Time to head back to civilization as in full utilities, regular stores, and Redbox. We headed down to Sullivan’s Mobile Home and RV Park in Pocatello. It’s an old park with old mobile homes and trailers but they take Passport America and the location is good. The staff greeted us at the entrance to help us park in one of the 2 pull-thrus and were very nice and helpful. The space was quite level but very narrow. With high trees all around, getting satellite TV was problematic but we were able to get one satellite to a degree using the new outside dish my brother built. Unfortunately, the city water pressure is ridiculously high and killed one water hose and my inline filter. Even with an RV water pressure regulator on it, the pressure was so high that it pulses constantly. We had to disconnect and use the onboard tank instead. Our neighbors fared a little better with a house water pressure regulator on their line but they had to remove one hose that was attached from the outlet to the regulator before it burst and attach the regulator directly to the outlet. I liked the laundry lines but the laundry room smelled bad. If you are a square dancing aficionado, the managers are very into that and hold square dances there occasionally. My aircard worked OK there.

We stocked up on food while there as the cupboards were a bit bare after 2 weeks in the country. We scored some more Jack In The Box (not available in Utah or back East). No luck on replacing the blown SUV tire.

I dragged my brother to the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, ID. Definitely a must see just for giggles. We learned all about how spuds are grown, harvested, and stored. We took a picture in front of the World’s Largest Potato sculpture. We saw the World’s Largest Potato Chip, Marilyn Monroe’s sexy potato ad, a letter from the Idaho governor to Vice President Dan Quayle telling him he could spell it any way he wants, Mr. Potato Head, and lots of stuff made from potatoes. They even gave us free freeze-dried hash browns which we cooked up at home and turned out to be very tasty.

The zoo, a replica of Fort Hall, Fort Hall Casino, and a well treed graveyard with resident and very entertaining buzzards are nearby but we didn’t go to those.

For more pics click here.

Summer has finally hit and things were getting a bit hot down in Utah so we decided to head north a bit for cooler temps and some summer fun. I have never had the chance to explore southern Idaho nor have I ever been in a hot spring so what better place to go than Downata Hot Springs in Downey, ID. Of course, being a Passport America park certainly made the decision easy. Downata is a family waterpark and campground which hosts numerous family reunions every weekend in the summer. During the week the campground is a ghost town but the pool is always busy though not too busy. On the weekends, the campground is nearly full with families, laughter, splashing, campfires, good food, tents galore, and more. The staff is cool and calm and takes it all well. I like the way the tent sites wrap around the the play area which makes it easy to watch the kids at play and they do love to play in the large field of sandy dirt like a giant sandbox. There are several pavilions available for the gatherings.

The campground RV spaces are tight so be prepared to love thy neighbor. It has 30/50 electric and water. There are no sewer connections and no dump. There is a nice dump nearby at the fairgrounds for $3. The campground restroom is not the greatest but it is clean. There is only one shower for each sex and they are pay showers – 50 cents for 6 minutes. I don’t mind paying but the least amount of time I can take a shower in is 8 minutes. Darn. The pool has free open showers (not private) for use after swimming so take your shampoo and soap with you there.

While my Verizon aircard worked fine, we mostly used the fantastic and fast free wifi they provide. Rarely do I see wifi that good at a campground. These guys did it right!

Also available are cabins, yurts, teepees (no kidding), and a large wall tent.

The pool is excellent. At around 88 degrees, you won’t shiver when walking in and it is very large with 3 waterslides in the pool, a couple cooling sprays across the pool, and a hot tub ( a VERY HOT hot tub!). Playing basketball in the pool with the provided bballs is fun as is just floating or standing around talking. One slide is your typical pool slide while the other is a giant corkscrew which is my favorite. It is long enough to give a great ride and the stairs up to it are very easy on an old geezer like me. The kiddie pool within the pool is also a nice touch and I like the ramp into the pool in addition to stairs and ladders.

Next to the pool is a nice water fountain play area for the kiddies and 2 full sized waterpark slides. The Dragon slide lets you sit up while going down through a corkscrew and then some straights into the shallow pool at the end which has one heck of a current. There does not seem to be a graceful way to exit the slide into that pool and I swim like mad for the step rail when I drop in. The Blackhole is a speed slide which means nearly vertical to start and down underground for a few feet then into an easy loop and out in a nice trough. It looks scarier than it is. I really like that it is completely within a tube so you don’t feel like you will pop off at that speed and the finishing trough is surrounded by wall so you have a minute to adjust yourself out of the wedgie which is unavoidable on that slide without everyone seeing.

The slides are open till 8:45pm and the pool is open until 9pm. The price is great at only $7-$9 per adult all day. Twilight swim from 7-9pm is my favorite because the cooler outside air helps to offset the temp of the pool and it only costs $4.

This morning I performed an ancient campers ritual. I scavenged all the empty campsites for wood and came up with more than enough for my own fire. Momma said we shouldn’t waste. Tonight I had a roaring fire of my own for a change with hot dogs and corn roasted on a stick and potato salad. Me good cave person. I got to use one of the Fire Starter sticks I got at Walmart months ago and I can now attest that those truly are the greatest thing to start campfires with. Make a pyramid of wood over it and light the packaging. Up it goes. For those other singles out there who want a nice campfire experience, two words, MP3 player. Music makes it so much better and players with ear buds don’t bother the neighbors.

What I learned this week:

1. It is odd that in a regular pool you look for the warm spot but in a hot spring pool you look for the cool spot.
2. If you arch your back up while sliding, you slide faster.
3. Heavy people slide faster and farther than skinny people. Hooray for those extra pounds!
4. It is very odd that to go down a slide named “The Black Hole” and NOT get hurt, you must assume the death position.
5. Wedgies aren’t really that uncomfortable.
6. Fire warm. Fire good. Ugh.

I should also mention that the geocaching in the area is great! I found 10 caches easily nearby and enjoyed the hospitality, store, and lunch at Flags West truck stop while hunting the cache hidden there. There is one cache hidden right at Downata but it is surrounded by stinging nettles so it is not for kids. For my 11th cache, I drove out into the Idaho outback in a canyon through the mountains on a gravel road. It’s good to drive a truck. Maybe it is just me but I think an ammo can should be stuffed with goodies rather than nearly bare so I added a bunch from my stash I carry. I then went for a light walk up the road following a brook. I’m not sure if it was babbling or not but I couldn’t understand it.

For more pics click here.

I have been getting a lot of questions recently about discount camping and clubs, particularly for full-timers. Now that I have a few years on the road as a full-timer under my belt , perhaps it is time to go over my experiences with them. If one is going to be a full-time RVer, discounts are essential. As campground prices to rent a piece of dirt continue to rise and in some places cost more than a motel room, it is getting harder and harder to live on the road. Since my RV is my home, my view of campground fees and what is affordable is quite different from the weekender. A weekender sees them as an entertainment or discretionary expense. I view those fees the same as rent on an apartment or a home mortgage. Just as with rent or a mortgage, they must be reasonable and not constantly take too much of my income.

The first saving tip I can offer is to stay longer and always ask if there is a weekly or monthly rate. There usually is in private parks. The monthly rates can be very good.

Another great tip is camp in the best places out-of-season. For instance, I was able to spend a week in the Florida Keys in November one year at a cost I could afford and the weather was gorgeous the whole time. I could not possibly afford to pay double what I paid had I gone in December which begins the Winter RV snowbird season. Sure you don’t want to roast in southern climates in the Summer or freeze in northern climates in the Winter but take advantage of Spring and Fall. You may also find fewer crowds at those times.

The cost of state parks has risen quite a lot to the point where they charge as much for partial or no hookups as you may pay for full hookups in a private park. They also do not have discounts (some do honor senior and handicapped discount passes for state residents only). Compared to a private park with a discount or a weekly/monthly rate, state parks are no longer a deal. I rarely stay at them anymore. That is not to say you should never check them out. The cost to camp in some areas such as the Florida Keys is so ridiculously high that the state parks are the better deal there in-season though they are so full that you have to reserve a site a year in advance to get in. I have used them anytime in Massachusetts too.

National parks can also have a high cost or a reasonable cost but if you are a senior or permanently handicapped, you can get half off camping with their senior or handicapped access passes which includes free entry to the parks. Be aware that few national parks have electricity available. They are revamping some and I did find one in the middle of the Everglades and Big Cypress in Florida with electricity but no water or sewer. It still worked well for me.

Corps of Engineer campgrounds can be a good bet. Many of them are near a lake, offer utilities, are reasonable, and honor senior and handicapped passes for half off. I stayed at a quite lovely CoE campground in Ponca City, OK.

Regional, county, and city parks can be very reasonable. There are some free still (no utilities) and others at very reasonable cost. Don’t expect a lot and the electricity may only be 20 amp but a smart RVer learns to manage their use and what items cannot be on at the same time without blowing the breakers. I stayed at the city park in Miami, FL for a week or two and can honestly say it is truly lousy and not free but it has the perfect location at the crossroads of all the best southern Florida has to offer and was the cheapest around. I have also stayed at a regional park just outside Washington, D.C. which was not great but would have been just fine had it not been for bad campers nearby.

Joining discount camping clubs is a definite must and by all means join more than one. The one most RVers belong to is Good Sam Club. Personally, I rarely use the 10% discount they provide because it is just not enough for a full-timer. However, I use most of the services, insurance, etc. they provide and do attend the Rally and Samborees when I can. It is a good place to start. Escapees is another good one. They offer great rates at their own Rainbow parks and coops and 15-50% off at other parks. I have stayed very happily in their Florida parks and the one near Branson, MO. Their discount came in handy in Bangor, Maine too. They also have a yearly rally to attend, interest clubs, HOPS for arranged tours, and CARE at a park in Texas for injured or sick Escapees.

Passport America is a great discount club I have had a lot of success with and saved a lot of money camping at 50% off. Many full-timers use them. Watch out for listing clauses such as cash only required for camping fees, reservations required at some places, extra charge for electricity which may eliminate most of the savings, and limits to 1 night, Sun-Thurs only, no holidays, etc. Most of the time these are not an issue but be sure to read every listing carefully and keep in mind campgrounds are added and drop out during the year after the book has been printed. Their website will be more up to date. Happy Camper Club is similar to Passport America but PA is still the king.

Clubs that require a “home park” such as Coast to Coast, RPI, Thousand Trails, AOR, Outdoor World, etc. can be very good for the full-time RVer on the go and have saved me a ton of moola while also letting me stay in very nice private membership parks with lots of amenities in places I could not afford without them. There are classic or  basic memberships which allow you to stay one week at a time, twice a year at each member park and there are deluxe memberships which allow two weeks at a time, twice a year at each park in-season and more off-season at each member park for only $10 a night at this time. Deluxe memberships can also be used by your adult children with limits and both types of memberships can be passed on to family as can home park membership so these become a family asset for generations. Watch for the rare extra charge for electricity, blackout dates such as all holidays and special events, inability to use another park within 125 miles of your home park, fewer parks than Passport America, etc. Home park memberships can cost several thousand dollars but you don’t have to choose one near home so shop around. Look for resales in the RV magazines and believe it or not on Ebay. Home parks have yearly dues so pay attention to that amount as well. I rarely use my home park due to its location but I had a great time there last year, the yearly dues are very reasonable at less than $50, the cost when I stayed there was only $2 a night (that is not a typo!), and they let me stay for more than a week. Best of all, it gets me into Coast to Coast and RPI with all the other member parks I can use. I got to stay on Cape Hatteras, NC with them, Orlando, FL, Fredericksburg, VA (near Washington, D.C.), near Atlantic City, NJ, Myrtle Beach, NC, etc.

Another part of the “home park” type clubs is the other parks they affiliate with under what they call Good Neighbor parks, Enjoy America parks, etc. While they cost more at $15 per night, they really expand your choices, many allow you longer stays, are not subject to the 125 mile rule, and are still reasonable. Again, read the listings carefully.

If you belong to the Elks, they do provide free or cheap camping at many of their lodges.

If you are retired or active military, there are many good RV parks they offer so don’t waste a valuable benefit.

Of course, there is always rest areas and Walmart for the overnight quickie. I don’t stay overnight in rest areas both due to the danger and because what few are now open are very much needed by truck drivers and therefore full by early afternoon. Walmart I have used when necessary. They can be noisy in the middle of the night when they clean the parking lot but survivable and I always make a point of shopping there before I leave to pay them back.

I have heard good and bad about truck stops. They can be noisy and some truckers resent us using those. Some folks use truck stops a lot though and have very good experiences. I have no experience with them.

Other possibilities are the driveways or backyards of family, friends, or fellow RV club members. I love introducing myself to my son’s friends as the mother he keeps in his backyard. I have also stayed in his in-laws driveway which is both interesting and fun. As a member in several clubs, I can sometimes stay with other members who choose to share their backyards or driveways.

Lastly there is boondocking on public lands which I have no experience with since utilities are not provided there and I require at least electricity to work and play. Boondocking is free usually or a very inexpensive permit may be required. You can check it out on the Internet by searching for “boondocking”. There’s some great tips and advice out there on it. http://cheaprvliving.com/Boondocking.html and all their other links will blow you away.

I hope this helps those of you thinking of jumping into the RVing lifestyle either full- or part-time. It’s a great life so see you out there!

Time to head back to Idaho to see my doctor, family, and friends. The snow has finally melted from around my trailer and I promised all to return at that time. Hitching up went pretty smoothly. We put brother’s car in storage next door. Off we went. The trailer felt good behind my SUV and I didn’t feel the usual nervousness I get driving the first time after sitting somewhere for awhile. About an hour down the road though, we realized that we had forgotten to put the hose in. We pulled over and made a quick call to the park to ask them to store it for us until we got back. I knew things couldn’t go that smoothly.

Since we pulled out late, I knew we had little hope of making it to my first park choice beyond Boise, ID. I had already prepared for that though and had 2 other parks loaded in my GPS that would be suitable and closer to stop for the night. We easily found the Power-POP RV Stop right off the highway in Glenns Ferry, ID. It is very small with only 14 spaces but they are pull-thrus with full utilities and it is a Passport America park. The owner was very nice. He built this park in his backyard which is quite large and next to the fairgrounds which was pretty smart. The only con to the park is it is right next to a rail yard so expect to see and hear trains. I had no problem sleeping there though.

The next day we left early en route to Richland, WA. Somewhere along the way, the cover blew off one of my rear lights. We arrived in Richland and put up at my son’s in-laws again in their driveway. No one was home so we just backed it on in, hooked up to the outside electricity, and made ourselves at home. Don’t you just love guests who bring their own guest house?

We had a great time as usual at the in-laws. They are always fun to be around. Barb got her motorcycle license while we were there after completing a safety course. One night, they went to go to bed and found the dog had pooped on the bed which had them quite befuddled until they poked it and realized it was rubber dog poop. Katrina was there! Snicker. We kept leaving it in places for each other all week. Barb really enjoyed seeing it on her potatoes in the sink and in the dishwasher. 

We had a BBQ again. My son and his wife came over with my grandkids. My son and grandson thought they were going to get me with a water pistol and water balloons they brought over but I was prepared with my own Super Soaker primed and ready for them. The annual Spring water fight was a blast and I got them good! We also got my daughter-in-law screaming when she went to pull out the potato salad and found a cockroach in it – rubber of course. Every time she turned her back on me I slipped rubber cockroaches into her food. We got her again at dinner at her house. To get me back, Jon served me up a rubber dog poop burger at the BBQ. LOL. Before we left, we put Vick’s Vaporub on the knob of the door into the house and the refrigerator door handle then left town fast. We got Jon with both I hear. Believe it or not, they actually invited us back!

Also while there, I got some geocaching in on their bike trail and nearby. I went to the local Tea Party on April 15th for fun and to hear what they had to say. I got to throw eggs at pictures of several politicians. Always wanted to do that.

Before we left, we debated whether to go find a dump for the tanks or just go. The nearest campground wanted 10 bucks to dump there. Geez! For that kind of money they should dump it for me! But, with gas as high as it is, pulling a lot of extra weight did not appeal to me. I wasn’t real happy about the lumbering elephant that pulled out behind me either. We found a free RV dump over at the marina and boy did that make a difference in the way my trailer pulled; huge difference and well worth the time spent.

I just could not pass by Moab, UT with not one but two national parks nearby and not stop. That would definitely have been an RVer sin. Sooo I found a campground just south of downtown Moab for a week. I stayed at Moab Rim Campark. Nothing fancy. No extras. Just a site with full utilities and that is all. Great view though and decent location. Passport America discount was nice.

Moab is another active spot for river rafting and ATVing. Don’t expect a lot of trees. It’s red rocks for as far as you can see and beautiful. I took a drive over to Arches National Park first. The first thing you learn there is to bring a bottle or two of water as there is none in the park except at the Visitor’s Center. You have no business being in the park without your own water on board. The other thing is to use the bathroom before you go because again bathrooms are in short supply. I suggest wearing hiking boots too if you have them as well as a hat and a walking stick or cane is nice to have. Don’t forget to bring your camera and extra batteries too because photo opportunities abound there. Since the park is huge and you can drive through quite a bit of it, be sure to fill up on gas before going in. There is a campground or two  in the park with no utilities which were pretty full.

Most of the arches are not visible from the road. You are going to have to get out and walk if you want to see them. However, there are plenty of other great natural formations to view along the road through the park.  Once upon a time, people did try ranching there and mining.  That’s all gone now. I did get out and walk a bit. They have some great trails and there were plenty of others on the trail at the same time even though it was very hot out. At one point I had walked too far for me and dearly wished there was a tank of oxygen at the lookout point. I was not alone in that thought. It is easy to get lost in the beauty and push your limits.

Another day, I went to Canyonlands National Park. The formations are a bit different than the Arches so don’t skip either. Both drives are fairly easy with lots of turnouts and picnic spots. Again, take plenty of water. One thing I noticed about both parks was the accents of the visitors. There was a little French, a little Japanese, and a whole lot of German.

For more pics click here.

On to Kentucky to claim it on my state map. I drove through Nashville and on up to Cave City which is only 5 miles from Mammoth Cave National Park. I waited too long to book into the C2C rv park but happily found Singing Hills RV Park in the midst of bunches of tourist attractions. It is a Passport America park thus very inexpensive and the owners are wonderful and helpful. They understand that some of their sites are too short and happily let me park my large SUV in the small site next to mine. It is a very basic park with no pool or anything but none of that matters considering everything surrounding it. The wifi worked great. I would definitely stay here again when in the area.

I first drove back south to Bowling Green to see Lost River Cave by boat tour. I very much enjoyed the boat and ducking to slide the boat under the entrance. It was sooooo cool in the cave on a very hot day. Morgan’s Raiders used the cave to hide out during the Civil War and Jesse James may have also used it to hide out after a bank robbery. Locals have always used it to stay cool and party in it’s ballroom at the entrance. A walk along the paths outside past the blue holes and butterfly house is interesting. They even have some geocaches there and are kind enough to provide both information on geocaching and a Magellan Explorist 200 handheld gps device already programmed for the caches.  It was my first chance at using  a handheld since I use my car gps device for hunting normally. Maybe it’s a matter of familiarity but I still prefer my Garmin C330 car gps. I found 3 including a travel ingot/bug, a change purse, and a winner’s medal.

I ate at White Castle before heading back just to see what the big deal is with their hamburgers. The look of the bun and the small size did not appeal to me (Size matters, at least when it comes to hamburgers!) but the burger did taste very good. I still would not spend a whole night going through everything Harold and Kumar did to get one. Get a life!

Later in the week I went to Mammoth Cave National Park. Naturally, I got my park passport stamped. Good thing I am leaving this region since my passport is full for it. The park is so busy that I highly recommend getting tickets for cave tours over the internet in advance so you can get on a tour when you want. There are many tours to choose from for all different levels. I chose the shorter tours. I would love to have done the lantern and historic tours but 2 miles and more each was just too much for me. I did the Self-Discovery tour first which was very easy due to the wide paved paths. For the New Entrance tour, I had to hop their bus to the entrance. We descended down a series of scaffolds 260 feet. It was awesome! There were fewer stairs going up and not that bad since they were not all at once. We had 3 stops along the way through the cave for rest and ranger questions. We only saw a small amount of the cave when you consider it is over 367 miles long (explored that is, possibly 600 miles long), the longest cave in the world. On one of the tours you can see the remains of huts built for tuberculosis patients for a health experiment a doctor tried a long time ago and you can see candle writing on the ceiling where people including civil war soldiers signed their names and date. It was definitely worth the visit. Be advised they want to know exactly what is going in the cave to protect it so you may not bring in bags of any kind including backpacks, purses, or even camera bags.

I also geocached in the area. I found a virtual cache in the park which was the grave of Floyd Collins, famous cave explorer who died nearby in Sand Cave. I also found a nice fat ammo can along the road with great stuff. I traded out a shark’s tooth, a geocaching postcard from Wisconsin, dropped my travel ingot in, and took a new travel bug out to take back west for fun.

On the way home, I stopped at the Alpine Slide for a nice ski lift ride up the mountain and a slide down as I had done in South Dakota. It’s fast and fun. You control the speed.

Other things to do here are Dinosaur World, horseback riding, GunMountain theme park with can-can dancers and gunfights, other caves, Kentucky Down Under australian theme park, Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace, Beech Bend amusement park, and more. Fort Knox is north about 50-60 miles. Kentucky Downs is around 50 miles down by the Kentucky-Tennessse border at exit 2 off the I65.

For more pics click here.

On up the 59 through Alabama lies the next destination, Pigeon Forge, TN. One thing I can tell you, I have not been on such a lousy main road since I was on the I90 through Minnesota. Ick! It shook my nerves and rattled my soul. I couldn’t wait to get to the I75. It was a long hard drive. I should have calculated the time better and broken it up into 2 parts. The closure of I40 through Knoxville TN didn’t help any. We stopped at the rest area/welcome center just across the border for food, restroom visit, and quick snooze. The dang cat was pushing for a stop as much as I was.

Finding the Eagle’s Nest Campground on Wears Valley Rd. sure wasn’t hard. Lots of campgrounds along it. This one is Passport America with no restrictions, good level well-defined sites, great free wifi, and free cable TV. The laundry room is a bit expensive at $1.75 per wash load and taking out the trash requires a car but the rest is good and it has a trolley stop right out front. Definitely a good place to stay again.

Oh my God! I have stumbled into another Myrtle Beach with bunches of dinner shows to decide between, wonderful restaurants, a gazillion fun tourist traps, Dollywood, Smoky Mountains National Park, fascinating stores, and on and on. Oh my God! Way too many decisions to make while I’m here. I will definitely have to come back when I have more time.

I had planned to hit Dollywood first thing on my day off but of course they had to be closed that day. Switch to plan B. I took a drive through the town to get acquainted, located the trolley station at Patriot Park since I will likely go to Dollywood by trolley, then got sucked in by Lid’l Dollys gigantic quilt and little girl’s dress store. I had to get beautiful and ridiculously frilly southern belle dresses for my granddaughters, a quilt for the daughter-in-law,  and my youngest son will be glad to know I now have another blanket/quilt on board for the times he joins me for some fun.

Off for more exploring, I headed out through Gatlinburg to see what the big deal was. It rather reminded me of Lake Placid with cute little shops everywhere, some more tourist traps, narrow busy main street. With my wallet firmly tucked in my purse, I just drove through to the Smoky Mountains National Park. Stop at the Welcome Center before going in too far to check out all the choices you have. Again, too many. I opted for a short interesting hike to a waterfall close to the welcome center. If you can hike a mile or more, they have numerous other waterfalls in the park to hike to.

I decided on the Cades Cove motor route instead to see the remaining homes of the mountain folk that were built in the 1800s. It’s on an 11 mile single lane loop. The drive through the park was stunning as I followed the river most of the way through lush vegetation. I came across another waterfall and watched canoeists navigating the fast river waters. They were definitely not beginners. Eventually, the narrow walls spread and a gorgeous valley with deep meadows appeared. It was so lovely and suitable for sustaining life that I could see why people would come there to such a remote place. Many came after the Civil War, I suppose to get as far away from it as possible. This would be a good place to find one’s soul again.

They didn’t need much money since most were very self-sufficient and one could always sell excess chicken eggs, etc. This was a community of the old times with 3 churches that everyone attended and neighbor helping neighbor. I’m told the highest population was around 658 at one time. A walk through the cemeteries shows some tombstones with recent 199x to 200x dates on them which I assume are descendants who choose to be buried there with their kin. I saw members of the Sparks family buried in both the Baptist and Methodist cemeteries. I guess with so few mates to choose from, some things can be overlooked and lived with. The Baptist church closed without a word during the Civil War. It reopened after and they explained, most of the Baptists were of the northern persuasion and were far outnumbered by those that tended to lean more southern in there beliefs. They thought it best to keep a low profile until the war was over. Smart people. I also saw lots of deer and black bears including a mother and her cubs.

I got to do a major league bucket list thing while here. I went to Wahoo Ziplines here to view the Smoky Mountains while gliding through, under, and over the trees on metal cables in a harness. Wahoo! I was surprised how many older couples were doing it. It isn’t cheap or for the faint of heart or those afraid of heights. They provide the equipment, 2 guides, transportation to and from the start and end, and bottles of ice cold water half way through. They were a little trepidacious and awed about a handicapped person doing this but I assured them I could handle the very short walks up steep hills with my cane, brace,  and a head start. The start was a bit slow with no one readily volunteering to be first, but once we got past the first zip line everyone was fine. They showed us how to brake on the line by pulling our padded glove hand down on the cable. That will also keep you from spinning. I must say I did that very well. However, it is hard on the arms. After the first zip line, most of us threw caution to the wind and just leaped off the platforms and dangled holding on to the strap rather than braking. On one of the lines, the guide threw in some added fun by bouncing the line on us as we slid down it. Not a good idea to do with anyone with back problems. It hurt but I was laughing anyway. He also decided to widen my horizons by getting me to let go and lay back to fly like an angel.

For Dollywood, the best way to get there is to park in the trolley lot in Pigeon Forge by the old mill and take the trolley to it. The trolley is only 50 cents each way compared to $8 to park at Dollywood. Dollywood has lockers for $1 if you want to take extra jackets, towels, etc. I highly recommend taking the bare minimum which should include plastic baggies for your wallet, cell phone, keys, etc.  The best way to dress is in a Tshirt, shorts, and sandals. You will get wet there or should I say soaked.

I bought a one day ticket then later upped it to a season pass for only $34 more when I saw how much there is to do there and how much fun the place is. I did manage to get there twice in my time there and hope to go back again.

I found a couple buffets reasonably priced and many other food vendors with great food. There are a lot of stores and artisans there with lots of variety in their wares. Half the fun is just browsing. There are many truly excellent shows there. I loved Sha-Kon-O-Hey and would have paid the park admission price for that show alone. The music, cast, and special effects are wonderful. It’s a must see. I also enjoyed the Crossroads and Dreamland Drive-In shows as well as the street singers. The magician was very funny and it was amazing seeing his head shrink like a balloon. I got to see Dolly’s cousins and uncles Bill and Louis perform as well.

All the roller coasters there of, which there are many, go upside down at some point and are pretty fast. If that is your thing, you will love it. Everything else involves water, lots of it. I hit all of those from the flume ride, to the whitewater rafting, to the Slidewinder which is like a bobsled but on water instead of ice. The River Battle was a blast! It consists of boats with 4 positions on each side, all armed with water canons. Along the river are additional water cannons for spectators to join in. You float though the river on a track and attack adjacent boats as well as spectators who tend to attack right back. It is rip roaring family fun soaking complete strangers and loved ones. Just next to it but out of order that day is a large booth you squeeze the whole family into and for $3 it blow dries you all.

Another good ride seats everyone in a circle around a giant log. The circle spins up high on the log then the log tilts in various directions. What makes it fun is that sometimes it tilts some of the poor suckers into the fountain below it getting them very wet. LOL Don’t miss the ride where again you sit on a circle around a static log and have to pull yourselves up the log with a rope. Let go of the rope and you gently glide back to the bottom to start again.

Tour Dolly’s tour bus that she just replaced and her museum at Dollywood. They also have a replica of her childhood home/cabin which still stands today.

Dolly Parton was actually in Pigeon Forge while I was there. She appeared in the parade and at a concert. The parade was very good and long. Folks setup their chairs in good spots along the route early then went off for food or shopping until it was time. The hotel balconies were full. I took my duck bill and quacked everyone in the parade again including Dolly. They got a kick out of it and some of the folks around me started calling me AFLAC and yelling “get ‘em AFLAC, get ‘em!”. He he you just can’t take me anywhere.

Since I had 2 weeks there, I managed to get in some geocaching. I didn’t do the shows this time since I was seeing shows at Dollywood and plan to come back. I hear the Smith Family show is the best. I did hit up TGI Fridays and the Wood Grill buffet. I can highly recommend both of them.

For lots more pics click here.

The idea of camping in a theme park attracted me to Childersburg, AL and Desoto Caverns not to mention it is very close to Talladega International Speedway. I’m not a huge racing fan but do appreciate the sport. I purposely came right after a big race. I’m not inclined to pay $70 to sit in the hot sun all day watching cars go round and round but I did want to see what the track is like up close and the International Motor Sports Museum.

The RV park at Desoto Caverns is right up against the theme park. They had assigned me a spot against the fence of one of the attractions but I quickly told them that would not do as I need to sleep during the day which would be impossible with all the noise of the kids. I had already driven through the park and knew where the open spaces were. Luckily, one farthest away and in a location with access to the southern sky for my satellite dish was available. It was level, angled, and easy to slip into by myself. They do have some nice pull thrus as well. They provide full utilities and most spots are level. Being Passport America, the price was right. I enjoyed staying there and the location is excellent.

The theme park was interesting though expensive for what it is. During the week many schools go there. Weekends is for families. It is fun watching the people mice running through the maze from the tower. Walking the wall, the maze, water balloon battle, archery, and the ship to ship nerf ball cannons were popular. The cave crawl looked interesting though I would not want to be trapped in the box with others as some did. My favorite was racing potties and bathtubs. I kid you not. They have motorized battery driven toilets and bathtubs with a whole lot of pep to race around a track.

The cavern tour was pretty good and informative. Indians used to live in the caverns and buried their dead in them. When they found a passing peddler had been staying overnight in their cave and had carved his name on a sacred rock, they waited for him to return that evening, killed him, and left his body in front of the rock as a warning to others. At one time the cave was used by confederate soldiers to mine gunpowder. Of course they had to test the powder so they shot up the cavern and killed many stalagtites and stalagmites. Men! Later the cave was used for  a speak easy and still during prohibition. It only lasted about 6-8 weeks due to the fact so many drunken fights broke out and shots fired that it attracted the attention of law enforcement and was shut down. It was known as the Bloody Bucket. Today it is used for tours with a laser light show. It has a beautiful main room and a waterfall. What is really cool is groups can stay overnight in the caverns. They provide a dvd player and screen for entertainment. They provide hotdogs cooked over a campfire at the pavilion outside for them. Guests must supply the pillows and sleeping bags. It seems to be a popular activity.

I went over to Talladega Speedway to tour the Motorsports Museum and track. It was right after a big weekend race so I got to see all the makeshift campgrounds around it and more portable potties than I have ever seen in my life. A few campers were still there and one Tshirt vendor.

The museum was fascinating. I got to see lots of great winning cars and a few that hit the wall instead. I saw Shirley Muldowney’s jacket and the record setting rocket car. They have a tribute to Dale Earnhart in his own section. I learned all about early racing when they raced on beaches, the legends like Barney Oldfield, women in racing like the queen herself Louise Smith who got started out running the local cops. Snicker. They threw in some soap box derby racers where many started out. There was a salute to the wives of racing who were together so much at races that they formed an official group and raised money for charities. The world’s fastest racing boat was there.

I got to sit in a race car. They are rather barren inside since only one person needs to sit in them, well reinforced with roll bars, have switches like you might see in a jet, some have fire extinguishers by the driver’s seat, and the seat is a deep bucket on the floor with wings to hold them in and protect them. The cars come in all different shapes depending on the type of racing they are used for.

Later, I took a tour of the speedway by bus. We saw the infield where you can boondock during the race for $150 per night minimum. The drivers have their own camping section with utilities and a playground for their kids. There are numerous snack bars, bathrooms, a clubhouse, and a medical facility there. During the race, anyone can get free minor medical care there and they have a helicopter standing by as needed for emergencies. They have regular garages for each team. We got to see the finish line and stand in Victory Lane. Very cool stuff. The track turns are scary because they are sooooo steep. You need some speed there or you will slide down to the bottom.

I got in a little geocaching while there. One was planted at a Methodist church that was the beginning of two local well known colleges. Another was at a local emergency service building and was hidden under a piece of the sort of cloth rangers use to camoflauge themselves in the jungle.

Desoto Caverns pics.
Talladega pics.

With a 6 hour or more drive to my next stop, I needed to stay somewhere for one night to break the drive up. 6 hours is just too long when towing a trailer. I was planning on staying way down upon the Suwanee River but checked on it the night before and found both state parks were flooded and closed. After a little scrambling, I found a cheap Passport America park in White Springs, FL just off the I75 and I10 interchange. Lee’s Country Campground is a great place to layover. It’s quiet and peaceful with grassy open pull thru sites, a big screen TV available in the office area 24 hours, decent showers, and rocking chairs to enjoy the evening air. The sites are not level so be prepared for that.

We had a thunder and lightening storm that night with tornado warnings in other nearby counties so I was very glad to be off the road.

The weather, as predicted, got pretty bad on departure day and was even worse where I was heading so I decided to take a week out nearby to go say hey to my friends in Bushnell again and also check out Breezy Oaks which is next door to the Escapees park I usually stay at. I found it odd that it is so popular that it is always full every winter since it is right next to I75 which means lots of noise and there is more to do in the Escapees park. However, the monthly rate and daily Passport America rate do make it much cheaper to stay at. It also has pretty good Verizon aircard signal and wifi is available. The pool is heated, large and very very nice. Every night someone is playing cards in the clubhouse. I hear they have lots going on during the season which seemed to end around April 1st when all the snowbirds started winging their way home again. The great migration back north actually seems to start the last week of March but the biggest group leaves the next week and the parks suddenly become empty.

I stopped in next door at my favorite Escapees park a couple nights. I put most of a puzzle together one night. They invited me over for Easter dinner. I also got an invite from the folks at Breezy Oaks. It’s nice to be wanted.   I was tempted to go for the Breezy Oaks dinner where I knew someone was bringing KFC cole slaw but in the end chose the Escapees at Sumter Oaks and was not disappointed. They had shrimp platter and deviled egg appetizers, ham, chicken, my baked beans, green bean casserole, salads, potatoes, and lots of cheese cake. Woohoo!

I got some great tips from fellow RVers there. One in particular to pass on is http://rvdirections.com which has tons of GPS waypoints and info for RVers that can be loaded into both a Garmin GPS device and computer programs “Streets and Trips” and “Street Atlas”. It is a wonderful source of waypoints for the discount camping club parks like Passport America, Coast to Coast, Good Sam, Escapees, etc. It also has rest areas, dumps, walmarts, super walmarts, etc. The info that comes with each waypoint can be invaluable with prices, descriptions, ratings, etc.

Another good tip if you are in the area is you can fill your propane tank for $15 flat fee at a propane place just up the road from Walmart on the left side. Much cheaper than at the RV parks. They are open M-F.