#25 Huntsville To Home

The Final Post of our 2025 Summer Trip

Thank you for sticking with us through our travels to Canada and the US this summer. We enjoyed having you by our side living through some of our most exciting experiences. The journey would not have been the same without you cheering us along. I hope you enjoy the final portion of our trip.

We Have a Concert To See

After our little tire episode on I65, we were happy to arrive at Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, Alabama. The traffic into the park was quite unusual for a state park. There were lines of cars and people and wonder of wonders what’s going on? As we approached the entrance we discovered the reason for the frenzy. Monte Sano was having their annual juried art show at the park. Some of the best adventures pop into our lives when we are completely oblivious. Since we had a concert to attend, we made plans to explore the art show the next morning. Fun times!!!

Lucca was upset she couldn’t go to the concert. She loves the Indigo Girls. We left the tunes playing in the camper for her.

Orion Amphitheater

Flat tire and all, we arrived at the Orion Amphitheater with time to spare. What a beautiful venue and it was only 15 minutes from where we were camping.

We had great seats. They got even better. Halfway through the Indigo Girls we saw some empty seats and moved to the center section on the floor, 4th row from the stage. We were so close we could see the spinach in their teeth.

Melissa Etheridge joined the Indigo Girls for the last 2 or 3 songs of their song set. The harmony of those three was thrilling to hear.

Intermission

It doesn’t matter where we go, there is always an experience to be had. At intermission Pam was thirsty and left her seat to grab a couple waters from the concession stand. The concession was not that far but Pam was gone a long time. When she finally got back to our seats, water was dripping off her hair, her face, her shirt. She had blood on her sleeve. I said, “Pam, What happened?“ “I fell down the steps.” And yet she was laughing. I know, crazy right?

She bought the waters and they poured them into cups. Little Pam had a cup of water in each hand and was headed down the steps to the venue floor. She thought she was on the last step but she was not. Down she went onto the floor and the lap of a concert goer, who was now a wet concert goer. Still thirsty, Pam went back to the concessionaire who was confused by Pam’s appearance and the sight of 2 almost empty water cups. Anyhow, she got 2 new waters and some medical attention to her arm and returned to the show.

After intermission and Melissa took to the stage for the last hour and a half. She was fabulous. I will admit that I am not a Melissa fan but she won me over at this concert. She played the guitar, harmonica, piano and drums and was superb on all of them. Her energy level was through the roof. The audience, me included, could feel her passion in every song. Loved it!!!

Monte Sano State Park

The deer were everywhere and at every time of day. The park was beautiful, full of trees and paths. The next morning after the concert, as promised, we meandered through the vendors tents at the art show. We were glad we went in the morning because we had the place to ourselves. When we left at noon, the crowds were cascading in. We bought a couple treasures. We do what we can to help the economy wherever we go.

We took a stroll through Monte Sano’s Japanese Garden Path. As you can see by how beautiful the path is, they had put a lot of work into constructing it. They had lots of donors with inscriptions on stone benches and markers dedicated to businesses and people.

After our morning at the art show and our hike through the woods, we decided to check out Huntsville and drive by the tire place. We needed new tires for the next leg of our trip. Another blow out and Lucca would disown us.

Tires Ain’t Pretty

No they are not but you gotta have em’. After 2 blow outs, we were not taking a chance with the rest of the trip. It is not easy to find a tire place that will replace RV tires. There are only a couple places in Sarasota. We have been to both and were not happy with either.

We called the Goodyear Tire Store and they said they couldn’t do replace RV tires and they couldn’t sell us the tires for someone else to install. What’s up with that? They gave us the name of another tire place to try. I won’t go through all the details of why we could not go there. It’s a long story. However, we were able to find Clem’s Tires.

Dusty answered the phone with this sweet, Alabama accent with a can do attitude. He said, “Yes ma’am, I can have those tires here tomorrow and we will get them on for you.” He took care of everything. We pulled into his shop the next morning around 10. Dusty was waiting for us and helped us park the camper. In the rain he installed the tires with a smile. I’m moving to Huntsville for the customer service.

We left Clem’s and were headed back to the campground when Dusty called. “Miss Charlotte, you left your purse on the counter.” Around the block we went. We were about to turn the corner to Clem’s when we saw Dusty running toward us in the rain with purse in hand and ,of course, a smile. Did I mention I’m moving to Huntsville?

Rocket City

That afternoon we decided to go to the Space Center in Huntsville. Do you see how big that rocket is. Look at me. I’m standing under a rocket, a real rocket!!

The outside rocket park was full of rockets and shuttles that you could wander around. My eyes were popping. The space craft were all so enormous. I have watched many a blast off on TV and I have seen space craft shooting up in the air while I was watching from the ground in Florida. I have even seen the space shuttle piggybacked on a 747 flying by a plane that I was on. But I was not prepared to feel so minuscule while standing next to one of these giant crafts.

Pam already told me there was no way she would go into outer-space. She’s claustrophobic. But there she goes.

Inside the Space Museum were space capsules and weather stations and environmental displays. This was a obviously a space capsule that fit 3 astronauts. Look through that opening and imagine yourself lying there donned in a full space suit.

Pretty cool huh? I think Pam might be ready for a couple orbits around our house.

What is she looking at?

Pam, don’t push any of those buttons, we haven’t sealed the door yet.

The Space Museum had lots of cool exhibits. We could have spent and entire day there. We entered one small tornado shelter and they reenacted what it would feel and sound like to have a tornado headed your way and then burst right over the top of the shelter. No thank you.

“Houston, our next astronaut is ready for take off.” No worries, I was ready to take off for the next leg of our trip. Besides, I haven’t been to space camp yet.

They actually train astronauts in Huntsville. They have a large campus where they have the apparatus for learning how to deal with 0 gravity and gyrating around in a capsule. We walked through a replica of the International Space Station. They have it all. You must visit someday.

On The Move Again

We ate dinner at Tupelo Honey in Huntsville. We had a delicious dinner. The next day we left for Georgia and Reed Bingham State Park.

As you can see, it was a knuckle biter of a drive. I don’t know how Pam does it. When we arrived at Reed Bingham, you could tell that both of us were ready to be home. It was hot. We went through 100 degree temps to get there. It was buggy. The gnats were everywhere. When we walked Lucca, the gnats were in our eyes, ears and down our shirts. We were there for 3 nights and one of the days it rained from morning through night. We couldn’t get very many channels on TV so we watched a Rizzoli and Isles marathon.

We were happy to leave Georgia and get closer to home.

Last Stop, Cedar Key

We have tried for several years to camp at Cedar Key. We finally made it.

This was our spot at Low Key Hideaway. Again, it was hot. We were definitely not in Kansas, Canada or Glacier anymore. We parked our camper and found our way to the tiki bar.

The drinks helped to improve our dispositions but once the sun began to set, the no see’ems came out with a vengeance. If you have never experienced these little nuisance bugs, they are the size of a speck, the head of a pin. You can’t see them, hence the name. But they have teeth like tigers attacking raw meat. We were the raw meat. We really tried to enjoy ourselves while killing those stupid insects. Finally, we went back to the safety of the camper and the comfort of the AC. Ahhhhhhh.

The next morning we decided to go to Cedar Key, have breakfast and explore the village.

We went to breakfast at a coffee shop. It was very cute. We loved sitting outside. Everybody who passed by on foot, bikes or golf cart was very welcoming, waved and said hello.

Cedar Key reminded us of a miniature Key West. There were small galleries, shops and murals. Unfortunately, in the span of 13 months, Cedar Key had been hit by 3 hurricanes.

Cedar Key wasn’t an especially affluent town to begin with and when the hurricanes hit, many people, who had lived there and owned businesses there for decades, lost everything. Above is a picture of what was once a very popular eatery on the waterfront. All the waterfront businesses were uninhabitable.

We visited the Chamber of Commerce. We were greeted by a woman who maintains the Chamber and helps run a food bank too. She told us that 1500 residents, who lost everything, now live in the woods. They ran small shops, were independent fishermen with small boats or worked in a service industry of tourism. With the boats gone, shops devastated and tourists going elsewhere, a large percentage of the residents now live below poverty level. It was devastating to hear. When we walked through the shops that were left or able to rebuild, every owner thanked us for supporting them. We were sad.

Ta Home

Lucca and Pam had something on their minds and I think I knew what it was.

We had 2 more nights left to our stay at Low Key Hideaway. Pam conferred with Lucca, looked at me and said, “I’m ready to go home.” I said, “I was ready to leave yesterday.” Between the heat and the no see’ems and really nothing to do but drink, if we have to sit in the air conditioning, we might as well do it at home.

We packed up our camper and our dog and headed down the highway “ta home” (as our friend, Kenny would say).

After almost 2 months of travel, 9000+ miles, 27 camping spots with a set up and take down at each one, thousands of photos and amazingly wonderful memories to last a lifetime, Charlotte, Pam and Lucca are “Ta Home”.

You have been the best audience. I really appreciated reading the comments and hearing your thoughts along the way. Except for a few snaffus, I feel pretty darn pleased with our expedition across American and Canada.

I’m sure you have a favorite part of the trip. I would be interested to know what that was. You can email me at charlottedamato@charlottedamato.com. I’m all ears and eyes.

My favorite part included spending time traveling with our friends from Mitchell, SD to Glacier National Park, our spectacular visit to Banff, Jasper and the Canadian Rockies, seeing my family in Minnesota and most importantly, spending quality time with Pam.

Adios my friends. I wish you safe travels and abundant joy.