Savannah Bound-- Part 21: Fort McAllister

SATURDAY, APRIL 6

Olaf (the kitten) somehow ended up sleeping with me.  Went to Julie's Cat House, Pooler Paws, and did some cleanup work.

Then, Ed and I got away and headed to Richmond Hill, Georgia, which is south of Savannah.

Our aim today was to visit Confederate Fort McAllister which is now under the direction of the Georgia Sate Parks and has a good museum with a very informative short film about the fort.  The fort itself is an earthen fort much like Fort Fisher but much smaller.

Fort McAllister is the southern-most of the forts that guarded Savannah during the war.  It was attacked by Union ships seven different times during the war, with several of the attacks being from Union monitors.  Every time there were minimal casualties and damage done to it.

The fort finally fell when General Sherman arrived culminating his famed March to the sea.

--RoadDog

Just Got Back from Indy

I got back from the Indy 500 race yesterday.  And, of course, found it necessary to take a nap when I got home as all that fun can sure wear an old fart down.  We had our usual good time even though the American Legion Post 500, where we've been staying in the RV since 2014 messed up our reservations.

We found another campground about 7 miles away at another race track.  Fortunately some friends had extra parking tickets close by the Legion so we had a close-in parking spot.

Despite the rain delay on Sunday, this was the best race I've seen sine I first started going to The Greatest Spectacle in Racing in 2012.

I'll start writing about this trip when I finish April's trip to Savannah.

--RoadDog

Savannah Bound-- Part 20: Records, Huc-A-Poos and a Steak

FRIDAY, APRIL 5

Yesterday was Ed and my history day.  Today was our music day.  Like I said, a brother from another mother.  Thanks Julie.

We drove into Savannah, listening to an oldies station and quizzing each other on song names and performers.  First stop was sat a mom and pop style record/CD store called  Rody's.  I bought two CDs, one by Delbert McClinton and one by James Hunter Six.

Then, we drove out to Wilmington Island, near Tybee Island and went to Coastal Records where Ed bought an old Beatles LP.

When I found out we were near Tybee Island, I mentioned it and wanted to know if a great dive diner called Huc-A-Poos was still there and the owner said it sure was and was as good as ever.  Liz and I had finally found it after looking all over Tybee and it was worth the search.  They feature extremely rustic seating and some of the best giant slices of ubique pizza I'd ever had.

Ed had never been there before but will definitely come back.

Returned home and Julie introduced me to a tabby kitten named Olaf who was quite a character.  I believe one of her goals was to get me to go home with a kitten.  Tempted.

They grilled a steak and we watched the Iowa women's basketball game in the Final Four of that tournament and they will go to the championship game against South Carolina.

These days, everywhere you go it's Caitlyn Clarke.

--RoadRecords

Savannah Bound-- Part 19: A Train Club Meeting and Ricky Skaggs

Thursday, April 4

We returned to their place and decided to go to a train club meeting to be held in Savannah at the Round House.  It was a bit of a museum and there were around fifteen people there who are train fanatics.

Julie had also come across two free tickets to see a concert in Savannah in an old theater.  The show was put on by a favorite country singer of mine, but also quite a bluegrass artist, Ricky Skaggs.

He had a whole slew of Top Ten and #1 hits from 1981 to 1989.  That included eleven #1s, two #2s and six Top Tens.  Now, that's some production.

Some of his hits:

"Crying My Heart Out Over You"

"I Don't Care"

"Heartbroke"

"I Wouldn't Change You If I Could"

"Highway 40 Blues"

He has a top notch band backing his as well and featured them singing and playing on some songs.  They were Country Thunder.

Unfortunately, he said this show was billed as a bluegrass show and that was what he only played, none of those great country songs.  But, what a show he put on and sure seemed to be enjoying himself.

Quite a Long Day.  --RoadDog

Savannah Bound-- Part 18: Beaufort and Beaufort National Cemetery

APRIL 4

Next we went to Beaufort, S.C., which is pronounced differently than Beaufort, N.C., though spelled the same way.  South Carolina's  Beaufort is pronounced Bewfort and N.C.'s Bofort.  

One thing I can say is that they have some really narrow streets in the residential.  We drove by the huge house where the movie "The Big Chill"was filmed.  This movie had one of the all-time great soundtracks for folks my age.

Last stop in Beaufort was at the Beaufort National Cemetery.  It has over 24,000 interments.  A large number of them are from the Civil War.  Some 9,000 are Union soldiers (3,607 unknown, 2,800 POWs from the camp at Millen and 1,700 black soldiers).

We visited the Confederate section where 102 are buried.  

There is also a section for members of the USCT including 19 members of the 55th Massachusetts Infantry regiment, the lesser-known sister  regiment of the famed 54th Massachusetts that made the attack on Fort Wagner as shown in the movie "Glory."

--RoadDog

Savannah Bound-- Part 17: Fort Fremont

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

From 1891 to 1895, a drydock was built was built at the naval station; the only one along the Atlantic coast south of Norfolk.  The base grew in importance.  Twenty naval ships visited the base, including the USS Maine which picked up provisions before continuing on to her date with history in Havana Harbor.

Fort Fremont was built on Saint Helena Island in 1899 by the Army Corps of Engineers across the Beaufort River from the Naval Station.

The main weapons in the fort consisted of three 10-inch breech-loaded disappearing cannons in Battery Jessup and two 4.7-inch rapid fire gins at Battery Fornance.  (Disappearing cannons could be lowered behind the fort's walls after firing and reloaded.)

It was a part of the U.S. Endicott System of forts.

It was deactivated in 1912 and offered for sale in 1921.  After that it was left to the elements and became overgrown.

But now, a group has begun work to bring it back.

--RoadDog

Savannah Bound-- Part 16: Fort Fremont

After leaving Parris Island, we commenced a long drive over narrow roads to Fort Fremont.  Much of the way the road was lined with trees just dripping Spanish moss and all were blowing in the wind.  A real gone with the wind thing if you know what I mean.

Did I mention it was extremely windy today plus that wind blew cold right through you.

As we neared Fort Fremont, the roads got almost to one lane with trees and bushes right up next to it.  Then it was as if we were in someone's driveway and I'm looking at Ed.

We finally got to Fort Fremont which was an 1898 Endicott U.S. fortification built around the time of the Spanish-American War to protect the U.S. Naval Station at Port Royal which is one of the largest deep-water harbors on the Atlantic Coast.

During the Civil War the Union's South Atlantic Blockading Squadron established a massive base here.  From 1891 to 1895, a  dry dock was built here, the only one south of Norfolk, Virginia.

--RoadDog

Savannah Bound-- Part 15: Parris Island Museum and Traditions

We parked and went into the Parris Island Museum.  Of course, there was a lot of Marine4 Corps stuff in there as well as the making of the Parris Island Recruit Training facility.  I especially enjoyed the rooms and exhibits on the site's past and particularly the Civil War, of course.

The Battle of Port Royal took place there.  It was one of the United States' first amphibious operations, involving the U.S. Navy and Army and happened on November 7, 1861.  The entrance to the sound was guarded by two Confederate forts, Fort Walker on Hilton Head Island and Fort Beauregard on Phillips Island.

The fall of the forts led to the Union occupation of Beaufort, South Carolina, which became a major base for the U.S. Navy for operations in the area between Charleston and Savannah for the duration of the war.

We stopped and had the buffet lunch at the former officers club, now a restaurant called Traditions.  The place was full of families and the new Marines.  Quite a few had tee shirts with the picture of their son or daughter on them.

A Proud Day, No Doubt.  ----RoadMarine

Savannah Bound-- Part 14: A Brother From Another Mother

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

Julie's boyfriend Ed is like a brother from another mother to me.  Everything I like, he likes.  And that includes history and music.  He even was a deejay for a long time, just as I was.  He also goes big-time heavy into collecting stuff.  His downfall revolves around model trains and weapons.

We spent a lot of time together over these next few days.  And, today was definitely one of those.

First, we drove to Parris Island, the home of a USMC training base that I have often heard of, but never seen.  Ed used to go there often to deejay events.  So, he knew his way around.  Parris Island is located a short distance from where Julie lives, just over the Georgia-South Carolina border by Hilton Head and Beaufort, S.C..

Parris Island is a lot bigger that I thought it was.  We had to have the vehicle checked before entering the base which was very crowded with families of recruits who had just finished training.  They were having graduation tomorrow.

To say there were a lot of proud parents and family members there would be an understatement.

RoadDog

Savannah Bound-- Part 13: Why Do the Gates Have to Be So Far Apart?

WEDNESDAY, APRIL3

Well, I figure the number 13 is a fitting way to end my day of flying.  If something could go wrong it did.  However, Delta did the best the could do and I intend to start flying more often (even if I have to go through Atlanta).

One more thing I'd like to mention is that today the gates could not have been any farther apart.  I would walk past gate after gate, all empty.  And, hey were always at the very FAR end of the terminal. And, of course, there were the two terminals in Atlanta.

I sure got my walking exercise in today.

I will be flying again, though.

Actually, the trip home went smoothly.

--RoadTired

Savannah Bound-- Part 12: Finally Get to Savannah

WEDNESDAY APRIL 3

And, this flight left on time for a short hop of about 45 minutes to Savannah.  I figured since it was s late, almost 11 p.m., that there would be plenty of room on the plane. Wrong again.  Just about every seat was taken.  Now, I began to wonder if my wayward carry-on piece of luggage would also arrive in Savannah when I did.  

Regardless, I am finally on my way.

Called my sister who would be meeting me in Savannah and she was already aware of it as she was tracking my progress.  Apologized for being so late.  At least she lives close to the airport, several miles away.

We boarded.  Once again I had that neat video screen in front of me (remember the one on the plane from Milwaukee to Atlanta didn't work after they got a computer glitch fixed) and I had a set of earpieces to listen to t now (free of charge).  I saw that they had the movie "Cool Hand Luke" on it so watched 45 minutes of it before we landed.

Touchdown in Savannah just after midnight and walked through an empty airport, except for those of us  getting off.  And, glory be, my luggage was at the carousel.

Walked outside and within a minute, Julie pulled up and I was on my way to her place.

A Real Long Day.  What We Had Here Was Failure To Communicate.  --RoadTired

Savannah Bound-- Part 11: One Last Trick

Okay, I am finally in Terminal A, or perhaps the concourse leading to the terminal.  There sure were a lot of places to eat there.  I mean, pretty much anything you could want.  And, even though it was now 9 p.m., there were people everywhere.  Of course, if you fly Delta there is a good chance you'll end up in Atlanta at some point.

Most times I've been in an airport after 8 it is very dead.  Just me and whoever gets off the plane and some disinterested workers.

But, one good thing, after studying one of those way-up high departure boards I was able to see that my Savannah leg of the trip was leaving from Gate A21.

And, I had one more good one waiting for me.  I finally, at long last, got to Gate A21 and the sign out by it said this flight was going to Oklahoma City, not Savannah.  

Oh No!!  How can this be?

I went to the counter and the lady there explained that I was at the correct gate, but that the flight to Oklahoma City was leaving before my flight.

So, I grab a seat and read some in my book.  At least I got my book back.

Maybe I'll Get There Tonight or Early Tomorrow Morning.  --RoadFlyerMaybe?

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Savannah Bound-- Part 10: Gate, What Gate?

These escalators took me up to Terminal A.  I was finally there.  

My flight from Milwaukee had arrived at 7 p.m., and the flight to Savannah wasn't leaving until 10:54.  I figured I had plenty of time to get to my next gate, but as it was turning out, I was going to need a whole lot of it finding it.

Oh where oh where can my gate be?

Compounding the problem was the fact that all arrival/departure boards were up high.  As I age, reading signs with small print that are up high has become very difficult.  I first started noticing it at fast food places with their high menus.  I have to put on my glasses.  (And, of course, those high fast food menus now keep changing, so about the time I figure out what I want to order, I have to wait and start all over again.)

And, guess what.  My eyeglasses were in my carry on bag which was elsewhere.  No glasses.

The nearest I could make out from the Atlanta boards was that I was leaving from Gate A-21.  

Just having a Time Today.  --RoadHuh?

Sorry to Hear About the Passing of Ramona Lehman

Just recently I came across mention of the death of Ramona Lehman, who with her husband Bob operated the famed Munger-Moss Motel in Lebanon, Missouri for so many years last August.

I was off line completely from May to December last year so did not hear anything about her death.

Of all the great old-timers Liz and I met on Route 66 over the years, we liked Ramona and Bob the best and looked forward to our nearly every year trip to stay with them at that neat motel.  I especially enjoyed the morning coffee inn the lobby when we would talk about all sorts if things and , of course with visitors checking out.

I doubt that she ever met someone she didn't like.  But, never tell her that Illinois has better Route 66 signage than Missouri as that could get you on her bad side quickly.  I did that once.

I was looking forward to visiting her again this year, but guess not.  It will also be different as Liz won't be with me either.

So Long Ramona, Old Friend.  --RoadDog