The Manhattan Project

Oak Ridge Tennessee

is the home of the Manhattan Project, one of the locations where the atomic bomb was developed. There is plenty of history to see in Oak Ridge. Oak Ridge did not exist until the early 1940's when our government decided we had to see if atomic theory would work to build a bomb. Scientific minds thought it would but the only way to prove it was to build it. 

We visited the museum today but could not get a seat on the daily tour bus that takes you through some of the top secret areas that still exist today. We will try again the next time we are near Oak Ridge. The museum entry was $4.00 each, quite a bargain for what they have in the large building. If you have not heard the story or seen the movie, it's another American historical event that I would compare to the Moon landings in the late 1960's. It's a one or two day stop to see it all. Here is the link www.nps.gov/mapr/index.htm so take a look. There are other locations in the country that also worked on the project. We hope to visit all of them.

Since this museum is science & energy, the first thing we found was this car "printed" by a large 3D printer. It's a real car with engine and all. This car may have been on a TV show about the printing technology last year .

There were three separate areas constructed for the project. There were 75,000 people living in the area for the project. The government took over the land and constructed everything. The construction project is a story in itself, all completed in less than three years. The museum has movies and many details about the entire project.

A model of the Oak Ridge "graphite reactor".

An early electron gun.

More early equipment

Still more and I did not get every detail about all of the exhibits.

If you know history, you have heard of the Enola Gay that dropped the first atom bomb on Japan. The second bomb dropped a week later caused Japan to surrender and ended World War II. That was the purpose of the Manhattan Project. 

Today, the nuclear waste is a big problem. There were examples of how they contain the waste. I did communications work as a contractor at Fernald in Ohio along with other employees where I worked. Fernald was called a "feed materials" plant which handled highly radioactive material. I watch the waste containment dome work from the main control room while I installed new communications equipment. That day had lots of people very nervous as they pumped foam under the dome to keep them from collapsing. Fernald was closed several years ago and cleaned up, now a nature preserve.

Raccoon Valley Campground

We are at Raccoon Valley Campground in Heiskel, Tennessee, about twenty miles north of Knoxville. The campground is operated by the Escapees RV Club, based in Livingston, Texas. They have several parks in the south. Members stay for 1/2 price for full hookup, a very good rate by the day, week or month. We are here for one week then we head to Indiana.

Big South Fork

Today we took a drive to Big South Fork River National Recreation Area. It was established in the 1970's west of Oneida, TN on TN 247 with 125,000 acres. Go the the web site to learn more at www.nps.gov/biso/index.htm. Take a look for your next vacation trip. The main roads are paved. The road in from Oneida has a warning: 13% grade with several switchbacks. This is not a road for RV's! We were told to enter from the west for better RV access but we have not been on the west side of the property. Part of our drive took us down a gravel road for about 7 miles. The jeep windows were all out so the interior and occupants were very dust covered. Another hour of intense cleanup when we returned to our motor home.

Checking out a cemetery for a relative of our son in law. His last name is on some headstones but these are old graves from the 1800's. Looks like more research will be needed.

We founmd maps and info for our hiking friend Steve Muncey.

The park attendant at the visitor center was very helpful.

Switchbacks were numerous and steep.

Plenty of the gravel road ended up inside our jeep.

Many hiking trails are in the 125,000 acre park.

Leaving Red Bay Alabama (Really)

We actually left Red Bay this morning after almost 8 weeks. We feel like regular Red Bay residents. Everything on the motor home has been checked out and a couple minor problems corrected at the factory service center. Our campground owners were very nice and we will miss their daily company. The campground is actually owned by Dr. Jim Nabors (yes Jim Nabors but not Gomer) and his son Steve. Jim is a general practice doctor in Red Bay. We did not need his services but he told us he was available if needed. Bill and Linda Nabors are Dr. Jim's parents and usually took care of the daily business. We will probably be back in Red Bay at least once annually for some service so we hope to see them again.  

Next stop was Camping World in Chattanooga Tennessee. The accessory list is growing and our wallet is shrinking. I needed two new compact ladders to clean the motor home and get up on the roof. The 7 foot folding step ladder is tall enough to reach top of the sides. The roof is 12 feet from the ground so a good extension ladder is another must have item.

Continuing north on I-75, we have stopped at a Flying J truck stop for the night. This one is at I-75 & I-40 west of Knoxville. Our first fill up of diesel fuel went well, 53 gallons in about five minutes. The nozzle is larger than a gasoline nozzle. We parked along the edge of the 187 parking slots. It's a big truck lot. Plenty of noise but we leave the AC fan on all night so exterior noise is not a problem. Our 10 KW generator will run all night for AC power so we will stay cool. Dinner at Denny's in the Flying J was good and of course the 15% senior discount was applied to the bill.

Flying-J parked for the night. Slide outs are not out due to a lot of truck traffic driving by all night. This makes it a bit cramped inside but only for the night. We are moving north of Knoxville tomorrow for 6 days at the Escapees Raccoon Valley park in Heiskel, TN. After that, back to the Versailles State Park for about 8 days during the weekend of the 4th.

Surrounded by over the road trucks. Many are running so the noise level is high.

Wash and Washer Day

Saturday was wash the rig day which I did in two stages. You need shade so one side in AM and the other in PM, about 3 hours total time. That will do for a while. Next was the washer & dryer, the one that Mary did not think we needed. Now she likes it. Smaller loads but it's right next to the closet and drawers so it makes it easy to unload the dryer and put clothes away.

It really is vertical, not leaning sideways. Washer on the bottom, dryer on the top.

Our cat is also happy in HER chair in the new motor home.

Day 1 for Both of Us

Steve and Lisa parked next to us at the Red Bay downtown RV park to check out both of our RV's. I provided Steve more instructions about how systems operate in our former motorhome. He has prior camping experience so he will do fine. There are lots of things to learn and everyone has their way of handling some procedures. Mary and I have a lot of new systems to figure out too. Saturday will be washer and dryer test day.

Here we are with our new Phaeton. This is our home from now on. People often ask "where is your first trip" and we just say "somewhere in the United States wherever we feel like going next". 

Steve and Lisa are ready to depart for home in Ohio. They tow a Chev Equinox behind the motor home. Their first stop will be a Pilot Truck Center on I-65 south of Elizabethtown KY. Steve reported heavy traffic and accidents held them up so their five hour drive took longer but they made it there by dark. That Pilot is very large and has a good place for RVs to park overnight. Steve gets to use the on board generator for AC power. They will arrive at home Saturday.

We are in Our New Motorhome

Sherman RV Center

Finally!! We have our new Tiffin Phaeton 40ah. Our dealer was Sherman RV Center in Sherman, MS. We were delayed  since they had sold so many new units this spring. Sherman was the best dealer we have every been associated with. We will always recommend them as the place to buy from.

Moving In

The process started Monday morning. We began the move from our Tiffin Allegro on Monday afternoon. They work stopped at 300am Tuesday morning when we could no longer function. We were up at 700am Tuesday morning to spend another day of hard work in 90 degree weather. Things were looking finally better on Wednesday. We pulled out at Sherman Thursday afternoon and arrived back at Red Bay where we will stay for another week or two while we check out everything. If there are any problems, we are two blocks from the factory.

Mary is talking to Carol Cole, on the right, our sales rep. She was great to work with. She provided a straight forward deal without any numbers games. All vehicle sales should be this easy. Their Service Manager Adam and "get ready" employees new the business and took good care of a few issues. John was our tech that worked with us until we were ready to go. He is a valuable employee at Sherman as are the others we worked with. Other dealers should be so good as Sherman.

Steve and Lisa Muncey from Hamilton Ohio bought our former Tiffin Allegro motorhome.
They are in front of us with their toad as we both left Sherman.

My first drive in the new Phaeton. I have some new things to learn about diesel engines.
Steve and Lisa are ahead of us on their first drive in a Class A motorhome.
We are heading to Red Bay, about 60 miles from Sherman.

Both motor homes are back at Red Bay.
Steve and Lisa are heading home Friday afternoon.

Mary and I will stay in Red Bay another week or two to be sure everything is working properly. The washer and dryer will be tried out Friday afternoon. The Tiffin factory is two blocks away if we need anything. We will head for Knoxville after we are finished here then back to Indiana for July 4th weekend.

Stay tuned in ........

Coon Dog Cemetary

Everyone that stays in Red Bay goes to the cemetary, especially on Memorial Day. This is the only known coon dog burial place in the US. It's a serious place as you can tell by the grave markers and flowers. Here are photos of our little trip this afternoon.

Dismals Canyon

Sunday afternoon, our friends Bob & Jan here in the RV park invited us to go on  hike at Dismals Canyon. We did not know what we were in for but away we went. Dismals Canyon is a National Natural Landmark located near Phil Campbell, Alabama. The lodge is operated by a private company and there was an entrance fee. We walked/hiked the official canyon trail but it went on some distance beyond the end. There is a creek that follows the canyon. The trail had some climbing, lots of boulders to squeeze through and it followed both sides of the creek. The trail is a total of 1.5 miles but we walked more than that distance in about four hours.

Indians inhabited the area 10,000 years ago. The "Temple Cave" - a bluff shelter on the canyon floor -was home to a tribe of Paleoamericans about 10,000 years ago. Chickasaw and Cherokee also used the canyon. In 1838 U.S. Troops rounded up the Chickasaw and held them under guard in this Canyon for two weeks before herding them like cattle to Muscle Shoals where they embarked on the Trail of Tears.

They have guided night walks to see the Dismalites. Past twilight the canyon lights up with tiny bioluminescent creatures we call Dismalites. These "glowworms" require a select habitat to survive and are unique to only a few places on Earth.

You can learn more about the canyon at www.dismalscanyon.com

Jan & Bob are full time RVers like us.
We met them last month when they were also here watching the build of their new Allegro Bus.
They received their Bus last week and we are still waiting.

We had to go over & under a few obstacles

The lodge & store where you enter

Heading South Again

We are driving south on I-65 heading back to Red Bay. Heavy rain started at Elizabethtown KY. We have reservations for Memorial Day weekend and next week. We go to Sherman RV next Monday to pick up our mew motor home. Thursday night we are in a Flying J truck stop in Franklin KY, just north of Nashville. No need to get out of the motor home, we have generator power and everything we need inside. We drive on to Red Bay tomorrow morning.

Raining at the Flying J