Paddling The Caney Fork River!! – Tuesday, July 29, 2014

00-MAP
 
A - Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach, SC - June 18-25
B - Zooland Family Campground, Asheboro, NC - June 25-26
C - Stony Fork Campground, Wytheville, VA - June 26-July 2
D - Natural Bridge State Park, Slade, KY - July 2-13
E - Kentucky Horse Park Campground, Lexington, KY - July 13-17
F - Canal COE Campground, Grand Rivers, Ky - July 17-24
G - Texas T Campground, Cornersville, TN - July 24-28
H - Floating Mill COE Campground, Silver Point, TN - July 28-Aug 1
 
Tuesday, July 29, 2014 – Paddling The Caney Fork River!! 
 
We appreciate all the nice comments from yesterday’s post about how we picked such a wonderful campground and site.  However, we didn’t really pick it.  We came here because David and Sharon, a couple we met at the Spring RV-Dreams Rally, were going to be camping here.  They had already reserved site 92, our first choice, so we were left with site 71 because it was the only other one we could fit in.  So see what great things come from making new friends at an RV-Dreams Rally. 
 
 
For those that weren’t at the 2014 Spring RV-Dreams Rally,
 
David and Sharon are an amazing young couple
00 - Can You Say HAPPY 
who are preparing to sell their life’s mission, Butterfly Hollow,
 
to start living the full-time lifestyle:o)) 
 
 
They built Butterfly Hollow from the ground up into a B & B and Wedding venue. 
 
Click on this link to see the beautiful place they created: http://butterflyhollowfarm.com/farmhouse.html 
 
If you know anyone who would like to buy this beautiful place,
please share this link with them:
  http://tennesseebedandbreakfastforsale.com/
 
 
It is so great to have personal tour guides who know the area and know where to paddle.
 
Our campground is the green dot on the map and our paddle is the red line.00 - Route Map Overview
 
 
The plan was to put in at the Buffalo Valley boat ramp
and
take out at the Happy Hollow boat ramp.
  00b - Route Map 2
 
Our paddle would be about 5.25 miles.
 
 
About 10am, we drove down to David and Sharon’s site.01 - David and Sharon's Site 92
 
 
We followed them in the Tahoe through some beautiful Tennessee back roads
 
to the take out point and they parked their truck.
01a - Drive to Takeout on Rt 141
 
 
Then the four of us drove to the put in at the Buffalo Valley boat ramp.
 
It is located right in front of the dam that blocks the Caney Fork River to create Center Hill Lake.
01b - David and Sharon in front of Dam01c Center Hills Dam
 
 
Today, the dam was generating which means not much paddling was required, just steering;o))
 
What a beautiful ride on a beautiful river!!!
.02 - heading down the Caney Fork  02a - Pretty Paddle
 
 
As we paddled, we were surrounded by the Tennessee Hills:0))02b - paddling toward a Tennessee Hill
 
 
Hey David, another one of those hills with a hole in it ;o)))02b2 -Hey David there's a hole in the hill
 
 
David and Sharon just recently got their Sea Eagle, but they sure are in sync!!!02c - David and Sharon are really in sync
 
 
We passed beautiful rocky cliffs and even an artist painting from a rock in the river!!02c - paddling past rock cliffs  02d - paddling past  an artist
 
 
We found a nice area to pull over, stretch our legs and eat our lunch.02e - our lunch spot
 
 
Then it was just a relaxing float down the river on a spectacular day:o))02f - Great paddle on a wonderful day
 
 
There was a bit of congestion and a few rather rude boaters at the take out.
 
They were just chatting and messing around while we waited;o((02g - Approaching the Takeout
 
 
However, if we hadn’t had to wait,
 
we would have missed this at the top of the ramp!!!02h - Doe and Fawn
 
 
Perfect ending to a wonderful paddle down The Caney Fork!!

Back to Nature and More Friends :o)) – Mon, July 28 to Fri, Aug 1, 2014

00-MAP
A - Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach, SC - June 18-25
B - Zooland Family Campground, Asheboro, NC - June 25-26
C - Stony Fork Campground, Wytheville, VA - June 26-July 2
D - Natural Bridge State Park, Slade, KY - July 2-13
E - Kentucky Horse Park Campground, Lexington, KY - July 13-17
F - Canal COE Campground, Grand Rivers, Ky - July 17-24
G - Texas T Campground, Cornersville, TN - July 24-28

H - Floating Mill COE Campground, Silver Point, TN - July 28-Aug 1
 

Monday, July 28, 2014 – Travel Day to Floating Mill COE CG, Silver Point, TN

We waited until about 9am to head north on I-65 toward Nashville.  Most of rush hour traffic was over and we had a beautiful trip.  We took an outer loop around Nashville to I-40 east.  It was a beautiful and relaxing 2 hour trip.
 
 
This photo is the the type of view we had most of our trip:o)) 00b - Tennessee Hills and GREEN
I know they talk about the Tennessee Hills,
but I had no idea how very GREEN this state is... BEAUTIFUL!!!
 

 
We arrived at Floating Mill COE Campground before noon. 
 
The host at the gate, actually came out and directed us to our site. 
 
There are a couple tricky turns and she wanted to be sure we made it:o))
 

We are on site 71 which sits at the top of the terraces above Center Hill Lake.01a - Terraced Campground  01 - Baby Site 71 - High Above The Lake

 

 
There are no campsites between us and the lake so our view is wonderful!!01b - View from Our Site 71 01b2 - View from Our Site 71

 
 
Even the view from inside is pretty special :o))01c - View from my office

 

 
Once we got setup and had some lunch, we took a walk and explored the campground. 

 
It is hilly and there are not many sites that a big rig would fit into. 

 
However, site 71 and 92 are two of the best with the greatest views!!

 

 
This campground is beautiful and all the sites are along the lake.

01e - Center Hill Lake  01f - Center Hill Lake

 
If you were a tent camper, you would have many, many wonderful sites to choose from.01g- Center Hill Lake

 

 
Since it is a Monday, the campground is very empty.

 
As we walked, Bill scoped out firewood that had been left by the weekenders. 

 
He took the car back to pick up his find.

 
He is back to feeling great and spent the afternoon splitting his load!!

02 - Bill's feeling better

 

 
I spent the afternoon, cheering him on and doing a little bird watching…

03 - The Early Bird Catches the Worm03b - No Worm

 
 
We have an adorable Bluebird Family at our site:o))


04b - Momma Bluebird

04c - Bluebird Chick 1      04d - Bluebird Chick 2

 
Yep… We’re Gonna Like It Here !!!

Moving On To Tennessee!! – Thursday, July 24 to Monday, July 28, 2014

00 - MAP
A - Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach, SC - June 18-25
B - Zooland Family Campground, Asheboro, NC - June 25-26
C - Stony Fork Campground, Wytheville, VA - June 26-July 2
D - Natural Bridge State Park, Slade, KY - July 2-13
E - Kentucky Horse Park Campground, Lexington, KY - July 13-17
F - Canal COE Campground, Grand Rivers, Ky - July 17-24 
G - Texas T Campground, Cornersville, TN - July 24-28
 
Thursday, July 24, 2014 – Travel Day to Texas T CG, Cornersville, TN

 
We left Canal Campground in Grand Rivers, KY and headed toward Nashville, TN on I-24. 

00a - Welcome to Tennessee  on I-24

 
Originally, we were supposed to stay at Henry Horton State Park just south of Nashville.  However, a couple weeks ago, Henry Horton SP called to say they were closing the campground for renovations and could not honor our reservation;o((
 

We are in this area to visit some former neighbors/friends who now live in Franklin, TN.  There really are not many good campgrounds to choose from.  But I remembered that Gail and Rick had a daughter who lived in Franklin.  I gave her a call and she recommended Texas-T in Cornersville, exit 27 on I-65.
 

Well, it is perfect!!  Nothing fancy, but easy FHU pull-through sites:o)

01 - Texas T Campground, Cornersville, TN - Site 5  01b - Texas T Campground, Cornersville, TN - The Neighborhood

 
We have to drive a little further to get to our friends home, but time wise it is quicker.


 

Fri & Sat, July 25-26, 2014 – Fun Time With SPECIAL Friends!!!
 

From 1995 to 1998, we lived in Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms, just north of Charleston, SC.  During that time, we met Bill and Shelley.  They became good friends and we have seen them at different times and in different places during the last 15 years.  Two years ago, they moved from Massachusetts to Franklin, Tennessee.  It has actually been 7 years since we have seen them…so it was time;o))
 

Bill and Shelley’s New Home In The Beautiful Westhaven Community00 - New Home

 
We arrived at their home about 3pm and it was like 7 days, not 7 years, had passed since we last saw them.  They had invited us to stay overnight so we could attend a concert-picnic at one of their community's parks.  Then on Saturday , the two Bills will be hitting the golf course and the girls will be hitting the farmers market and few other fun places!!
 

Heading to the concert and picnic.

01b - Heading to the Concert Park01c - Hurry Bill, you've got the drinks

 
 
The featured artist at the concert was Jaimee Paul.

01 - Jaimee Paul Concert01a - Jaimee Paul Concert01a2 - Jaimee Paul - beautiful and talented

She sings the old classics with a jazz flair… it was amazing!!!

 
 
Not only did we get to hear some fabulous music,

but we got to meet many of Bill and Shelley’s friends and neighbors.01e - Concert Goers gathering for the picnic

 
One was celebrating her birthday!!!

03 - Birthday

 
It was a beautiful evening, with perfect weather, food, music and friends!!
 

 
We all were up before 6am on Saturday!!!
 

We just didn’t want to waste a minute of the time we had to spend together;o)) 
 

By 8am, Shelley and I were headed out to begin our treasure hunt.04 - Tomato Fest - Franklin Farmers Market

 
 
Bill and Bill were getting ready to hit the links!!04b - Getting ready for golf

 
We all had a wonderful day and our visit ended at a nice restaurant called Bricks Cafe.

 
 
After hugs and promises to see them again before 7 years passes,

we headed home but not without some very special memories.
 

 
One of those is an original  “W. Brown”  painting

which looks perfect in our Gallery!!

Our Original Brown !!  The Perfect Home

 

 
Good  Friends  Are  Life’s  Treasures!!

05b - Special Friends - Good Times05a - Forever Friends