soddy and Daisy, along with nearby developed areas along U.S. Highway 27, merged to form Soddy-Daisy. There are two popular stories about how the city of Soddy got its name. The first is that the word "Soddy," a shorter Cherokee form of a Cherokee word, referring to the Muskogean Koasati people who lived there. The second theory is that Soddy was named for William Sodder, who ran a trading post in the city. Others claim that Soddy's name is a reference to "Soddy Creek," which is believed to have originated from the word Cherokee word "Sauta." Soddy was a very small town until the Soddy Coal Company began mining in 1867. Daisy is rumored to have taken its name from Daisy Parks, the daughter Thomas Parks. Thomas Parks was Vice-President of the Tabler-Cleudup Coal & Coke Company, and founded the Daisy Coal Company in 1881.

There is a large 72 foot monument on the south edge of Missionary Ridge at Rossville Gap on the Tennessee/Georgia border. The battle of Missionary Ridge was November 25, 1863. Iowa regiments recognized on the monument include the 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 17th, 25th, 26th, 30th, 31st, and the 1st Battery. The monument was dedicated on November 20, 1906 and was part of the delegation from Iowa that dedicated monuments in Chattanooga, Andersonville, Vicksburg and Shiloh.

We turned off Route 27, also known as the Scenic Hometown Highway, east onto GA Route 2 and traveled to the South Chattanooga KOA in Ringgold GA. Stay tuned tomorrow for another two lane adventure!