Thursday Three:

 

1. I think we're finally caught up on rest --> we've been on-the-go pretty much non-stop for a few weeks now... We've enjoyed it all - especially Craig's mother's birthday party on Sunday. We think it was an awesome day!

2. We had a nice family dinner this week with both our boys - LOVE when we can all be together

3. And now we're relaxing at a favorite Alabama campground where we're hosting a little gathering of friends, and the weather is PERFECT.

#HardwickAdventures

#AishlingtheAirstream

 

Thursday Three:

 

1. What a wonderful week we've had enjoying trolls, 3 National Parks, a great memorial, and an outstanding state park.

2. Everything else was 'extra' - including the hundreds of miles of America's heartland...

3. We're settled in at home now and feverishly completing plans for the next thing on our calendar...

#HardwickAdventures

Thursday Three:

 

1. We sure enjoyed camping in the North Georgia Mountains last weekend with over 60 of our camping buddies!

2. Then we jumped on a plane and headed to the Great Plains of our country to check off states 48 & 49. [YAY for Southwest points!!]

3. And, yes --> we did a little troll hunting along the way. That Golden Rabbit is tucked away between hill and dell [ski hills, that is...]

Lord Alfred the Airstream Update No. 017

 

 Melton Hill Campground

near Lenoir City, TN

From the Vista Recreation website: Melton Hill Dam Campground is located at TVA’s Melton Hill Dam in Loudoun County, TN. The campground is upstream of Melton Hill Dam on the south bank and has a 10-15% slope with three roads tiered up the hillside. Immediately adjacent to the campground is a public boat ramp, day use, picnic and swim area. An overlook is located on the outskirts with picnic tables and benches. 

 

For the past few years, this has been a favorite stop-over place for us when we can get one of our favorite spots below the hill...

From Wikipedia: Melton Hill Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Clinch River just south of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States. The dam is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1960s to extend the Tennessee Valley's continuous navigation channel up the Clinch as far as Clinton and to increase TVA's overall power-generating capacity. The dam impounds the 5,470-acre (2,210 ha) Melton Hill Lake, and is the only TVA tributary dam serviced by a navigation lock. The dam and associated infrastructure were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

 

My dad worked for TVA as a hydro-electric engineer so I always enjoy being around the dams along the river. Melton Hill has steps going into the lake which always brings back some of my earliest lake memories from when we lived in Chattanooga when I was two years old...

 

Melton Hill campground is a pretty place, clean and neat, located just off the interstates [actually between the I-75 and I-40.]

It's easy in and out [if you're on the lowest area] 

and we've always enjoyed being there until this month - 

It's lost it's luster for us as we had 4-5 teenage boys driving back and forth on the lake road [between us and the tent campers] revving their motors and stopping and starting over and over again. We asked the camp hosts if there was a gate to keep them out - and no, they are not allowed to close the gate [?] There are signs that say campers only... They told us to call the sheriff if we had any issues.

I videoed them as they went by and they finally left.

Needless to say - we were not comfortable staying there knowing anyone could come into the campground and cause trouble...

We had booked a two night stay this time, 

but as we left to go see the cows we decided to not go back.

It makes me sad, because other Vista Rec campgrounds 

have gates and enforce the campers only rule...

My take:

Great campground, except for the safety issues...

Bathrooms were clean enough - However, during this visit there was no door / curtain on the shower in the ladies room...  Internet is good -

Thursday Three:

 

1. We've started our fall travel season, lol...
First stop: Hiawassee, GA. with our vintage camper friends.
2. This little tease of fall weather has been NICE. [Temps in the high 70s and nights in the 60s? YES, please.]
3. Have been reading, and crafting, and doing all the fun things in between cleaning house and getting adventure ready. . .

Lord Alfred the Airstream Update No. 016

Davidson River Campground

Pisgah National Forest

 Brevard, North Carolina

[known for their white squirrels, apparently -]

From their website: Davidson River Recreation Area offers camping and outdoor activities for the whole family. The campground boasts several loops of shaded campsites, as well as access to hiking trails, fishing spots, waterfalls and several nearby attractions within Pisgah National Forest. It lies just four miles west of the town of Brevard and less than an hour from the city of Asheville. The facility is open year-round and is located in Pisgah National Forest at an elevation of 2,150 feet. The surrounding land boasts mile-high peaks, cascading waterfalls and slopes thickly forested with hardwoods and conifers. 

Campsites are organized into eight loops and some are adjacent to the water. Sites are mostly shaded and equipped with picnic tables, tent pads, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills. The facility also provides hot showers and restrooms with flush toilets in each loop. Campers can purchase ice and firewood on-site.  

Nearby are several natural and cultural attractions within close proximity to the campground. Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls and the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway are among the more popular sites. The small town of Brevard offers various amenities and services, and visitors can take a trip to Asheville to visit art galleries, shops and restaurants.

 

  After a full day of seeking waterfalls - up and down - and all around - and up and down these beautiful mountains of North Carolina, we were more than ready for a relaxing evening outside of a vehicle - ha.

We all had a late lunch together near our friends' hotel then 

headed downtown Brevard for a treat or two -  

 

Brevard is a sweet little collage town that has lots of boutique shops and coffee places... We were happy to find the Kilwin's Ice Cream and Chocolate shop where we enjoyed delicious ice cream at a table nestled in a little alley away from the sun...

And - oops - Craig and I halved 

our apple for dinner later that night - lol 

It was delicious too!

As it says above - our campground was in the Pisgah National Forest -

 a beautiful area... 

with bear warnings EVERYWHERE -

Our site was tucked down a bit of a driveway - 

again, SO PRETTY!

The only issue was that there was ZERO cell / internet service

... unless you stood at the end of the drive and held your phone just right - then you might be able to get a text. And y'all know - we've shared before, that we want to be available for Craig's mother to call us when needed... 

So this was something we had not prepared for -

After our showers we snuggled in for the night and read a bit while listening to thunder storms all around us. But nary a drop of rain on us...

My take:

This campground reminded me of Parksville Lake [also in a National Forest] - 

only LOTS bigger. 

Zero cell service... clean bath houses...

We never saw a live white squirrel...

But we DID see a bear - sadly, dead on the side of the road 

as we headed out of town....

So there's that -

Between the Sound and Sea

 By Amanda Cox -

was wonderful!!

And y'all know I LOVED her book - He Should Have Told the Bees,

so I was really looking forward to reading this one as well!

It did NOT disappoint.

Between the Sound and the Sea is tale of adventure and friendship found on a magical island off the eastern shore... 

Wally is an elderly gentleman trying to make things right at the end of his life

[Social Worker talk: Regret VS Resolution is something most people deal with as they age... just sayin'] and he is determined to do it HIS way - 

The secrets of Wally and Cay kept me guessing until the very end of the book!

 I so enjoyed the way Amanda Cox brought more than a few family stories together as each had a part to play in exploring what had happened in the Light House that both Wally and Cay held close to their hearts.

In the end, their story became a legacy they could both be happy to leave those who came after them - and it helped shape the lives of those they cared about most.

Isn't that the resolution we all want to feel in our lives?

This is a wonderful book - and I truly believe that all of my friends would enjoy reading this story! Get your copy here -  

  Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.

ALL opinions are my own -

Thursday Three:

 

1. We enjoyed the weekend in The Shoals as Craig had his high school reunion... it was nice to have some extra time with his mother, too.

2. After the last concert in the park of the season we saw our area's first drone show - it was cool!

3. I pulled this printers tray from the attic... it's been more than a few years since I put these photos in it... And while these photos are from past summers, I'm loving the flowers blooming in the south right now...

Lord Alfred the Airstream Update No. 015

 

The Great Outdoors RV Resort

 Franklin, North Carolina

From their website:

 Our resort is surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest and is nestled at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains. Enjoy a leisurely drive or motorcycle ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway on one of the many mapped rides in our area. We are located about two-hours north of Atlanta, an hour south of Asheville, and close to Cherokee.

The Great Outdoors RV Resort has 63 full hookup sites with 30/50 amp electric. We offer a range of sites that that can accommodate everything from a small Airstream Basecamp travel trailer to the largest motorhome or 5th wheel. There are also 3 cabins for our guests without an RV.

Our event center features two full kitchens, restroom facilities, wide-screen TV, a WII entertainment system, and a sun deck overlooking the pool area. Watch the sun set and relax! We now offer SpaceX Starlink Wi-Fi for all your streaming or working needs. Come stay with us and enjoy all the Franklin area has to offer!

We enjoyed our drive up to Franklin, NC

taking our time to stop along the way -

 

We enjoyed a late afternoon meal in Murphy before heading on to our campground - just 4miles from our friends' hotel...

The gravel sites were not impressive to me... but the neatly paved roads and exceptionally well-kept grounds were.

 

And the pool was WONDERFUL.

It was late afternoon when we arrived so there just a few people around 

[and they soon left to go have dinner.] 

EVERYONE we met - staff and guests - were so very nice 

and friendly, and helpful! 

We enjoyed cooling off and relaxing in the pool 

and then sat and read poolside until after 8 pm -

The campground has some small hills, but we could easily walk to and from the pool, bath house, and community fire pit area - all of which is beautifully maintained. 

 

Some people we met at the campground

 were there for the summer... 

others were vacationing for a week, 

and some were just traveling through - like us.

The next day we drove into town - 

Franklin, NC

even though NOTHING was open on this Monday morning -

 

We still enjoyed seeing some fun murals and shops we WISH we could've gone in...

They have a nice looking green way,

 

And this sculpture right in town was pretty cool!

Here's the info:

My take:

I would definitely stay in a Great Outdoors RV Resort again. 

Everything about it was wonderful.

We might consider taking Aishling back and staying a few days...