Author: rvingwithapurpose

Monday, September 25, 2017

We didn’t have a set schedule for today. The only definite was that we had to be out of our RV site by 3:00pm. We also planned to do some biking on the Natchez Trace and we needed to be in Hattiesburg, MS before dark. With those parameters in mind we slept a little late, but then got ready to go bike riding so we would be back before it got too hot. We drove to the overlook at the Barnett Reservoir, unloaded the bikes and started riding. In this area of the Trace, since there is a good deal of commuter traffic around Jackson, they have built a separate multi-use trail. When we saw the amount of traffic we were glad to ride on the separate trail. This was a very nice wooded area. There were more people using the trail today than we expected.

We just happened to ride up to the Mississippi Craft Center which is located just off the Trace and the bike trail goes beside it. The building is very nice. The craft work inside was pretty amazing. The Center is tasked with preserving the dying arts in all sorts of mediums – wood, fabric, stone, and many more. Entry into the Center is free and it is well worth a visit. They of course also have gift shop.

After visiting the Craft Center we returned to the Trace where we walked on a section of the original dirt trail first walked by Native Americans and later by the soldiers in the war of 1812. That was a neat experience. There was a section of the bike trail closed for maintenance. Since we couldn’t ride that section, we road a portion of the urban multi-use trails in Ridgeland and Jackson. These trails also go through wooded areas as well as at times running beside the roads. There was always some separation from the streets so we felt safer. After returning to the truck we rode to the southern Trace Visitors Information Center. We couldn’t go inside because it is only open on Friday and Saturday.

We returned to FRED, got cleaned up and headed for Hattiesburg. Unfortunately, Highway 49 south of Jackson is in terrible shape. Potholes, rub board sections, it felt like it would vibrate the cabinets off the walls. We were very thankful that the further we drove the better the road became. We drove to Oak Grove UMC, just west of Hattiesburg, parked in the area with RV hookups, met with our team leaders and settled in for the next several days. Looking forward to some good times here.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

We had a restful night last night, except it was a little too warm. We ran the generator to cool FRED off, but didn’t leave it on all night so we got a little warm. Otherwise, everything was fine. The rest area did fill up with 18 wheeler drivers getting their rest. Of course, their rigs were running but inside FRED it was just white noise and didn’t bother us at all.

When we got up this morning we decided at the last minute to go to church in Caruthersville, MO at Eastwood Memorial UMC. We went to early service which was a small service held in the chapel. It was a lovely chapel and a very welcoming community of believers. We really enjoyed the service, the pastor and congregation. After service one of the members took us to see their sanctuary which was beautiful. The pipe organ was amazing and even more amazing is that in the small community they have someone to play the pipes every Sunday. Wish we could have stayed for the 11:00 service too, but we had too many miles to go. One of the things the pastor talked about during the service was the two week mission project the church just completed. They hosted Operation Healthy Delta Innovative Readiness Training which is a military training exercise that provides no-cost, basic health care services to the Southeastern Missouri region. A UMC in Charleston, MO joined Eastwood as the two locations this year. While the members of Eastwood were not involved in the actual health care, they worked hard to show hospitality to the service men and women stationed at their church. For example, they hosted a fish fry for them last week. We really enjoyed our time at Eastwood and would definitely stop there again the next time we are in the area. We will include them in our prayers.

The children’s room was decorated with these beautiful murals.

After worship one of the members gave us some pears and another give us some beeswax chocolate chip cookies. The cookies didn’t survive long enough to get pictures but they were very, very good. We are going to try to find a recipe and learn to make those cookies. After a tour of the church we climbed back into FRED and headed back to I-55 South. We stopped about every two hours to change drivers and reached Jackson, MS uneventfully.

Tonight we are at Timberlake Campground on the Barnett Reservoir just outside of Jackson, MS. It is a large, beautiful lake. The campground has nice concrete pads, full service and we are right on the lake. Nice, quiet peaceful location. Too bad we can’t stay a few more days. We will have to come back here sometime. We plan to ride our bikes in the morning, weather permitting. We are very close to the Natchez Trace so we may do some riding there or on some bike trails around the reservoir. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

We were up at 6:00 preparing the rig to travel today. Anne went to Middle Amana to pick up our order from the bakery. So good! Cinnamon rolls, bread, cinnamon bread and chocolate chip cookies. Yep that’s why we gain weight on these trips. Got to get back to work. On the way back there was a beautiful view of the sunrise. Gorgeous start to the day. While Anne was out and about Max dumped holding tanks and got the coach almost ready to roll.

After enjoying our cinnamon rolls it was time for our last “goodbyes”, “see you down the roads” and then we were on the road again. We left at 8:50 headed south with plans to make it to southern Missouri today. From Amana we drove back through Tiffin. Should Tiffin Motor Homes have their home office be in Tiffin, Iowa? I’m pretty sure Mr. Tiffin would say no, especially since he doesn’t like cold weather. But it would be sort of cool. It would be too far for us to go for service, so guess they better stay in Red Bay.

We were very thankful that we started the day with almost no wind. We did have a little wind this afternoon but nothing like yesterday. We drove US 218 and US 61 to I-70 to I-270 around St Louis, then on I-55 and are spending the night at the very nice Missouri welcome center near mile marker 40 tonight. We could have driven further but we are going to Jackson, Ms tomorrow and don’t want to get there too early so this was a good stopping place. We had chicken salad (made by Max) and watermelon for supper and are settled in for a quiet night we hope.

 

Friday, September 22, 2017

Today was a sunny and hot. There was also a hot, dry wind. Glad we weren’t driving the rig today like many of our NOMADS friends were. The crosswind would have made for a long day. We hope to head south in the morning and hopefully before the wind whips back up.

Today we went to the Hahn’s Hearth Oven Bakery in Middle Amana at 7:00 expecting to be there in time to get what ever we wanted. WRONG! We got the last 2 cinnamon rolls and there was no bread. The cinnamon rolls were excellent and we placed an order for tomorrow. She said she would have them ready by 6:00 so we won’t be late leaving. They also bake excellent bread which we ordered. Mrs. Hahn, the baker, bakes bread for the restaurant where we have eaten twice since being here. She baked seventy loaves for them today. She uses the only original hearth oven still in operation in Amana Colonies to bake her breads, cookies and sweet rolls. Very sweet lady who really knows how to bake.

After arriving back to the RV park we discovered that our friends Darryl and Mary Alice had RV troubles. Max went to work trying to determine the problem. It seemed to be an electrical problem. Darryl got the help desk for his rig on the phone, but that didn’t get much help. Max and Mike kept working and finally Max found a 175 amp fuse that was bad. One of the things that makes solving electrical problems in RVs so hard is that they have fuses everywhere. Sometimes like today they seem to be in very random places. Fortunately, we had a 200 amp fuse that would work so Darryl could now raise his night shades so he could see out the windshield and side windows to drive. It also got his steps working again. Mike and Ruth were going to follow behind Darryl and Mary Alice to be sure they made it home okay.

After we got cleaned up from that, we picked up Cheryl (only about 1 ½ hour late – sorry) to go to the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids. There was a Chihuly Venetian exhibit we wanted to see as well as the permanent Czech exhibits. Cheryl’s grandparents were from Czechoslovakia so she was interested in some of her history and was able to talk to someone in the library about how to gather more information. The Venetians were incredible. The chandelier was composed of 1500 individual pieces of glass that arrived in 1500 individual boxes that were made specifically for the particular piece of glass. The curator at the museum then assembles the chandelier sculpture with no instructions. No two exhibitions of the piece are the same. The order of the arrangement of the pieces of glass is always different. Pretty amazing. So glad we got to go to the museum.

We returned home after a short stop at the local Walmart to resupply. We started putting away the inside items for travel tomorrow. Then at 5:00 we went to dinner with some of the NOMADS that are still here. Most everyone pulled out today but there were about 24 or 26 of us that went back in to Amana for dinner at the Ox Yoke Inn. It was another good meal and better fellowship. We will be heading south fairly early tomorrow. Please pray for safe travel for us and our NOMADS friends.