(NOTE: View a larger picture by clicking on the photo(s) above.)
Twenty-ten. Can you believe it! That is the way we have chosen to say the year 2010. It uses one less syllable than saying two thousand ten. Anyway you say it begins a new opportunity. So, let’s take advantage of it. You have heard the saying, “Time flies when you get old.” It does seem to move fast, but flying or not, we refuse to get old. We mature, we age, but we don’t get old. Maturity is a matter of development. Aging is a matter of chronology. But “old,” is a state of mind.
We are one month into our new surroundings at High Falls State Park. Our arrival was a little difficult. No trouble finding the Park. The trouble began when we found it. The Park has two campgrounds, Lakeside and Riverside, which designates their location. We were scheduled for Lakeside Host.
We arrived at the spot assigned to us and thought it looked a little short and tight. We looked at the site, and with the help and advice of fellow hosts attempted to back into the site. The road is a narrow one-lane road and the site is perpendicular to the road. No angle to make the turn easier. To make matters worse, there is a deep culvert on either side of the road. With our long fifth-wheel and our long truck, we couldn’t seem to make it work backing to the left.
I went around the road and came up the wrong way to try backing to the right. That didn’t work either. Again, I changed directions and tried to the left a second time. Another host tried it for me and he couldn’t make it either.
One other site was available with sewer, two slots up. That site had another space directly across from it. We decided to try that one. With the help of the Park Manager, another Ranger and the hosts we were able to utilize the spot across the street for extra space in turning and backing. We made it! Now I find out that this campground is designated for campers 25 feet or less. Ours is 39 feet. You see the problem. But, we are here, even if our trailer does extend 12 feet beyond the designated parking spot. I will not move it again until the end of March.
A riddle: I’m taken from a mine and shut up in a wooden case from which I’m never released, yet I’m used by almost everybody. What am I?
The area around what is now High Falls State Park was originally inhabited by the Creek Indians.
Legend has it that in the 1800’s the Indians massacred some settlers who were living nearby. It was July and their trophies (scalps) began to spoil upon returning to their encampment. The Indians came up with the idea to take the trophies to the nearby river and dry or smoke them. According to the legend this is where the area obtained its name, “Towaliga,” which means roasted scalp. The locals around the river pronounce it “Ti-Laggi.”
The settlers in the later years were more successful than the previous ones in developing the land known today as the High Falls area. In the latter 1800’s the area previously known as Unionville was later named High Falls. The river and subsequent 100-foot waterfall provided power to operate many earlier industries in the Area. In 1890 the railroad that was under construction bypassed High Falls in favor of nearby Jackson causing most of the residents to relocate in favor of better jobs and growing economy. The population of High Falls ranged from 30 during 1879-1800 to about 2oo in 1899.
Also around 1890, the Towaliga Falls Power Company started building the dam and power plant to generate electricity to run the cotton mills nearby. The property was sold to the Georgia Hydro-Electric Company in 1905 and they completed the dam and powerhouse and placed it into operation. They operated it for several years and in May 1930 transferred it to the Georgia Power Company, which operated it until it closed in 1958, after 53 years of service.
The dam, which impounds the 650-acre lake, is 606 feet long and 35 feet high. The dam was completed in 1904 and was constructed of stone and mortar placed on bedrock. The stones used for the construction were cut from the stream below. The first picture is of the dam. The second one is of part of the falls down stream. Picture number three is a view of what remains of the old power plant.
After it closed, the power plant was turned over to the Hiawassee Timber Company. They, being primarily interested in the woodland reserves, donated the 650 acre lake and some of the surrounding land, which today is High Falls State Park.
I know I don’t have to tell you about the blast of cold artic air that invaded much of the country. It got cold all the way to Florida. Which means it came right by us. Most RVs are not designed for sustained cold. It remained below freezing for several days. Our insulation is only about an inch of foam board between the shell and the inside wall. We used our gas furnace and a couple of electric heaters. We kept comfortable enough and didn’t realize that trouble was brewing, not until I went out to empty our black (sewer) tank.
Our tanks, one black and two gray (sink/shower water), have valves that need to be opened and closed manually. I opened the compartment under the trailer and pulled on the valve. Nothing happened. It would not budge. Uh-Oh! The tanks were frozen solid, or at least that part surrounding the valves. We could not empty our tanks.
I looked at our sewer line coming out of the trailer. We have a clear section of pipe about five inches long that lets us see what is draining so we can know when we have sufficiently cleaned the tank. It looked like solid ice. It was solid ice. I tried lifting a section of the hose. It was all frozen solid. Twenty feet of three-inch sewer hose frozen solid.
Why had the line not emptied into the sewer when it was opened before, you ask. Problem number one, the line did not have the proper slope for drainage. Why? Because the sewer line at the Park had an entry point that was about eight inches above ground. The grade of slope from the trailer was not sufficient. Now what?
We have twenty feet of solid waste water…..and worse. What are we going to do with it? We need to thaw it, right? OK! I disconnected the hose from the trailer and drug it from under the trailer. In this weather it will take forever to thaw. So, I go buy thirty-feet of new hose and connections. Then I cut the sewer entry pipe off even with the ground. Then, I built some special little devises of half-inch PVC that I can use to create the proper slope for the drain.
Great, but it doesn’t help the frozen tanks. We ran our furnace full-force to heat the ducts under the floor in hopes of creating enough radiant heat to thaw the tanks. To help the situation along, I got sheets of plastic and duct tape and covered the area under the trailer below the tanks with the sheets secured to the ground. Then I placed an electric heater in the space surrounded by the plastic and turned it on high. The rest of that day and all night the heater ran. Sometime the next day, the valves moved. Later, we were able to empty the tanks.
Now, the plastic sheets are still in place. The electric heater is still there. When the weather is about to dip below freezing, I plug in the heater and let it run until the weather warms. We will not get caught this way again. Lesson learned!
What about the solid frozen sewer hoses? We caped off the ends, carried them to a warm place between the restrooms in the comfort station. Later when they seemed to have thawed enough, we emptied them into a commode in the restroom. That was fun! Twenty-feet of sewer yuck. I guess it’s the law of Rving, otherwise known as Parsons Law.
Speaking of law, here is something interesting. Many States seem to have some stupid laws still on their books. Like these loony laws:
In Louisiana: "It is illegal for a woman to drive a car in New Orleans unless her husband is waving a flag in front of her."
In New Mexico: "During lunch breaks in Carlsbad, no couple should engage in a sexual act whilst parked in their vehicle unless the car is equipped with a curtain."
In California: “It is illegal to shoot an animal from a moving car, unless it is a whale.”
In the comments on my blog, I have received interest for following me on Twitter. What would I say in 140 characters? You know the old adage; If you want me to speak for an hour, I’m ready now. If you want me to speak for ten minutes, it will take me three days to prepare. I can ramble for hours, but 140 characters, I don’t think so.
Have you ever had a spot on your back that was driving you crazy itching? You try and try but you just can’t reach it to satisfy that itch. Did you know that there is a word for that spot? It is acnestis (ac-NEES-tis). It is from the Greek word – aknestis meaning “spine.”
Riddle answer: pencil lead.
Picture four above is the view from out back picture window toward the lake. They also have Yurts here at this Park. It is part of our responsibility to keep them cleaned.
Picture five is of the dog Duke and his master Paul. They come to the Park every day to walk. Duke has a six-foot leash as required, but it usually just drags on the ground behind him. Duke leads and Paul follows where ever he goes. Duke is 5, Paul is 80. They live nearby.
That’s it until next month. It’s a short month. Do you know why?
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL.
Heritage makes the person; Attitude makes the life.
