5/5/26
Location: Top of Georgia Airstream Park > Cotton Hill Campground, Fort Gaines, GA, site 48, full hookup

Our day started out early in anticipation of our longer than usual travel day. Skip was kind enough to offer to take the first driving shift because we were unsure how many twists and turns we might encounter as we headed south, an offer I gratefully accepted. Fortunately traveling south is much much easier than arriving at Top of Georgia Airstream Park from the north. Skip did encounter some curves on the 2 lane road but that stretch did not last as long as the northbound journey did.

About an hour into the drive, we took a bathroom break and I took over as driver. My shift included driving 285 around Atlanta. While I am sure it was better than driving directly through Atlanta, we still encountered a lot of traffic on the six lane highway with an additional two lanes merging in from the right. 

About the 90 minute mark I needed to take an exit for another bathroom break. We chose a Pilot truck stop because they usually can accommodate our truck and trailer. Not this time! The truck area was extremely busy and they had caused themselves to be gridlocked in the tight space. And the trucks kept on rolling in, one after another. It was a nightmare!

Skip decided the best escape route for us was for him to back out into the side road we had taken to get to the truck area. Thank You Lord that as Skip was backing out, You caused a break in the truck traffic and provided a nice trucker who patiently waited the few minutes it took Skip to get us backed out and going in the right direction. I’m sure the truckers were as happy that we left as we were to be outta there!

About an hour later we took another exit that claimed it had a visitor’s information center. All we were looking for was a parking lot large enough to park in while we ate our sandwiches in the Airstream. Finding no signs at all that directed us to the elusive visitor’s information center we found a section of a medical center parking lot that was open for us to slip in and take a short break.

Back on the road again with Skip still in the driver’s seat the next challenge was the location of the Cotton Hill Campground in Fort Gaines, GA. After calling the campground host to confirm the correct address we thought we were headed to the right place, comforted by the fact that the truck was navigating us the same way that my phone was. Well, we ended up at a campground but not the one we were looking for.

Another call to the campground host and this time I received what I am calling the “country” directions. She indicated we were still 30 miles away but “if you turn at the big red house that looks like a barn, and turn again at the corner store…” well, you get the picture. Skip realized that if we followed the signs for 39 South we would get there, true except for making the turn onto the road that leads to the campground. “Country” directions for the win in this case.

Cotton Hill Campground is our first Army Corps of Engineers campground visit. What a beautiful place, on the water with huge shaded sites, full hookup, at a price that cannot be beat.

Using already prepared taco meat from our freezer, we enjoyed nachos for dinner in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. 

A little TV, showers and sleep. Time to ChILL.

5/4/26

Location: Top of Georgia Airstream Park, Helen, GA – only full day
ChILL
Chevron
Touring the Alpine Village in the City of Helen
Hofbrauhaus Restaurant
ChILL

After a good night’s rest for both of us, we had a leisurely start to our day over coffee and bagels. The temperatures started out in the mid 40s but did warm up as the day went on to the mid 70s, perfect temperature for spending time outside.

The sites do not have picnic tables so I did my exercises in ChILL, not as good a setup as outside but I can make it work.

Then we took a walk around the campground where I guess you could say, “All roads lead to Airstreams.” We saw several other Airstreams with only a few occupied at the time. The campground hosts explained that some of their local club members choose to pay the monthly site rent and leave their Airstreams for extended periods of time as a getaway spot for them. It is very affordable to stay at the campground for us and local club members receive an even lower rate.

The campground has a vintage Airstream that was used in Huntsville, Alabama during the Apollo Space Program. Now it serves as the Hosts office at Top of Georgia Airstream Park, a fitting way for an Airstream to “retire.”

When we arrived yesterday we approached from the north and the roads were definitely challenging. We were happy to see that the drive south into Helen had a few curves on the 2 lane road but nothing like the ones encountered on yesterday’s journey. Skip reminded me that what goes up must come down so we probably have more curvy roads as we head south in the morning.

The Top of Georgia Airstream Park is located about 8 miles from the city of Helen with an area that is referred to as the Alpine Village. It is a quaint German themed village with little shops and restaurants nestled in the mountains. After a short drive through the little village we filled the truck with gas before parking and sightseeing.

At the Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen we bought some handmade candy for gifts. It was difficult to choose from the delicious looking variety they offered. Hoping that we can keep the temperatures consistent enough on our travels home to keep the candy at its best.

After walking around enjoying the beauty surrounding us and occasionally going into the shops, finding nothing else we wanted to buy, we headed for a late lunch/early dinner at a place that Skip chose, Hofbrauhaus Restaurant, featuring German cuisine. As so often happens when Skip and I are presented with menus, we both chose the same thing, Jaeger Schnitzel. Our waitress suggested that we get the gravy on the side so we could try two different kinds. One was rahm sauce, a white gravy, and the other was a bacon mushroom gravy, both were delicious with maybe my slight preference being the bacon mushroom gravy. Although their dessert options looked great we were too stuffed to take advantage of them.

Our table was in the outdoor Biergarten with a view of a small river, charming is the word that comes to mind and so relaxing. A guitarist setup near our table. He was a very talented young man who played and sang songs from the 70s to current at a volume that was easy to enjoy his music without limiting our ability to have a conversation.  

Back at ChILL Skip did his usual black tank clean out to make our morning departure quicker while I wrote some postcards I bought in Helen. The campground hosts advised I could put them in the mailbox out by the road.

For travel tomorrow I made turkey sandwiches for our lunchbox along with some grapes. After our big German lunch we opted for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner.

A little TV, showers and off to bed in anticipation of our next stop at our first Army Corps of Engineers campground at Cotton Hill in Fort Gaines, GA.

5/3/26
Location: Top of Georgia Airstream Park, Helen, GA, site B9, full hookup
ChILL

Praise the Lord! Thank You God! For the first time in several days, Skip woke up with zero vertigo symptoms. Hallelujah! Vertigo is never a good thing but it is especially concerning when so much of our travels with ChILL depend on Skip’s expertise.

Because Skip had done the major clean out of the black tank early evening yesterday, he was able to complete the other takedown chores more quickly. Tortilla chips, bread, bagels, M&Ms and a few other fragile items were moved to the truck where they can travel with less turmoil and in the controlled temperatures.

Every departure our final step before getting into the truck is to walk around the Airstream together with both of us verifying that everything is in ready to travel mode. Then in the truck we check the mirrors and rear camera views, verify the destination address in the nav system, confirm the route is the one that best suits towing the Airstream and then take time to be with the Lord. One of us reads out loud Psalm 91 and then the other reads out loud a prayer we put together before we left St Augustine. The page is laminated making it more travel friendly.

With me in the driver’s seat, we left the Whispering River Resort in Walland, TN. Leaving the campground there is a 2 mile narrow road with several twisty blind curves that add to the driving excitement. Very relieved we encountered only a few oncoming cars and no large vehicles at all. 

Skip gave me turn by turn directions through the towns of Walland and Maryville until our nav system finally agreed with the truck route Skip preferred to use. The rest of my driving shift was the easiest stretch so far on mostly flat roads with good visibility and light traffic as it was Sunday morning. 

Near the exit to 64 East I pulled into an open parking lot behind a Hardees. It was only 50 degrees so we kept the door to ChILL closed while we ate our lunchbox sandwiches and sliced apples. Then Skip took over for what was the most challenging segment we have had so far, not just today but since we left St Augustine. Even though we were on the truck route it was a two lane road with various twists, turns and elevation changes. No time to be bored on this drive! Occasionally there was a short distance that had an additional lane allowing faster moving traffic to get around us before it went back to 2 lanes.

Eventually we were on SR17 where the real fun began! Reminded me of an old attraction at Disney World, Mr Toad’s Wild Ride. Some of the turns were so extreme that the posted speed limit was 15 miles per hour! Skip claimed that he was enjoying the drive. I assured him that I was not having a good time even as the passenger. But wait, the goal is in sight – the Top of Georgia Airstream Park! It’s great to be surrounded by other Airstreams in the mountains. No cell service at all from any carrier. Skip setup the Starlink and we were back in business.

Even with all of the concentration required, ears popping from the ups and downs and the numerous twists and turns, Skip’s vertigo symptoms have not returned. The Lord has blessed us indeed!

Dinner was sausage, peppers and onions prepared on ChILL’s cooktop and a salad. Showers, a little TV and off to bed looking forward to exploring the Helen area tomorrow.