OCTOBER 2007
USA-Virginia-Roanoake
Monday 1st the drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, with drops and overlooks on both sides, is interesting but not spectacular. We called at Mabry Mill, restored by the Parks Service and said to be the most photographed place in the USA. A gentleman showed us his old fashioned lathe worked by a foot treadle the return being by a springy bent pole we also saw some “Indian Baskets” made from white oak by malleting the tree to split it at the annular rings. Groundhog Mountain had a collection of old style fences made from Sycamore trees. Doughton Park was our camp. During the late afternoon we saw a deer and it’s baby, later followed by three more deer. Tuesday, on leaving the camp we saw three deer in a roadside field. Then the southern route continued, stopping at the Northwest Trading Post to look and then buy some local fudge and a cake. Daniel Boone’s Trace is where he is said to cross the Parkway on his western journeys. Linn Cove Viaduct is hidden from the centre by trees and the stream supplying the falls had very little water. Our camp that night was at Crabtree Meadows. Wednesday, as we left the camp, on a misty morning, we saw two deer grazing by the road side. Continuing south, in patches of mist, we left the Parkway to shop and fuel up at Ashville. The rest of day passed uneventfully. Thursday we had rain and mist, not much to see, just trees with an occasional view. On checking at the last visitors centre, we found that the last tunnels were too low for the caravan, after seeing three wild Turkeys we turned south heading for Cherokee where we camped. Friday we had an easy morning and after lunch we went into town by free shuttle bus to see the Cherokee Village where ancient crafts were being used to demonstrate old skills and then to be sold as souvenirs. The most interesting buildings being the meeting house with it’s seven sections, one for each of the clans and the Square (Sacred) Temple. A footpath
led downhill (all the way) to the Cherokee
Museum, where we spent the rest of the afternoon, before visiting a
souvenir shop, while waiting for the shuttle bus. We ate at the
camp snack bar, sitting in the open but under a roof. We ordered
our food at the counter and then picked a table to sit at. Five
minutes later an employee arrived to tell us our food was ready for
collection.Saturday 6th was our day to drive into the Smokey Mountain Park, the most visited Park in the USA, there was a voluntary speed limit of 15mph, caused by the extremely heavy traffic queues. At the highest point on the road we crossed into Tennessee. We left the Park to camp at Gatlinburg. Sunday we made an early start hoping to avoid the traffic, returned to the Park and turned west to Cade’s Cove. When we arrived at the Cove Loop Road, a little wider than the Capel-y-ffin road, the traffic was already there. The eleven mile loop took the rest of the morning, including stops for photography. We also saw a deer and two flocks of wild Turkeys, one flock of Males and one of Females. The loop buildings have been restored to their original form, it was a fine day and we stopped at the camp, taking the last place. Monday we saw a deer and a stag while at breakfast, then again left the Park and turning west drove around the Park and into Georgia to camp near Chatsworth. Tuesday morning we drove south to Cartersville to see the Etewoh Mounds, these are 1000 year old bases, up to 55ft high covering 2 or 3 acres, on which temples and other important buildings were placed, it was very impressive. In the afternoon we continued south, through Atlanta, it was Howard’s first experience of driving on an eight lane (each way) highway, there were many signs but no mention of the road we wanted. Changing quickly from the nearside to the eighth lane in heavy traffic, when directions appeared, is not a thing to be repeated. We found a nice (unlisted) camp not having been able to find the listed one. Wednesday the journey south continued to Macon and we visited the Ocmulgee Mounds. The Earthlodge had been rebuilt on the original base and was again very interesting, having negotiated the 4ft entrance tunnel. The clay floor had 47 raised seats, the lowest being next to the entrance, the highest (Chief plus two) opposite the entrance, behind the fire pit, where the rising sun’s rays hit in February and October. In the afternoon we went south 60 miles to Ocmulgee State Park, to camp, near McRae. The local wildlife being ALLIGATORS in the lake. Thursday was a rest day, we strolled the down to the lake, no Alligators, but two flocks of twenty plus Raptors, wingspan 5 to 6ft. Friday t
he southwards trip
continued to Fargo and then east into the Okefenokee Swamp and Stephen
C. Foster State Park where we camped. Another hot, sunny day.Saturday 13th a tourist day. In the morning we took a boat ride and saw four Alligators, three Turtles, a Kingfisher (probably) which dived into the swamp and flew off into the trees and six Vultures. During the boat ride the Guide showed us the reason for it’s name. Okefenokee means trembling earth, when the guide prodded the “solid” ground a wave motion occurred, the solid ground was a floating raft of vegetation. An afternoon walk with only swamp to see ended the tourist bit. Sunday we moved south into Florida, back to Georgia and then into Florida again to end the day at Crescent City, another hot day with a good camp. Monday a short day to Titusville, about 25 miles from Cape Canaveral. There is a Shuttle Launch later this month. It was very hot. Tuesday, a visit to the Kennedy Space Centre, the presentation from the I-Max film of the International Space Centre and the bus tour, were
excellent. The
short visit took most of the day. Then on to Palm Bay just south
of Melbourne, to camp. Wednesday
trying to avoid the high humidity we moved inland and then south to
camp at the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee, not a good choice.
With the windows open and mosquito nets in place the night seemed full
of flying bugs. Not very restful. Thursday on south to
Florida City, again not an exciting day, Flat land and long straight
roads, the only interest was a Turtle in the outside lane, (I hope it
survived), the temperature at the camp was 39°C, the air con was
brought into use for the third day running. Friday we drove into The
Everglades National Park. We visited Royal Palm and walked the
Anhinga Trail, no Alligators but several Anhingas as well as a Great
Egret (at six feet). One of the Anhinga’s was swimming under
water fishing. We also saw a River Otter and two Florida Gar
(fish). On to Long Pine Key, Pa-hay-okee and Mahogany Hammock
with not a lot to see. Calling at West Lake we had a close up of
three Turkey Vultures. On to Flamingo (no Flamingos) where we
took a boat trip into the back waters, we saw an American
Crocodile, a two foot baby Crocodile, two Blue Herons, one Three
Coloured Heron, three Hawks and an Osprey. Howard had his first
look at Mangrove Trees. We then camped at Flamingo, a primitive
site, no hookups among the Coconut Palms.Saturday 20th we returned to Royal Palm to rewalk the Anhinga Trail. Our reward was eight sightings of Alligators (one at two feet on the bank below the walkway), we also saw three Blue Herons and many Great Egrets and Turkey Vultures. Just after our departure from the Park Howard was attacked as he drove along the road. Through the open window the creature entered and fastened itself to his arm, we stopped and with an empty iced tea can persuaded it to leap out of the cab, where it tried to hide. Hopefully it hopped off into the grass. These frogs are dangerous!!! We continued south onto Key Largo, to have lunch at The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, parked next to a bay of coral sand. Our return to Homestead was uneventful and we camped in a rather posh site. The la
st six days it has felt as
if we were living in a hot house at Kew Gardens. Sunday we started on our
return trip north, we were still in the Everglades and we saw three
Alligators and many Anhingas and Egrets, great and small. We did
not see The Florida Panther. Well to the north of the park we saw
a large Turtle on the central reservation. Our camp was another
posh site at Lake Placid, it was still very
hot. Monday was
a short day to Davenport arriving before lunch. Tuesday we were at the camp
entrance by 0845 to catch the free shuttle to Disney World, The Magic
Kingdom, from there we took the monorail to Epcot, the science section,
where we spent the day. Some of the themes were excellent,
some not so good. We did have an excellent Chinese meal at
midday. Our return trip was complicated, we were due to catch the
shuttle at 1800. The bus was full and we had to go, together with
a Danish family to the taxi rank to find a black town car. As we
arrived a driver hassled us into a people carrier, he was driving east
to Orlando, we wanted to go west to Davenport. He phoned his base
and the decision was to return us to The Magic Kingdom. As we
arrived our car arrived for us, we left the first driver looking for
his passengers and were driven back to the camp. Wednesday we continued
north and back into Georgia to camp near Adel in the Reed Bingham State
Park. We had left the hot weather behind, no aircon needed and a
cool breeze blowing. Thursday
we had a day of relaxation, in the morning we went searching for Gopher
Tortoises, we saw two, one tame and one wild at a distance.
We also saw a Bald Eagle. In the afternoon we really
relaxed. Friday
our trip continued to the northwest, just driving to West Point (not
the famous one) to camp in The US Army Corps of Engineers Park, a nice
site among trees overlooking West Point Lake.Saturday 27th our journey north continued in pleasant sunny weather to camp at Anniston, after having an extra fan fitted to our fridge, as the Florida temperatures were too much for it. Sunday north again to Cornersville in Tennessee. The last two nights we have had difficulty locating the camp sites. Monday we rested. Tuesday the trip north continued, seeing a Red Tailed Hawk perched alongside the road, to just south of Nashville (the Country Music “Capital” of the world). Before entering the Natchez Trace we passed through Franklin crossing the Harpeth River seven times. From there we started southwest along The Natchez Trace Parkway, following, roughly, the 1733 trail between Natchez and Nashville. We passed two wild Turkeys stopped to view sections of the Trace and the remains of buildings there, on the way. We crossed into Mississippi this morning. Our camp was at Meriwether Lewis among the trees. Wednesday we continued down the Trace and stopped at the Historic sites, until we found the road closed. The detour took us into Florence, where Mervyn had planned to visit a Frank Lloyd Wright house. We camped just south of Florence. The only Racoons we have seen have been dead alongside the road.
USA-Mississippi-Florence