GRAND HARBOR TO JOE WHEELER :

Oct 7- We are waiting for American Pie to catch up with us. Dave has taken the dingy over to the launch ramp to clean it. I have been doing some waxing on Manana. It is about 1 pm and American Pie has just arrived along with another Looper called Inspyred 2. We all went to dinner at a place called Freddie T's tonight. Apparently this is also owned by the marina owner - imagine that|

Oct 8- Another hot day today but there is a chance of rain tomorrow and Saturday. We will be heading to Florence tomorrow rain or shine. We have the courtesy car today and are heading to visit Shiloh. The battle at Shiloh was the biggest battle between the North and South where 23,000 men died during this two day battle. 

Oct 9- We left Grand Harbor at 9:00 am heading up the Tennessee to Florence. We arrived at 3:00 pm and only got in because someone had just left. We met up again with Sea to Sea who had gotten hold of courtesy car so we all went to Walmart to get supplies.

Oct 10- There are only three Loopers here at Florence right now. The marina owner's daughter is giving us a ride up town so that we might do some sightseeing. When we got back from town (we walked back-about a mile or two) many more Loopers had arrived and we were invited for docktails. We have decided to leave for Joe Wheeler tomorrow along with five others.

A model showing the four towns making up this area

This is the post office and court house

A couple of banks

They really get behind their football team

Admissions building for University of Alabama

Some of the campus of University of Alabama

Some historical paintings of building

Oct 11- At 8:00 am we all headed up the Tennessee towards the first lock. This lock called Wilson Lock is the largest in North America. This lock is 137 feet deep and 4,500 ft long. We were told to stay away from the centre of the lock as the turbulance is greater there. We exited that one and onto the next which is the Wheeler Lock not near as deep. We arrived at Joe Wheeler State Park at ll:30 am. We are in a covered slip which is as far away from everything than you could want. We have to get in the dingy to visit the rest of the Loopers or the get to the building we will be having our meetings in. We are not impressed so far with these arrangements. We were invited to docktails last night so we threw our chairs in the dingy and away we went. We met some more Loopers we hadn't seen before.

Heading up the Tennessee 

This is Wilson Lock largest in North America

Out of Wilson Lock onto the next

Shoreline and homes heading up Tennessee

Six of us heading to Wheeler Lock

Heading into Wheeler

Just around the corner Wheeler

We are under the farthest covered roof

Conference centre

Wheeler State Park Marina

A beautiful sunset seen from our slip

Oct 12- Happy Thanksgiving everybody at home! It feels very strange to not be having a turkey dinner today. Hope you all have some for us.