Day 26 Andersonville, GA: One of our primary destinations of this trip was Andersonville, Georgia. During the Civil War our great, great grandfather was a Union soldier in the 6th Kentucky Cavalry. He was captured at the battle of Richmond, KY (more later), paroled, captured again at the battle of Chickamauga (more later), then was sent to the Confederate prisoner of war camp at Andersonville, GA named Fort Sumter. He is still there in grave #2117 and we went to visit him.
Andersonville (which is actually a small town nearby) is a National Park at the site of the Andersonville Prison Camp which includes the site of the original prison camp, the camp cemetery, and they have constructed the National Prisoner of War Museum in honor of all America prisoners of war from every conflict the United States has been involved in.
The museum is very interesting to tour through. The prison camp includes a recreation of a small section of the 15 foot tall walls that enclosed the stockade. The prison was originally built as a 16-1/2 acre open compound to house 6,000 enlisted prisoners and opened in mid-February, 1864. By June the number of prisoners had risen to 25,000. The prison eventually was expanded to 26 acres and held 45,000 men. In the 14 months of operation, 12,914 prisoners died there. While this was the worst prison during the war, conditions in other prisons both north and south were nearly as bad.
They have recreated a section of the stockade walls to depict what they looked like, then they have placed posts to show the original layout of the stockade and parallel posts marking the location of the deadline, the no-man's land between the fence and the stockade walls. There are also several monuments in honor to the prisoners and the sites of other areas associated with the prison. The cemetery is an active National Cemetery in addition to the camp cemetery. There have been several books written about Andersonville including a popular novel and a four-hour TV special was on a couple of years ago.
It was incomprehensible to stand there and try to imagine what my great, great grandfather endured at that location 150 years ago.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Our 2014 Trip - #3
Day 38: June 23rd - I have been really, really remiss in making any posts on this here blog. We were pretty busy with the kids and it has been almost nonstop since we connected with my brother and his wife. So I will try to catch up, but plan on doing it on the installment plan rather than all at once. Right now I am sitting at my brother's house in Michigan.
We had a good time while we were in Mississippi. It was great to visit with the kids, especially the grandkids (sorry Rob and Beth) (sort of). Nick loves the outdoors and catching any kind of bug, spider, flying critter, snake, lizard, etc., anything that is creepy and/or crawly. Andrew is just about 18 months now and is an absolute riot. He is waaaay to smart for his age. Mississippi is a beautiful, lush, green state, a tad on the humid side at times, and WOW does it know how to rain. One time Rob told me that they got about 4 inches of rain one day. I had a hard time comprehending getting that much rain in one day. Now I understand. The only other place that I may have seen it rain that hard was probably in the Philippines during the monsoon season. They also have a lot of churches there. We saw several churches in the southern states while traveling, but Mississippi has a lot of churches anywhere from a double-wide mobile home with a steeple to really large multiple buildings. And it is the first place I have ever seen the large, yellow, diamond-shaped caution signs along the roads notifying you that there is a church ahead.
We visited, worked around the house some, and took a couple of day trips. One day Rob, Nick, and I went to Camp Moore in Louisiana just over the border (McComb is just 15 miles north of the border). Camp Moore was a Confederate boot camp during the Civil War. They have a small museum there with some pretty interesting displays and a small cemetery. Everyone but Rob also visited a small railroad museum they had there in McComb. McComb was a primary railroad stop between Chattanooga, TN and New Orleans, LA. We also took a day trip to the Kids Museum in Jackson. Nick really had a good time that day with the rest of us. We also tried to buy out the Walmart store a couple of times while we were there (really glad there wasn't a Costco). We had a good time there, but too soon it was time to go.
It was really tough, but we left on June 2nd heading east. We stopped in Montgomery, Alabama that night (Forest wasn't there) then on to Unadilla, Georgia where we met up with my brother the next day.
(To be continued.)
We had a good time while we were in Mississippi. It was great to visit with the kids, especially the grandkids (sorry Rob and Beth) (sort of). Nick loves the outdoors and catching any kind of bug, spider, flying critter, snake, lizard, etc., anything that is creepy and/or crawly. Andrew is just about 18 months now and is an absolute riot. He is waaaay to smart for his age. Mississippi is a beautiful, lush, green state, a tad on the humid side at times, and WOW does it know how to rain. One time Rob told me that they got about 4 inches of rain one day. I had a hard time comprehending getting that much rain in one day. Now I understand. The only other place that I may have seen it rain that hard was probably in the Philippines during the monsoon season. They also have a lot of churches there. We saw several churches in the southern states while traveling, but Mississippi has a lot of churches anywhere from a double-wide mobile home with a steeple to really large multiple buildings. And it is the first place I have ever seen the large, yellow, diamond-shaped caution signs along the roads notifying you that there is a church ahead.
We visited, worked around the house some, and took a couple of day trips. One day Rob, Nick, and I went to Camp Moore in Louisiana just over the border (McComb is just 15 miles north of the border). Camp Moore was a Confederate boot camp during the Civil War. They have a small museum there with some pretty interesting displays and a small cemetery. Everyone but Rob also visited a small railroad museum they had there in McComb. McComb was a primary railroad stop between Chattanooga, TN and New Orleans, LA. We also took a day trip to the Kids Museum in Jackson. Nick really had a good time that day with the rest of us. We also tried to buy out the Walmart store a couple of times while we were there (really glad there wasn't a Costco). We had a good time there, but too soon it was time to go.
It was really tough, but we left on June 2nd heading east. We stopped in Montgomery, Alabama that night (Forest wasn't there) then on to Unadilla, Georgia where we met up with my brother the next day.
(To be continued.)
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Our 2014 Trip - #2
I have been remiss in writing (pick any reason to apply), so will try to catch up a little for now.
DAY 6: was an OK day, that means the good part canceled out the bad part and averaged to OK. While we were in Tucumcari, NM we ran into a good-ole-boy from Alabama, didn't get or can't remember his name, but that is my fault, a nice guy. He was big into NASCAR (didn't ask why), so that is what I call him. NASCAR asked where we were going, and when I told him he asked what route we were taking. I told him through Ft Worth and Dallas. He got a serious look on his face and said that he wouldn't want to drive a motor home through Dallas. We should have listened to him. Ft Worth was bad enough, but we made it through there. There was a miss communication between the pilot and the navigator and we relied to heavily on Helen (our electronic navigator) and the next thing I know we are driving through Dallas. Then one wrong turn and we are in the middle of Dallas. I swear if there was a telescopic site on Dallas from a satellite, we would have driven right through the laser beam. Anyway, we made it out of town, made pretty good time, and made it safely to Shreveport, Louisiana, an OK day.
Day 7: a good day. There are two things I have to say about Louisiana. First, I believe the freeway system through Shreveport was built during the Civil War and has only been repaired once since then. And second, I'm not sure that Louisiana drivers are used to operating a motor vehicle off of a dirt road. Just saying. But we made good time and arrived safely at Rob and Beth's house. We hadn't told Nick that we were coming and Rob sent him out to check the mailbox as we were driving up, so I think Nick was a little dumb founded when he saw the motor home and Jeep pulling into the driveway. Andrew wasn't sure what was going on. Oh yeah, Rob and Beth are doing OK too.
DAY 8 - 11: have all been good. We haven't done much but visit and run around town a little. For some reason my direction is messed up. I'm OK at Rob's house, but when we go out I'm 180 degrees out of whack. Slowly getting better as I drive around. Weather hasn't been too bad yet, a little warm (about 90) and the humidity has been moderate. So we are enjoying our time while we can because we know we will be leaving too soon, but still excited about the rest of our trip.
DAY 6: was an OK day, that means the good part canceled out the bad part and averaged to OK. While we were in Tucumcari, NM we ran into a good-ole-boy from Alabama, didn't get or can't remember his name, but that is my fault, a nice guy. He was big into NASCAR (didn't ask why), so that is what I call him. NASCAR asked where we were going, and when I told him he asked what route we were taking. I told him through Ft Worth and Dallas. He got a serious look on his face and said that he wouldn't want to drive a motor home through Dallas. We should have listened to him. Ft Worth was bad enough, but we made it through there. There was a miss communication between the pilot and the navigator and we relied to heavily on Helen (our electronic navigator) and the next thing I know we are driving through Dallas. Then one wrong turn and we are in the middle of Dallas. I swear if there was a telescopic site on Dallas from a satellite, we would have driven right through the laser beam. Anyway, we made it out of town, made pretty good time, and made it safely to Shreveport, Louisiana, an OK day.
Day 7: a good day. There are two things I have to say about Louisiana. First, I believe the freeway system through Shreveport was built during the Civil War and has only been repaired once since then. And second, I'm not sure that Louisiana drivers are used to operating a motor vehicle off of a dirt road. Just saying. But we made good time and arrived safely at Rob and Beth's house. We hadn't told Nick that we were coming and Rob sent him out to check the mailbox as we were driving up, so I think Nick was a little dumb founded when he saw the motor home and Jeep pulling into the driveway. Andrew wasn't sure what was going on. Oh yeah, Rob and Beth are doing OK too.
DAY 8 - 11: have all been good. We haven't done much but visit and run around town a little. For some reason my direction is messed up. I'm OK at Rob's house, but when we go out I'm 180 degrees out of whack. Slowly getting better as I drive around. Weather hasn't been too bad yet, a little warm (about 90) and the humidity has been moderate. So we are enjoying our time while we can because we know we will be leaving too soon, but still excited about the rest of our trip.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Our 2014 trip - #1
As some of you may know, our motor home is commonly referred to as "the bus". Colleen's niece's son was the first to call it a bus back during our first trip home in 2004. Then Nick also started calling it the bus when he was little. Jami set this page up and I think she probably thought it appropriate to call it the Adventures in the Short Bus. She is probably correct.
I can see us using this blog more in the future during different travels, but for right now it is a means to relay information to our family and friends on our trip to Mississippi/Michigan/Ohio/California over the next couple of weeks. So here is how our adventure has gone so far:
DAY 1 was not a real good day. First we got started about 2-1/2 hours late. I thought we might be slow the first day, but not that late. Then just after we got onto I-5 south, we were hit by a dust devil/small tornado. I don't know when a dust devil becomes a tornado, but this had to be close. Blew the vent cap off of the black water tank and unfurled the awning. We had a similar problem with the awning before, so we knew how to fix that. Then when we finally got to the park in Bakersfield we discovered that one of the batteries was going bad on the coach. That's why we did a shake-down cruise to Plymouth last month was to find out if we had any problems. Weather was cool.
DAY 2 was a little better. This was Mother's Day, so I took Colleen back Sears in Bakersfield to get her a Mother's Day present. I had the batteries checked and found out that not one of the batteries was bad, but both of them were bad. So I replaced both batteries - Happy Mother's Day Colleen. We finally got on the road late again. Had to stop in Tehachapi for gas (very bad idea) and I think we ended up in the most expensive gas station in town. But we made it to Kingman, Arizona that night, kind of late, but safe. We thought we did fairly well on time, but then discovered we had crossed into a different time zone and added an hour, still cool outside.
DAY 3 was a pretty uneventful day. Hit the road and got into camp in Gallup, New Mexico at a decent hour, some wind, but not too bad, and no mechanical problems. Not a bad campground either, but it was still pretty cool (we're talking highs of 58 in California, Arizona, and New Mexico and we have mostly short-sleeve shirts).
I can see us using this blog more in the future during different travels, but for right now it is a means to relay information to our family and friends on our trip to Mississippi/Michigan/Ohio/California over the next couple of weeks. So here is how our adventure has gone so far:
DAY 1 was not a real good day. First we got started about 2-1/2 hours late. I thought we might be slow the first day, but not that late. Then just after we got onto I-5 south, we were hit by a dust devil/small tornado. I don't know when a dust devil becomes a tornado, but this had to be close. Blew the vent cap off of the black water tank and unfurled the awning. We had a similar problem with the awning before, so we knew how to fix that. Then when we finally got to the park in Bakersfield we discovered that one of the batteries was going bad on the coach. That's why we did a shake-down cruise to Plymouth last month was to find out if we had any problems. Weather was cool.
DAY 2 was a little better. This was Mother's Day, so I took Colleen back Sears in Bakersfield to get her a Mother's Day present. I had the batteries checked and found out that not one of the batteries was bad, but both of them were bad. So I replaced both batteries - Happy Mother's Day Colleen. We finally got on the road late again. Had to stop in Tehachapi for gas (very bad idea) and I think we ended up in the most expensive gas station in town. But we made it to Kingman, Arizona that night, kind of late, but safe. We thought we did fairly well on time, but then discovered we had crossed into a different time zone and added an hour, still cool outside.
DAY 3 was a pretty uneventful day. Hit the road and got into camp in Gallup, New Mexico at a decent hour, some wind, but not too bad, and no mechanical problems. Not a bad campground either, but it was still pretty cool (we're talking highs of 58 in California, Arizona, and New Mexico and we have mostly short-sleeve shirts).
DAY 4 - 6 are all pretty good days. We travel on days 4 and 5, make good time, a little gusty winds every once in a while, but make pretty good time. Day 4 we stop at a KOA in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Nothing to rave about, but OK for one night. Day 5 we got snowed on coming out of Albuquerque, but made good time and made it to Wichita Falls, Texas. That's where we are today, a down day for a little rest, and it's in the mid 80s. Tomorrow we're on the road again.
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