Summer of 21 - #1 - Leaving Moms, Military & COE Campgrounds, Montgomery Motor Speedway & Everyday life.

April 2nd - 10th, 2021

We continued visiting with mom.  One night at 11.30pm we heard several gunshots outside the park. Not sure what that was all about but a couple of days before, the little boy next door was outside crying and screaming for his mommy. I was in the bathroom but Bryan went out and found him all alone crying.  He tried knocking on their door but there was no answer.  Then his mom arrived, it seems that they had been walking by the lake when they saw a water moccasin. She had told him to get back and he had run home. They told Bryan that they had killed it and thanked him for checking on their son. Poor little guy.

We extended our stay by a day as a parcel we were expecting was delayed and then I wasn't feeling good on the last day we were there so I stayed home while Bryan went and said his goodbyes.  It's always sad to say goodbye but we'll be back.

April 11th, 2021

So our summer trip is starting. We drove east to Shields RV Campground on base at Gulfport, Mississippi. 

That's a helicopter being towed behind a camper. Makes a change from a car!!!

Hello Mississippi

We arrived at the base and got set up.  The view from our front window is of a cemetery. 

View from side window

Bryan tried talking to the ghosts tonight but didn't get any activity. 😉

April 12th, 2021

We went for a drive round the base.

There's another campground at the back of the base that would probably be better for a longer stay but we're ok with where we are for a couple of nights.

Turtles sunbathing over by the other campground

This is where Ryan went for a class, despite covid stopping all travel, before he transferred to Norfolk last year.  We only found one option for food so I'm not sure how he existed but probably lived on Pot Noodles. This was the place where they got "evicted" from base lodging to make way for cruise ship passengers who were quarantining on base. They had to go off base.  Fortunately he went with someone who had a car and could drive them back and forward to classes. It was quite a stressful time as things seemed to change daily. It doesn't seem a bad base and close to the coast.  We didn't go off base to explore as we were both feeling tired.

April 13th, 2021

We left Shields  & went to Gunter Hill Corps of Engineer Campground in Montgomery, Alabama.

I think this was one of the longest drives we have made in a day in the motorhome. It took us 5 hours with a 30 minute stop for lunch. It felt like being on a helter skelter for a lot of it as we went up and down hills. It was also windy at times. 

Look at the height off the ground these bridges are.

Like a roller coaster ride but pretty

We arrived at Gunter Hill and the campground was very nice.  We got settled into our site and just relaxed.

The reason we had such a long drive is that when I was planning our route we were going up to Maine, the most northern of States on the East Coast and we decided to have a couple of long days to get us north quicker and then be able to spend more time in the States we haven't yet visited. We ended up cancelling some of the Northern State visits this year because of quarantine regulations they have imposed. However, I had already booked some of the campgrounds so we decided to keep the reservations we had made as much as we could.  This will involve a couple of longer drives until we get to Gettysburg when we will start our revised route and hopefully ease up a bit.

April 14th, 2021

The views from our site at Gunter Hill. 

Red Cardinal

April 15th, 2021

Went to get a couple of parts from K&K Camping Center, and Maxwell AFB to go to the commissary.  It was very well stocked and the produce was fresh. 

April 16th, 2021

Problem solving the steps and satellite. Bryan replaced the cables to the dish. Got 2 satellites but says weather is stopping the signal.  I looked online and saw our spot here was available for tomorrow so I extended our stay 1 day.  It will make it easier to watch the tennis and more importantly Prince Philip's funeral tomorrow.  We won't have to rush to leave after they are finished. Yay!!  Someone is watching over us as this site is booked solid going forward. 
 

April 17th, 2021

Got up early to watch Dan Evans in the semi finals at Monte Carlo.  At least I got a lie in until 6.15 this morning.  The last 2 days it's been 5.15.  He is doing well, especially beating Novak Djokovic, which I was extremely happy about.

Today it caught up with him, and he lost to Tsitsipas who he always struggles against. Still no shame there, and he went on to win the Mens Doubles semi finals with Neal Skupski so he will be in that final tomorrow.

His match finished just before Prince Philips funeral started and I watched that. I would have stopped watching Dan's match to see the funeral anyway if it hadn't finished. I support the Royal Family even if I haven't always agreed with them. 

I have to say the bands playing the old hymns and patriotic songs had me sobbing.  Not just the occasion but I do miss my heritage. 

Anyway, it was very well thought out by the Duke himself.  Especially liked his hearse, a converted Land Rover.  Such a "Philip" touch.  The virus actually played in his favour as it's reported that he didn't want a fuss, so a relatively private funeral was just the ticket. My thoughts and prayers are with The Queen.  God Save the Queen.

Christina sent me this picture, I love it

Another reason for staying another day was it meant Bryan could go to the races that were just across the road from the park.

April 18th, 2021

I took some pictures before we left our site.

Reflection of the lake behind us in our mirror

and Bryan disconnecting our power, water & sewer

We enjoyed staying at this park and would definitely return if in the area.

Here's a map showing our route for this blog. MAP

Next stop:  Lakeside Landing RV Park in Cropwell, Alabama.

Kentwood, Louisiana - Stewart Family History - Cemetery - Camp Moore Museum

April 1st, 2021(This is NOT an April Fool's joke)

Last year I found a book on the internet about Bryan's family history. I ordered a copy and we found it really fascinating. He is fortunate in that his ancestors have traced back his paternal line. The Kents had property in Over Wallop, Hampshire, England. I love that Bryan's parents carried the name down by naming their son Bryan Kent Stewart. He is known to his family as Kent but in the military went by Bryan. 

In 1634 Richard Kent(Bryan's 10xGt.Grandfather, by my reckoning, but the number may change when we actually get around to completing the family tree) arrived in a port, that was later named Ipswich, on the south end of Plum Island, about 25 miles NE of present day Boston. He arrived from Over Wallop, Hampshire via Southampton on the "Mary & John".

Life is certainly very strange with lots of coincidences.

They landed on Plum Island.  Plum is my mum's maiden name. We had planned on visiting this area this summer but the virus curtailed our travels to this State so it will be deferred until another year.  

In 2017 we stopped very near to Over Wallop while touring the UK. We fell in love with a B&B we stayed at there called "The Fat Pigeon". If we had known we were so close to where Bryan's ancestors were from we would have done more exploring, maybe another day.

Anyway we found out that the town of Kentwood in Louisiana was founded by his Gt-Gt-Gt Grandfather Amos Kent and he is buried there. It is less than an hour from mom's and so we all got in the car and went for a drive.

We found the cemetery where they were buried and found the "Kent" family plot.

Bryan's Gt Gt Gt Grandparents

He took pictures of other family members gravestones and maybe one day we will find the link, probably distant aunts and uncles.

The family plots had the name of the family on a stepping stone into the area.

Gt Gt Aunt, she was the oldest child of Amos & Susan Fluker Kent

 Youngest Gt Gt Aunt

We walked around for quite a while looking at the names and looking for Bryan's Gt. Grandmother.

Mom & Bryan in the Kent family plot.

After leaving the cemetery we stopped at the Kentwood Historical & Cultural Museum.

It's in a house and we had to call to get the lady to open the door. She was very helpful and showed us around, although the main topic here is Brittany Spears. There are 4 rooms dedicated to her as she was born in the town.

We explained that we were in town visiting the graves of the Kents who were relations.  She showed us the items they had relating to the Kents and founding of Kentwood.  She told us that the lady who had known all the history had passed a few years prior but she told us all that she had learned.

Pictures relating to the Kents and the homes they built when they arrived.

In 1853, Amos Kent & his wife Susan moved to what is now Kentwood.  They built a sawmill and brick plant.  Two years later they built a house, Oak Hill on W. Cools Creek.  They raised 13 children here, 7 of them were born before moving here from St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. Other family members also built houses.

 

That was quite interesting but there was more to come....... Next stop Camp Moore Museum & Cemetery. 

We were the only ones there and the museum guide walked round with us, explaining the exhibits.  He quietly told me that there were some trying to get them closed due to being a Confederate Museum. I hope this doesn't happen.  No matter what side you or your ancestors were on, it is history.  Both sides fought for what they believed in. Eradicating it will not help to learn from it. At least there was no sign of vandalism that has happened at other confederate sites.

When he found out that we were researching the Kents he was telling us more about them. It seems he could be a distant relative but we didn't go to much into that. 

Although I don't think these are them they had Royal Enfield Rifles here which originate from Enfield in England where I grew up.

He took us downstairs where there were more items. 

There were these exhibits relating to the Kents'. 

Bryan's Gt.Gt.Grandfather

This told us that James Fluker Kent's grave was in Amacker Cemetery just down the road. We didn't have time to visit but will hopefully return.

James Fluker Kent

Obadiah married James' sister Abigail.

Cemetery at Camp Moore

What an interesting day. We hope to return one day and find more Kent/Stewart graves.