The Maiden Voyage of the Starship Flamingo
Stardate 01162015. This is the maiden voyage of the Starship Flamingo; boldly "Boundering" where we have never Bounded before.......
After many weeks of working on the RV and trying to figure out what needed to be in it and what didn't, we decided to take her out for a trial run. Not too far away that if something went wrong we couldn't get home and not too close that it didn't feel like an adventure. Since it was a football playoff weekend Scott didn't want to travel too far that we couldn't be home in time for the 2PM kickoff. So the decision was made to travel to the Northern terminus of the Natchez Trace.
After searching on line for RV parks we decided upon the privately owned Fall Hollow Campgrounds at mile marker 391 on the Natchez Trace.
We headed at around 5:15 pm as soon as Scott got home from work. I already had the motor running on the RV and the slides in and everything stowed away inside. Scott's job as Captain of the big ship was to unplug the shore power and stow the cords and do the walk around. We settle ourselves in the cockpit and buckle up and start rolling forward and an awful noise started.....CRAP! the tv antenna was still deployed and caught in the maple tree.
(Note to the Captain: please go through the check list with the co-pilot and crank down the antenna. She wasn't the one watching tv earlier and didn't think about it being up.)
I spent most of the day Friday planning our menu and buying groceries for the trip. there was one catch....the cold cold weather had caused us to run out of propane so we were going to have to fill up the propane tank. That proved to be a problem. Wednesday I called the U-Haul place in Tupelo and they assured me that we could fill up there as long as they had 30 minutes notice. Well.....I called them before we left Bruce and gave them nearly 2 hours notice....but when we arrived, the dude outside didn't want to move the trucks he had put right in the path so it was no propane for the evening. Thank the Lord we had the EdenPure heater inside and an electric blanket on the bed. I'm still pretty miffed about the U-Haul place.
After the fruitless search in Tupelo for propane, we headed North on the Natchez Trace going to our destination of Fall Hollow. I called ahead to let them know we would not arrive until after 9:30 and they said just drive on in and find a spot and set up camp and come to the office in the morning.
We arrived at Fall Hollow around 9:30 and found a great spot and set up. even without the propane to run our furnace we were warm. I was disappointed about not being able to cook the breakfast I had planned but the convection oven worked great baking the biscuits. And we were pleasantly surprised to discover that our on demand hot water heater was not just propane it was also electric. Yay for finding out about that!
We went by the office to pay and to ask directions to the nearest propane dealer. another surprise awaited us. I knew the owner from many years back. Billy Roper, the owner introduced us to some of the regular coffee drinking travelers there, as the daughter of the only person he ever knew that had owned a DeLorian. Yep that would be me. My Dad once owned a DeLorian. But that is another story of another time. Billy and his wife Kathy were once in Tupelo and had a car dealership there. I never did find out how they ended up being the owners of an RV campground but it didn't matter. It made this maiden voyage even better.
Billy told us to go to the Tractor Supply on Hwy 412 in Hohenwald, TN, about 6 miles west of the Campground, where we were quickly filled with propane, and we headed back to the Trace and started on our adventure du jour of reaching the terminus.
Jackson Falls at mile marker 404.7 was a beautiful stop and a steep climb (900 feet down and then back up!) for us but worth the time and effort not to mention the exercise and the view.
After many weeks of working on the RV and trying to figure out what needed to be in it and what didn't, we decided to take her out for a trial run. Not too far away that if something went wrong we couldn't get home and not too close that it didn't feel like an adventure. Since it was a football playoff weekend Scott didn't want to travel too far that we couldn't be home in time for the 2PM kickoff. So the decision was made to travel to the Northern terminus of the Natchez Trace.
After searching on line for RV parks we decided upon the privately owned Fall Hollow Campgrounds at mile marker 391 on the Natchez Trace.
We headed at around 5:15 pm as soon as Scott got home from work. I already had the motor running on the RV and the slides in and everything stowed away inside. Scott's job as Captain of the big ship was to unplug the shore power and stow the cords and do the walk around. We settle ourselves in the cockpit and buckle up and start rolling forward and an awful noise started.....CRAP! the tv antenna was still deployed and caught in the maple tree.
(Note to the Captain: please go through the check list with the co-pilot and crank down the antenna. She wasn't the one watching tv earlier and didn't think about it being up.)
I spent most of the day Friday planning our menu and buying groceries for the trip. there was one catch....the cold cold weather had caused us to run out of propane so we were going to have to fill up the propane tank. That proved to be a problem. Wednesday I called the U-Haul place in Tupelo and they assured me that we could fill up there as long as they had 30 minutes notice. Well.....I called them before we left Bruce and gave them nearly 2 hours notice....but when we arrived, the dude outside didn't want to move the trucks he had put right in the path so it was no propane for the evening. Thank the Lord we had the EdenPure heater inside and an electric blanket on the bed. I'm still pretty miffed about the U-Haul place.
After the fruitless search in Tupelo for propane, we headed North on the Natchez Trace going to our destination of Fall Hollow. I called ahead to let them know we would not arrive until after 9:30 and they said just drive on in and find a spot and set up camp and come to the office in the morning.
We arrived at Fall Hollow around 9:30 and found a great spot and set up. even without the propane to run our furnace we were warm. I was disappointed about not being able to cook the breakfast I had planned but the convection oven worked great baking the biscuits. And we were pleasantly surprised to discover that our on demand hot water heater was not just propane it was also electric. Yay for finding out about that!
We went by the office to pay and to ask directions to the nearest propane dealer. another surprise awaited us. I knew the owner from many years back. Billy Roper, the owner introduced us to some of the regular coffee drinking travelers there, as the daughter of the only person he ever knew that had owned a DeLorian. Yep that would be me. My Dad once owned a DeLorian. But that is another story of another time. Billy and his wife Kathy were once in Tupelo and had a car dealership there. I never did find out how they ended up being the owners of an RV campground but it didn't matter. It made this maiden voyage even better.
Billy told us to go to the Tractor Supply on Hwy 412 in Hohenwald, TN, about 6 miles west of the Campground, where we were quickly filled with propane, and we headed back to the Trace and started on our adventure du jour of reaching the terminus.
Jackson Falls at mile marker 404.7 was a beautiful stop and a steep climb (900 feet down and then back up!) for us but worth the time and effort not to mention the exercise and the view.
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| steep trail with no guard rails. |
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| long way down |
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| frozen falls. |
We found the second trail that had guard rails and a wider path down. I was not about to try the primitive trail across the top of that ridge!.
At mile marker 438.0 The double arched bridge at Birdsong Hollow over TN Highway 96 is something to see. Its also right beside Wynonna Judds ranch. we were standing out the bridge looking right over her big house. the wind is something standing on the bridge.
We went on to the very end to mile marker 444 and turned around for our trip back south to camp for the evening. This portion of the Trace is beautiful and has many stops along it.
We had a fantastic dinner at Fall Hollow Campgrounds Restaurant . If you find your way there I highly recommend the grilled pork chops or the grilled chicken and sweet potato fries. They are Vardaman Sweet Potato fries! We found a little taste of home away from home.
After waking up bright and early for the trip back to home base, We looked around our campgrounds and took a few pictures. It is very nice and peacful, not overly developed, and very reasonable. the hosts make you feel like family and will introduce you to everyone so don't be shy.
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| Restaurant/Office. be sure and check out the Amish riding lawn mower. |
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| Big Swan Creek |
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| Big Swan Creek |
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| Campgrounds has 30 and 50 amps and water hookups |
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| dump station |
On the trip back we made a couple of stops. One was at the Meriweather Lewis Memorial and gravesite at mile marker 385.9. There is also a campground, hiking trails, picnic area, parking and restrooms and exhibits.
At mile marker 328.6 - 327.9 is the Parkway's longest bridge that crosses the Tennessee River.
There is a nice Fishing and Boating area on the southern end of it 327.3 Colbert Ferry. Its another must see historical site.
We stopped at Mile Marker 308.4 to see the Cave Spring and eat a quick lunch.
You really need to stop and get out to check this site out. you can't really see it from the road or the parking area. its worth it to check it out. And the little parking area is larger enough for an RV to park to each some lunch.
We were back home in time for the 2PM kickoff. Scott parked the RV and got her hooked back to shore power. I stayed in and cleaned up and made note of what needed to be replaced in the fridge.
All in all it was a great first little adventure and the the first of many many more. Fall Hallow Campgrounds will always be our destination to spend the night on future trips to that part of the Trace. We give it a big Thumbs up for ease of entrance, peacefulness and the food is was great and if you know me, I am a major foodie and love to cook for myself. If I eat what someone else has cooked its a major deal! Great job to the chief cook and bottle washer Billy Roper. Hope y'all check out their campground on your next trip on the Natchez Trace.
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