POINT TO PONDER: “Truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it. Ignorance may deride it. Malice may distort it. But there it is.” ~ Winston Churchill

On Tuesday, March 25, we headed south for an epic road trip. After 6 years of living in the RV and not having to pack stuff for a trip, I wore myself out trying to think of everything we would need for a MONTH. It truly made me appreciate being able to take most of our stuff with us in Priscilla. Mattress hopping is not good for my hips anymore, either!! Truth be told, we could have taken her this time, but I was uncomfortable leaving our house at Port Canaveral for a week while we were on a ship. If I had to do it again, I’d probably suck it up and park her there!! [Mr. Wonderful (MW) did not see the easy access RV parking they described on the phone when we were there, though, so maybe it was for the best.]

Our first stop was Huntsville, Alabama, where we caught up with family for a couple of days. As always, we enjoyed spending time with Peg and Colin, mainly because we like their company, but also because the food is fantastic! Peg loves to feed people!! During our stay MW managed to make a solo visit to commune with the Saturn V at the U. S. Space & Rocket Center while I caught up on some writing. We also met bro Scott at 1892 East Restaurant & Tavern for lunch.

One thing we did that I didn’t expect to be so cool was checking out Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsdale, Alabama, a short drive away. This place is huge and has some of everything. In fact, MW needed studs and cuff links for his tux because his are apparently packed away in the barn. We planned to go by a formalwear shop and pick some up, but he remembered to ask here. Yes, they had a set…$6…seriously!! They have all manner of clothing, shoes, computers, cell phones, tablets, jewelry, etc., etc., etc. I kept wondering, though…who puts a Rolex in their checked baggage?? As the story goes, in 1970 Hugo Doyle Owens heard that Trailways bus lines had a giant stack of unclaimed bags they didn’t know what to do with. He struck a deal to buy everything they had for $300, which he borrowed from his father-in-law. Borrowing his dad’s 1965 Chevy, he hauled his first load home, sold everything in one day, and the rest is history. Apparently when you lose a checked bag on a plane, bus, or train, they look for it for about 3 months, then pay you for the contents. When they later find it stuck in a corner somewhere, it and all contents belong to them, and they sell it all off in bulk. If I remember correctly, signage said Unclaimed Baggage handles about 5% of the unclaimed bags in the world. They donate most of what they find, then sell the rest in their store. What happens to all of those suitcases? Well, some are sold, but many are painted by customers or employees, then donated to children in foster care, most of whom have been carrying around their meager belongings in a plastic bag. What a great idea! Still owned by the same family after more than 50 years, this place is really worth the time if you like to look around for deals. They also have a little museum of some of the stranger or more interesting things they have found.

On Friday we headed over for a nice visit with Mom and Dad2 (Larry), where we had a few meals out and worked on our scanning project. MW made his obligatory stop in at Dogwood Books, and he and Larry went on a Krystal outing followed by a little Bucee’s shopping. Mom and I worked in pedicures and a little shopping, too. MW completed a few chores around the house while there, and we enjoyed visiting Armuchee Baptist Church again. (They are always so nice!) As is typical, the time passed quickly.

On April 3 we pointed Big Bertha south and drove to Blackshear, Georgia, where we stopped for the night. The next day we continued south, stopping in at Feathers and Fins in Folkston, Georgia, for lunch. (Excellent food and great staff.) Back in the car we continued into Florida and ended the day’s drive in Titusville, where we spent our last night on dry land for a while. The next morning as we were loading up, I dropped my ~3 lb. camera on my right foot., and honest to goodness, thought I’d broken roast beef, none, and wee wee! After attempting to walk it off, I decided they weren’t actually broken. Roast beef, however, was unhappy for several days, making me a little gimpy! The Georgia Bailey Crew arrived on Saturday, and it was time to hit the high seas. We headed to the port, noting a bunch of active osprey nests along the way. MW and I even saw a flamingo in flight…must have been an escapee from somewhere. Too cool! Cadence, our youngest GA booger, was riding with us, and she was pretty excited when we saw our ship. We boarded the Carnival Vista, which turned out to be a surprisingly easy process, and got underway southeast.

The cruise was awesome! Along with playing on the ship and eating WAAAYYYYY too much, here are some highlights:

  • The second night aboard was formal night, and we all took the opportunity to dress up. MW even wore his tuxedo! The boogers liked it so much that they dressed up just about every night for supper after that. They are awesome!
  • In the Dominican Republic (DR) the kids and boogers took a cool 4-wheeler ride and hike to the Waterfalls of Damajagua. (Their pics are included below.) I really wanted to do this one with them, but was concerned at the description of the hike portion with my hip issues. They said it was a blast right up until Alene was in the water not too far from the end and felt what she thought was something bite her foot. It turned out to be a nice, rusty nail stuck into the bottom. Yikes!! Although it freaked everyone out, Ryan took charge, putting his first aid skills to work, and the tour guides brought up a mule to cart her back. I can’t believe they didn’t get a pic of the nail IN her foot AND her on that mule!! They did get one later of the nail, though. The tour provider wanted her to go to the hospital in the DR, but they opted for a trip to the ship’s doctor instead. Someone there talked to them about fees, but then a security guy who knew the situation showed up and said it would all be covered by Carnival since it was one of their excursions. One way or another, it was going to be, but they did make it painless…except for the nail in the foot part. Alene was a trooper, though, deciding she was not going to miss out on any fun.
  • The next day all of us headed ashore in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to check out a little history. It was a bit grey and steamy with rain in the forecast, but it ended up only drizzling a little. A tour bus took us first to Castillo de San Cristobal (Saint Christopher Castle) in the Old San Juan historic district. It is the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the New World. After attacks by the English in 1598 and the Dutch in 1625, what was then known as the Narita del Diablo or Devil’s sentry box and an artillery platform were built in 1634. Development continued and by 1790 it was a bastion fort rising 150′ above the ocean, charged with guarding San Juan.
  • Next we checked out Castillo San Filipe del Morro (Promontory Castle of Saint Philip), a 16th century Spanish fortress also located in the historic district. Construction of this citadel began in 1539 and continued for almost 250 years! Standing 140′ tall with walls 18-25′ thick, this hexagon guards the entrance to San Juan Bay, the harbor of Old San Juan. There were many battles in Puerto Rico over the years, but the old fortresses remained standing. In 1898, the Spanish-American war ended with the Treaty of Paris, which ceded ownership of the islands of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. For the next 63 years, the forts and many other government buildings in San Juan became part of the U.S. Army’s Fort Brooke. In 1961, the Army retired from the fort, and ownership was transferred over to the National Park Service for preservation as part of the San Juan National Historic Site. In 1983, the United Nations declared it a World Heritage Site. Both forts and the bus ride through Old San Juan were very interesting and worth a look. (Hopefully you will be luckier than us and have temps that are a little more reasonable than 98ish!!) The bus dropped us all back off near the port, where MW, deciding he had had enough of the heat, headed back to the ship. The rest of us looked for a place to get some authentic food, settling on a little hole-in-the-wall spot where the Mofongo with prawns was delicious!! There seems to be a lot of history and things to do in San Juan and the surrounding area, so it wouldn’t be a bad destination trip for a few days.
  • When we docked at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, the kids and boogers did the Sea Trek helmet diving, which sounded pretty cool. The helmet has a constant air supply, so your head doesn’t get wet at all and you breathe normally. Then you descend about 20′ under water and walk a path, taking in the sea life. They also checked out town and did a little shopping before returning to the ship. MW and I got off and checked out the port area, then rode the water taxi over to town to walk around a bit. There were lots of little shops down several narrow streets. We didn’t linger long, though, because the heat was just miserable. One of the water taxi guys said this is the end of their big season, so it will be slow for the next few months. I can certainly understand that if it is already in the upper 90s in April!! Pics below are from Alene and me.
  • Despite the continued oppressive heat, we all ventured off the ship again at Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas. MW and I took a bus over to town and walked around a bit, checking out a few shops and the open air market. I enjoyed the beauty and colorfulness of St. Thomas, although it would be tough living there with the crowds. Vehicular traffic was a little crazy, especially on the tiny roads in town.
  • The kids went off looking for a beach that was not covered in umbrellas. The first driver they talked to said it would be a 40 minute drive or something crazy like that. Luckily, Ryan was not about to believe him. The next guy said there was one just 5-10 minutes away, and that turned out to be nice and fairly empty. You really have to watch the locals at these ports. Many are very nice, but some will lie, cheat, or steal to get as much money off of the tourists as possible. Pics of their outing are from Ryan and Alene.
  • The last two days on the ship were at sea, so we all got to relax and spend a little more time together. As is always the case with the kids and boogers, that is the most important part. We listened to music, played some trivia games, the kids took in an IMAX movie, we ate too much (the kids even went to the late night buffet!), and we laughed a LOT!
  • I didn’t take a survey, but would be willing to bet that the kids and Boogers would all say their favorite food was the burgers and fries at Guy’s Burger Joint out by the pool. Well, at least Liam would, because he must have eaten about 40 burgers in 8 days!!! As is typical of any cruise, all of the food was fabulous, and we were happy to see the younguns step out of their comfort zones and try some things they had never had.
  • While on the ocean, we saw lots of flying fish, although I was never fast enough to get a pic. MW also picked out something pretty large that was jumping and twirling off in the distance. The pic is blurry, but he gave quite the show. We ran into a LOT of sargassum seaweed, which has been giving beachgoers fits all around the Caribbean and Gulf coasts. Apparently it hits the shore, covers the beaches in a thick layer, and stinks. There was a LOT of it out there, so more is coming, people!
  • The last couple of nights, we went out to listen to music. One guy was so good, we ended up going to that bar both nights. He did a nice variety of 70s and 80s music, and had a terrific accent from northern India. After consulting the family brain trust, we think his name was Ben, but could be wrong.
  • One night we went to the piano bar, too. That was a hoot! First, the pianist couldn’t really sing, but thought he was Elton John, stylizing every song. Just after he got started, his stool broke. Much discussion ensued, then someone brought him a chair, which was too low. So he looked like a little bald kid sitting at a tall piano. We were honestly enjoying the heck out of this show. After several songs, he called on some guy sitting in the audience to sing, who did an okay job with Desperado. Then he asked another guy if he wanted to sing. “Heck yeah!” The guy promptly asks the pianist to move, sat down, and ran through Great Balls of Fire and another song, singing AND playing. He was very good, and had apparently won the ship’s karaoke contest. He did not emulate Jerry Lee and play with his feet, though. Everyone enjoyed it, but I don’t think the star of the show expected to be displaced at the piano!

On Sunday, April 13, the Carnival Vista pulled back into Port Canaveral. After an amazingly smooth exit from the ship, we all said our goodbyes, exhausted, but sad to see it end. MW and I headed west to Lakeland, Florida, for a couple of days where we caught up on our sleep, did a little shopping, and took in The Chosen: Last Supper, Part 1.

On Tuesday we headed north, with our first stop at the grave of Ellas Otha Bates. Born in McComb, Mississippi, in 1928, he played an integral part in popular music’s transition from blues to rock and roll in the 50s and 60s. His techniques and use of African rhythms influenced a whole host of future artists like the Beatles, Buddy Holly, and George Thorogood and laid out the standards that pop, hip hop, and rock still use today. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with several others, and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. What’s that? You’ve never heard of the guy?! Well, you may know him by his aka…Bo Diddley. He is buried under an oak tree at the edge of a fairly unkempt cemetery. The headstone has a cool, red guitar, and all manner of folks leave guitar picks in the musician’s honor. The grave cover is inscribed: “He is a landmark etched in world history. Inventor of the Bo Diddley beat. Originator in rock n’ roll. Pioneer in the music industry. An icon, whose music influenced the world. Pharaoh. A man amongst men. His legend continues.” Bo had many health problems in his later years including a stroke and a heart attack in 2007. A year later when he died, he was surrounded by family members. It was in the wee hours of the morning, and they sang the gospel song “Walk Around Heaven”. Afterwards, Bo spoke his last words…”Wow! I’m goin’ to Heaven!”

Back in the car, we drove further northwest, ending up in Perry, Florida, for a quick overnight. On the way we saw a lot of swallow-tail kites and one bald eagle fighting off some vultures for a hunk of road kill. Too bad I wasn’t fast enough for that pic!!

The next day’s drive was a quick one over to Destin, Florida.  There we took in Part 2 of The Chosen: Last Supper. We also had supper at Fudpucker’s, a touristy, kitschy place with a lot of goofy decorations and, strangely, a pond full of alligators! The atmosphere was interesting, the food was good, but the noise level was very high.

On Thursday, April 17, we finally made it over to Pensacola to hang out with the Florida Joneses, Mark and Jennifer.  This is the first time in years that they had to actually put up with us staying in the house with them, so we might not be invited back!!  LOL. We ALWAYS have a fun time with those two nuts. Some highlights of the visit include:

  • We watched a Blue Angels show in the back yard! The Jones abode is just about 3 miles ESE of NAS Pensacola, so they get to regularly enjoy a LOT of practice sessions and that terrific sound of freedom!!
  • On Friday night we headed to Gallery Night on Palafox Street downtown. This is a monthly event that the FL Joneses rarely miss. There are food trucks, drink wagons, vendors, and live music. I can personally vouch for the one selling lobster rolls…YUM!! The locals constantly run into people they know, so it seems to be popular with everyone. I recommend it if you are in the area.
  • On Saturday the four of us took a ride over to Magnolia Springs, Alabama. This place is on the lists of both the “most beautiful places in the U.S.” and “coolest small towns”. While I’m not sure it belongs on the former, it was certainly a cool little hamlet snuggled up along the Magnolia river. Established in 1891, this little community of beautiful, tree-lined streets and lovely river views looked like a great little place to live. Well, if you don’t take into account you are in southern Alabama and it is 1,000 degrees in the summer! Of course, on the way back we were too close to Buc-ee’s to pass that up. LOL
  • On Easter Sunday we headed over to the beach to enjoy a sunrise service with The Point Church. It was a little windy and delightfully cool, and the celebration service was beautiful. Afterwards we had an awesome meal at Ruby Slipper in Orange Beach.
  • While the bro and sis were working on Monday, MW and I caught the last part of The Chosen: Last Supper. That show is so powerful with an amazing cast!

After a nice visit and celebration of Mark’s upcoming retirement, it was time to begin the trip north. We hit the road early on Tuesday, April 23, but weren’t going to make it home for a couple more days. You see, MW found out that Chattanooga, Tennessee, is now home to the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. While we’ve been to the “Scenic City” many times, that pretty much sealed the deal on a new visit. Well, that and the opportunity to see a little minor league baseball! LOL. We got up early Wednesday and headed downtown. As we walked into the Heritage Center, we both immediately recognized the docent, although it took all three of us a minute to figure out from where. Paul Colman, a member of our USNA RV group, recently relocated to Chattanooga and volunteers at the center regularly. He gave us a wonderful overview and pointed out some of his favorite things. Reading the Medal of Honor citations can seriously make me misty. Most of these folks are just simple, everyday people who, when put in horrendous situations, stepped up and became heroes. The majority were also incredibly humble after the fact, which makes them even more special. (Check here to read some for yourself, but I’m telling you, have Kleenex handy!) Some of the things I learned at the Heritage Center:

  • In 1818 an exact copy of the Declaration of Independence was hand-drawn by a guy named Benjamin Owen Tyler. It was then engraved by Peter Maverick. With many of the original signers gone and patriotism renewed just after the war of 1812, Americans were hungry for copies of the storied documents. More than 1740 were sold, most on paper, some on vellum, and three each on linen and silk. Many living signers including Thomas Jefferson endorsed the copy for its precision. Finding one of these today is very rare, and you couldn’t purchase it for less than your first born child, your favorite dog, and maybe a classic car!
  • There were displays about Andrews’ Raiders from the Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt from the Spanish American War, Sergeant York from WWI, Desmond Doss from WWII, Larry Taylor from Vietnam, and Kyle Carpenter from Afghanistan, just to name a few.
  • Per Sgt. Alvin York, “I had orders to report to Brigadier General Lindsey, and he said to me, “Well, York, I hear you have captured the whole damned German army.” And I told him I only had 132.” If you want to read more about York, check this previous post. You could also check out the 1941 movie, starring Gary Cooper, which is excellent.
  • When I think of Conscientious Objectors (COs), I see people sneaking across the Canadian border so as not to be drafted. Interestingly, there have been three Medal of Honor winners who were actually COs…Alvin C. York, Joseph G. LaPointe Jr., and Thomas W. Bennett. After being drafted into the military, York filed for the status based on religious beliefs, but was denied because his “sect did not qualify as an established religious group under the Selective Service Act of 1917”. He went on to be an excellent marksman. LaPointe was drafted in 1968 for Vietnam, granted CO status, and served as a medic with the 101st Airborne. Bennett enlisted in 1968, despite his deep religious convictions. He, too, served as a medic with the 4th Infantry Division. How did they win their Medals? By braving enemy fire to treat wounded soldiers, and ultimately, sacrificing their own lives to take care of their comrades.
  • Check out this citation for Charles H. Coolidge. He was born in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, and came home after WWII to work at Chattanooga Printing and Engraving, his father’s business that is still family-owned.
  • Most people know that General Douglas MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership in defense of the Philippines in WWII. Fewer are aware that his father, Arthur MacArthur Jr., also received the Medal at the Battle of Missionary Ridge during the Civil War. Coincidentally, he was the Governor-General of the Philippines from 1845 to 1912.
  • John 15:13 says “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” In 1970, Michael W. Stout scooped up a grenade that had landed in his unit’s bunker, running for the entrance. Holding it close to his body and therefore shielding those behind him, it exploded before he got there, killing him. Flash forward to 2010 in Afghanistan when Kyle Carpenter was faced with almost the same situation. The grenade exploded as he shielded a fellow Marine, but amazingly, he survived. It would take 3 years of medical treatments, but he considers November 21, 2010, his “Alive Day”. Since his recovery, he has run the Marine Corps Marathon multiple times, received a degree in International Relations from the University of South Carolina, written a memoir (with co-author Don Yaeger), supports many charities for veterans, and speaks to audiences about fulfilling potential despite challenges.
  • First Lieutenant Larry L. Taylor flew a Cobra helicopter gunship in Vietnam, and on June 18, 1968, he and another Cobra were airborne in response to a distress call from a four-man patrol team. They were surrounded and in a fire fight with the Viet Cong. Despite heavy fire, Taylor flew his ship low to try to find an exit for the men on the ground. With no luck and despite serious risk to himself, Larry made the decision to extract the team on his own. He relayed the extraction point, then when ready, landed and held it down long enough for the four men to grab hold and hang on. A Cobra doesn’t have any extra seating, so they were sitting on rocket-pods and skids as they were evacuated to the nearest friendly location. When the higher-ups later questioned his decision, Taylor responded “Want me to take ’em back?” Taylor was originally awarded a Silver Star for this act, but relentless lobbying by supporters and review by the military saw the award converted to the Medal of Honor in 2023. The 81-year-old was thrilled when President Biden gave him the award at the White House. The Chattanoogan died 4 months later.
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt said “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” In an overwhelming number of Medal of Honor cases, the something else has nothing to do with self and everything to do with buddies, the unit, the mission, and the country. That’s pretty darned amazing. Today there are somewhere around 61 living Medal of Honor recipients, and I’d love to meet every one of them!

Later that night we went to AT&T Field to check out a Chattanooga Lookouts game against the Columbus Clingstones. It was a perfect night for baseball until the bottom dropped out.  Quite suddenly, it was raining buckets! Sadly, the home team was on a rally, but ended up losing 4-6. We stood in the mist of the open concourse until they called the game. Then it was a two-block hustle to the parking garage.  Thankfully, we did have our big umbrella.

INTERESTING SIDE NOTE:  We all know of the infamous John Wilkes Booth who shot President Lincoln at the Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.  But did you know about his brother, Edwin?  He was the most famous Shakespearean actor of the 19th century and holds one other distinction.  While his brother took the life of a Lincoln, Edwin saved one.  Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham’s son, was waiting on a train platform when he lost his footing just as the train began to move.  Quick handed Edwin grabbed his collar and pulled him back from tragedy.  It wasn’t until years later that he found out who he had saved.

On Thursday, April 24, it was finally time to head back to the barn.  First, though, we took a quick drive through the Chattanooga National Cemetery, which is right in town.  It was still grey and a little misty, which added to the somber feel of the hallowed ground.  

After a month on the road without Priscilla, I don’t think I want to do that again in the near future.  There is definitely something to be said for sleeping in your own bed every night, having a refrigerator handy, and not having to pack a load of stuff! 

Funny note…a friend of ours spent a couple of weeks trying to hunt turkeys in our woods while we were away.  He said he hadn’t even heard one and was very frustrated.  When we pulled into the driveway, one was in the field.  Of course, it was a female, so he couldn’t harvest her, but I thought it was hilarious nonetheless..  

Now it’s time to get ready for our summer jaunt and another Great Adventure for one of the Boogers.  Stay tuned!  See you on the path!!

Talisa

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