Back at the Farm Via Dixie Caverns

June 12-June 26, 2005                                                        Most Recent Posts:
Around the Pond RV Park, Greenville TN                  Worst Travel Day Ever
Dixie Caverns  Salem Virginia                                       Sequoia Cabin Museum
Greenfield Mountain Farm

If you haven’t read about my harrowing experience in Worst Travel Day Ever, the link is above.  
I just discovered after sending my email notification for posting that I said I went Around the Pound.  Pretty funny but too late to change it.

Thursday June 12
Around the Pond RV Park

Today I traveled only 159 miles.  This is my absolute favorite amount of travel in one day though it seldom turns out that way.  But today 159 miles took forever due to two slow downs 10 mph, one for 20 minutes and one for 15.  That and the 6 lanes of traffic through Knoxville made for an unnecessarily stressful driving day.

I lost an hour moving back into Eastern time for the first time since March.

Around the Pond is a perfectly fine overnight and a cute little place.  There are a lot of either seasonals or permanents and the campground is working on a large expansion so either there is a lot to do in the area,  the weather is great or ????   When I tried to put a link for them, their website would not come up.

Here is some of the cuteness.   The office.

The pond

Pond residents.  Too many Canada Geese to suit me.   I’m not a fan.  RV park in the distance

Lovely weeping willow of which I am a huge fan.

One lone beautiful swan.  No idea if there might be a mate on a nest somewhere.  It is Spring…well summer now.

More old gas station cuteness

Probably permanent resident.

Other non goose waterfowl residents.

I took all these pictures on my walk around the park.  I kept being amazed at the number and kinds of fowl.   Chickens here.  Do they sell eggs?

One of the roosters.

another rooster.  Are there rooster wars like we used to have at the farm?

Guiney hens are actually very pretty.   Also eggs?   Not sure how I’d like living in a place with so many free range birds going everywhere.   We had a “bird yard” with an executive hen house and a fence around it.    At one time we also had pilgrim geese and they were a real mess.

Here’s the expansion.  quite a few sites in the back.  Electric is in.  Now sure about sewer.  If I return to New Mexico perhaps I’ll stop by for another overnight.

Friday June 13
Dixie Caverns

For my last night on the road, I stayed at Dixie Caverns in Salem Virginia.  Today’s drive was 172 miles.  Not too much more than my preference.

When I got here my site was the most unlevel I’ve probably ever had.  But then it is Friday the 13th.  It was simply too much trouble to get out mats to put under the tires to keep them on a hard surface and not hanging in the air.  So I hooked up the  water and electric and kept the slides in.  $50 for the night.

How unlevel was it???   As unlevel as this level will show.  Who knows with a longer level.

The next morning before I left, I did take the $14 cave tour which left from the office/gift store.

Guess folks are really into rocks, minerals and fossils.   Real?  Or fake?

From the office we walked about 100 steps to the cave entrance.  There were 3 of us on this day but they do a lot of local school tours.  Luckily today was a Saturday in June.

The Dixie Caverns are unique in that they are up in the mountain which is unusual since  you walk up rather than down when you enter.   If you are into stair stepping, this is the place. In touring the cavern, we climbed up or went down over 400 stairs. Visitors don’t burrow down in the ground to tour the Caverns, they walk up. The cave rooms are inside a hill, which is entered through an entryway that leads to a 48-step staircase dubbed “Jacob’s Ladder” to arrive at the first room.  From there you wander passageways from room to room.   The top of the cavern is 80 feet above the entrance

You can see the stairs behind the guide.

The current owner of Dixie Caverns is Connie Browning. Her family has owned Dixie Caverns for six decades, being purchased at auction in 1956 by her grandfather, Albert Trompeter. Records indicate there were three owners before Trompeter bought the cave.

There are no colored lights.   The colors are natural though perhaps a result of the lighting which is only on during the tour.

coming down from the ceiling

Beautiful reflections in the underground water.

Closer views of the colors on the formations.  Zooming in lightened things considerably.

This huge formation is called the Wedding Bell.

In this picture of it you can see the stairs going up and its height relative to our guide.  It is actually used for weddings.  You can reserve it and get married right here.  I’m wondering how popular that is.

Another view.  It really is a beautiful formation.

The colors were surprising.  I believe he said it was the calcite.  Unfortunately I’ve forgotten if he said what makes some of them sparkle.  If you know about these things please comment and tell me.

This is the same formation as above at more distance and with a woman on the tour for perspective.

I could do the tour in the morning of my last day on the road because my drive was only 117 miles.  I was back at the farm in time it turns out for the hottest summer on record.

June 14 – June 16
Greenfield Mountain Farm

I arrive back at the farm on Saturday June 14th.    When I drive down the 3/4 mile farm lane it is always a thrill to come out of the woods into the valley and see the farmhouse in the distance.   I stop Winnona and disconnect the car at that point.

Once disconnected I move Winnona into the barn yard and do the maneuvering to get this too large vehicle in the right place for connecting to the electric and still leave room for the car and visitors.

I walk back out to the car and bring it up.   Then it’s time to decide exactly how much and what I have to unload for this uncharacteristically long stay in Virginia.

For the rest of the month, the next two weeks, I did a little work and a little play.

The work included trying to figure out why the washing machine won’t work.  It’s hidden behind this barn door with the wash board on it at the foot of the claw foot bath tub and next to the shower.

David’s ingenious idea of how to add a 20th century appliance to a 19th century house.   I loved it until I had to figure out how to fix it.

Since his death, the machine has decided to blow a fuse before I return the last now 2 times.  It works fine until I leave.  And it’s off while I’m  gone so I cannot figure out how or why this happens.

I have to take the bottom of the barn door off to be able to take the front of the washer off to get to the fuse.   Unlike the top the bottom  is not on a hinge because it’s too close to the tub.

It is all solid wood and the bottom is very heavy to disconnect and move aside.

I’ve got my tools, I’ve got new fuses.  But this time that doesn’t do the trick.  SIGH.   My repair man isn’t here so I’ll have to call someone else to come which is a trick given where the farm is.

Enough of that.  The more fun was having dinner with my friend Pam before she leaves for her house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina for the summer.  I won’t see her again until the week before I leave for the winter.  Crossing paths has become more difficult since we retired.

Not part of the fun.   I discovered insulation from under the house blowing up in the furnace vents.  I cannot figure out how this could have happened unless the vents were disturbed or more likely destroyed by a groundhog that has burrowed under the house.  All efforts including a gun to eradicate the cagey creature have so far failed.

Some neighbors stopped by to check out the yard since it hasn’t been mowed in a while.  I wish they would  do a better job of keeping the grass down.   Often there are more of them than just this one.

Aren’t his little antler buds cute?

I’m not usually in Virginia for the summer and I’m experiencing exactly why.  The temperatures have been between 89 and 95 nearly every day IN LATE JUNE.   But this year I was too busy planning my trip west west and couldn’t find anything for the summer that didn’t mean I’d have to move every 2 or 3 days.    On to July……….

Eastward Travel Days Including the Worst One Ever

Thursday June 5-Monday June 9, 2025                          Most Recent Posts:
H & G RV Park, Hazen Arkansas                             Sequoyah Cabin Museum
Parkers Crossroads RV Park Yuma TN    Spiro Mounds Archeological Center
Spacious Skies Campground Monterey TN

I’m actually sorry to leave Sallisaw.  I’ve learned so much here that I did not know about the incredible ancient peoples at Spiro and the amazing polymath and neographer  Sequoyah.  SO glad I stopped and I would love to return.  But now I have to push on.   This post covers 4 days so I can get caught up.  Beware that it is long but I hope interesting.

June 5 Thursday

I left from Sallisaw Oklahoma and drove 218 miles further along route 40 to H&G RV Park in Hazen, Arkansas.   I had a terrible time finding a place that wasn’t too few or too many miles for a day.   All I can say for this place is Never Again.  I did not put a link to this park because I really cannot recommend it.

Located behind a business on the main road this park, if you can call it that, has 2 pull through totally unlevel sites with scary looking water connection and no sewer.  The rigs backed in on the side are all permanent it appears.   There is a mailbox to put your cash payment of $40 a night.  I never saw anyone but the other overnighter who pulled in.  I had my pick of the two sites and took what looked like the most level but it was still too unlevel for me to feel OK about putting my slides out without my jacks which would have also jacked the tow hitch up too far with the car on it.  So I slept with the slides in.  Luckily everything necessary is accessible in Winnona without the slides out.  The problem with unlevel is that it’s hard I understand on the AC compressors and refrigerator if it’s on LP which it is when I travel.   If you know whether that’s true or not, could you let me know.  Boy did I need the AC.  I had to run it.

I looked up their website and the reviews were stellar saying they had a dozen sites - true,  breathtaking scenery, part of a beautiful farm – not that I could see, easy access from I40 and quiet – true.  The reviews were not recent.

Back ins have sewer but there were none available when I was here.  Pull through no sewer.  The water hook up is beneath that board.

Here’s the water connection.  Yes that’s a mud filled hole.  No way was I going to hook my water filters up to this.  So I was able to use the toilet and sinks and drink the water already in my water filtered pitcher.  I cleaned my hose nozzle with bleach when I left.

Boy did the temperature change on this leg.  I arrived at 2:30pm High was 92 (feels like 104).  By 7:45pm it was 86 (feels like 97)  and it definitely did both times.  SO HOT!   But even given all this, I was comfortable in my AC and SO glad to have an electric hook up.

No going outside in this so I relaxed,hoping I’m not damaging my AC or refrigerator and finished this second best biography of Georgia O’Keeffe (IMO),  Portrait of an Artist (bad choice of title also IMO).

June 6 Friday

Up and out for a 206 mile drive to Parker’s Crossroads RV Park and Campground  in Yuma, Tennessee.  Horrible I 40 drive through Memphis.  I don’t know how the rig doesn’t fall apart with all the bouncing and banging even at 45 and 50 mph.   What a horrible stretch of road.

I have another seriously unlevel spot with the passenger and back sides so low I’m afraid the tires will be off the ground to get it level.  So I level it up as best I can without the tires being totally off the ground.  Look in the pic below and see the driver’s side tire.  Barely touching.

Nice and roomy.  Compare this shot with the one below at the end of the day.

Other than the leveling concern, this is a cute park.  Love their office.  Wonder what it was Once Upon a Time?  Looks like the 50’s or 60’s doesn’t it?

The park comes with a small koi pond and ducks.

Most of the ducks were hanging out at the larger possibly fishing pond.  Not big enough to kayak unfortunately. 

But a nice reading spot.

When I walked around the pond I found most of the ducks were over here on the back side.

Continuing my Georgia O’Keeffe obsession, I’m currently reading  Alfred Stieglitz: An American Seer about the famous photographer who launched O’Keeffe’s career and became her husband.   The book is written by Dorothy Norman who idolized him and with whom he had some sort of relationship when Georgia went to New Mexico for extended stays.  That’s a whole story in itself but not in this book.

The other one I’ve finished but since it’s in this picture I’ll talk about it.  I bought Georgia O’Keeffe’s Wartime Texas Letters for far too high a price at the Palo Duro Canyon visitor center.   It’s a book of her letters from 1912-1918 while she was teaching in Texas.  There are letters to friends back east, family and other beaus as well as the beginning of her life long correspondence with Alfred Stieglitz. 

In addition to the letters there is the author’s (Norman)  commentary and analysis.  I’m pretty sure the author’s presumptuous explaining of O’Keeffe’s art at this time would make O’Keeffe furious.

Back to the park….

Clearly the park is a popular spot on a Friday night.   At $55 tax included a night and halfway between Memphis and Nashville, I suspect these folks are mostly one or two nighters like me.   The difference between earlier in the day is striking.

June 7  Saturday

If you have traveled through the south you know that every single battle or skirmish of the Civil War is honored and maintained.  The closest place nearby to hike was  Battle of Parker’s Crossroads Trail.  It is totally paved and with information signs.  There is also drive that covers a wider area. 

Despite being from Virginia, I’m not a Civil War Fan so I walked around until I got 3 miles and tired of it.  I did learn that Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest fought the forces of Union Col. Cyrus L. Dunham here on December 31, 1862.  Apparently the Union came at the Confederates from both sides but Forrest was able to combat both and escape over the Tennessee River so both sides claimed Victory.  SIGH…sounds like Forrest escaped what should have been a perfect trap.   So there you have my summery.   I did not check out the Visitor’s Center.

From there I stopped off on my way back to Winnona for the $10 breakfast at Patty’s

I checked out the dessert case and found mostly meringue and it’s piled high.

Not a meringue lover myself but this is the place to be if you are.

Patty’s is the perfect southern diner.

Southern breakfast with biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs but hash browns rather than grits.  I know, how can I be from Virginia if I don’t care for grits.

Other things for  sale at this delightful southern diner in addition to Possum Meat  were jars of spicy pickled quail eggs, Jalapeno quail eggs, Chow chow Molasses and pumpkin butter.  I was not even tempted by the possum meat.

June 9 Monday

This was probably the worst day of my entire trip.  Although it’s a toss up between this and the roof coming loose in San Marcos Texas.

I was traveling 195 miles to Spacious Skies RV Park in Monterey, Tennessee on the east side of Nashville.  The first hour was wonderful and then the rain started.  It turned into a very harrowing day.  TORRENTS of rain, high winds.  At one

point a semi zoomed past me going at least 70-75 mph, blasting my windshield with water and almost clipping my front as he moved into my lane in front of me. This caused me to slam on my brakes, swerve and nearly lose control of the rig.  We’re talking fishtailing while towing.
Scariest thing  since I’ve been traveling alone. 

Then the rains picked up even more and fog rolled in.  No where to pull over, no rest areas, 4 and 6 lanes of traffic through Nashville .  I slowed to 35 mph.  Lots of cars and trucks with their flashers on including me.  I couldn’t see the vehicle in front of me, only the solid white line on the right side of the far right lane which I am always in.  

It stopped about 20 minutes before arriving at the campground and while I was checking in but was pouring again when I pulled into my site. 
It was 3 hours before I could do anything but disconnect the brake controller and hook up the electric and even then I was soaked.  And to top it off, when I opened the cupboards my favorite Happy Camper cup (picture above) which I’ve had since we first started out (thank you Pam) had gotten chipped, cracked and ruined.  Won’t hold my hot chocolate any more.   I’m sure it was the fishtailing incident.  It’s an understatement to say I was glad to arrive here.  My white knuckles could relax.  I could unclench my teeth.

My worst driving in the rain nightmare was thankfully over and everything but my cup was safe.  Seriously grateful!

Sitting inside reading but not set up or car disconnected. 

June 10 Tuesday

This would have been my 47th wedding anniversary.  How I miss the most wonderful traveling companion ever.  Too sad to think about.  Onward….

I actually didn’t set anything up but the electric until the next day when the skies turned blue with puffy white clouds and I was able to do the water, level up and put out the slides.

Another sloping site.  Can campgrounds really not do better than this?

This park is a bit like a state park in that it has 589 acres and  trails, one to a waterfall.   So I set out to see if I can find it.   My route took me by the cute cabins they have for rent.

and into the woods – hooray!

I pass by what looks like a natural swimming pond.  I didn’t remember to ask if it was but the family is enjoying it.

A very nice overlook along the trail.

One of the things I love about the eastern forests are the giant rocks.  I don’t actually understand where they came from since they aren’t glacial erratics.  Something to research.

I headed down

And down and more down and when I got to the bottom it was blocked off as the piece that goes to the path further down had broken off.   So back up I went looking for another way.   I’ll spare you the details but I found it.

The rocks along the path once I got there were huge.   The lighting was not great.

There were cool caves.

The trail was narrow nearly the entire way.

Talking about amazing rocks.

The rocks naturally curved around at some points.  When I saw the markings to the left I wondered if those were manmade or nature made.

What do you think?

These were eye catching too and I wondered about them as well.

The boulders were huge and tall.  The path narrow and narrower.

and rooty.

My first sight barely of the falls

Zoomed in, it was better.

I forgot to mention that when I started out, I naively thought this was going to be a walk and didn’t wear my hiking boots or bring my hiking pole.   Here’s what I had.  So there was no climbing down to the falls for me today.

Another reason to return.

I tried from my vantage point to get a picture of the full falls and not just the side.

Looks like you “could” climb up the little side trail to the second layer of falls and get yourself wet.

 

This was the best shot I could get and I’m happy with it given my footware.   The sounds of the water were magnificent.  It reminds me of the summer I spent in Transylvania County North Carolina where I literally saw a different waterfall every time I went hiking.

Headed back along that same narrow rocky path with my stick hiking pole and my inappropriate shoes.  At least they aren’t flip flops!  HA!

Looks like the path to nowhere doesn’t it?

Fantastic hiking day!!

June 11 Wednesday

Today was errands day, packing to leave tomorrow and relaxing while readying my latest Booker Nomination. On the Calculation of Volume Book I.   A very interesting book that is the first in a planned Septology.  The first 5 have been published in Danish and at least two translated into English.  It was short listed for the International Booker Prize, longlisted for the International National Book Award and on and on.  Highly praised and I sure wish I had a book group or just a reading buddy to discuss it with.  Anyone want to volunteer?

I did walk back over to the pond.

And later to the sweet gazebo to catch the sunset that sadly really wasn’t.

But still, the view and the pink sky was lovely.  Another reason to return, I could check the sunsets from here every night.

Spacious Skies Campground in Monterey Tennessee is East of Nashville and West of the Great Smoky Mountains on the Cumberland Plateau.  It’s a place I might consider staying for a month in the summer.  Looks like there is a great deal of hiking to be enjoyed in the area.

I make it to Virginia tomorrow.   Thanks for making it all the way to the end.