2015 Trip - Stone Mountain, GA to Decatur, AL

Sat. 6/6… (Stone Mountain, GA)  This is our last day here.  We decided to go into downtown Atlanta and explore a bit.  Plans were to go to Coca~Cola, Underground Atlanta, CNN, Georgia Dome, etc. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast and then headed into the downtown area.  We found the Centennial Olympic Park easily enough and also found a parking structure ($10. all day) close to Coca~Cola. Now we were here 10 years ago and toured Coke but this was way different.  It used to be free but now you have to pay to tour Coke, CNN, and others.  We chose just to pay the $14.00 senior tickets to Coca~Cola.  Since it was Saturday we fought the crowds in every area.  You have to now go through a metal detector just to get into the building (remember the Centennial Park bombing?). You also do a lot of waiting in line to see the different exhibits.  We saw the Loft which is a collection of Coca~Cola advertising artifacts, then the Happiness Theatre, then you get ‘released into ‘The Hub’ and from here you can venture to the various attractions in whatever order you choose. We saw the vault of the secret formula, the bottling exhibit (actually just a small room with downsized machines and equipment), the milestones of refreshment, and then went to the 4D film (which was actually very good!).  We both had a chance to take a picture holding an official Olympic torch that was used in the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, before entering the tasting room where you can sample as much of the 64 different coke products as you choose. Then you get dumped out into the store.  All in alI, I wasn’t impressed very much. But they do have a lot to see.

Afterward, I took our purchases and free bottles of coke to the car while the rest headed off to find the entrance to Underground Atlanta.  It was just across Centennial Park, they said.  Yeah right!  Long story short – they rested in the park while I went back and got the car.  Since the coke tour took so long and it was getting late in the afternoon, we just headed back home so Janie could fix dinner and we could walk the dogs. They bbq’d strip steaks and zucchini and she had mashed potatoes, and Lydia fixed a rhubarb dump cake.  All of which tasted very good after our long day!  Afterward we walked a bit and then came home to relax and watch some TV.  Tomorrow we head out.

Sun. 6/7… (Hixson, TN)  Happy Birthday, LYDIA! The drive today was only 138 miles but since we had no idea what the Atlanta traffic would be like we left around 9:15 or so.  No issues (except a few wrong turns by Rick & Janie) and we got into camp and met up with Rick’s daughter, Kelli.  She had gone to the park and reserved one space but couldn’t get two so she phoned a friend (Brent) who came and got the second space.  If they wouldn’t have been here when they were we would not have gotten in.  You drive to a place and wait and then go to the campground entrance/ranger station and book a spot.  Rigs can park in a lot (w/no hookups) for the night just to wait to try for a space.  They got so lucky and we made sure to thank them for their efforts. They got us spots right on the lake!  We are here for three nights.  After getting settled in we sat out in the shade trees (almost with our feet in the water) and rested up a bit.  This afternoon was Bailey Day!  She quickly went for swim after swim.  We had her on the leash, then the 100’ rope, and then we let her loose!  She really enjoys the water and is an excellent swimmer and loves to retrieve her sticks! 

Afterward, Rick and Janie took Lydia (and me) out to dinner for her birthday. We went to Logan’s Roadhouse and it was very good.  Afterward, we stopped by Best Buy and Bed Bath and Beyond before returning back to walk the dogs and then went in to watch TV and relax for the night. I have been texting Eric who lives about 150 miles from here and wants to come visit us tomorrow.  We will wait for him and then set out for Lookout Mountain, Rock City, and Ruby Falls in the Chattanooga area.  


 Mon. 6/8… (Hixson, TN) Today Kelli and Michael had to work so we were on our own.  Our adopted son, Eric, came in (150 miles from Cullowhee, NC) to visit with us.  So all of us took off for Ruby Falls, which is probably 20 minutes from our campground.  We bought the tickets ($17.95 senior and 18.95 for Eric) and took the 1 ½ tour.  The elevator descended 260 feet into Lookout Mountain and then the tour guide directed us through the cave path where we saw rock formations that looked like candles, turtles, steak and eggs, and even a donkey’s rear end!  The path stops at Ruby Falls, which is a waterfall that comes down into a pool and runs off from there and then disappears into the rocks.  It comes out in the Tennessee River down the mountain. They have lighting in the pool which changes the colors from blue to white to red. We had been there when the boys were 16 and 13 and although it hadn’t changed it was still pretty cool.

 Afterward, we headed into old town Chattanooga to have lunch at Five Guys.  I like Five Guys so I really enjoyed the burger and fries. I think everyone did as well.

We returned back to the campground to rest and soon after, Michael (Kelli’s boyfriend) showed up with a BBQ smoker and a boatload of pork chops and corn.  His friend Brent arrived later with the charcoal and they got the grill going.  Kelli arrived after getting off work.  Although the skies literally opened up on us in a downpour and we all piled into Rick & Janie’s rv, they managed to get the food done and we had a terrific meal! Eric spent the night so he didn’t have to drive home in the weather.       

Tues. 6/9… (Hixson, TN) Today’s plan was to go back into the city to see the Chattanooga Choo Choo.  Kelli is off work today.  Michael is working (he is a butcher at a local grocery store).  Brent is a long haul trucker so he came over early with Kelli and got the smoker going. They are cooking eleven pounds of ribeye for us for dinner tonight.  Eric decided to stay so he so he is hanging around the campground with us. He wants to add to the dinner tonight by making ‘not yo mama’s nana puddin’. Kelli went home to run some errands and maybe pick up Michael who was getting off early. We hung around the campground waiting for Kelli.  Eric went to get stuff from the store for his dessert then the girls took off for their stuff to add.  Meanwhile Bailey spent the day swimming and chasing ducks.  She was in and out of the water twenty times!  Boy, she had fun! Later, only the four of us (Rick & Janie, and Lydia and I) went into town.  We found the train and took a few pictures and went into a few shops.  It was ok. Parking was free and no admission.

Back at camp, Michael and Kelli arrived and the meal got assembled.  Wow, what a feast!  The best bbq we have had on this trip!  Don’t ask how much we all ate…. 

 

Later in the evening Lydia and I had decided to take off for a drive.  We wanted to go by her aunt and uncle’s place up in Birchwood, which was about a 45 minute drive.  We made the drive and found the place before dark but didn’t go visiting.  We got back a little after 10:00pm and watched a bit of TV with Eric and then turned in.  We leave tomorrow.    

Wed. 6/10… (Decatur, AL) This morning we said goodbye to Eric.  He wanted to get on the road early to get home before his visitors came in later today.  We had decided to leave about 9:00am.  We said our goodbyes to Michael, & Kelli who dropped in for one last bit of family time and then took off. We wanted this early start because Rick needed fuel plus we were heading to different campsites that neither took reservations so the earlier the better. They needed to go to Tiffin Mfg in Red Bay, AL for work on their motorhome.  They called ahead and were told they don’t make appointments so they have to arrive and get in line.  They also found out this morning that their campground for service work was full but come ahead.  We split off from them just outside of Decatur, AL. and they headed on west to Red Bay. We were headed to Point Mallard Campground, in Decatur, AL.  As I said, this park does not accept reservations so we were lucky to get a spot!  We are here for two nights, and then will move on to Tupelo, MS, which is past Red Bay.  We will be there for five nights so R&J have a total of seven days for their work.  They will report back to us later today with an update.  Meanwhile, we are on our own here in Decatur. Our plan is to do a thorough cleaning of the coach (inside and out) and catch up on some laundry. The last park did not have sewers but this one does so we can run the washer/dryer in the rig. Once that was done, we went into town to find a pizza parlor.  Bout time for a pizza pie!