3-18, 19 & 20th Still @ Mc Kinney CG

Sunday the 18th was a "free" day, no tours etc. There is a lot to see but we stayed here all day. We love this place, beautiful. We had neighbors camping in a tent next to us who were quiet and respectful, real campers, not party people. There were up to 5 people, but we enjoyed their being there.

Shirley and I walked the park, read, and napped, she even got to practice her clogging and I even got to practice my mandolin and guitar. Weather is great, no bugs and we could stay here longer. This has been a busy caravan so the day off was needed.

Monday the 19th saw us heading with Bill and Barbara to visit another battle field. This time it was at Kennesaw Mountain. This was during the campaign in 1864 where Sherman marched from Chattanooga, TN to Atlanta, GA. A lot of blood was spilled here but things were winding down, as the South was on it's last legs.

After the movie and talks we drove up the mountain along the battle sites and got a view of things. Saw Fred and Searcy and their comments were, "doesn't enyone work anymore?" Which is true, there seemed to be many more locals jogging, hiking and walking up the mountain than there were tourists.

Lunch was good "southern" cooking at "Doug's Place" in Emmerson, GA, near our camping site and recommended by one of our fellow caravanners who was raised in Little Rock. We compared notes and he and I went to school there at the same time, only different schools.

By evening we were preparing to leave tomorrow and had our drivers meeting and had peach cobbler with ice cream. The cobbler was cooked over a camp fire in a Dutch oven, much as the Civil War folks would have done it. War is Hell!

Hard to read and not just stare.

Oops, here I go staring again.

Our trailer is covered in pollen, everything is yellow. Locals say it only lasts 3 weeks, this is our  third week with no relief in sight.

An early Airstream.

Atlanta from atop Kennesaw Mountain.

You can't see it well, but that's me thumbing my nose at the cannon. That's how we POed the Confederates.

Next stop is Chattanooga!

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Allatoona Lake, McKinney Campground, GA

Yesterday, 3-16-12 we left Stone Mountain, on one side of Atlanta to Acworth on the other side of Atlanta. We were de-parkers so we did not leave until 11:30 to drive the 51 miles. It was not that easy though, traffic was a real problem. Everyone acts like they have just gotten a drivers license and make it harder than it should be.

We arrived at a very nice and beautiful Corps of Engineers camp ground on a beautiful lake. It reminds us of the one we stay in in Heber Springs, AR. It was hot, around 80 degrees and muggy. But beautiful.

After setting up we read and at 6 p.m. had a happy hour at a site down by the lake. It was fun but we enjoyed reading and watching a video of the Civil War at home and just spending time hanging out.

Today, St. Patty's day, we drove into town to visit the site of the Pickett's Mill Battlefield. This was one of the battles Sherman did not win in his march to the sea. In the scheme of things is was only a loss of yardage.

Anyway, it was nicely done and one of the few battlefields we have visited this caravan. We saw an informative film and had a demonstration of what a soldier carried with him as he went into battle. North or South, it was all about the same.

Lunch, was at a place called Trackside Grill and Patio Bar. Very good, in fact excellent sandwiches. Good service, good conversation, what more could you ask for?

Next we walked to the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. Here we saw another flick, the "Great Race." Based on the story of Northern spy's stealing a train, the "Texas," 200 miles into Rebel territory and being chased by another train the "General." We have all seen the Disney version of this and somewhere between Disney and this movie lies the truth.  Anyway, very exciting stuff.

From here it was a leisurely drive home, actually we got lost. Lucille our GPS was right, we were wrong. Last night it rained and now it looks like it may again soon. Thunder storms are forecast.

Tomorrow is a free day, so we will sleep in, and maybe later go to Rome, GA and prepare for after the caravan when we will search for my great, great, grandfather.

See we were here.

Our guide gave a very interesting talk and rifle demonstration. 

The museum is housed in a replica of an old train station.

Me in front of the "General," the "Texas" is in the museum in Atlanta.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Atlanta, GA 3-15-12

This was another long day. No battle fields but we took a bus and visited the Cyclorama. We had visited this in '07 but it means much more to us now. When Sherman marched through Georgia to the sea, the end was as it is called here, "The Battle of Atlanta." The Cyclorama is a painting depicting that battle. It weights over 9,000 pounds, is 42 feet high and 358 feet long. It was first shown in 1887, was involved in several legal battles over ownership and ended up here in 1921.

The reason it was first commissioned was Gen. John A. Logan a Union officer, was running for vice-president in 1884. He died in 1886 and probably never saw the completed work.

The day of the battle was July 22, 1864. The theatre rotates through the painting depicting Sherman's attack and the Confederates battles.

I recommend you come see it even if you have no interest in the Civil War. A smaller one exists at Gettysburg and we will see it again next year. These are artifacts that will with time be unavailable to us one day.

Next we drove to CNN for lunch at the food court. If you like crowds this is the place for you. Kids, kids and more kids. People in suits, and people in shorts. A tourist paradise.

From here we drove to the Atlanta History Museum. Thank heaven, all this was done on a bus. Most of Georgia seems to be rural, but Atlanta is like LA or any other big crowded city. As we drove around we drove by the Olympic park where the bomb was exploded. We viewed the Braves field, the Falcons, field and TNT buildings. We drove by the governors mansion, and some more ritzy houses then arrived at the Museum.

Hard to read but, taken from the bus window, "Roses are red, violets are blue, eat more chicken, Moo. Shows a cow painting the sign.

Why museums have gift shops.

Me losing an arm.

This was taken because it is supposed to be the only wagon in existence from the Civil War.

Hard to read, but a flyer looking for the murderer of Abe Lincoln.

This was one of those surprise visits, we were happily surprised. The tour guide was excellent and gave us each a sheet of paper with a Union or Confederate solders name on it. As we toured, various things happened to us. I lost an arm due to being shot and had my arm amputated. Shirley unfortunately died. I lived but had PTSD which was not diagnosed in those day so I was declared insane.

After this full day we returned home and attended a GAM and had a drivers meeting. Tomorrow we are de-parkers so will not be leaving until around 11.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Atlanta, GA

Yesterday, 3-13-12, we traveled to Stone Mountain RV park. There was a lot of rain and traffic so we arrived tired. To ease the tension, we had a cookout in a smoky room open on two sides. After the meal I went home, Shirley and others stayed to watch "Gone With The Wind."

This morning I took the Ford in for lube, oil and filter and to find out why the engine light was on. It seems a squirrel had chewed through a wire. So this was all fixed for over $300.

By the time I got back and had a quick lunch we went to visit Stone Mountain with Art and Doris who we first met on the Maple Leaf Caravan, in '08. This is a rock of granite some 6,000 feet below the surface and extends about 500 feet in the air. It has a carving of  Robert E. Lee, Jeff Davis and Stonewall Jackson on it.  Remember we are in the south now so they celebrate these guys.

Art and I rode the tram back down, Shirley and Doris hiked. We met the girls at a museum and watched or slept through two movies then drove back home. It is beautiful here and the weather was just beautiful today.

This evening we had an impromptu pot luck and did some visiting and relaxing. We all seem to be tired and needed a day off.

Tomorrow we go by bus to Atlanta for a tour. I will let you know how that goes. We were here in '07 so we can compare this to that tour.

Three Rebel heroes. 

Here we are on top of the world. I did not let them know we have trees almost this high in California.

Lookie, see our trailer?

Hey, wait for me!

Our camp at sunset.

Our campground is very nice, we have full hook-ups, cable TV, wifi, and a great view. So much to see, so little time.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Confederate Naval Museum

Today, Monday the 12th, we all drove to Columbus, GA to visit the Confederate Naval Museum. This was a real eye opener. We had no idea the Civil War was so involved with ships! There were the old sailing ships, steam ships, a combination of sail and steam, iron clads, submarines, and boats that were mostly under water with only the stack showing. Also, their size was a huge surprise. Two hundred fifty feet long and 50 feet wide for the iron clads. HUGE. Confederate ships were built here, unknown to the Union.

Our first guide was very knowledgable, dressed in a uniform typical of the day which would have been used by either side. Differentiation of your side was not important because of the separation of navy personnel, so uniform was not too important. Blue and white seems to be the colors of all navies during the era.

Later we had a female guide also very knowledgeable with a southern accent, who kept referring to the Union as us and we, so we gathered that her sympathies lay with the Union side. Common then and now too.

Fort Benning is here too, so this town has a history of military activity. Our next tour was to be the Infantry Museum of the Civil War, but being Monday, it was closed, so we took comfort in some southern cooked food at a near by diner. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, black eyed peas, and biscuit. This along with sweet tea and P-can pie made us feel so much better.

The entrance shows the weather we were about to have.

Ahoy!

This boat was raised from the river using the material of the day, dynamite.

Hard to photograph, this was the "Chattahoochee" the boat was burned and you can still smell smoke after almost 150 years. The super structure shows how huge it was, over 225 feet long!   

Where's the ice machine?

I asked the captain to smile.

Part sailing, part steam powered.

This was on the river walk, we called the fish ladder.

After lunch (dinner) we drove through the old mansion area and took their river walk which goes along the area where the iron clads were built. Then home to a GAM and drivers meeting. It rained a little and we all went to bed, 'cause Tuesday is another travel day.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Warm Springs, GA 3-11-12

Today was a "free" day so we slept in, paid bills, and loafed until around 1 pm. then we drove to visit FDR's Little White House where he had been coming since he was afflicted with polio in 1921; in the hopes the 88 degree water here would cure him.

We drove through the park and ultimately visited the museum and the buildings built in 1932 before he became president in 1933. He came here 41 times and died here as he posed for a portrait.

We have wanted to visit here for several years so it finally happened. Weather has been warm and mostly clear a sharp contrast from last year. Anyway after our tour we headed home with the idea of eating someplace. Let me tell you, Sunday afternoon in GA everyone is at home and everything is closed. So dinner was soup and crackers hurriedly made by Shirley when we got home.

Typical view of the park.

Here we are.

A guest room.

One of the guests.

Looks large, but actually a cabin.

Shirley testing what is left of the pools.

Somewhat rested we are ready for another day of caravanning and touring.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Andersonville, GA

March 10, 2012 saw us on our way to Andersonville, GA site of the POW memorial was the "worst" of the Civil War prisons where the south held captive Union soldiers. It was the worst because over 29% of the captives died during their stay. To be fair the northern prisons were no better. Elmira, NY prison had a death rate of 24%.

A total of 45,000 prisoners were held here and a total of 12,950 died and are buried here. Long history here, because neither side had prepared for prison camps. The war was supposed to be over in short order so they first did exchanges of prisoners then as the war dragged on they started prison camps. Most prisoners died of disease, due to poor living conditions and lack of proper nutrition.

First we viewed a movie and because this is the museum of all POW's it told of our conflicts since the Revolutionary War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Desert Storm etc. etc. All prisoners seemed to be treated badly. Man's inhumanity to man seems to know no bounds. Personally I think being killed trying to escape would be better than the existence of prison life.

Shirley and I had been here before in '07 and both of us feel this is probably the most depressing place we have ever visited.

Events throughout the day were the marching in of captured Union solders, canon shooting demonstrations, guard drill demonstrations, etc. Most interesting was a cemetery walk and the reading of letters from some of those who lay buried here. One of the readings was done by a descendent of that person. As our guide said these peoples stories ended here. Most of the letters were hopeful they would live to get home. The saddest letter was from a man who knew he was dying and gave directions to his wife and children for his burial. Another was from a man who died only one month before the end of the war. He almost made it.

After this we went into town and had the largest scoop of Blue Bell (the favorite here) ice-cream to help our sorrows. We further toured the town itself and at 6 p.m. had dinner prepared for us at the Andersonville  Methodist Church. Excellent food, friendly folks and one of the best meals we have had so far.

After dinner, tired and sleepy some of us drove a short distance to visit some Airstreamers, Dick and Judy, who live near by. Shirley and I met them in '07 and they visited us in Lincoln in '10 when we did not caravan at all. They have one of the most beautiful "farms" we have ever seen acre after acre of mowed grass, a pond full of fish, tractors, which I love, and even have a "pet" alligator. Great visit and we have to return!

Drove home and slept in today, first day of daylights savings. We have so far lost four hours of sleep due to time changes and it is hard to get up at 4 a.m. (our time) each morning to go touring. Today is a free day so an afternoon nap will certainly be in order.

Depicting the plight of all Prisoners of War

Captured Union soldiers being imprisoned.

Hard times ahead.

Just you make one wrong move!

No shelters were provided in the stockade, so what ever they could erect had to do.

Free at last and reunited.

Me heap big officer. The cut out was taller than I am.

Drummer Boy?

Over 12,920 men are buried here.

Even the actors seemed sad.

Our guide reading a letter.

Methodist church of Andersonville.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley