Up, Up, and Away! Hang-Gliding on Lookout Mountain, Georgia

It all started when I was looking for a place to camp for one night before getting into our next state park campground. As I looked on the IOverlander app, I casually mentioned to Doug that there was a flight park that allowed people to camp overnight near their landing field. Doug immediately began his research and before I knew it, he was scheming to make one of his ''bucket list'' items a reality. Come with us as he soars ...

Up, Up and Away

during an introductory hang-gliding experience at Lookout Mountain Flight Park in Rising Fawn, Georgia! 

This hang-gliding and paragliding training center is located fifteen miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Situated on a ridge of Lookout Mountain and descending into the adjacent valley, this flight park is the largest and most popular hang-gliding school in the United States. Local weather and wind patterns produce nearly optimal soaring conditions for gliding enthusiasts year round. 

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon, and from our cliff-side parking spot we watched gliding enthusiasts of all ages take advantage of favorable evening winds. Hang-gliders and paragliders launched into flight by running off the ramp over the cliff, caught the wind, and soared gracefully until they decided to touch down in the landing field below us.

As we watched these experienced pilots gracefully glide through the air, I thought that this could be a lot of fun ...

... except for the part about the running 

off the side of a mountain!

From our parking spot we could hear the constant buzz of plane engines and saw another way that the hang-gliders get airborne that appeared a bit less intimidating.

A small aircraft with a tow rope was lifting the flyers and their kites up in the air and then releasing them to soar above the valley for as long as the favorable winds and the pilot's skills allowed them.  

Sunset brought an array of beautiful colors over the mountain valley as the flying enthusiasts got in their last soar for the weekend. We had found a wide parking area on the side of the road close to where Doug was to report for his class at ''O' too early'' Monday morning.

Excited or Nervous ...

or just the normal quiet and contemplative Doug? 

The next morning Doug started out with the scariest task of the day ... signing the legal papers in which he acknowledges the dangers of hang-gliding and assumes all liability.  He met his instructor who went over skills and safety checks. Then we drove down a remote gravel road to the ''Bunny Hill'' training park. The instructor took Doug and another student up the hill to where they would soon experience the power of a little wind beneath their wings.

At the top of the hill, Doug was instructed to run fast down the hill with the fifty pound glider balanced on his shoulders. He needed to keep running until he felt himself being lifted up off the ground.

First try ... not so good, but he was able to achieve a successful lift-off during his next four attempts. Those following four ''flights'' were the best part of his day.

''I really liked those little glides on the bunny hill. It really felt like I was flying under my own power for a little while.''

The video proof ...

After that it was time to head back to the main field for a taste of the ''real deal''. Doug suited up and met the experienced pilot who would accompany him on his tandem flight.

Securely strapped in and ready for a once in a life-time opportunity!

Afterwards, my ''man of few words'' did have this to say about his hang-gliding experience ...

''When we took off behind the tow-plane, the speed was higher than I had expected. My glasses got jostled a bit, but I couldn't release my hands to readjust them. Going up and gaining altitude was very peaceful. When we achieved 1800 feet, the hang-glider was released and things got quiet. The instructor maneuvered the hang-glider for a bit and showed me how to dive and turn. Then I was able to take control and perform some dives and turns under the direction of the instructor. Very soon, it was time to land and the instructor took over the controls. We seemed to come in very fast, but the landing was smooth. All-in-all it was very exciting.'' 

I just watched in amazement as they gracefully soared high above the airfield ... 

... and after about ten minutes, came back down with a smooth, safe landing.

 

Afterwards we settled into our camping spot next to the landing zone. It was close enough to be able to watch the enthusiastic pilots of this flying community catch the ''ridge lifts'' and ride the ''thermals'' that is area is so famous for. Doug was happy to take it easy as he was feeling the pain from the most difficult part of his day ... this non-runner had to run fast during his five running launches off the ''bunny hill'' resulting in sore leg muscles.  Would he want to stick around here for a few weeks and pursue more advanced hang-gliding lessons? ''Nope, been there, done it, and enjoyed it immensely.'' 

So what's his next extreme sport ''bucket list'' item?

''A hot-air balloon ride!''

.

Hummm ... I just might be talked into joining him for that type of

Up, Up and Away RVenture!

Georgia's On Our Mind, But We Are Going With the Flow

 

We were excited! It was time to start heading north after spending five months in Florida. When we began making plans for our journey, Doug had one request. Since we had spent so much time on the beach recently, he wanted to take a more inland route as we explored the eastern United States. So I did my research. Central Georgia has hills, and hiking, and lots of history ... sounds like my kind of place! And while we were hoping to have ''Georgia on our Minds'' for the next few weeks, a change of plans taught us to go with the flow as we discovered ''Sweet home Alabama''.

I am a planner, and I had devised a great travel itinerary. Visit a Civil War national historic site, check out Jimmy Carter's hometown of Plains, see the ''Grand Canyon of Georgia'', find the small town where Doug's grandmother had acquired her beautiful southern accent, stop by FDR's Little White House, reconnect with cousins who were excited to show us Atlanta, and check out the mountains of northern Georgia. 

The best laid plans ... sometimes need to be changed.

We were able to visit Andersonville and see Grandma's hometown of Waverly Hall, Georgia, but few days into our journey, we began to hear about gas shortages affecting the southeastern United States. When we started to personally experience empty gas pumps, we knew that we may need to rethink our travel plan. Gasoline is kind of a major player in our lifestyle. Fortunately, the ability to be flexible brought us to a few historical sites while allowing us to enjoy some ''sweet home'' moments in Alabama.

(Google gets this photo credit since I wasn't quick enough

with the camera when we crossed the state line)

Alabama, we had read, was not hugely impacted by the gasoline shortage like its neighbors to the east. And upon crossing the state line, we saw that it was true. At our first gas stop, it was business as usual. With our tank once again full, we continued west to cross off another state capitol building for me, and also discover a city with a rich yet contentious history.

Montgomery, Alabama

We were originally going to just get a quick picture and walk around the state capitol building, but after passing by the Confederate White House and talking to a tour guide, we sensed that there was more history to check out while we were here in downtown Montgomery.

But first things first ... our search continues for BBQ ribs as good as Grandma's. According to Trip Adviser, Dreamland Bar-B-Que is the #1 BBQ joint in Montgomery, and it just happened to be right down the street. Let's check it out! We shared the rib and pork plate, and while the pork was flavorful and the sauce had a unique burst of flavor, the ribs were far from ''fall off the bone'' tender. We know that it will be hard to beat the memory of Doug's grandmother's ribs, but these, unfortunately, did not even come close.

After lunch we walked around downtown, checked out the riverfront, and found plaques that highlighted a city rich in history. 

Located on the Alabama River, the city of

Montgomery grew as the river helped boost

not only its cotton trade,

... but also made it a major slave trading market.

In more recent history, Montgomery is considered

the birthplace of Civil Rights, beginning with Rosa Parks

and the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955,

... and continuing with the Salma to Montgomery marches

to secure voting rights for all in 1965.

There are numerous museums in Montgomery dedicated to the history of the struggle for Civil Rights. My travel partner scored some ''good guy'' points when he researched our options and suggested a visit to The Legacy Museum.

This museum is located on the site that once warehoused enslaved people awaiting to be sold at auction. Admission to the museum is free, but it is advised to reserve tickets ahead of time as space can be limited. We were fortunate to be able to reserve our tickets as we waited in line. After donning our masks and passing through security, we were ready to enter into the somber museum that highlighted the legacy of slavery, lynchings, and racial segregation.

(The Legacy Museum gets this photo credit as

photography is not allowed in the museum)

As we entered, we were immediately drawn into the tragic history of this place. Holographic images of enslaved people in slave pens fearfully shared their story as they waited to be publicly auctioned off. These and subsequent interactive displays, movies, and personal stories of slavery, lynchings, and wrongful incarcerations drew us into the plight of racial injustice and invited us all to work together to be a part of the solution. 

A mile down the street was the second part of the museum  ... the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Sculptures, quotes, and plaques visualized the struggles that people of color face in our country.

In the center of the garden was a building with 800 monuments that bore the names of the 4000 Americans who died as a result of public lynchings between 1877 and 1950. 

As we walked past these six-foot tall steel pillars, the floor began to slant down, and the pillars appeared to rise up, giving the subtle effect of the horrific acts that these monuments were recalling.

On a couple walls were the personal stories of the injustices that were not limited to the Southern states but occurred in the North as well.

While this was not the way I had envisioned a visit to Montgomery, I am sure glad that we didn't just take the picture of the capitol building and leave. The emotionally powerful museum and memorial provides a place where all people can not only reflect upon the past but also resolve to improve the future of our country by working together to achieve justice for all.

New Friends on the Shore of Lake Mitchell

Because we changed our plans on the weekend, we needed to find a ''spur of the moment'' place to spend the night. Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts once again came to our rescue. The delightful family that runs G.R.A.C.E. Marina allowed us to park on their property on Friday night, and a small town brewery was our host on Saturday night.

After settling in, our Boondockers Welcome hosts generously offered to take us on a sunset pontoon ride around the 8000 acre lake/reservoir that their home and business is located on. Their southern hospitality quickly made us feel like old friends as we got to know their family and shared travel stories. The name of their marina incorporates the first initial of each family member, because during their twenty years on the lake, each member has contributed to its success. RV travelers in the off season, they suggested a couple of Alabama state parks that we might enjoy.

As the sun began to set, they took us to the opposite side of the lake where a tornado had severely damaged many homes just two months prior. As they attested, the ''grace'' of God had kept their home, family, and business safe. It was a joy to watch their six-month-old grandson's smiles until the gentle wave action rocked him to sleep. 

The next morning a family of ducks were excited to greet their new friend as Doug shared some of his treats with them.

And we were grateful to experience the joys of exploring new places and meeting new friends ... which is only possible when we (mostly meaning I ... the planner) are willing to go with the flow.

Andersonville National Historical Site: Remembering Our Heros

 

''We don't know them all, but we owe them all''

Unknown

As far as we could see ... small white tombstones ... almost touching each other ... in seemingly endless rows ... nearly 13,000 in all. We had arrived in Georgia, a state that is full of Civil War history. There are many battlefield memorials that we could have visited, but we wanted to pay homage to the other type of war hero ... the prisoner-of-war. We arrived at Andersonville National Historical Site, location of the notorious confederate prisoner-of-war camp. In operation from February 1864 until April 1865, the camp imprisoned approximately 45,000 captured Union soldiers, with nearly one-third not surviving to see the end of the war. The simple plaque at the entrance succinctly summarized the somber site that we were about to enter.

Near to the city of Andersonville, Georgia, the Confederate government constructed its largest military prison during the Civil War. The site of Camp Sumter, which is commonly known as Andersonville, was chosen because of its remote location, favorable weather conditions, and large amount of open land that provided some access to food and water. The captured soldiers were transported in crowded trains to this small town in southwestern Georgia beginning in February 1864.

From the station, they began their mile walk down a dusty road to their uncertain future. Along the way, angry townspeople shouted and jeered at them.

As they entered the wooden stockade, a large, muddy open-air field and an uncertain future lie ahead of them. There was no housing provided. The only clothing, shoes, and bedding that they could expect was what they had with them when they entered the compound. The meagerly daily ration of food would be a small piece of cornbread and a little piece of raw meat that they would have to figure out how to cook. Safe drinking water was a precious yet scarce commodity.

Andersonville was originally built on sixteen acres of land and designed to hold 10,000 men. As the numbers of prisoners quickly increased, the area was expanded another ten acres, but it was still no way near to being large enough to hold or provide basic necessities of food, water, and shelter for the men.

Cannons lined the perimeter of the prison to deter any riots or attempted escapes. 

The sixteen foot tall wooden stockade wall was built using logs of surrounding pine trees. The logs were placed so close together that prisoners couldn't see anything outside the walls. Sentry boxes were located close together at the top of the stockade and staffed with sharp-shooting guards around the clock.

As we walked around the one-mile perimeter, we noted the white posts that indicated where the stockade walls were located. Just inside of the stockade line were the ''deadline'' posts. This is where a small wooden rail was located between the camp yard and stockade walls. Guards had orders to shoot any prisoner who crossed the ''deadline''.

On the southern side of the camp was Star Fort, the headquarters for the prison's commanders, General John Winder and Captain Henry Wirz. From this vantage point, we tried to imagine what it would be like to look out and see tens of thousands of men in the hot Georgia sun struggling to survive.

Prisoner-of-war conditions were miserable at best. No shelter was provided, so soldiers had to forge and trade for materials to build make-shift tents. Water was obtained from a small stream that ran through the camp. Unfortunately, this stream that served as drinking water also was used for bathing and as the latrine. Couple that with a scant supply of food, and it is not hard to imagine how dysentery and diarrhea swept through the camp contributing to the high death rate.

What is so amazing is that despite the harsh conditions these soldiers faced, there were so many stories of courage, friendship, and faith. As we approached a small stone structure, we sensed a certain ''sacredness'' about it.

This simple monument houses Providence Spring. In August of 1864, clean water was becoming scarcer as the population increased and the temperatures soared. During a fierce thunderstorm, this spring was unearthed in the middle of the camp. Considered ''providential'' in the timing of its appearance, this miraculous water source was named Providence Spring in gratitude for its life-saving clean water that still flows today. 

After our walk around the prison site, we drove a short ways down the road to see the Andersonville National Cemetery. At the entrance, a striking sculpture of three comrades reminded us of where these brave men got their strength ... from the support of each other and from God. The quote reads:

''Turn you to the Stronghold, ye prisoners of Hope''

Here the 13,000 fallen heros of Camp Sumter are buried in simple graves shoulder-to-shoulder alongside their fellow soldiers. One of the prisoners who worked in a camp hospital was in charge of recording the names of the dead and their burial site number. Because of his meticulous records, there are less than 500 who remain ''unknown''.

I had downloaded a narrative tour of the burial grounds from the National Cemetery website, and as I walked around and listened, I was drawn into some of these heros' stories.

Adam Swarner's name is on tombstone number one.

He was one of the first prisoners to arrive on February 25, 1864.

Already ill after spending time in a POW camp in

Richmond, VA, he died on February 27, 1864.

Some, like this soldier,

are known only to God.

This marker has a name, but is still surrounded

in mystery.  A stone dove appeared on the top of

Lewis S Tuttle's gravestone shortly after

the cemetery's dedication ceremony.

To this day, no one is really sure how or why it is there.

States of the Union who lost soldiers at

Andersonville erected monuments on the

prison site and around the cemetery.

The Minnesota monument features a young

soldier silently honoring his fallen comrades.

''They fell, but o'er their glorious grave

floats free the banner

of the cause they died to save''

Unknown

A visit to Andersonville was a somber walk through one of the darkest periods of our country's history. And as Memorial Day approaches, it is in places such as these that we are reminded to give thanks to our everyday heros who gave so much to ensure that we are able to continue to enjoy the beauty of our freedom.