Hoover RV Park

100 Ben Chapman Drive

Hoover,  Alabama 35244  (Birmingham)

View from the RV Park  

We discovered this  RV Park  in September 2013  while attending a wedding in the Birmingham area.  This is not a Resort.  It is a public city park which is a part of the  Regions Park Stadium parking for a local High School.  This stadium is nicer than a lot of College stadiums!   It is basically a big blacktop parking lot with excellent basic sevices.   Sites are pull thru with full hookups. There are no bathrooms or showers available.   There are tree and grass areas with  a park bench next to some of the sites.  We were there on a Friday night and they had music piped in over the sound  system before the football game. It's clear that Alabama goes all out for promoting their sports and making tailgaiting a pleasure with facilities like this:)

There is a nature trail adjacent to the park. The Park  is located in a very nice area of town, police patrol the park regularly.    The park is  clean and well located with good access to I-459 .  Excellent access to Galleria Mall for dining and shopping.   No reservations needed except during  May during the SEC Baseball Tournement week. 

Regions Park Stadium

Our site with Georgia taking in some sunshine

View of the drive into the park

Nature Trail Map 

Great place to stay if  you are in the Birmingham area

Happy New Year 2014

From the Thomson's

Sunrise in Naples
Signature Motor Coach Resort

It has been a while since my last post, and we have been very busy!  We returned to our home in Tennessee in September 2013, and put the "For Sale" sign in the yard.  The house sold quickly.   We found out the day we signed the papers on the sale of the house that our grand kids were moving back to the area.    While looking for a home for our son and his wife and family, we came across a little  craftsman cottage in a neighborhood that maintains the landscaping.  The house had been on the market 18 months, and we made an offer on it considering this will be a "flip" house (we can fix up and resale).  Plus it would be perfect for locking and leaving when we travel.  Offer was accepted.  We closed on our other house December 10 and closed on the "flip house" on December 11,  I worked round the clock to have everything in in its place in three days.  Then dug out the Christmas decorations  I had not seen in two years.    Nesting instincts returned, as I pulled out the Christmas stockings and unwrapped each ornament.   We were in the house about a week before our daughter Tracey flew in from California and we headed to Atlanta for Christmas.  Our oldest daughter Tamara and her husband Zach live in the suburbs of Atlanta.  Tamara is expecting their first child  January 29 and couldn't travel.   Our son Rob and family were in Atlanta for Christmas also, so it all worked out:)  

Christmas has come and gone the decorations have been put away.  I set aside Christmas decorations for the motorhome, so we will have a tree and decorations the next time we are snow birding over Christmas.  The coldest winter weather in 20 years arrived and we decided to stay to make sure our pipes didn't freeze (not knowing anything about our new home that was built in 2008).  Several neighbors had frozen pipes, we were fortunate we didn't.  Temps were down to -12 F with the windchill.  We decided as soon as it was warm enough to get the motorhome out of the garage we would head South to await the birth of grand baby #3.

We arrived in Naples Florida, a week ago, to a warm 80 F.  We immediately shed the turtlenecks, and  hopped into our shorts and flip flops:)   We have enjoyed the warm weather until yesterday when it dropped to 40 F   at night and  low 60's durning the day.   I am not complaining, it beats 19 F at home tonight!    We will be heading over to the East Coast  day after tomorrow for a few days.  Then back home for our grandson Campbell's 2nd birthday and await the arrival of our first grand daughter.  

Our plans have changed a little,  we have decided to home base from our home in Tennessee and travel  in the motor home for a month or more each season.  We'll see how that works out.    We love being near the grand kids.  I have to admit that it felt so good getting back on the road!  Love the RV life!

If you are in the Naples area Signature's Motor Coach Resort is great.  We stayed here before (October 2012 and I have posted information on the blog about it).  They have added a dog park which is a welcome addition and they serve a free Continental Breakfast in the clubhouse weekday mornings.    It's a perfect location to Snow Bird in the South East.

Till next time   -  Safe Travels

Georgia,  enjoying  our morning walk, posing in front of the Clubhouse fountain. 

Memories of "The Way We Were"

Memories of "The Way We Were"

October 5, 2013

"Lucy"  our Tiffin Motorhome in her garage

August 2012 we began the great adventure,  traveling for a year in a motor home full time.  Who knew it would be so hard  to give up the nomad life style!    We have been back in our home in Clarksville Tennessee for a month. We were blessed with amazing renters, so the house looks great.  Everything was in it's place within three days of moving in.   Now what do we do?  The neighbors are great, the "new subdivision" we live in has grown since we left a year ago. We have picked up where we left off with our neighbors and  our dear friends Brenda and Joe Douglas.   

My nesting instinct has dissappeared!  Life was so simple in  our motor home.  We had all our basic needs with us, in 35 feet of space.  I enjoy gardening, but I enjoy looking at a beautiful garden far more than the upkeep of a yard and garden. I enjoy having a clean house, 35 feet with central vac system saves so much time!   Hand washing dishes right after a meal didn't take any time.   Why do we need so many dishes and pots and pans in the house?   We certainly don't need all the clothes we unboxed to fill up the big walk in closet...we didn't use them for a year maybe it is time to get rid of them.

Yes,  reality has  now set in.  We managed just fine without all our "things" and now that we are back among the "things"  all I can think about is getting rid of all of it!  I honestly felt closer to each of our three children and our extended family while we were out traveling.  If we were needed, we just pulled in the slides, hooked up the tow and  we were on our way.    Bob thought he was missing his mail, but in one month back home each trip to the mail box is to retrieve junk mail!  

We learned a lot while on the road.  We learned we could manage with less, and less was more! I know  it isn't the life for everyone.  I wouldn't expect most to understand.  But those that enjoy the traveling and the simple things would love it!  We met so many interesting people, and were blessed with the opportunity of living life as a vacation for a year!  So you ask, what next?

We have put our home on the market For Sale!  We are planning to get rid of alot of stuff!  What the family doesn't want we will sell or donate.  I still have some furnishings I don't want to part with, so they will go back into storage when the house sells.   We are going to get back on the road as soon as possible, and continue the adventure:)

For now we will live with the memories of "The Way We Were On The Road" and make plans for the next adventure!   Hope to see ya'll out on the road soon, safe travels:)

Campbell, Wyatt & Nana (Val) 

Wyatt, PaPa (Bob) & Campbell

Georgia 

Tiffin Factory Campground

Red Bay Alabama

9/9/2013 -9/10/2013

Tiffin Factory Service Campground 

Customer Service Lounge

It has been  almost a year since we purchased our  Tiffin  Allegro Open Road,  warranty was coming to an end and we thought why not go to the factory.  We have heard so many stories from Tiffin owners about the amazing customer service this company provides.    We knew we were going to be in Birmingham for a wedding in September so we scheduled in advance our appointment for warranty work.  I checked the information on the internet and saw that Tiffin has a campground with "full hookups" for customers with appointments.

Georgia enjoying a romp in the "Tiffin Field"

We arrived early afternoon on the 9th to discover a very full campground.  Only space for dry camping in the dusty parking lot.  I was not thrilled.   I have never seen so many Tiffin's in one place.  As  I looked out at the sea of Tiffin motor homes  I am wondering is this a "Bad thing because so many need service?"  Or " Is this a good thing because their service is so good?"

The accomodations are not great, however all the staff was very friendly and helpful.  We had to run our generator all night for the air conditioners to operate.  Not a problem their were 14 Rigs in the back parking lot dry camping with us doing the same.   TV reception was poor so we watched DVD's  "The Help" and "The Notebook".  Did I mention this was our 41st Wedding Anniversary?   What better way to spend our anniversary than where we both prefer to spend our time together, in our motorhome :)

The next morning we were up early  to head to our designated service bay #5 at 6:45AM.   Bob stayed with the motor home and the service techs to learn how to do everything they were doing.  Georgia and I sat in the customer service lounge with other owners and their pups sharing RV stories.    Some folks had been there three to six weeks, for major repairs!  For those that don't have the time to wait, their motor homes can be dropped off and left to await service.    We were in and out by noon and on the road home by 12:30 PM :)  Now that was amazing!

Naming Our Motorhome  -   What to name her?

Returning to her birth place,  brought to mind we still had not come up with a name for our home on wheels.  It has been a  long road literally trying to come up with the perfect name.   Tiffy seemed too fluffy, Alley just won't do.  I contemplated and thought of "Ethel" from  I Love Lucy  maybe we'll call her Big Ethel.    Having seen the movie "The Longest Trailer"  starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.   I could relate and laughed so hard.     "Lucy " or  "Big Ethel"?

We are always living an adventure in our motor home,  so many funny moments I think it is appropriate to call her "Lucy"   and  when we climb in for each trip we can say "Lucy, we're home!"

"Lucy"  

Happy Trails to you till the next time:)

The River Walk at McGregor Park

Clarksville Tennessee

One of my  favorite places to walk in our hometown is the Riverwalk.  This beautiful park is  is along the Cumberland River, in the River District of Clarksville.   The Park is home to the Cumberland River Center, which houses "As the River Flows" A History of the Cumberland River.    The park also  has an Amphitheater and the River Bend Stage.  This area  is the place to be on the 4th of July as it really comes alive with live entertainment and an elaborate fireworks display located on  other side of the river, directly across from the park.   The  Amphitheater hosts concerts.   The park  consists of numerous picnic platforms  terraced into the hillside along the walk enabling everyone to have a great view of the river.   Benches and swings are  placed throughout the walk as well.    Children can enjoy a wonderful play ground.

Cumberland River Center

Meandering walk way along the river  

International Avenue of Flags is also located in this park

International Avenue of Flags

As The River Flows " History of the Cumberland River"

Returning Home...

Thursday August 22, 2013

Music City  - Nashville TN

We have returned home to Tennessee, with mixed emotions.  Our full time traveling is coming to an end:(  One year on the road, 30 states and 14,012 miles!   We don't want this to end :(    Our renters are moving out and Bob & I are moving back in the house next weekend.

We are not giving up RV travel, we still plan to travel part time, several months a year.  We will miss full timing.   We are so thankful we were able to live our dream this past year:)   Our next adventure is to put our home on the market For Sale!   We are considering relocating,  and building a smaller  home, with less maintainence.  Location yet to be determined.  We may change our minds after we are back in the house, and decide to sell everything, and Hit the Road again full time:)    That is our prerogative since we are retired:)

I will keep the blog going with our travel adventures and RV Park Reviews.   We have family commitments  on the East Coast this winter, so if we snow bird it will be on this coast.   For all our Palm Desert Snow Bird friends, we will pick up where we left off in 2015:)

For those that are considering Full Timing in an RV....Go for it!  We have been so blessed with so many experiences and so many new friends.    Till we meet again on the road, Happy Trails to you!

A new take on the "Tortoise and the Hare"

ALDRIDGE  GARDENS

Hoover Alabama 

While staying in Huntsville  I had the opportunity to head South just past Birmingham to Hoover.  This was a day trip with my dear friend Vicki Bryant.  We will be attending Vicki's son's wedding at Aldrige Gardens on September 7th.  Vicki  had some pre wedding errands and I went along and we visited, this beautiful  and whimsical place.

Their "catch phrase"  "Aldridge Gardens - Nature and Art in Balance"  Open daily from 8:00 A.M, to 4: 00 P,M,  Admission is Free :)   You can't beat Free!   The Gardens host numerous  special events from weddings, to music presentations and corporate events.  We strolled the gardens and enjoyed the spectacular natural beauty and the whimsy of sculptured art placed throughout the gardens.

The upcoming wedding will be beautiful!  So glad we will be able to attend.  If you are in the Birmingham area visiting Aldridge Gardens should be on your list of places to visit.

Outdoor Pavillion

Beautiful Tree where many events take place under the  tree

Flower Gardens surrounding the house 

Little Waterfall 

This lake is the  centerpiece in these lovely gardens

Val & Vicki

So many beautiful flowers and shrubs

Another fun Rabbit sculpture

Not sure what this is called, but it looks like a giant  arrowhead hanging like a pendalum