Camping in the rain, near Dover Tennessee

 Site number 30, Piney Campground, Land Between the Lakes, Tennessee.  50 amp spot, full hookup, but currently no electricity, due to power line being down.....  upgraded to here, since they moved us from another site that will be potentially flooded in the next 24-48 hours, they said. 

 Got up at 0600, mostly as a result of hard rain and thunder and lightning-  then it stopped and cleared.  Because we left Chattanooga early the other day, we were ahead of where we had planned to be, so today was only 44 miles total.  We called ahead to make sure we would fit, then went about 30  miles up the road to Fort Donalson National Battlefield, which is near the town of Dover Tennessee.  This is a new park visit, #8 on the trip so far, and now the 115th park I've been to.  This is a very beautiful park, located on the banks of the Tennessee River, and was a key battle in the Civil War.  It was the site of the first major Union victory of the War, fought in February of 1862.  It sort of woke the South up to the fact that the North wasn't going to let them have their way.

 Managed to make a tight turnaround at the Visitors Center, even though Bette was pretty sure I was going to drive in a ditch.  This park has several parts, an old hotel downtown, and several batteries along the river.  There is also a National Cemetery here, I believe one of the oldest of those.  It was built in 1866.  The idea of honoring soldiers who died in the service to country was born in the Civil War. 

I added 5 passport stamps to the collection: a 25th Anniversary Passport, an Undergroyund Railroad Freedom Network, a Dover Hotel stamp, and the site stamp for Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Dover Tn, and a bonus stamp, one for the Tennessee Historical Commission that says Fort Donelson.

I also got 3 pins here, left to right, a pin that has the seal of the State of Tennessee, a Fort Donelson National Battlefield, and a Dover Hotel pin. 

As I write this, it is 1030, and we are in camp and basically done for the day.  It's now raining very hard again, and we are on generator, waiting for them to repair the downed line. 

I may go out after lunch and visit the Land Between the Lakes Vistior Center, there are some bonus stamps there, and I'm also planning a drive over to Hopkinsville, Ky, for 2 Trail of Tears stamps that are located there.  May also stop at Cadiz Ky, to see what is there. 

Also need to plan what to do for April 29- May 2 over towards Van Buren and Springfield Missouri.