2016 Trailer Pick Up Trip South

Trailer Pick Up Trip South – 2016

(Pat and Deb: Sept 16 – Oct 1)

(Pat and Keelan: – Sept 30 – Oct 10)

Friday, September 16, 2016 –

Radisson Hotel and Conference Center Calgary Airport

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG)

• Hurried earlier flight from Calgary – resulted in Pat losing his cell phone. (Three days to get back)

Quality Inn and Suites Erlanger, Ky

Hotel Shuttle past baggage claim and outside door 10. Runs every 30 min. Free Wifi, Free Breakfast

• Great service – but need to call for shuttle – waited 45 mins.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Pick up Xb from American Way Storage – Hebron, KY

• Walked over to Storage Yard to get Scion (15 min).

• Car would not start. Called for boost through Good Sam’s RV Road Assist. An hour delay – but then back to hotel to get luggage / breakfast and on the road.

Indianapolis KOA – Greenfield, IN – Notes: One room cabin

Monday, September 19, 2016

Mount Comfort RV – Greenfield, IN –

• Pick up Coachman Clipper Express Tent Trailer (2012).  So light and easy towing – don’t even feel it behind the Scion.

• Back via iconic village of Rabbit Hash, Ky. (limited space to turn around with trailer!!!)

Big Bone Lick State Park –

• Camping in new trailer (no problems with set up – but one part of awning zipper not working)

 

 Tuesday, September 20, 2016

• Pat up next morning and back into Cincinnati airport to get cell phone. Early morning dew – which meant the trailer was soaked and needed time in sun to dry out.

Late pack-up and drive on to Bardstown, KY

My Old Kentucky Home State Park – Campground

• Wander around Bardstown for the evening.

Mammy’s Kitchen – instead of our usual Talbot Inn

• Great discover of Old 502 Winery’s “Bourbon Barrel Red”. So much so we bought the local liquor store out of their supply.

• Played scrabble outside on the table at night. Had to fight with the local campground cat that wanted to share / sleep in our tent trailer.

• Put both mattresses on one side – oh so luxurious.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

• To Pat’s Place fro Breakfast

• Travel via Woodland Trace to Cabin at Cadiz.

  Stops at Moss Creek Day Use (beach) and Hematite Lake for a hike and picnic

Thursday, September 22, 2016

• Clean up day at cabin. Organized and sorted camping gear and did inventory.

• Fixed crawlspace panel and squirrels egress into cabin

• It is tobacco season – tobacco wagons on the highway. (Note – snakes are bad this year and there are reports of a number of tobacco workers getting bit during the harvest).

• Deb even managed to get a great selection of sale cloths – at the local Dollar General.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Cadiz to Meriweather Lewis Campground on the Nachez Trace via Nashville

Nashville Parthenon at Centennial Park (built in 1897 for Nashville Centennial)

 

Stop and walks at Shady Grove and Jackson Falls

   

Saturday, September 24, 2016

T. O. Fuller State Park in Memphis, TN

• Great campground – close in to Memphis –

• Into Beale Street – with Supper at Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous Ribs. Evening walking Beale street. Finishing up at Silky O’Sullivan’s Bar – listening to Duelling Piano’s and meeting up with a couple from Union KY, who offered Pat a bail out point on his retirement river trip in 2019.

• Made arrangements with the doorman at King’s Palace – to be there for gumbo the next morning.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

• Pack-up from Campground and made our way into Bass Pro Pyramid

• On to King’s for opening and getting thoroughly stuffed on Cajun sampler and gumbo.

• Made a stop by the 13 unknown confederate graves on the Natchez trace – and unfortunately witnessed the political correctness to the flags placed on the graves

• Tried once again, unsuccessfully to see Dismal Canyon. Closing as we arrived.

Wonderful Sliprock Campground part of Bear Creek Lakes recreational area (http://www.bearcreeklakes.com/) near Russellville, AL.

 

Monday, September 26, 2016

East to Cathedral Caverns. Campground

• Campground a bit rustic looking – but more than adequate. Quickly set up before the rain and then up to the caverns for our tour. Small group of 6 people on the tour – so got a great chance to look around and take pictures.

• Went to Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, AL, before supper. Deb picked up another couple of things – plus another suitcase to pack all of her purchases home (no longer room in her carry-on)

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

• Travelled into Chattanooga. Set up for two nights at Raccoon Mountain campground. Expensive but convenient.

• Downtown to Ross Landing Park – Hunter Museum of Modern Art and Tennessee Aquarium .

• Then up to Rock City – something that we had chose to forego in our other times in Chattanooga. Well worth the stop on a beautiful day.

• Over to Sugar’s Ribs for a supper on their balcony (and enough left overs to sustain us for another couple of meals). Drove up to Lookout Mountain to watch the sun set over the hills.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

• Today was set aside for a circle tour of the Appalachians and Smoky Mountains.

• Started off with a slow tour (due to all the traffic) through Cades Cove. Wonderful area if you could go to at a time when it was not so busy.

  Briefly into Gatlinburg, for gas / shop before going up the pass to Clingmans Dome and a hike to the top … Pat’s knee slowed him down a bit- but only enough for Deb to have lunch set up (left over ribs and coleslaw).

• Down the other side of the pass through Cherokee, NC and then proceeded along Fontana Lake until reaching I75 and then south into Chattanooga (long after dark).

Thursday, September 29, 2016

• Packed up this morning before the rain – and headed south to Atlanta.

Stone Mountain Family Campground Sept 29 – Oct 2

• Set up Camp and did a couple of walks in Stone Mountain Park – beautiful area with lots to do and see.

• Were told by people at the campground – that traffic was a often a problem and therefore we should allow at least an extra hour to drive to the airport in case there was grid lock.

 

  Friday, September 30, 2016

Keelan – Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) arrives10:30 AM (EDT).

• Picked Keelan up at the airport and drove to

Old Car City USA, White, GA. Note: $25 for taking pictures, 4000+ cars

• Wonderful time, spent 3 1/2 hrs and took lots of pictures. Very unique environment.

• Need to also see the Styrofoam cup artwork in the upstairs gallery.

• Headed East – stopped by Chon Ngern Thai Restaurant in Canton, GA for supper – wonderful

• Into Stone Mountain in time for a short shopping trip and to give Keelan an overview of the park

 

  Saturday, October 1, 2016

Up at 4:00 AM to drive Deb to the airport to fly back to home

Football Game – Georgia Tech vs. U of Miami Hurricanes, Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA Lower Sideline 123, Row 8, Seats 12-13

Laser Light show at Stone Mountain

Wonderful light show – albeit a bit over the top in patriotism

The amused look on Keelan face is his reaction to the annual construction of the ski hill at Stone Mountain.

 

  Sunday, October 2, 2016

Atlanta, GA to Cadiz, KY

• Decided to make a run to the cabin at Cadiz and drop off the trailer – and grab tent so we could be free to go wherever we wanted prior to getting car back to Cincinnati.

• Made it in time to put the trailer into storage, before dark and decided to reward ourselves with a motel room, shower, etc.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Cadiz day –

Had a multitude of things to do in Cadiz – and given how the town usually works figured it would take most of day. Licence and insure trailer, pay property tax, oil change on Scion, set up auto-deposit / withdrawal at bank, etc.

Ended up being done at 10:30 in the morning so decided to head east – route planning as we go.

Stopped into a visitor centre on I-40 outside of Cookesville (post Olive Garden meal) and found a brochure for the Cherohaha Skyway – one of the top 10 motorcycle rides. Decided to give it a try in the old Scion.

• Great drive – Keelan had a big smile on his face driving the windy roads – was just disappointed he did not have his car.

  

  Ended up coming off the Skyway around dark at Robbinsvile, NC and decided to get a motel rather than try and set up an unfamiliar tent in the dark. Found a great little place – Phillips   Motel – where the Scion looked out of place among all the motorcycles and sports cars.

 

 

  Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Driving with no particular destination in mind

• Back road into Cherokee – with a buffet breakfast stop at the “Little Princess”

• West into Smoky National Park – with a stop and walk around Mingus Turbine mill (1886)

• Into Gatlinburg and the Hollywood Show Car Museum. Great exhibit – but the town was really crowded – and Keelan wanted to leave as soon as we were done.

• North to Newport and a quick private tour of Popcorn Sutton Moonshine distillery.

  To Chimney Rock and stopped at Geneva Riverside Lodging and Tiki Bar & Grill – interesting 1960’s period motel. Grill was great (2 bugers and fries / 2 beers and coke for under $20.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Hiked Chimney Rock State Park. Pat’s knee held up to the top – but Keelan did the additional ridge walk on his own.

• On to Hendrick’s Motor Sports – outside of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Toured the Race Shop and garages.

• With the Hurricane coming in to the eastern seaboard – decide to forgo our Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes pre-season tickets due to coast families coming in-land for places to stay and headed back west.

  Overnight at Flintlock Campground just outside of Boone NC.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

• Sunrise Grill for breakfast – Southern Bennie – wonderful.

• From Boone through Mountain City to Bristol TN – on “the Snake” another of the top 10 motorcycle roads.

  Stopped at the summit – where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road – and did a short hour walk on the trail.

  On to Natural Tunnel State Park in Virginia – and hiked the area for an hour or so.

  On to Cumberland Gap National Park – and through tunnel and three states for supper before going back and setting up camp.

 

Friday, October 7, 2016

Cumberland(s) Day

Started off with a hike to Skylight Caves in Cumberland Gap (partway along the trail – sign indicated that the caves were closed due to trying to prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome disease in bats.

Next – hiked around Pinnacle Outlook in Cumberland Gap

• Lunch at Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum in Corbin, KY

  Hiked around Cumberland Falls and its famous moonbow.

  On to Cumberland Lake State Park to campground

 

 Saturday, October 8, 2016

• Packed up car – and headed north to Erlanger

• Evidence all over of the upcoming election.  Predominately Trump signs in the areas we have been in – with the exception of Atlanta

• Picked up supplies to secure car – and treated ourselves to Golden Corral

• Checked into Quality Inn in Erlanger – and re-packed bags and car.

• Decided to store car this evening and then walk back to hotel – that way all we had to do was catch the shuttle bus to the airport in the morning.

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Air Canada Flight – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG) to Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Calgary International Airport (YYC)

• After a lazy start – spent a couple of hours in the Priority Lounge at the Cincinnati Airport – very nice

• Meal stop at Pearson Airport in Toronto – unfortunately Keelan got food poisoning – making it a long and uncomfortable night at the hotel in Calgary.  He was feeling bad enough that he allowed Dad to drive his precious B4 home.