The Big Chicken & A Bigger Dinner

Friday, 10/29

It feels like summer with foliage and John gave us some ideas for exploring downtown Marietta, a near idyllic suburb of Atlanta, and one that barely escaped destruction during the Civil War. 

So, how do we find the plaza in the center of Marietta?  "Drive out of the RV park, turn right on the main street, then left at the big chicken."  Whaaat??  "Just don't think about it, you can't miss it".  Hmmm.  We're driving our coach and while we're good at getting around places others have said isn't possible.  But, being told that looking for a big chicken while driving in city traffic wasn't the most reassuring direction item we've heard before John, known for his humor, shared it with us.

Whatever, off we went and, sure enough, driving down the busy thoroughfare, there was a BIG chicken!  With beak opening and closing while its eyes were rolling, this BIG chicken, 3 stories tall, stood by the highway intersection, overlooking a Kentucky Fried Chicken store.

The Big Chicken, the landmark that guides everyone throughout Marietta.  Too bad all KFCs don't have one.  GPS and Mapquest aids would become extinct.

With the siting, we turned left and squeeezed our way downtown and around the ornate, tree-filled plaza.  Finally we found parking a few blocks away in front of a Baptist church, the church letting know for sure that we definitely are in the South where Baptist churches abound.

Walking throughout downtown Marietta was a special pleasure, along with having lunch in a historic building overlooking the plaza.  Sociable locals guided us about, and shopping became another pleasure for both of us.

Dinner tonight?  An exquisite, 4 course meal with intermissions between each course.  All this prepared by John & Cecile's daughter and son-in-law in their beautiful, shared Marietta home on a golf course.  What an experience with such a loving, harmonious family.  With everyone sharing stories and humor, it was nearly 11pm when we realized that it's time to leave and let those who still work get their night's rest.  This, our last night in Marietta, was a celebration of long term friendship.

Michelin would award 5 forks for this dinner.  Great food, great ambiance, great friends providing us with a farewell to Georgia dinner.

Fridges & Friends

Thursday, 10/28

The morning of reckoning.  Will the fridge be fixed, or will we have to replace it after our journey ends?  Those are the options per the manufacturer.

We park our coach in front of a scrappy little appliance store in Abingdon and wait for "Mack" to begin his work.  First, he shims all four fridge doors for better sealing of the doors, per the manufacturer's recommendation (we all fail to understand why the doors weren't shimmed at the factory).  As we completed the job, UPS delivers the new thermistor ($21 plus $45 shipping) and.  Installation issues are minimal and we're on our way after paying $72 for labor, about 1/3 of what it would have cost in California.  Now it's "wait & see" if the new thermistor is the complete solution to our fridge problem.

Back on the road by 11 a.m., we have a 5 hour drive to our intended destination:  Marietta, GA.  A suburb of Atlanta, Marietta is home to John and his family.  John became a very special friend during the winter of 1973/74 when we, along with two others, shared the responsibility of resurrecting an ill-fated venture of American Express Travel.  Living in elegant style in New York City, our seven months together brought 4 guys a lifetime of cross country friendship with few personal visits.  That absence had to be corrected on this trip!

Continued clear weather and good highways through eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia gave us a pleasant rolling view of the forested mountains, Knoxville and Chattanooga.  Knowing how important it is to keep drivers happy, Doris was treated to her favorite McDonald's soft ice cream after having driven two hours while I read and mapped potential routes after our Georgia visit.  Arriving at our chosen RV park only minutes from our friends, we snagged the last parking site and prepared for John & Cecile's arrival, the first reunion in 20 years.

What a treat!  What fun!  Doris's appetizers and our bar complimented four people sharing great stories of past times and families.  A late, great dinner at a diner minutes away left us exhausted but happy when we said goodbye at 11pm.

The fridge?  Found to be working well, even making ice for the next party.  A great way to end the day.

Cecile & John.  37 years later, John & I can  still can laugh about our lives together in NYC while draining American Express's bank account.

Tornado Or Fridge Problem ... Which Is Worse?

Wednesday, 10/27

Interested in what did happen during the night?  We thought so, because we sure were! 

Essentially, the weather produced nothing of concern.  Some heavy rain about 5 a.m. that ceased within the hour, never to return.  However, to the southwest is Chattanooga, Tennessee which took a major hit, as well as other locations on a line to the west of us.  Our friends, still in DC reported that they had more rain than we, but nothing more.  We're lucky.  Tornado warnings are given when the wind and storms are ripe for producing tornadoes, and did, but not for us.

Unfortunately for us, our refrigerator began failing at 5 a.m.  That meant we had to find a repair service qualified to work on it.  Not an easy task, but we succeeded and headed for a small outfit further toward our destination.  Weather cooperated and abundant sunshine made for more spectacular foliage sightings in the mountains of southwestern Virginia.  This was to become the best part of the day, as the fridge problem cannot be fixed until a part arrives tomorrow morning, and then we're not totally sure if the issue will be resolved.  Grrrr!!

Now, it's another overnight in another Walmart parking lot.  As you know by now, we find these locations to be safe, quiet and convenient for shopping.  This time, there's an "Outback" steakhouse across the street that will satisfy our need for a good time on this day.

The Shenandoah Valley & Tornado Watches

Tuesday, 10/26

After waiting for the notorious DC Beltway traffic to abate, we headed west to the Shenandoah Valley and I-81 southward toward North Carolina.  While the sky was overcast, there was no doubt that Virginia's foliage was peaking in these soft, low-rise mountains.  When the sun did shine, the colors were among the best of the trip.  Rolling through rich farmland, on a smooth interstate was quite a break from previous freeway travels of late!  Definitely, this highway is a great way to move toward the southeast.  Fine roads and less traffic.

Tonight?  Another Walmart parking lot experience.  As we always do, we called ahead and received permission to park.  However, on arrival, "security" told us to move on.  "No RV parking allowed.  Ever!"  Sooo, another call to management and again, we were confirmed as desired "tenants".  So much for effective corporate communication, even the printed memo that the security officer had in hand.  However, the incident also confirmed the need to ask management for permission, regardless of what the websites and other sources tell us to do. 

After inspecting the mall across the street, filled with several interesting restaurants, we returned to our coach to learn that severe weather, even tornado "watches" were in effect until 3 a.m.  That news certainly energized us!  What to do?  Not much.  We closed the front slide, made sure awnings were fully retracted, and slept fitfully.

Gettysburg, etc.

Monday, 10/25

Oh dear, only 2 months 'til Christmas!  On the road for almost 2 1/2 months.  It seems impossible that we left our "other" home midsummer, and now we're closing in on the holiday season.  Still, there's much to see on this trip.  So, while Doris and most of the group are enjoying their trek to Gettysburg, PA, I get to spend quiet time attempting to calculate how much we can see and what routes to take so that we arrive in California before Thanksgiving.

Gettysburg.  Site of one of the bloodiest battles fought during the first days of July, 1863, there were between 46,000 to 51,000 casualties incurred in three days, with the Confederates suffering the most during this turning point in our Civil War .  A powerful monument covers acres and should be a required visit for all people, regardless of nationality.  I've been there several times during my tour company days, and have also circled it in an overfly during one of my cross country flying trips.  If television were there to transmit the battle, the war may well have ended the next day by popular decree. 

Gettysburg battlefield, one of numerous monuments to this pivotal Civil War battle.

The Union Army's hill top commanding view toward the advancing Confederate Troops below.  

Tonight?  Another farewell dinner as we leave for Virginia while our friends continue their exploration of the Washington, DC area. 

Sunday Surprise

Sunday, 10/24

It was my day to work.  Hours were spent washing the windshield (the first time in a month, thanks to few bugs at this time of year and the rains while parked), plus thorough dusting, mopping, vacuuming of the interior and some more outdoor chores.  Setting off to buy some new windshield wipers, we encounter our old friends as they arrive from having spent four days immersed in New York City.  What fun for all of us to see each other again! 

Doris had already made her famous chili plus "wings" while Tom pulled out his grill and others whipped up more food, including special desserts from "the #1 bakery", found on Hoboken, NJ, and popularized on one of the food channels.  Once again, good friends shared good times.  It just doesn't get better than this when on the road.  Maybe that's why it's difficult to part from them.

Towards Washington, DC

Saturday, 10/23

Leaving Delaware was another drive along country roads.  First, were the beaches facing the Atlantic, then turning west, through little towns like Bridgeville, boyhood home of General Custer, and more corn and soybean fields, just like in the Midwest, except smaller fields.

A major RV park in College Park, Maryland was our destination for today.  Doris & I couldn't write this blog until later because the group we'd left behind reads our blog and we wanted to surprise them with our decision to change plans and enjoy Washington with them rather than bypassing the Capitol and move further south.

Finding the park was easy, just off busy I-495 (the outer beltway).  The park is filled with RVs and trees.  Living in a forest only a few miles from DC gives a false impression of how close we are to the "headquarters" of the most powerful nation in the world.