Blue Hole Summer 1998 Roadtrip Diary

Here's the final diary for my journeys up to Tennessee and to Blue Hole. :)

1998 Summer Roadtrip Diary

Weekend Plans Comments

May 16-17 No Roadtrip Planned Dragon*Con Staff Meeting Sat.; RennFaire on Sunday

May 23-25 No roadtrip Whitewater release scheduled at Bluehole (plus RennFaire on Memorial Day)

May 30-31 Saturday and Sunday:
Dp Atlanta c. 10:00 a.m.
Ar BlueHole c. 12:00 nn
Dp Bluehole c. 7:00 p.m.
Ar Atlanta c. 9:00 p.m.
Scouted out the "scenic route" through Chatsworth, etc.
My friend Chris Kaftanciyan came along on Saturday for his first visit, and liked it so much he skipped work and begged to go up the next day. :)

June 6-7 No roadtrip Less than 80 degree temps were forecast in Tenn. (!)

June 13-14 Went up on Sat. only:
saw Savatage in Atlanta Sunday evening Water level was about 5 inches higher than normal due to heavy rains; Chris K. came along again.

June 20-21 Dp Atl Sat. c. 1pm
Ar BH c. 3pm
Overnight stay in TN
Dp BH Sun. c. 7pm
Ar Atl. c. 9pm Water still a bit higher than normal. Great weekend with great weather!

June 27-28 Saturday and Sunday with overnight in Cleveland, TN Water at normal summertime level. Another great weekend; spent 6+ bours each day in the water. Also bought two inexpensive diving lights at Wal-Mart and stayed until almost full-dark on Sunday. Swimming through the tunnels is really awesome at night. There were two scuba divers in the deep part of Blue Hole itself for much of the day on Sunday. Made lots of new friends both days, and gave my business card to some kids in a band from Cleveland, TN.

July 3-5 Dp Atl Fri. 10am
At BH noon-7pm
Purchased fireworks that evening
Stay overnight in TN
At BH Sat. noon - 4pm
At Kennesaw, GA (mom's house) for fireworks c. 6:30pm Saturday
Overnight at Mom's house
Sunday at Blue Hole and Eagle Mtn. in Ellijay with mom and nephew and friend What a great time! Three solid days of swimming at Blue Hole! I'm paying for it with an earache, but it was worth it, and my mom and nephew Robert had a great time there on Sunday.

July 11-12 Sunday roadtrip only Dragon*Con Staff Meeting on Saturday

July 18-19 Sunday Only Brought Kevin (WREKage radio show co-host) up to Blue Hole and had a great time....including some suntanning time up at Little Blue Hole

July 25-26 Saturday Only Brought Rick (a friend from Bally's health club) up and had a great time. The rain and clouds cleared off as the day got longer...

August 1-2 Sunday Only River was high on Saturday; reconnoitered the water conditions on Sunday. A bit cloudy, but still okay. My friend Brian rode up and had a great time, although the water was a bit chilly on his skinny frame. The more sunlight you have, the faster the water gets nice and warm (the rocks absorb the heat).

August 8-9 Drove Up Monday the 10th :) I was in Baltimore for Worldcon through Sunday, but I had already asked off work on Monday and it was a great day to go swimming. With an extra day to allow the water to settle, underwater visibility was almost perfect. A large group of guys in a high-school football team came swimming after rafting and my masks were loaned out most of the afternoon. Got 'em all back, too!

August 15-16 Drove up on Sunday This time Brian, Chris and his girlfriend came along. Since it had rained most of the morning, we had the place almost to ourselves most of the day. A bit chilly due to the fitful sunlight but it never rained again. My friend Dirk from Cleveland, TN, just arrived back in the US from Australia and India, was to come up and hang out but didn't make it.

August 22-23 Drove Up on Sunday Had a good time. This was another case where the weather improved as the day got longer. Met a party of scuba divers (youngest was a kid, age 16, who'd been diving since he was 12, lucky dawg) who were diving Blue Hole and talked some shop with them.

August 29-30 Drove Up on Sunday Last chance for 1998, and it was a great day for it. Good weather plus I saw several people I'd met earlier in the summer, including Josh (whose dad had gotten him a nice diving mask for his birthday, gee, wonder whose suggestion THAT was?) and the dark-haired kid from the rock band from Cleveland. Fond farewell for Summer 1998 and looked forward to Summer 1999! :)

1998 Summer Roadtrip Diary
Weekend	Plans	Comments
May 16-17	No Roadtrip Planned	Dragon*Con Staff Meeting Sat.; RennFaire on Sunday
May 23-25	No roadtrip	Whitewater release scheduled at Bluehole (plus RennFaire on Memorial Day)
May 30-31	Saturday and Sunday: Dp Atlanta c. 10:00 a.m. Ar BlueHole c. 12:00 nn Dp Bluehole c. 7:00 p.m. Ar Atlanta c. 9:00 p.m.	Scouted out the "scenic route" through Chatsworth, etc. My friend Chris Kaftanciyan came along on Saturday for his first visit, and liked it so much he skipped work and begged to go up the next day. :)
June 6-7	No roadtrip	Less than 80 degree temps were forecast in Tenn. (!)
June 13-14	Went up on Sat. only: saw Savatage in Atlanta Sunday evening	Water level was about 5 inches higher than normal due to heavy rains; Chris K. came along again.
June 20-21	Dp Atl Sat. c. 1pm Ar BH c. 3pm Overnight stay in TN Dp BH Sun. c. 7pm Ar Atl. c. 9pm	Water still a bit higher than normal. Great weekend with great weather!
June 27-28	Saturday and Sunday with overnight in Cleveland, TN	Water at normal summertime level. Another great weekend; spent 6+ bours each day in the water. Also bought two inexpensive diving lights at Wal-Mart and stayed until almost full-dark on Sunday. Swimming through the tunnels is really awesome at night. There were two scuba divers in the deep part of Blue Hole itself for much of the day on Sunday. Made lots of new friends both days, and gave my business card to some kids in a band from Cleveland, TN.
July 3-5	Dp Atl Fri. 10am At BH noon-7pm Purchased fireworks that evening Stay overnight in TN At BH Sat. noon - 4pm At Kennesaw, GA (mom's house) for fireworks c. 6:30pm Saturday Overnight at Mom's house Sunday at Blue Hole and Eagle Mtn. in Ellijay with mom and nephew and friend	What a great time! Three solid days of swimming at Blue Hole! I'm paying for it with an earache, but it was worth it, and my mom and nephew Robert had a great time there on Sunday.
July 11-12	Sunday roadtrip only	Dragon*Con Staff Meeting on Saturday
July 18-19	Sunday Only	Brought Kevin (WREKage radio show co-host) up to Blue Hole and had a great time....including some suntanning time up at Little Blue Hole
July 25-26	Saturday Only	Brought Rick (a friend from Bally's health club) up and had a great time. The rain and clouds cleared off as the day got longer...
August 1-2	Sunday Only	River was high on Saturday; reconnoitered the water conditions on Sunday. A bit cloudy, but still okay. My friend Brian rode up and had a great time, although the water was a bit chilly on his skinny frame. The more sunlight you have, the faster the water gets nice and warm (the rocks absorb the heat).
August 8-9	Drove Up Monday the 10th :)	I was in Baltimore for Worldcon through Sunday, but I had already asked off work on Monday and it was a great day to go swimming. With an extra day to allow the water to settle, underwater visibility was almost perfect. A large group of guys in a high-school football team came swimming after rafting and my masks were loaned out most of the afternoon. Got 'em all back, too!
August 15-16	Drove up on Sunday	This time Brian, Chris and his girlfriend came along. Since it had rained most of the morning, we had the place almost to ourselves most of the day. A bit chilly due to the fitful sunlight but it never rained again. My friend Dirk from Cleveland, TN, just arrived back in the US from Australia and India, was to come up and hang out but didn't make it.
August 22-23	Drove Up on Sunday	Had a good time. This was another case where the weather improved as the day got longer. Met a party of scuba divers (youngest was a kid, age 16, who'd been diving since he was 12, lucky dawg) who were diving Blue Hole and talked some shop with them.
August 29-30	Drove Up on Sunday	Last chance for 1998, and it was a great day for it. Good weather plus I saw several people I'd met earlier in the summer, including Josh (whose dad had gotten him a nice diving mask for his birthday, gee, wonder whose suggestion THAT was?) and the dark-haired kid from the rock band from Cleveland. Fond farewell for Summer 1998 and looked forward to Summer 1999! :)

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