Category: True West Travels

Sometimes the circumstances simply call for a change in the game plan. As we moved north, the nature of the state parks changed. In the south these parks were large with diverse resources such as lakes, golf courses, and very well equipped camp grounds. They were well run and clearly supported by many citizens of the states who were more oriented to the state parks than second homes.

As we moved north, the hookups in the parks first did not include sewer connection, then did not include water hookups, just basic electrical. With our leaking water tank, this became a real comfort issue; further, the heat continued to be unrelenting. The plan was to drop off the GMC at Fairhaven Shipyard for servicing at the end of our New England visit. Reconsidering the plan, we decided to go straight to Fairhaven, drop off the GMC and do New England in the Smart.

For the first time on the trip, we took to the interstates (the only place we seem to see other RVs on the move) and soon ended up in RI for a stop with Dan’s brother Dave and his wife Ba. Marcia enjoyed a full sized bed and long showers. Lola enjoyed having lots of grass underfoot. Dan enjoyed the thought of packing everything we needed for two weeks into the Smart.

Resuming our Kentucky travels in the middle of horse country, we stayed at Kinkaid Lake, then Yatesville State Parks. The 13th hole at Yatesville is great, a 250 foot vertical drop from the tee to the fairway….‘got lots of balls?’

The back roads of West Virginia put the GMC to the test up, down and around the mountains. New River Gorge is 897 feet deep with a spectacular bridge. Onto the North Bend State Park and another round of golf.

In Pennsylvania, we used Ohiopyle State Park as our base. We took a side trip in the Smart thru the country side and into Pittsburg. The luxury of a hotel room at the Westin, then a Pirates game in the wonderful Three River Stadium. This stop included visits to three Frank Lloyd Wright houses, Falling Water, Kentuck Knob and the Duncan house…..great works. A little golf at the Summit and breakfast at the Summit Inn built in 1904.

Our last stop on this leg was Kooser State Park where we were the only ones in the campgrounds.

At Harbortowne Marine boatyard, where True South was made ready for her road trip,  Dan tried to fix the water tank in True West that had started leaking.  We stayed the night in a hotel at Maryville.

The next day we tried to find Prigmore, TN which shows up on Google Maps and our GPS system. My conclusion is that my forebears were not very good at selecting real estate locations at the center of economic activity….just a nice pasture. Dan has elected himself head of the Pr-more Family Association and has tracked over 10,000 members of the family with roots back into the 1600s.

Then off to General Burnside followed by My Old Kentucky Home state parks, both part of the Kentucky Golf Trail.  There are 13 courses within the State Parks with 18 holes. Our goal is to do 5 in addition to one we loved at Dale Hollow. In each case, we will stay at the park camp ground for an average of $20/night….helps pay for the wine.

A short side trip in the Smart took us to the home of Dan’s nephew Tom Prigmore and his wife Erica in Carmel, IN for a short visit. Due to a problem with the rooftop a/c unit, we laid over in a Hampton Inn and got the a/c unit serviced the next day at Blue Grass RV in Lexington, KY…just a relay switch.

Peter and Diane Mahoney flew into Nashville, picked up the GMC and drove it up to Gainsboro, TN. At that point they met Dan and Marcia arriving at the same place on the True South.

After an afternoon cruise together, Peter and Diane headed down the Cumberland the next morning on their way to Iuka, AL where they would met up with Dan and Marcia in a week. Peter and Diane’s trip downriver would cover the same waterways Dan and Marcia saw on their way upriver.

Dan and Marcia headed out in True West on their way to Knoxville where they would leave it until the end of the river journey.

We did get a chance, after a morning struggling when the GMC got stuck in the mud, to go to Dale Hollow State Park. This is a wonderful park created when the dam was built at the headwaters of the Cumberland River.

They have a fabulous golf course that we had a chance to play.

At Knoxville, the GMC and Smart went into storage for a period of about a month.

Finally, the GMC is deemed roadworthy (after 7,000 miles of shakedowns). We load it up at Coconut Grove and head first to St. Petersburg to meet the boat.

Dan takes True South and Marcia takes True West to meet at the Crystal River. There we prep the boat for its overland route to Demopolis, AL on the Tombigbee River. Given the BP mess in the Gulf, we decided not to risk trying that route and for some reason getting turned back.

From Crystal River we headed to Manatee Spring State Park (real home of Crystal Spring!). Swimming in that water is magnificent. A little golf at Chiefland Country club the next day and since we are both beginner we have agreed not to keep score.

St. George Island then some more golf at St. Joseph Island on the 19th. Onto FDR State Park and Callaway Gardens, with a stop at Providence State Park. Callaway is very special, read the story. More golf on a beautiful course.

Onto Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain. Over to Cloudland Canyon for a real hike (500 steps to the bottom) then in to Nashville to arrange storage for the GMC and Smart.