April 27

After down-loading the email and answering several, off we went through the National Forest system’s Land Between the Lakes on the Trace Highway in South Western Kentucky which we entered today. It is much like the Blue Ridge Parkway. It runs between these two major waterways that converge here; the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Both are dammed and have locks to provide a commercial waterway busy with tug boats pushing many barges. Some we saw go by at earlier campgrounds with sand, woodchips and who knows what. Several places we watched them operate at night using powerful floodlights to see the many bends in the waterway. They link Mobile, Alabama to cities in the north, and on to the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. One local told us that former powerful Senator John Stennis provided Billions of federal dollars through pork barrel to accomplish the job.
All along these river waterways are locks, Corp of Engineer (COE) Campgrounds and lots of places to fish. We met persons who moved or are moving from Watertown, NY, Michigan and other states just to have good fishing. I suppose it is all good for business. We were told that they did not strictly follow the rivers and left the former river stand as lakes. It would be interesting to know the social and environmental impact.
About noon we pulled into the Grand Rivers COE at the above mentioned convergence. These waterways are enormous. The one we are sitting by, the Cumberland is at least a mile and a half wide and a half mile or less west of us is the other, the Tennessee, just as larger, maybe larger.
When we called, E&R were in the “nice little town” of Grand Rivers shopping. They had no more than 45 miles today first because the COE campground is here and the next one was too far and secondly because the past several days were longer than they wanted, 75-95 miles with some stiff hills. So it is a bit of a break today.
We showered and did a load of wash. It continues to give periods of sun and showers. So it is a relaxing evening. We continued reading our UR books.
Earlier today at a farm museum along the way they met a bus load of Amish Mennonites from Cropton, KY. They appeared to be dressed like Beachy Amish. They discovered one was a Mast. Rhoda indicated her maiden name was mast so that back some generations they had the same ancestor. E&R returned to camp about five after a delightful day in the quaint little town of Grand River. They found a great restaurant, a quilt show in process and a bicycle shop where Ed found a replacement mirror. The bike shop was closed but invited them in when he saw them.

Thursday 26. At 5:05 Ed announced there is a tug boat with barges out there. That was our alarm. We had already been awake and this was the signal to make it official. It is amazing how each morning we get up within a few minutes of six, more or less. The tug was probably a mile from us out across the waterway.
This is a neat camp site right down along the water. Yesterday several men in little boats were sitting here in the backwater fishing. I saw them catch one little fish and toss it back. I have no patience to fish. Give me a book.
Here’s a bit about our morning routine. Ed & Rhoda sleep in the bed over the cab and we in the rear bed by the bathroom – important for old people like us to have that access at night. Our capacity is no longer that of the kids up front. There is a dividing curtain. When they are appropriately attired they head for the bath house. We use the bathroom and wash bowl in the mh right by us. By the time they are out, Miriam begins cooking up the morning vitals – oatmeal, eggs or eggs & grits with sausage, etc. Rhoda & Miriam do not want their men to have the latter too often. Paul sets the table, slices the grapefruit, makes the coffee and the toast. By then E&R are ready for the works.
There is a prayer of thanks for our food and for the safety of each of us on the road. We do not want to take that for granted – so easy to do. How very good God has been to us on the road these weeks and past years.
Sometimes we sing a hymn before breakfast sometimes after. While we often sing “I Owe the Lord a Morning Song,” it is not a regular this trip. In memory of the slave days and trade we frequently sing John Newton’s “Amazing Grace.” This morning it was raining off and on and that is the forecast for the day, so they decided to sing a bit after the reading of Psalms 34 and the Rejoice reading – “Hark Ten Thousand Harps…”, “Holy God We Praise Thy Name,” and “My Life Flows On.” Oh the great joy of singing!!! Lord, I thank you for bringing me up in a tradition and family/Father that loved to praise you in song. And we don’t even need to pack and instrument with us to do it.
They finally decided to pull out about eight. The moment they began pushing the bike up the hill the rain came pelting down. They ran for the bathrooms/laundry. We did not see when they left.
We pulled out about eleven and had a very uneventful trip to Sturgis, Kentucky. A Food Giant supermarket gave us permission to stay in a corner of their lot. We napped and read this afternoon.
E&R arrived about 4:30 quite tired from the worst of hills. Yesterday they needed to use their Granny (lowest) gear for the first time. Today it was worse, they needed to walk. But the worst was yet to come.
When Ed opened the big back door to stash things away he discovered that the wet role of outdoor carpet had leaked water over everything. Unfortunately their important papers bag had been placed back there and everything was soaked. We now have papers lying all over the front of the cab and seats to dry. If only I had double bagged that carpet. What a mess. We draped the carpet over a lamp post and the water RAN, not dripped, out of the corner.
After supper we chatted about where to meet tomorrow. Also a spoke broke on the rear wheel today making it a bit out of line. Ed released the brake a bit so that they now only have brakes on the front. He says it is not a serious problem as it is flat land tomorrow. They will hope to get to the bike shop in Owensboro, KY tomorrow to have it repaired. If not then, Saturday. We will take two days at the camp to get a day’s break since we are ahead of schedule.