You Got to Move it Move it

Sunrise at Bella Terra

We skirted the edge of Hurricane Irma and arrived at Bella Terra RV resort in Foley, AL.  We signed up for their three-night stay and play marketing event.  We wanted to see what the amenities are like and evaluate the property for a possible investment.  The facilities were fantastic and people were very friendly.  However, we don’t think it is the right investment for us at this time.  We enjoyed the area and were able to visit with my cousin in Mobile and some new friends staying at Bella Terra before departing.

From there we headed to Ft Benning, GA to Uchee Creek Campground.  This has become our safe haven for helping family in the area.  This time, it was Pattie’s sister that needed help moving from Atlanta to New Hampshire.  If I had to pick a theme for The Jones RV in 2017, it would be moving.  Here’s the run down:

April 2017	Moved son’s friend to Delaware
May 2017	Moved Mom to live with my sister
	Moved some stuff to my bother-in-law’s house
	Moved some stuff to our storage unit in Auburn, AL
Sept 2017	Moved Pattie’s sister to New Hampshire
	Moved stuff to brother-in-law’s cabin
	Moved stuff to niece’s house
Pending	Move son to new post college home
	Move Pattie’s Mom to retirement community

We don’t mind helping family and friends move.  We moved 12 times in the 24 years I served in the USAF and have learned a few tricks.  Pattie is quite the trooper helping out. 

 

Pattie is an expert packer

While Pattie traveled up to new Hampshire, I spent time doing maintenance on our son’s place in Auburn and practicing some firearm skills at the Ft Benning range. 

Once she returned, we headed north to Gaffney, SC to have service perform at the Freightliner Oasis near when The Bus’ chassis was built.  We have heard nothing but good reviews and many people just make an annual visit here to have their motorhome serviced.  We were able to stay at the service area campground overnight before and after our service.  I showed them what I have had done to The Bus and they filled in the worksheet with everything else we needed for the 60K mile check-up.  I asked them to perform corner weights and recommend tire pressures based on actual values.  They came back with a recommendation that I replace the front tires with H rated tires since we are over weight on the front axle for the G rated tires.  Ugggh!  I put new tires on in 2015 and assumed the place was replacing the originals with like rated tires.  Since a steer tire blowout is something I would rather avoid, we arranged for two new tires to be installed on the front axle. The tire place gave us credit for the ones they took off which helped a little.

Onward to Elizabeth Island, NC where we were able to sit still for a week and get caught up on cleaning and rest.  We drove over to the Outer Banks and visited Kitty Hawk, NC where the Wright Brothers first demonstrated controlled powered flight.  It was great to be standing on the very spot of this historic event. 

We decided to head south to Savannah and spend a few days visiting the old city.  However, the campgrounds were full for some reason so we diverted west to Augusta, GA and made camp.  We toured Augusta and took a historic ride on the canal boats.  We learned about the industrial development associated with the canal that made Augusta an important manufacturing center for the south before, during and after the Civil War. 

Civil War gunpowder plant

When we leave Augusta, we plan to head west to see a play put on at the Auburn University Theatre where our son Chris has earned a lead role.

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RV Tip:  Keep a large container of ant spray with you and spray across the entire parking area before you park on dirt, rocks, pine straw.  This will help keep the ants from entering your rig.  In certain times of the year down south, the ants are very aggressive and repeat applications of the pesticide will be necessary everywhere the RV contacts the ground (sewer hose, water hose, power cord, etc.). 

Tuscaloosa then south...maybe.

We spent a week in Tuscaloosa visiting my sister and helping my mother with daily chores.  I was able to use the FMCA Michelin Tire Advantage Program to buy my mother a set of Michelin tires for her Cadillac.  The program requires you to go through the FMCA office to order the tires and have them delivered to a participating vendor.  You don’t get to see the final price until after the tires are installed, but just as with RV tires, the discount is substantial over normal retail. 

While we were there, I took the opportunity to wash The Bus.  I keep my wash bucket in the side area where the batteries are stored and when I opened the door the latch pin fell to the ground with a chunk of rusty metal.  When I bought The Bus 3 years ago, I noticed corrosion in the battery compartment.  I cleaned it, treated everything to POR15, and added a 16ga metal plate under the compartment.  All of this is very solid.  I did not make repairs under the latch pin and over time, it has vibrated itself to pieces. I took time to do the same procedure under the latch pin and it should hold until I can get it properly repaired.

Outer edge rusted away, cross supports intact

Metal plate installed with stainless steel screws and latch pin attached to it

Metal plate bent 90 degrees to attach to and cover outer edge

During the fall, we must carefully schedule trips to Tuscaloosa, AL and Auburn, AL to avoid home football games.  All the RV parks are in those areas are reserved often a year in advance for home games.  We departed on a Friday morning before the University of Alabama’s first home game and headed southwest to Jennings Ferry Army Corp of Engineers campground.  A fellow RV’er told me this was a nice spot and it really is.  We got set up with 50amp service and water in a location that we could lock onto a satellite to watch our Auburn Tigers play. 

We have had plans for six months to visit Bella Terra RV Resort in Foley, AL and will head that direction next week.  However, we are watching Hurricane Irma’s track and may need to alter our plans.  We remain on alert for possible hurricane recovery response with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief organization.

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RV Tip:  We use a self-adhering clear frame with a sheet of paper behind it on our refrigerator to keep track of RV routine maintenance items (tank flush, battery watering, gen set run, heater run, etc.) and our grocery list.  We take a phone photo before we go to the store. 

Eclipse, Waterfalls, and Rocks

David and William Jones observe solar eclipse

We bid farewell to our sons in Auburn and headed toward North Georgia to see the eclipse in totality.  Our first stop was Doll Mountain Army Corp of Engineer campground near Oakman, GA.  The campground was off the beaten path through a high-end residential neighborhood.  The facilities were outstanding with large level concrete pads, 50amp service, and water.  We stayed a couple nights and put it on our list of places to return. 

Next, we travelled to Mountain View Campground near Cleveland, GA and Helen, GA.  Pattie and I honeymooned near this area more than 30 years ago and we always look forward to returning.  Mountain View is a resort with all the amenities including a water park, horseback riding, and cabins.  They also participate with Passport America (50% off regular rates).  It proved to be an excellent location to view the solar eclipse in totality.  We used a colander to make interesting shadows and noted the natural shadows changing. 

My oldest son and his best friend joined us for the event and we were able to move things around in The Bus so everyone had room to sleep. 

We explored the area for several days and enjoyed some good German food in Helen’s Alpine Village.  We also looked at some property in the area, as this is one of the places we may consider settling once we come off the road.  We saw some nice homes, but we discussed it and are just not ready to invest in property and the obligations that come with it. 

Just outside Helen, GA is Anna Ruby Falls.  We took an afternoon and hiked in to see the falls.  This was my first outing since I tore a calf muscle.  The trail was paved and allowed me to take my time, stretch the muscle, and work it carefully. 

A few months ago, we spoke to fellow RV’ers who asked if we had been to the great canyons in Georgia that they call a “Little Grand Canyon.”  We decided to find it and discovered there are several touted canyons in Georgia.  We picked Cloudland Canyon State Park as our next destination.  The park was very nice with an East and West Rim campground.  We stayed on the East Rim and hiked into the gorge to see the waterfalls.  The hiking is a bit strenuous with just over 600 steps one way and you need to be in good health before attempting to make it to the bottom of the gorge.  We took our time and made it just fine although we were a bit sore the next day.

On another day, we traveled to Rock City Gardens, Ruby Falls and Point Park all in the Lookout Mountain range.  All my life I have seen barns with “See Rock City” painted on the side and have finally seen it.  These three sites are in North Georgia and South Tennessee near Chattanooga.  Each is unique and worth a visit. 

You can see 7 states from here!

The Rock City Gardens have interesting rock formations that remind me of Dismals Canyon in Alabama.  The difference is Rock City Gardens has made it a groomed commercial garden where Dismals Canyon is more natural. 

Panoramic view from the Flag Court of  7 states.

                                                             

Pattie contemplating Lover's Leap...Noooo!

Groomed trails

Fat Man's Squeeze...appropriate name

Ruby Falls is inside a cavern 1,120 feet below the surface and ¾ mile inside the mountain. The cavern can only be reached by an elevator.  It was originally discovered when the owner of the area was attempting to reach Lookout Mountain cave whose entrance was blocked when the railroad was built at the base of the mountain. 

Atop Lookout Mountain at Point Park, we visited the Civil War memorial for the Battle of Chattanooga.  This was a great location with maps depicting landmarks that you can see and picture how the battle unfolded.

From here we began heading southwest and stopped in Gadsden, AL to learn a little about this area of Alabama.  We stayed at the City Park adjacent to the Noccalulla Falls Park.  We were able to hike into the gorge and walk behind the falls here.  The campground was very nice and at a reasonable price.  If you have not visited Gadsden, AL before, I recommend it.  The city planners have invested in green spaces and multi use trails making it a nice place to spend time.

From Gadsden we headed to Tuscaloosa, AL to spend some time with my mother and anxiously watch the disaster in Houston, TX.  We are on standby for possible deployment and are in prayer for the victims and responders.

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Note: Rock City Gardens thought it was cute to place these creepy little gnomes all around the garden. What a fun tactical shooting range this would be.

A Time for Celebration

On our way back south, we stopped near Elkhart, IN to tour the Newmar motorhome manufacturing plant and visit the RV & MH Hall of Fame.  It was interesting to see how RVing in the US has progressed over the years.  We also enjoyed seeing how Newmar makes motorhomes and comparing it to Tiffin's work in Alabama.

Next, we traveled to Wright Patterson AFB, OH (near Dayton) and stayed at the FamCamp for a week.  We were able to visit with family in the area and ran into Mark and Holly Shaw, some RV friends we had met last year in Massachusetts.  Mark and Holly operate On the Go Mission (http://www.onthegomission.org) from their custom Fifth-Wheel RV.  It was good to see them again and see where their mission has led them over the past year. 

No trip to Dayton, OH is complete without visiting the USAF Museum.  I have visited here several times over the past 30 years and once again was impressed by the recent expansion of the facilities and new displays. 

We wanted to see The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY and found no good campgrounds near this attraction; so, we took a day trip from Dayton to visit it.  This was very fortunate for us as we discovered bridge construction along the route that we were able to avoid the following day in The Bus.  The Ark is the largest wooden structure in the world and built to original specifications.  The designers took great care in researching how scientifically and with the available technology Noah and his family were able to care for thousands of animals.  It was a well-done attraction with growth planned in the area.

Next, we stopped off at Red bay to have the custom headlights replaced because the left one had failed.  Brannon replaced them no questions asked.  He also noticed our front passenger side slide needed adjustment, so we checked into the service center for a couple nights and they made the adjustments.  Unfortunately, our Winegard Trav’ler satellite antenna failed at the same time.  I called Winegard and they quickly sent a new antenna with instructions on how to install it.  

Finally, we arrived at Auburn RV Park (www.rvauburn.com) our favorite place to stay in Auburn, AL.  This was a time for great celebration as our oldest some William was graduating with his degree in Mechanical Engineering.  We had 15 family members join us from as far away as Wyoming for this event.  We had a fun family dinner at a local restaurant the night before the commencement.  Afterwards, we ate BBQ and did some shopping for Auburn memorabilia. 

Once graduation was over, we stayed to use the boys’ youth for some projects.  My son William spent a couple hot hours on The Bus’ roof with me swapping out the Trav’ler antenna.  Pattie and I took the opportunity to empty the upper cabinets and add Reflex insulation.  This has shown to lower cabinet temperature by 4-5 degrees. Next, we planned some landscaping and a new walkway at the boys place.  Unfortunately, I pulled a muscle in my right calf and ended up in the doctor’s office getting MRIs and referrals and had to sit by as my family worked on the landscaping.  We extended our stay in Auburn another week to address these issues.  The landscaping came out great and the doctor said with some specific exercises, my leg should be well in 4-5 weeks. 

RV Tip:  Lubricate, lubricate, lubricate.  So may things on The Bus move in one way or another.  I carry a can of T-9 lubricant each time I get on the roof.  I lubricate the little gears in the vent fans and the over the air antenna.  I also wipe down and lubricate the small pressure switches that activate the vent fan motors.  If not, these will stick and the fan will not come on.

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