It’s a big continent with lots to see, so we eagerly awaited responses from FMCAers to this month’s question:
What is the most unusual or intriguing tourist attraction you have visited?
Like most boys, my 70-plus-year-old husband loves trains, so we scheduled a stop at Folkston, Georgia, just off Interstate 95. Known as “The Funnel,” Folkston sees about 60 trains daily heading to and from Florida. The town has provided accommodations for train watchers, including a viewing platform, barbecue grills, picnic tables, rest rooms, a scanner to “track” trains, and Wi-Fi. The depot hosts a nice museum.
We watched trains, enjoyed the creative graffiti, and talked with a variety of interesting train watchers: an enthusiast who moved from Tallahassee to Folkston; a fan carrying maps of every U.S. train system; a camera buff excited over a rare four-engine train. It was very sweet to see a mother and two toddlers wave at Daddy the engineer. We spent the afternoon and following morning there. Overall, the slightly off-the-main-track attraction was informative, interesting, and a nice break before continuing on our way.
Billie Torbeck, F236771
Largo, Florida
Having traveled in Mexico for more than 25 continuous years, it is hard to pinpoint one unusual place. However, imagine being in the middle of the Mexican state of Chihuahua and finding a community where the women wear plain-colored dresses, we see no Mexicans, and everyone speaks German! Mennonite settlements near the city of Cuauhtémoc have grown to about 50,000 residents over the years. After first arriving in Canada, they came to Mexico seeking educational and religious liberty. Today their communities include farms, schools, stores, and churches.
I was lucky to tour one of the many little schools. Well-dressed boys sat on one side of the small room, and girls in pretty dresses sat on the other. They had no desks; only benches. A wood-burning stove provided heat. Older children sat in the front rows, and younger ones sat in the rear. They chanted in German: prayers, reading, numbers, and songs. The same thing is taught to all children, and as they learn, they move up toward the front rows. A book could be written on this one adventure.
Weta Berger, F205425
Brownsville, California
In the spring of 2014, we traveled with our grandchildren (5-year-old twins) and family to the Grand Canyon. We decided to make a quick stop at Bearizona (www.bearizona.com), a tourist attraction close to the Grand Canyon/Williams KOA. What was to be a brief stop became a full day of fun for the kids, and especially for the adults. The drive through the animal park was reminiscent of the defunct Lion Country Safari in Irvine, California, where we used to take our children. Bearizona, a large, well-maintained, cage-free facility, permits you to take a leisurely drive to see the bears, wolves, buffalo, etc., up close and personal. You can drive through numerous times, so after our first time, we entered the walking area to see the shows and exhibits and then got back in the car and drove through again. A great, fun day.
Gary & Cookie Kalyn, F174633
Porter Ranch, California
The Cave Restaurant and Resort (www.thecaverestaurantandresort.com) in Richland, Missouri, was a unique adventure. We ate in a restaurant that was built in a cave and seats 225. The cave housed a dancehall in the 1920s. A van shuttles you to the cave, and then you take an elevator or climb 45 stairs to the restaurant entrance. A large picture window offers a beautiful view of the Gasconade River below. The restaurant cuisine includes fish, steaks, and chicken. We had great service, and the waitress and owner were very entertaining. The place was so amazing that I had to touch the walls and check out the waterfalls, fountains, and fish ponds. Hundreds of tiny lights are strung around some of the ponds. The lamps and other items are made from horseshoes and old tools. The resort also offers cabin rentals, camping, canoeing, fishing, float trips, a craft store, and a sweet shop with souvenirs, gifts, and candy.
Arlene Chiarolanzio, F181694
Florham Park, New Jersey
Future questions:
1. What’s the best time of the day when traveling in your motorhome – sunrise, sunset, when you hit the road, when you stop to set up camp, or . . . ? Please explain why.
2. Recall a time when you were traveling and an unexpected delay turned out surprisingly well.