​03.01.23 Wednesday
 
NOTHING was going to stop us from this first-of-the-season trip . . .  not even COVID!

​Two weeks ago, following a couple unseasonably warm and sunny days, we decided we just had to go somewhere! It had been 16 weeks since we parked the Silvermine in the driveway for the winter, and we were ready to plan a little 10-day, impromptu, getaway. A phone call was all it took for Tom to book us 10 days at Jekyll Island, GA.

​Bad karma rose up when we both came down with Covid in the days leading up to the trip. Being so anxious to go, we had already prepped the trailer and cleaned the house, so we were able to spend 3 days on the sofa with no appetite, body aches, headache, congestion . . . and all the other lovely perks that come with Covid. But, by departure morning (today) we were able to crawl in the car and head south. 

​We were pleasantly surprised by the fresh green tree buds, flowering Bartlett Pear trees, and 70-degree temperatures as we drove further south. We arrived at Yarbarry campground in Knoxville in pretty good shape at 4:30, backed in, set out two chairs, and began the 2023 camping season. Our camping spot on the lake was beautiful and perfect for quick overnight stop without even un-hitching!

03.02 Thursday
​
A big storm performed at midnight: wind, lightening, thunder and hard rain. By the time we got up at 7:00 it was all over, but the inside of the trailer felt unpleasantly damp. We fixed coffee and pulled out by 7:30 with a little over 500 miles to travel. 

​Atlanta lived up to its reputation with lots of . . . . traffic! The traffic was coupled with rain storms that kept popping up, and there was three hours of very slow progress! Then the weather cleared up, we moved out of the Atlanta traffic hub, and we sailed onto Jekyll Island at 5:00.

​We remember the layout of the island very well and drove to the far side of the island where the campground is at the far end. We were welcomed, checked in, and escorted to our site – which is pretty much in the center of all the rows and loops. 

​Tired, from a long drive and lingering effects of Covid, all we did was set up camp and eat a light supper. It suited us nicely that it got dark early under the canopy, and we retreated into the Silvermine for the evening. 

​March 3, Friday
We both lingered abed with the wonderful feeling that there was nothing we had to do today but enjoy being here! The weather was perfect, 82 and breezy, to sit outside, and we could feel ourselves getting stronger with each hour that went by. 

​March 4, Saturday
We woke to rain at 9:00 and that was good enough to send us back to sleep for an hour. At 10:00 the rain had stopped, and Tom started a delayed breakfast/brunch of pancakes and sausage.   

​By 11:30 we drove to the beach/picnic/pier area across the road from the campground. It was a wonderful 72 degrees with cloud cover, and we walked out on the beach to join many others in beach amusements: walking, playing in the sand, fishing, biking, and even horse-back riding. We walked for an hour, enjoying the perfect temperature and beach conditions.

​An afternoon excursion was to drive back across the Jekyll River and bridge to the mainland to search out the Shrimp market in the town of Brunswick. We bought one pound of jumbos and one t-bone. The purpose of the t-bone was to supplement our shrimp and let Pippa have a nice fresh bone chew. The shrimp was good – but not the best we have ever had. 

​The campsite has a decided infest of those tiny no-see-ums insects that make sitting out difficult sometimes. Tom’s solution is to turn our power fan/air-blower on and face it towards us – those little pests don’t stand a chance against a good, stiff, wind!

March 5, Sunday
​
We did a beautiful morning hike around Horton Pond on the Tupelo Trail.  In the middle of the pond is a small raft used as a sunning beach for turtles and alligator. At various lookouts on the trail we could see them sunning.

​We drove to the “downtown” district and shopped a few stores. This consists of high-end boutiques and souvenir and sundry shops under wide shaded walkways and a boardwalk that leads up the dunes and down to the ocean. We bought nothing.

​In the afternoon we drove to the historic district where large mansions were built along the Jekyll River by millionaire locals at the turn of the century. They have been kept in repair and it is beautiful to stroll along the river promenade trying to imagine what life was like "back then."

​March 6, Monday
We drove some of the back roads of the island today, viewing the residential neighborhoods and other sights off the main roads. We walked a nice driftwood beach down and back. There is a nice park with a walking history trail about the last black slave ship – the Wanderer. Pippa wasn’t feeling her best, and we didn’t do all of the trail.
 
In the late afternoon, when Pippa was feeling better, we walked the beach shoreline again adjacent to the State Park Campground. 

​Tuesday, March 7
Today we took a day trip to Savannah; only 1 ½ hours away. We drove down to the river front where we love all the little stores, cobble roads and old-time atmosphere. We ate lunch at Joe’s Crab shack, parading Pippa through the restaurant to the back outdoor patio, and we both had the fish and chips. Way too much food for us to eat!  
 
We drove around a different section of the downtown and parked to walk and view some of the wonderful Historical structures and the beautiful Forsyth Square. We were back at the campground by 4:00.

​Wednesday, March 8
The weather took dip to the low 60’s today, but was beautiful and sunny and a bit windy. We went back to the Historical District where we saw the Hotel/Clubhouse again and shopped some of the little gift stores on the grounds. 
 
The good news was that it was cool enough sitting out in the afternoon that the bugs were not a problem until about 4:00. We walked the path out of the campground and onto the main road where there was a wide walking/biking path. 
 
I met one of the camp workers, Kathy, and she saw me working on a pine needle basket. She made a sweet-grass basket several years ago, and has always wanted to work with pine needles. I had a small base and just enough needles (left over from my last basket) and plenty of cord, and got her started. She lives in Michigan, just a few miles from where we will be for the Region 4 Rally in Kalamazoo in May, and will hook up again, then.

SPOILER ALERT: I QUIT TAKING PICTURES!

​Thursday, March 9
Our last day on Jekyll. Kathy dropped by for more coiling tips and hints – she was having a great time working on her basket. We went for a walk along a beach, and were surprised by how high the tide was – not leaving much room to walk!
 
In the afternoon we tended to a few housekeeping chores in preparation of leaving in the morning. Tom emptied the tanks, blew out the water heat heater, and filled the pipes with the pink stuff. For evening supper we went to Tortuga Jack’s Baja Mexican restaurant. Although they have a nice outdoor patio, we had been bothered by no-see-ums all day and opted to eat inside. 

​Friday, March 10
With over 500 miles to drive today to Yarberry Campground in Knoxville, we were off at 8:00. We had a lot of rain for the first 5 hours and once again Atlanta traffic involved a total of 3 hours, really slowing us down. Once through Atlanta we had clear weather and even some sun. Meanwhile, Van Wert had a snow tempest move through not causing much trouble. 
 
Arriving at Yarbarry (534 miles) at 6:00 we settled into a long site backed up to the lake and didn’t bother to unhook. We took showers and fixed dinner and settled into books for the evening.

​Saturday, March 11
We were off by 7:30, hoping to be home by 3:00 with a sunshine and a clean driveway.  Mile by mile, signs of spring disappeared and we were stared the last few weeks of Ohio cold weather in the face. This little 10-day get-away will help us ease through when we can look forward to a 2023 camping season.  

There was one more unoffical trip in the Silvermine on November 14 -- Tom, driving solo, took it to the Pro-Pride  factory in Holly, MI for a hitch tune-up. He spent the night plugged into the side of the factory building, and in the morning they pulled it inside to give it the once-over. Finished at noon, Tom was home at 3:30!

At the end of every season, I total up some statistics for the year. It’s been a really good year!

 Tuesday, Nov 1
​
It was only 109 miles to Great Smoky Mountains and Elkmont Campground and Tom followed the twisty, narrow Little River Road from Townsend/the "Y" the 15 miles back to Elkmont. We staked our claim on Site C10 at 12:30. It is a beautiful corner site with a bathroom located conveniently close . . . no electricity, no showers, no water – true boondocking!

​It took a while to get settled in, but by 2:00 I was ready for a quick trip into Gatlinburg – just 7 miles away. We parked at our favorite outdoor store at the very end of town, shopped the store, and then walked the streets. This was the unbusiest (?) that I have ever seen the streets of Gatlinburg, and I assume this is because the last great celebration of fall colors is over. Half of the leaves are off the trees, and the ones that remain are not overly motivated with color. 

​We came back to the campground and Tom started a fire in our Biolite stove. Supper was left-over meatloaf sandwiches on grilled toast. It gets dark early in the deep woods, and we hustled to get Pippa on a final walk of the evening.

Wednesday, Nov 2

Today began with fried eggs, sausage and toast. By 10:00 we were off in the truck to drive the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. The turn-off to the trail is in Downtown Gatlinburg, and shortly turns into a one-way 8-mile trip back into Gatlinburg. It is a beautiful drive and has many celebrated hiking trail heads along the way. 

​Off of the motor trail we parked at the other end of Gatlinburg from yesterday. The Gatlinburg mall has a dog store that I love – but Pippa already had everything! We had an item to buy in the drugstore, and then just did a leisurely walk up one side of the street and down the other. As I have mentioned before, it is hard to get anywhere with Pippa in tow – she is like walking a little celebrity as she enthusiastically seeks out anyone that makes eye contact or a move in her direction. 

​We were back at the campsite by 2:30 for a nice afternoon of relaxing. We met the neighbors in a new Airstream Basecamp and had a fire in the Biolite. We had a pound of ground elk meat, and had brought all the fixings to make chili over the campfire in the Dutch Oven. We had not had lunch, and at 5:30 we were ready to eat.

​After that we did our usual walk around the campground, getting back just as it was getting dark. We both have lots of options for evening entertainment, although I do confess that we are completely tucked in by 8:00!

​Thursday, Nov 3
​
Eggs and hash were the prelude to what I call . . . The Grand Tour! Leaving at 9:30 we followed the winding, Little River Road from Elkmont Campground 15 miles to the “Y” and then into Townsend. We stopped for gas and then continued another 10 miles on TN-23 West where we jumped on the Foothills Parkway – the east extension which opened a few years ago. This beautiful road took us up, up, up with several senic overlooks, and then down, down, down, into Wears Valley. We followed TN-321 North and then 441 South through Pigeon Forge. We stopped at The Island/Margaritaville, and enjoyed an hour of shopping and strolling through the charming Marketplace . . . in 70-degree weather! Route 441 took us through the front door of Gatlinburg and out the back door and 7 miles later dropped us back at Elkmont Campground. It was a very grand tour!

​We loafed around the campground until 5:00, when we drove into Gatlinburg for dinner. We had always wanted to try the Jose Mexican restaurant with it’s authentic south-of-the-border décor. BUST! We sat down and ordered drinks and were served tasteless chips and watery salsa. We ordered our meal and it was served within 8 minutes, giving us a hint of what was ahead! Everything was luke-warm, my steak strips were very tough, and there was absolutely no flavor. We were done, paid the bill, and were out the door within 20 minutes of our arrival . . . NO WAY Jose!

​We walked a few little shopping areas of Gatlinburg that we had not yet hit, and then returned to our campsite as it was dark. 

​Friday, Nov 4
 
On an elevation near Elkmont, little known to most people, is a small community of a dozen cabins and cottages that were a hub of summer fun in the early 1900’s known as Daisy Town. They had fallen into disrepair over the years, and mostly forgotten and unknown except to the locals. The past 15 years has seen a slow recovery of the little homesteads, to the extent that the outsides and insides were nicely painted, new windows installed, porches shored up, and interior floors repaired as needed to accommodate a walk-through. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the Park service was hosting a celebration of newly upgraded Daisy Town this morning.

​Each little bungalow was staffed by volunteers dressed in appropriate period attire, describing details and history associated with the cabin. Although a few were roped off, most were open for a walk-through of the inside. Floorplans were a hodge-podge of rooms with doors leading into other rooms, followed by more doors and more rooms in a continuous circle. Most had a stone fireplace in the front room.  One little cabin even boasted a tiny servant cabin out back!
 

After walking both sides of the street, we drove by in the car and I made a little video.

​We were back at our campsite in time for a brunch of fried corn mush and bacon! This set the tone for early afternoon idleness at the campground . . . followed by showers and clean-up to go into Maryville to meet siblings (Beccie and Richard, and friends Paula and Steve) for dinner. We lingered over dinner and by the time we left at 7:30, it was completely dark. These mountain roads don’t scare my chauffer at all, and we enjoyed our 1-hour trip through the mountain cut and along the river road back to Elkmont.

Saturday, Nov 5
​
Game Day! The Buckeyes vs. Northwestern . . . at noon. We drove into Gatlinburg to check on the civilized world, and returned to the campsite for the kickoff. Tom was in luck that the Sirius Radio in the truck beamed in the BIG10 channel. At first he said it would be such an easy win that he didn’t need to listen --- turned out it was a nail-biter and needed constant attention! Strong winds and rain prevented the Buckeye’s passing game, but they were able to win by two touchdowns in the end.

​Slight rain showers moved through several times during the day – never lasting more than 15 minutes, and never really reaching under the tree canopy. We had our afternoon campfire and an evening dinner of BBQ ribs and wings, mac ‘n cheese, and sliced cucumber. After dinner we drove into Gatlinburg to see the lights, and returned for bed!

Sunday, Nov 6
​
Pancakes and sausage for breakfast – we weren’t quite sure of the time due to the time change. 
 

​We drove to Gatlinburg to check in with the world, and then turned around with the intent of driving up to Clingman’s Dome. Right away we could see that everyone else had the same destination in mind, and we turned to drive back to our campground. If ever there was a day to enjoy at Elkmont, this was it – 72 degrees!
 
I waffled back and forth about dinner – go into town, or cook at the campsite. Because we had been at the campsite all day long, we opted for a trip to town. We enjoyed another walk up and down the streets of Gatlinburg and as it got dark (at 5:30!) we walked to Bennet’s BBQ for dinner.

Monday, Nov 7

No trip to the Smokey’s would be complete without the traditional drive around Cades Cove loop road. We took the round-about route by getting on the little-known road at the back of Metcalf Bottoms picnic area which dropped us, 4 miles later, in Wears Valley. Route 321 took us into Townsend where Tom sat and got caught up on world news via the internet while I shopped one of my favorite tourist traps. At the “Y” we turned right to head to Cades Cove, but briefly detoured to the GSM Tremont Institute and a bit beyond. Finally, we reached the entrance to Cades Cove, pulled out our snack lunch, and proceeded around. Just in the previous days, the park service had completed a “burn” in large portions of the cove, and it was interesting to view the charred fields.  

​At the back end of the Cove, we jumped on the Forge Creek road hoping to take it to the Parson Branch Road and over the mountain to Chilhowee Lake. Parson Branch was closed . . . a bit early for the winter!
 
We backtracked to finish the loop road, and within 4 miles of the end, we ran into two bear jams! Traffic was stop and go, and it took almost an hour to finish the trip. The last bear was laying down eating walnuts under a tree that was just ¼ mile from the exit, and we could just make out his head and twitching ears!
 
By 3:00 we were back at the camper where we took showers, enjoyed a fire, and had a dinner of Cornish hens and wild rice!  It was pitch black at the campsite at 5:45!

​Tuesday, Nov 8
​
Today a momentous milestone was going to occur, and we could hardly wait to get on our way! We took our usual trip through Gatlinburg to check e-mails and messages, and then headed back past Sugarlands and up to Newfound Gap. We passed by the Chimney Rocks and the trailhead, and reached Newfound Gap with no signs of heavy traffic and no problem finding a parking spot. We then went on up to Clingman’s Dome for another stunning, clear view. Backtracking down the mountain to Sugarlands, we anticipated that our “momentous milestone” would happen just as we reached Elkmont Campground!

​Right at the entrance to Elkmont the speedometer on our 2018 GMC Sierra Denali Diesel truck turned 99,999 miles and we stopped for a picture. As we wound our way around the campground Tom took the longer loop, and we pulled into our campsite C10 just as our truck turned the 100,000 mile mark. Mind you – that has all been in just 4 years!

​We settled Pippa in the camper and then headed to Gatlinburg for lunch at our favorite Pancake Pantry. The line is always out the door with a long wait, but we counted on a lull in tourists on Tuesday, and we waited until noon to get in line. We made all the right moves, and the wait was only 15 minutes, and we had our choice of either breakfast or lunch.
 
Tom got a double order of crepes – raspberry and peach with cream cheese filling. I got a Polynesian ham/turkey/pineapple sandwich on toasted bread, served with a cup of onion soup and homemade chips. Lunch is always served with a crisp cucumber/onion concoction that is one of my favorites. We brought two of the crepes and the cucumber salad home for dinner.

​This was our last afternoon in the campsite – we would be heading home tomorrow. We enjoyed a last campfire and steaks on the grill. At 6:00 (in total darkness) we packed the outside equipment into the truck, and cleared the campsite in prep for a morning take-off. We layered up a little more tonight, as it was to dip down in the low 40’s tonight.

As usual, this Smoky Mt. Elkmont adventure completes our camping season. Past years we have shared this event with other NOVA members, but this year we were on our own. Even though the leaves were past perfection; the weather, the food, the campground, and just Tom, Pippa, and I made this year very special and memorable. 

​​Sunday, October 30
​
In no special hurry we posed for a picture with the Silvermine, and headed out of the driveway at 10:00. . . for our last planned trip of the season. We had reservations at our usual campsite #41 at East Fork State Park in Cincinnati, and plans to have dinner with Micah-- Is it even possible that we are celebrating Micah’s 42nd birthday?

It was a nice enough drive, but by the time we arrived at 2:00 rain was in the air. At 4:30 we drove the 12 miles to Micah’s house, and picked him up for a run down to the Hofbräuhaus House in Newport.  It was surprisingly busy on a Sunday evening, and a live band was set up playing some German favorites. The truth about the band: they sounded like a high school throw-together band . . . that had forgotten to practice! They were in full Halloween costume and  there was something really appealing about them,  and everyone enjoyed the um-pah music!  There was an active group for the Chicken Dance!

​Tom and Micah got the Grillhendl Roasted Chicken, and I got the Black Forest Ham sandwich on a pretzel bun, smothered with cheese sauce.  We, of course got pictures with the birthday boy, the band, and Micah with the waitress! 

​We had a great meal and extra time to visit with Micah as  a fresh batch was not quite ready!  We always enjoy Micah’s man-of-the-world presence and the great stories he tells us about his work and play. 
 
It was dark as we walked out of the restaurant, dropped Micah off, and returned to the campsite. We both had movies and books to last the rest of the evening. 

Monday, Oct 31

Unusual for us, we didn’t crawl out of bed until 8:45! We only had 225 miles to drive to our next destination – Indian Mountain in Jellico at the TN/KY border. The weather was a bit grey and mid-60’s and very nice for traveling. Today is Halloween, although it seems most trick-or-treating took place over the weekend. We did see a few remnants of decorations . . . such as this one at the truck stop!

​We reached our campground, 2 miles off I-75 at 2:15. A drive through the downtown of Jellico assured us that there was absolutely no reason to come back for a better look. The town was run down, very dirty, and only 20% of the stores were in operation. It was very sad.

​We have been to this campground before, and we had the same campsite – backed right up to the nice little pond with an expanded concrete pad. We were a little surprised that the leaves were well past their fall color, and about 60% are on the ground. We are wondering what the leaf-peeping situation will be at Elkmont!

The temperature crawled up to 68 and was very nice for sitting outside and reading. There were only a dozen campers, making for a very tranquil afternoon.  As the temperature dipped down, I snugged Pippa up in her jammies, and wrapped a blanket around her while she sat in her chair.

​At 5:30 we started working on supper –spaghetti squash, T-bone steak, and spiced apples! As it got dark at 7:00 we took a last loop around the park and surrendered to the cozy interior of the Silvermine.

Tomorrow we head for Elkmont and the Great Smokey Mts. National Park. There is no cell phone service and I feel no need to hustle around to write in my blog every day. We have made this trip once a year for many years, and I feel like it has all be covered previously!

Tuesday, Oct 25
​
We sacrificed 19 days to hang around home while we caught up on end-of-summer/fall “stuff.” This left time for a long-awaited day-trip to Jackson Center to tour the new Airstream factory and Heritage Museum.

​Here are a couple pictures from the internet – the architectural rendering from when the new factory was first announced, and an overhead view of the factory as it is now. This new 723,000-square-foot factory ($50 million worth!) will allow Airstream to double its production, and the attached Heritage Center showcases the last 90 years of Airstream manufacturing.

​Stepping inside the expansive factory everything is bright, open, and “streamlined” with lots of glass reflecting great views – just like the Airstreams they build! The entry has several open lounge areas where the tours gather, a snack area, and an impressive glass entrance into the working factory. 

​Pictures are not allowed in the factory, so I’ll briefly describe how an Airstream is built – we saw it all!
 
The 350-hour building process starts with adding holding tanks to the frame. An average of 1,200 square feet of aluminum is cut, bent and flexed into shapes that are riveted together by over 3,000 rivets and sealed. That entire structure is lifted up by its roof, swung into place and attached to the frame. Insulation is added and then the whole structure is bombarded by 10,000 gallons of water at hurricane force to check for leaks. All furniture and cabinetry is built on site, and must fit through the door to be installed. The unit goes through a quality control inspection, is cleaned and polished, and then rolled out the door and delivered to a dealer. 

With the tour over, we paid $3 to tour the Airstream Heritage Center, where over 90 years of Airstream history is brought to life. There are a dozen vintage Airstreams on display alongside in-depth exhibits highlighting the iconic Airstream history.

​That was the extent of our silver-fix for the our two weeks at home –just enough to get us motivated for our next trip . . . coming up in 5 days, our annual fall pilgrimage to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Wed, Oct 5
​
After a 72-hour turnaround (cleaning/restock), we left the driveway at 9:30 this morning for a 5-hour drive down Interstate 75  . . . destination, Whispering Hills RV park in Georgetown, KY. The “Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky Rally,” hosted by Mike and MJ Stallings, was set to go off with 18 Airstreams, perfect weather, a bushel of activities, and a pond-side setting that was the focal point of a lot of pictures for the next five days.

​Whispering Hills is balanced in horse country and bourbon land and that set the tone for the gathering.  Our Airstreams had landed on “Sunset Circle” in a double row alongside the pond. Gary sent up his buzzer for a fly-over shot once we were all settled, and Tom hiked around the pond for a ground-level pic of our silver line-up.

​Our site was in the middle, backed up to the pond with a small island right across from us! The view from our dinette was great!

​When we arrived, we were welcomed, stickered, buttoned and goody-bagged by MJ and Mike and briefed on the 5:00 opening pow-wow. We had use of a large pavilion for meals and happy hour gatherings for the duration of the rally.  It was weather-controlled with large garage doors that could be open and closed, and an overhead heat-blowing system that kept us toasty! In that setting, we enjoyed our first gathering -- a pizza party sponsored by Mike and MJ.

It had been a perfect 75 degrees in mid-afternoon, but as the sun got lower the temperature cooled rapidly, with predictions to get down to mid-40’s overnight. Mike and MJ took this stunning picture of their vintage rig as the sun went down.

 Thursday, Oct 6

It was chilly out this morning as we ate hash and eggs inside the Silvermine. I stepped out quickly for a sunrise picture and was stunned by the morning view!

The morning was a lot of socializing while just standing around in different small groups. We idled the time away until noon, when we loaded up over 20 people to go for a tour of the Castle & Key distillery.  ​

​The distillery was built by Edmund Taylor in 1887 featuring a castle, a springhouse and a sunken garden and became the birthplace of bourbon tourism. By 2014 it was abandoned and in ruins, and purchased by Will Arvin and Wes Murry who worked for years to restore it to working order. Currently, the distilled bourbon is on the younger side, but the wonderful history of the entire place has been beautifully restored. They limit the sales of their special reserve to 100 bottles a day.

​Our group was divided into two tours. Our group was led by a lively tour guide who, I think, had  a PHD in stereotypical tourism presentation. Beginning with the springhouse, followed by the gardens, and then the inside of the facility, we learned the history and the workings of the distillery.

​Our tour ended in the tasting room, where three samples had been set out for us: a whiskey, a bourbon, and a gin and tonic cocktail. This laid the ground for a trip to the gift shop. On the way back we stopped by the Woodford Distillery gift shop for those that wanted to buy some bourbon!

​The weather at the campground was beautiful, and at 5:00 Happy Hour started in the pavilion. At 7:00 Tom and I fixed a light supper of chicken, and then returned outside to socialize until dark. 

Friday, October 7
We made plans for breakfast with 2 other couples and rendezvoused at Fava’s restaurant.  Some paused to take a reflection picture on the way in. Our waitress memorized and repeated our names around the table: Tom, Tom, Judi, Bill, Bonnie, Ella!

Just as we finished eating the stores were opening and this called for a walk of cute little Georgetown. I scored a pair of cow-hide lace-up shoes, a new quilt pattern, and jelly-roll of fabric. ​

I was also sidetracked  by a little bathroom humor!

The walk ended up with a gathering at an Irish Pub with the intent to sit outside in the garden. However, the library was so sweet we settled in for an hour of beer and trivial pursuit!

At the campground everyone was working on their pot-luck contributions, and by the time happy hour arrived, the pot-luck table was concealed by a wide variety of food offerings.  Tom and I took smoked, pulled, pork for little slider sandwiches. 

Saturday, Oct 8
​
The day began with . . . eating! Our hosts prepared a million-dollar breakfast complete with Bloody Mary and Mimosa drinks! What a way to fuel the morning.

​Tom, Pippa, and I headed back downtown to stroll the little historic walking tour. It took us past the old jail house and several beautiful “mansions” and then along the downtown area where there were a few significant buildings.

​The evening gathering centered around Mike’s Famous Award-winning Chili with a variety of toppings and many accompanying dishes. I made jalapeno cornbread, and Tom served up a large batch of Mint Julep punch. The 50/50 raffle played out with some prizes and a generous cash award won by Judi . . .  and donated back to the event to help with expenses.

As the moon came up above the pond, I snapped some pictures of the Silvermine.

​Sunday, Oct 9
 
Today was a bucket list day – a trip to Keenland Race Track to bet on the ponies! Mike and M.J. led us on a delightful tour through the horse racing countryside, ending at the top of a grassy hill parking spot. We set up tailgating nibbles, and enjoyed 1 ½ hours of pre-race preparation before heading into the track.

​There were benches down on the track level that were up for grabs with the general admittance ticket. Many of us had toted in our own chairs, and we settled in a nice little conclave with our racing programs and betting tip sheets and a clear view of the giant screen.

​Ten races were slated, and before each race we were able to walk under the stands to the paddock area to view the horses. We checked each horse out critically – as if we knew something about what we were looking for! 

​Tom and I had never betted before, and our first horse finished dead last! Our second pick didn’t do much better; we were down $10. Next we picked the brain of those around us who seemed to be winning. We went with an average of horse odds/individual horse wins/trainer wins, and managed to bet in two consecutive races on the winner. With $9 to the good in our pockets, we packed up and left, having greatly enjoyed our first track-side experience.

​The rally was mostly done, but there was enough left-over food from previous eats, that we hauled it all out for what was known a “Deja -Food” dinner.  There was a general packing up in preparation for morning take-off and the temperature plunged discouraging an evening outdoor gathering. In the morning 5 dozen donuts had been ordered to sweeten the adieu.  We were off by 9:30 and home by 2:00 with deep appreciation for the labors of our host and hostess, Mike and Mj, for a first-rate  end to our NOVA rally season. 

Wednesday, Sept 28
​
Same scenario as yesterday – but with Joe and Mary in the truck with us, and 9 other vehicles following. This time I did the Warther Woodcarving tour, and I was so impressed with his presentation. He has been carving ivory since he was 11 years old, and has carved 91 ships (all ships!) to date. They are on display in his studio and are not for sell. 
 
I didn’t take pictures today, except for this highlighted map that shows our tour route for the last few days. Today was the last day that we were “on duty” with a tour.

Thursday, Sept 29
​
Today was a “Day in the Park” (Winklepleck Grove Campground) with Amish Friends. It began with Amish making apple butter in a large cast iron cauldron and canning/selling it in the afternoon. There was a Hobby Show, a Flea Market, an Amish School Bake Sale, rides in an Amish buggy and a six-mule-team wagon ride! Meanwhile 100 pounds of beans cooked all day over fires in large kettles . . . and at 5:00 it was dished up for supper. 

​We started the day with showers, and then headed out in the MG with two follow-up errands from our previous 3 days of tours. It was a bit chilly at 48 degrees – and we dressed for an open-air ride! Then we drove back to Kidron with the intent of buying more of the cast iron baking dishes with the Airstream imprint on the back; we scored 4 more! As always, the scenery was splendid and I took a few more pictures.

The real fun began when we arrived back at Winklepleck at noon. A young Amish schoolboy promptly instructed me to get out of the MG so he could get in and take a ride. After receiving the go-ahead from the teacher, Tom took him on a short ride. When he came back it got the attention of the other 18 school kids! One by one, for the next few hours, Tom loaded each youngster for a ride. We had been warned not to take pictures of the Amish today, but when the rides were over, the teacher asked to take a group picture in front of an Airstream – and Tom asked if he could get one also. (to picture or not to picture is different among each Amish group!) Later, a friend sent us two pictures of kids in the MG, and we are so grateful to have those pictures for the memories. I also got a picture of the mule team after I heard we could get pictures that were not “posed” of the Amish driver.

That bean soup simmered away all day long, and at 5:00 we were told to bring a pan and take our quota into the activity room for supper. There were, of course, all the standard jokes about the aftermath of eating beans – I’ll let you know how that worked for us, tomorrow. ​

​Friday, Sept 30
Well, the beans had their expected output – and that is all that needs to be said!
 
The temperature was 38 this morning, but warmed quickly.  Looking ahead at weather for the next few days we were wondering if hurricane Ian was planning to impact Ohio. Today was sunny and warm but Saturday/Sunday had chances of rain. With Tom driving in the MG, and me driving the rig, we thought a dry day would be perfect for a drive home. This also set us up for a Saturday visit with Caleb and Halie, who were fresh back from a Disney vacation. 

Here I am in the truck, ready to  follow Tom home!

Sunday, Sept 25

It rained a little bit overnight, but was clearing up by the time we were done with breakfast and showers.  Several Amish horse and buggies went down our road on the way to church, and we knew that no businesses would be open today. Pippa joined us for a back-country ride in the MG, and we ventured west out of Sugarcreek to the little town of Dover – all new country scenes with the same flavor.  By the time we got back for lunch it was noon and 68 degrees, and very windy. Tom did a repeat of last night’s supper: grilled Trail Bologna on grilled Asiago Cheese bread, with Amish Swish cheese melted inside. 

​At 1:00 there was a social gathering to answer questions; it then melted into a chance for people to sign up for tours. Four guided tours will leave each morning, Monday-Wednesday, with each tour visiting 4-5 locations and making a stop for lunch. All of this has been pre-arranged, and as a tour guide Tom just has to know his route, sign people up for his tour, and lead them through the countryside from one stop to another. The whole procedure has been meticulously planned and lots of people were present to sign up.

​Back at our campsite all those buggies that had gone to church this morning – were heading home. I was waiting this time for pictures! 

Monday, Sept 26
​
Today things were really heating up, as rally activities expanded off-site. There are four tours, and each tour, with up to 10 cars, heads in a different direction with different stops in the county to make. Like clockwork, the tours lined up and departed every ten minutes, starting at 8:30. Tom and I led tour #3, and had 4 vehicles following us. 

​Our first stop was Stutzman Buggy Shaft & Wheel Works. It is on the homestead of Noah Stutzman and has been in business for 54 years. The wheels are all constructed of wood hubs and spokes and finished with metal rims. I was thinking of buggy wheels – but they also do wheels for antique cannon units, bicycles, and antique vehicles of all kinds including Pierce Arrow automobiles. Some of his equipment is from Germany, and the wooden wheel rim press dates back to the Civil War. It is a world demand business.

Our second stop was New Bedford Harness & Boot where Noah and Bert Miller make custom harnesses and halters and sell name-brand (Redwing) shoe brands and saddles. They will fit and make you a custom “lifetime leather belt”  -- to be picked up later. There was not a tour, but just a browse through the many tight, narrow, sections of the shop.

​Our lunch stop was the Charm Family Restaurant which was “Dutch Treat”, and served American Cuisine. We arrived just as it opened at 11:00, and when we left at noon, the line-up was out the door and down the porch!

​Our fourth stop was the Amish Mennonite Heritage Center where there is a ten ft. high by 265 ft diameter panoramic painted circular mural called “Behalten.” It took artist Heinz Gougel 14 years to paint, finishing in 1992. As we rotated to different locations and as flashing lights highlighted consecutive points of the painting, an Amish narrator told us the story of the Amish people and how they became a community. It was a wonderful presentation, and afterwards we were given time to walk around to view more details and other displays in the Heritage Center.

​Our last stop was the studio of renowned carver David Warther II; he carves only ships. 

​We got back to Winklepleck at 3:30 to discover that new friends Tom and Sandy were gone, and their 16’ Airstream was sitting all by itself. Just for fun, we parked the MG in front of the little Airstream for a photo op! Tom’s very favorite Airstream is the 16’!

​A cold front blew in at dinner-time with dark clouds, wind, and some rain. It spoiled any idea of cooking out, and we to the Mexican restaurant with Carie and Alan. I came back thoroughly chilled and ready to settle in the Silvermine.

Tuesday, Sept 27
​
Tom did the guided tour without me today, but friends Bonnie and Bill rode in the truck with him. It was to be the exact same trip as yesterday, but with a different group of people. He arrived back at 4:30, and at 5:30 we were off to the Amish homestead for another group dinner.  Goodnight . . . came early!

​Friday, Sept 23
 
It did get down to 40 last night . . . we love cold weather sleeping! Pippa was dressed in her fuzzy jammies and sitting in the window while we ate breakfast. Before we headed out, Tom got my picture with the hand-loomed rug that I bought from our dinner Hosts last night. It is salsa-colored, just like my Airstream interior.

​​At 9:00 we headed out for another practice run of Tom’s tour route  . . . in the truck, with Pippa.  It is all back-roads driving with the goal of showing off the Amish countryside. It is a total of 35 miles, and when we do the actual tours we will be stopping at 5 different locations along the way. Starting out this morning, I couldn’t resist a few more country-side quick-pics.

​When we came through the little town of Charm again, I demanded a stop at a quilt shoppe – which is really two little shops right next to each other. As always, my imagination was fueled by all the lovely fabrics and sweet little projects, and I did make a purchase . . . a sweet little log cabin key-cabin block that is just 1” square. 

​We came back to Whipplepleck for lunch and because the sun was out, we then did an afternoon drive in the MG. When we arrived back, we found new neighbors right next door. We had met Bonnie and Bill for the first time last weekend, and were excited to hear they were planning on the Swiss Rally, too. In fact, as we were gone this afternoon, at least another dozen Airstreams arrived!

​Saturday, Sept 24
 
Tom grabbed a sunrise shot at 7:05. . . I may set my alarm for tomorrow!
 

​Starting yesterday was early arrival for the rally – Airstreams were met by Swiss Maids, registered and parked. This morning we picked up our information packet, to get the scoop on what was happening in the next week.

​It was decidedly chilly when we set out at 9:30/45 degrees to visit the little town of Sugarcreek – just 2 miles away. It is a sweet small town with the world’s largest cuckoo clock (when it was first commissioned), several charming little stores, and a nice little downtown area. One of the stores had fabrics and I bought two little charm packs of fabric for a quilt project that is on deck for this winter.

​From there we drove to the little town of Kidron, where our very favorite store, Lehman’s. A true old-time department store with everything from clothing to cast iron to composting toilets. It is visually fun, as well as having many little just-got-to-have-it items. We found the Lodge Cast Iron Dual Handle baking pan with an Airstream scene imprinted on the bottom . . . just $20! We also bought a bag of black-raspberry cheesecake popcorn!

​Showcased in Lehman’s was Paul Weaver’s woodcarvings. He begins with a giant block of wood (sometimes weighing 300 pounds) and carves the entire block 3-D fashion from the front to the back. That 300 pounds whittles away to 130 pounds!

We had packed cheese and salami for lunch, and had a little driving picnic through the countryside to Wnesburg and then onto the little town of Trail. Troyers store is famous for its Trail Bologna – all beef -- and available sliced or linked. I don’t need to say what is on our supper agenda for tonight!

​At 7:30 we attended an Amish Culture Presentation given by Mr. Lester Beachy. He gave a very informative overview of Amish lifestyle, and then answered many questions asked by the audience. He had brought with him a choir of Amish youth who sang a variety of songs and hymns. Afterwards were cookies and refreshments . . . but we hustled back to the Silvermine for the rest of the Ohio State/Wisconsin game!