Way down upon the Suwannee River....

Suwannee River State Park, formally opened in 1951, lies just north of Live Oak FL at the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers. I stayed here for several days; nice park with full hookups.

The park occupies an area that once held the town of Columbus, established in 1841. With a population of about 500 people at its height it was served by a stagecoach line which connected Pensacola to Jacksonville, paddlewheel steamboats that plied the Suwannee from 1835 to 1901 and a rail line which spanned the river. No remains of the town exist today except for a cemetery, the old Stage Coach Road (now a park service road) and an earthworks fort constructed by the Confederate Army during the civil war.

The earthworks were built to fortify the town against an attack by Union forces who wanted to capture or destroy the rail bridge. This major link between east and west Florida was used to supply Confederate troops. In 1864 General T. Seymore marched west from Jacksonville with 5400 men, planning to capture the bridge. They were surprised by Confederate forces which had traveled east over the very bridge they wanted to capture and were defeated at the battle of Olustee on February 20^th 1864, just 50 miles east of Columbus. The bridge remained in Southern hands for the remainder of the war.

Columbus Cemetery, established in 1860 and one of the states oldest, consists of 23 graves; the oldest marked 1862 and the latest 1974. It lies within the park on The Sand Hill Trail which also crosses the old Stage Coach Road.

On the Earthworks Trail a raised wooden walkway crosses over the earthworks constructed by the Confederate Army. This dish shaped depression is surrounded by earthen mounds on which a wooden fort was built.

Balanced Rock Trail is so named because of a 20 foot tall, limestone formation which appears to be floating on the river when water levels are high enough.

Little Gem Spring, which bubbles into the river, is located along the Suwannee River Trail. Tough to tell the scale of this by the photo, but the tree near the top of the photo is several feet in diameter.

Here are a few more pictures for you to enjoy.

Hope this update finds everyone happy and healthy!

Louisiana to Florida

Thought I would post an update on my whereabouts and goings on.

 

I was at Natalbany Creek Campground in Amite Louisiana (pronounced A’-MEET or A’-MATE or AH-MEET’ depending on which radio ad your listening to) until December 30^th. Hopped the Amtrak’s City of New Orleans twice to visit friends and family in Chicago; once to spend Thanksgiving and again for Christmas. Luckily Ronna was able to accommodate me for several days at a time. Have to say that train travel is quite nice with a sleepette. But I also found out that the tracks don’t just rock you to sleep, they also jar you awake.

 

During my trips to Chicago I had the chance to spend some quality time with Ronna, dine with my close friends on great Giordano’s pizza and visit Milwaukee to see an exhibit of paintings by Thomas Sully at the Milwaukee Art Museum with my friend Bonnee. I  had wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with family at my sister’s, as well as with Ronna at her brothers. Before departing for the final trip back south I joined my friend Donna for a dinner of boar, venison and duck sausage, followed with apple strudel for desert at Berghoff’s in downtown Chicago.

 

Was supposed to go to Branson Missouri for a truck camper rally when I returned from Chicago after Thanksgiving but Mother Nature intervened. A winter storm hit the area; ice, snow and single digit temps. I had been watching the forecasts and decided to stay holed up in Louisiana instead of taking chances on slick roads. It would have been a 10 hour drive in good weather and even if I made it in there was no guarantee of when I would be able get back out. Trying to outrun storms when you have the option of staying in safe harbor is the wiser choice; just ask any sailor.

 

I had the chance to visit Camp Moore in Tangipahoa Louisiana; a Confederate Army training camp during the Civil War. It lies beside a rail line, a rail line that once brought fresh recruits to the camp and now carries the Amtrak City of New Orleans. There is small museum located on the second story of the volunteer caretaker’s building but it was closed on the day of my visit. However the grounds were open and pamphlets were available to guide me along the short, 5 stop walking tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The camp opened in May of 1861 and an estimated 25,000 Louisiana troops were trained here before it was overrun by Federal troops in October and November of 1864. Five thousand to eight thousand troops were training at the came at any given time and in late 1861 and early 1862 an outbreak of measles took the lives of about 800 soldiers. Many of those who died were buried in a cemetery located in the camp.

 

No trace of Camp Moore’s training facility remains today. It was completely destroyed by Federal forces and reclaimed by nature after the war, returning to its forested state. Around the turn of the century Confederate veterans reclaimed and restored the cemetery and the parade grounds. Annual reenactments are held at the camp on the weekend before Thanksgiving and I got a quick glimpse of the tents and troops as my train whizzed by.

 

Are Confederate soldiers remembered on Memorial Day and/or Veteran’s Day, I wondered? Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee. As far as being considered veterans, Confederate soldiers received no federal veteran’s benefits until 1958, when Congress pardoned Confederate service members and extended benefits to service members and to single remaining survivors. You can draw your own conclusions to the answer of my question.

 

On December 30^th I left Louisiana, skipped through Mississippi, nicked Alabama and landed at Falling Waters State Park just outside Chipley Florida. This small, 24 campsite park is nestled on a Long Leaf Pine covered hill, 322 feet above sea level. A stream flowing from the hill plunges over a cliff and the water falls 73 feet into a 100 foot deep, 30 foot wide sinkhole and into an underground cavern; it’s the largest waterfall in Florida. Over the years two industries operated near the waterfall. During the Civil War there was a gristmill and in 1891 a legal whiskey distillery. But there is no trace of either to be found today.

 

The park is also home to one of the first oil wells in Florida. In 1919 a tall wooden derrick and steam driven rig was used to drill for oil. The final drill depth was almost 5,000 feet but no oil of commercial quality was ever found and the well as capped in 1921. Behind the capped well are the remains of a sludge pit where all the bi-products of the drilling process were dumped. A trench was dug to carry the pit contents to the stream that feeds the waterfall; doesn’t sound very “green” to me.

 

Due to Florida’s Karst Topography, caverns and sinkholes are common and the park has several within its boundaries. Sinkholes are formed when rain passes through the atmosphere and picks up carbon dioxide forming carbonic acid. This slightly acid rain may pass through the topsoil and erodes the limestone below causing the roofs of underground caverns to collapse. They are a bit difficult to photograph but the wooden walkway in the upper part of the image gives some scale to the size of this one.

 

There is a small, 2 acre lake here. The lake was created by damming one of the streams in the park and provides fishing and swimming. The overflow is directed to a stream that feeds the waterfall.

 

 

 

Seeing this sign posted next to the beach made me wonder a bit about swimming here. I scoured the shoreline looking to photograph one of the reptiles but no luck.

 

Tomorrow I’ll be off to Suwannee River State Park near Live Oak Florida. Heavy rain is forecast for the morning hours but checkout isn’t till 1PM so I should be OK to go.

 

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Time to head south

Well it’s been some time since I posted an update here and I hardly know where to begin.

I did make it back to the mid-west before the big snows hit the Dakotas in late September. I hurried along, spending one night at Eagle Rest RV Park in Chadron Nebraska and one at Hagge County Park near Sac City Iowa. I can recommend both of these places as they have full hookups at very reasonable prices. Eagle Rest is right on US 20 so the highway noise is a bit more than at Hagge County Park which is several miles south of US 20. Both places are close to restaurants / shopping and while both offer shower facilities, only Eagle Rest offers laundry facilities.

I spent most of October at Paul Wolf Campground in Elgin Illinois, Kettle Moraine State Forest near Eagle Wisconsin and Rock Cut State Park near Rockford Illinois. While at Kettle Moraine my friend Donna took the Amtrak to Milwaukee where I picked her up. She enjoyed spending time in the woods, having grilled steaks for dinner and roasting marshmallows over the campfire.

I was also invited to go sailing on Lake Michigan. My friend Bonnee is a member of the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center and she organized a day sail on “Reliance”, a 30 foot C&C, with a crew of 5. I couldn’t very well pass that up as the end of the sailing season was very near. It was great to be on the water again and to meet new people. It was a cool but very sunny day with fair winds and we all enjoyed my last sail of the season.

 

Photos are compliments of Bonnee.

 

 

 

Toward the end of the month Ronna and I decided to take a short, 2 day trip to Wildlife Prairie Park near Hanna Illinois. We took the camper and spent the night at Jubilee College State Park which is also near Hanna City and only about 8 miles from Wildlife Prairie. Strange name for a state park until one looks further into it:

“Named Jubilee College in 1839 by its founder, Episcopal Bishop Philander Chase in expression of his thankfulness and joy, the college was one of the earliest educational enterprises in Illinois. Through a series of misfortunes climaxed by the Bishop's death, the college closed in 1862. In 1933 the college and grounds, consisting of 93 acres, were presented to the state of Illinois. Since that time, the Department of Natural Resources increased the acreage to 3,200. The college closed in 2008, however, the college building, placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, has been restored to its original appearance and is under the management of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.”

We made a quick stop at the old college campus on the way to the park but found the building closed due to the time of year. We are planning a trip back there next June when we can tour the building.

Wildlife Prairie Park is a great place to spend a day. Black bears, grey wolves, bison, cougars, bobcats and others are kept in a natural setting and provide some good photo opportunities. There is a gift shop, places to grab a snack and a small working farm as well.

http://www.wildlifeprairiestatepark.org/

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, if you’re ever in the area of Hanna City Illinois, don’t miss the chicken dinner at Gil’s Supper Club. Some of the best fried chicken and coleslaw I’ve had.

If you decide to visit the northwest corner of Illinois be sure to stop in Galena. Ronna and I chose to live it up a bit and spend 2 nights at Hawk Valley Retreat near there before I headed south for the winter. Hawk Valley is a quiet, beautiful place with wonderful hosts and delicious breakfasts.

http://hawkvalleyretreat.com/bandb/

Galena became a boomtown during the civil war because of the lead mines. The city is named for the mineral "galena", the natural form of lead sulfide and is known for its history, historical architecture, ski and golf resorts. It’s the home of Ulysses S. Grant and tours of his home, as well as other mansions, are available. Trolley tours of the town are very informative and a good way to get an overview. A wide variety of food and antique shops abound.

http://galena.org/

On November 9^th I left the great, soon to be white, north and headed for warmer climates. My first one night stop was at the Army Corps of Engineers Gun Creek Campground near Rend Lake IL and my second night was spent at the Army Corp of Engineers North Abutment Campground on Granada Lake in Mississippi. Both of these were very nice places to stay and, with my America the Beautiful Senior Pass, only $8 / $10 a night. I pulled into Natalbany Creek RV Park during the early afternoon of November 11^th and will be staying here for several weeks.

Have to say I’m pleased with this place; about 135 sites, all with full hookups and a monthly rate of 399.00 plus tax. Shower and laundry facilities are very clean and, because there are only about 20 rigs here at the moment, very quiet. The place is right outside the city of Amite (pronounced aim-it) Louisiana with a Walmart and a variety of restaurants only a few miles down the road.

http://www.natalbanycreekcampground.net/

 

My plan is to travel back to Chicago for Thanksgiving and Christmas before heading to Florida for the remainder of the winter. The Amtrak City of New Orleans stops in Hammond Louisiana, only 15 miles south of here, and will be a convenient way to travel back and forth for the holidays. The owners here at Natalbany have no problem with me leaving the rig while I head back north for the 2 visits.

During the first week of December there is a truck camper rally being held in Branson Missouri which I have already made reservations to attend.

Well, that’s about all for now. Hope this update finds everyone happy and healthy!

The Grand Tetons

Day 1:

 

It was a short, pleasant drive to Grand Teton National Park. The two parks are connected by the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Highway. The 24,000 acres along this stretch was transferred to the National Park Service in 1972 as a memorial of John D’s work in helping to establish the park.

 

I arrived at Flag Ranch Campground around 130 PM and checked in. Once the camper was set up I headed over across the road for some lunch at the lodge; you can’t beat a good bison burger on an onion roll. The waitress at the lodge was very helpful, bringing a map to the table and pointing out the highlights of the park.

 

Then I stopped at the visitor’s center to pick up some information only to find it closed for the season. But there were maps and the Teton News available in outside racks. Then it was off to the general store for some groceries. It was getting late so I decided to call it a day and get an earlier start in the morning after planning out my next day’s activities.

 

Tonight’s movie is Public Enemy (1931) with James Cagney and Jean Harlow.

 

Day 2:

 

Grand Teton National Park is 310,000 acres with one main road about 50 miles long that parallels the Teton Range. And it seems small after roaming the 2.2 million acres and 350 miles of road in Yellowstone. But the mountains are almost overwhelming. The highest peak in Yellowstone is Eagle Peak at 11,358 feet. The Teton Range has 6 mountains that top 12,000 feet with Grand Teton Mountain at 13.770. But unlike Glacier National Park, where one can literally drive on the sides of mountains, the Teton Range is accessible only by hiking in the park. Still, the views are awe inspiring and it’s difficult not to take repeated photos of them.

 

The day broke clear and cold, with pre-dawn temps in the upper 20’s. How do I know this? Because my propane tank emptied sometime during the night and the temp in the camper was down to 58 when I woke at 5:20 AM; no propane means no furnace and no furnace means no heat. Had to slip on something warm and switch tanks, glancing at the outside thermometer as I did. I got back in the sack and slept till 7:20 AM.

 

After looking over the map I decided to split the park in half. I would cover the south half today and the north half tomorrow. The weather warmed nicely into the 70’s and the sky was blue with puffy white clouds.

 

A bit south of the park’s southern entrance is a place originally called Grovont by the US Postal Service but now known as Mormon Row.  Settled in the 1890’s, this was once a thriving Mormon community consisting of 33 homesteads surrounded by a church and school, but only 6 structures remain. The others went into decay until the park service stepped in during the 1990‘s and are now helping to preserve them.

 

Then it was lunch at Dornan’s, just outside the south entrance of the park. A great place with a great view of the Teton Range whether you’re seated inside or out. The food is good with reasonable prices and the grocery store there is stocked extremely well. A nice selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, can goods and even a fresh meat counter.  

 

The waitress at the Flag Ranch Lodge had pointed out a place along the Snake River east of Gros Ventre Junction where I might spy a moose. So I took the drive and parked for a bit but no luck. The afternoon was getting on so I headed back for the park.

 

Right after you enter the south entrance there is a turnoff that leads to the Chapel of the Transfiguration. This log church was built in 1925 and still holds services on summer Sundays. They tell me there is a large picture window behind the alter with a view of the Teton Range (must be distracting to the congregation). But there was a wedding being held there today and I didn’t want to go in and disturb the services.

 

It was going to take me over an hour to drive back to the campground so I headed back, stopping along the way at Coulter Bay to pick myself up a souvenir. I have to say the mountain views along the way were most distracting, in a good way!

 

Tonight’s movie is Angles with Dirty Faces (1938) with James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart and The Dead End Kids.

 

 

 

Day 3:

 

A touch of rain last night but the cloud cover kept the temps in the 50’s.

 

Since this was my last day at Grand Teton Park I decided to hit a few of the scenic overlooks and turnouts and try some HDR landscape photos. I just haven’t had the fortitude to get up early and stay out late to photograph wildlife. Perhaps I did too much of that at Yellowstone?

 

I started out the cloudy day at Jenny Lake Overlook and ended at Oxbow Turnout. Luckily the weather improved as the day went on and I did manage a few decent shots.

 

 

 

Hung around Oxbow for a few extra hours hoping to see a moose as it’s about the only animal, along with wolves, that I haven’t photographed on this trip. But the clock was ticking and I couldn’t stay until the dusky witching hour. I had to get back to camp a bit early and start getting ready for my morning departure back to the flatlands.

 

And so ends my adventure of Glacier NP, Yellowstone NP and Grand Tetons NP. It’s been a wonderful 3 weeks in the mountains; one I’ll remember for a long time. But will also be good to get back to the Midwest to visit with friends and family.

 

Tonight’s movie is All Quiet on the Western Front (1979) with Richard Thomas.