Day 1: Sunday, September 28, 2014
Sherry drove her Toyota to Foodland. I met her there, and she followed me back to my RV. I loaded my luggage into her car.
We stopped at McDonald's in Rogersville for breakfast and to use the restroom.
Bobbie and Sherry ordered two Egg McMuffins with sausage; I ordered a sausage and cheese Egg McMuffin.
We left Killen about 8 A.M., traveling east on US 72 to Huntsville. We turned left onto the parkway, but missed our turn to Scottsboro.
I pulled out my iPhone using the GPS and got us back on the right track.
We stopped in Sweetwater, Tennessee, at the Dinner Bell in Sweetwater, TN, to eat lunch. It was around 2:30 P.M.
Bobbie and I ordered a vegetable plate for $4.99.
I ordered green beans, turnip greens, fried apples, and cornbread.
Bobbie ordered French fries, fried green tomatoes, green beans, and cornbread.
Sherry ordered grilled fish, baked potato with side salad, and biscuits.
We filled up with gas at the Shell Station in Sevierville for $29.70.
We stopped at Russell Stover's, which was located next door to the Shell Station.
We sampled many different candies. I bought a box of chocolates that cost $1.25.
Sherry and Bobbie also bought some chocolates.
We arrived at Wyndham Condos, and Sherry checked us into room 2439.
We got a bellman cart to load all our luggage, food, and extra items that we brought.
After a long day of travel, we spent the rest of the day resting and watching TV.
I took a few pictures of the view from our condominium at about 5:19 P.M.
Bobbie and I both ate a chicken salad sandwich with chips for supper.
Sherry finished off her leftover fish and baked potato.
We were in bed by 11 P.M.
Day 2: Monday, September 29, 2014
I was up early the next morning, looking on my iPad for places to visit.
Everyone would like to visit Forbidden Caverns.
We ate breakfast, dressed, and rode to Forbidden Caverns.
On the way, we stopped at Blowing Cave Mill, which was built in 1880 and is located along the side of a hill with running water.
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| Blowing Cave Mill |
The mill appeared deserted, but there was a sign of new building material that may be for repairing the mill.
The Mill was built of unpainted wooden planks, with four glass window panes on each side and a tin roof.
The basement was constructed of stone, featuring two barred windows and a door for entry.
On the backside of the building was a wheel that was powered by a stream, which would have turned the wheel to grind corn or wheat.
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| Traveling to Blowing Cave Mill |
At Forbidden Caverns, the restroom building was located next to the parking lot.
A group of schoolchildren went inside the caverns before us.
The ticket woman said, You do not want to go with the school group, because they make too much noise.
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| Forbidden Caverns |
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| Forbidden Caverns |
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| Forbidden Caverns |
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| Forbidden Caverns |
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| Forbidden Caverns |
There were approximately fifteen to twenty people in our group; the cost was $13 for non-seniors and $12 for seniors.
Our guide walked in front of the group, stopping to point out a bat, an abandoned still,
Several stalactites and stalagmites, a natural chimney, grottos, and a clear stream (which is still used for drinking) were visible. He also showed us a special light effect that highlighted the Indians who once lived in the cave.
The walk into the cavern was approximately half a mile long, and on the way back, we descended several steps into a special room that looped back around to our starting area.
The cave was very well lit, but the lights were turned off as we left each area to protect the cave's natural growth.
We rode back to Pigeon Forge to Huck Finn's, where we ate lunch.
We all ordered a catfish plate, which included all the fixings you could eat, including white beans, cornbread, slaw, hushpuppies, and onions.
We each ordered water with lemon to drink, and the cost was $10.05 each.
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| Huck Finns Catfish |
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| Huck Finns Catfish |
I drove us to Gatlinburg, and we parked behind Bubba Gumps in a paid parking lot.
We walked on the sidewalk looking at all the shops.
We stopped at Ripley's Believe It or Not and took pictures of the Fat Man with our heads inside, the Goodyear tire, the very large Transformer, and a floating ball. We stopped at a candy shop, where I bought a chocolate-covered pretzel.
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| Transformer |
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| Transformer & Fat Man |
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| Resting in Gatlinburg |
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| Three black bears in Gatlinburg |
We walked back up the sidewalk, loaded back into the car, and rode back to the condominium.
Bobbie cooked pork chops with broccoli and cheese for supper.
Watched some TV and went to bed at 11 P.M.
I wrote in my journal and took pictures from the balcony overlooking the mountains.
Day 3: Tuesday, September 30, 2014
We rode to Kitchen Gadgets, where Sherry bought several items. We walked up the hill to the restrooms.
It was getting close to lunchtime, so I drove us to Applewood Farmhouse Grill and Restaurant.
I ordered a bowl of vegetable soup, Bobbie ordered potato soup, and Sherry ordered chicken noodle soup.
We each ordered a grilled cheese sandwich on wheat bread.
After eating two apple fritters dipped in apple butter, we were too full to finish our soup, so we asked for to-go cups for our soup and a box for our half-sandwich each had left.
It cost each of us $10.05, the same amount that we spent yesterday at Huck Fins.
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| Applewood Restaurant |
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| Apple Fritters, Orange Juice, and Apple Dipping Sauce |
Bobbie and Sherry sat outside in the rocking chairs while I walked around taking pictures.
We walked through the Apple store and then headed back to the condominiums, where Sherry and Bobbie both took naps; I wrote in my journal.
That afternoon, Bobbie and I toured the Titanic; each paid $24.00. We were each given a boarding pass, and our boarding passes were sisters. (Madeleine and Marjorie)
I was the eldest daughter of Mary and Arthur Newell, age 31, living with my parents in Lexington, Massachusetts. My sister, Marjorie Newell, and my father were aboard the Titanic, returning home from our trip to Egypt, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem.
Our mother and sister did not accompany us on this trip.
We were both given a handheld recording device that you pressed 'stop,' a number, and then 'go' to listen as we walked through the museum.
• We saw third-class cabins as living quarters
• Stairway to Heaven- Grand Case
• Going First Class
• Captain Bridge
• Memorial Room
• Building the Titanic
• Crash of the Titanic
The self-guided audio tour was exciting, featuring artifacts, a recreated stateroom, a fabulous staircase, an iceberg, water that was 28 degrees, and visual displays.
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| The Titanic tour |
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| My Madeleine Newell Ticket |
We exited the gift shop and looked at the pictures taken of Bobbie and me, but we did not purchase any. Sherry was waiting outside for us; she had gone to the three bears to shop while we were on the Titanic.
We ate our leftover soup and a grilled sandwich for supper. We watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy on TV. Wrote in my journal, went to bed at 11 P.M.
Day 4: Wednesday, October 1, 2014
I ate a banana and a fig bar for breakfast.
I took about 32 pictures of the sunrise, along with the clouds.
We rode to the Bass Pro Shops in Kodak, Tennessee. We looked around, and I bought three packages of bungee cords with hooks.
It was getting close to lunchtime, so Sherry suggested we eat at Texas Road House on Collier Drive.
We all ordered a six-inch steak with potatoes, Caesar salad, and were served hot rolls and butter. We also ordered water with lemon.
Once again, we couldn't finish our meals, so we ordered to-go boxes.
We rode to the Incredible Christmas store, where Sherry and Bobbie both bought something.
I took pictures of the Grinch, Charlie Brown, and Snoopy, as well as a Porter Music Box that cost $16,500.00, several Christmas Trees, a manger scene, a Nutcracker, a Diner, Scream Ville, and more.
Outside, I took pictures of the Harvest Festival displays, train, parrots in a cage, the Inn at Christmas, and a batch of Guinness Hens.
At 3:00 P.M., we went to the Clubhouse for a wine tasting. Between 30 and 50 people were attending.
We were then given a glass full of the wine of our choice, along with cheese and crackers
The dry wine was a Chardonnay, a very complex white wine that is often aged in oak for added complexity.
The Semi-Sweet wine was Mountain Valley Blush – the perfect wine for all occasions. It was medium sweet, made from a blend of several varieties of grapes.
The sweet wine was the Muscatine – a white sweet wine unique to the South.
There were several drawings at the end of the tasting.
Three bottles of wine and three black bears were given away, but nobody at our table won.
Sherry cooked chicken and spaghetti for supper.
I ate my leftovers from Texas Road House
We watched TV and went to bed at about 11 P.M.
Bobbie and I sat on the balcony and talked while Sherry took a nap.
I took 20 pictures of the moon.
Day 5: Thursday, October 2, 2014
I took six pictures of the awesome red, yellow, and dark clouds of the sunrise.
For breakfast, I ate half a banana and an oatmeal cookie.
We rode to Jim Gray's Gallery, which opened at 10 A.M. We were a little early, so we walked around and spotted the Old Mill Historic Site.
I ran back to the car to get my camera so I could take pictures of the running mill.
We walked across the Little Pigeon River bridge to shop at the Old Mill General Store, where each of us bought some postcards.
I spent $1.92 and bought seven postcards at twenty-five cents each at 9:54 A.M.
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| Old Mill Historic Site. |
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| Old Mill General Store |
I bought the postcard of Sevierville, Tennessee, the hometown of Dolly Parton, and on the back, it read:
Sevier County, Tennessee, was created in 1794 and named after John Sevier. At a meeting the following year, the Forks-of-the-Little-Pigeon area was chosen as the county seat and renamed Sevierville. The current Sevier County Courthouse was completed in 1896; Dolly Parton was born in Sevierville in 1946. On the lawn of Sevier County Courthouse is a life-size bronze statue by artist Jim Gray that depicts the young, starry-eyed Dolly, barefoot, sitting on a rock with her guitar.
The old Mill Pigeon, Forge that read:
The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Smokies, has operated continuously since 1830 and offers 13 kinds of meal, flour, and grits.
The Old Mill, a registered National Historic Landmark dating back to 1820, is situated on the East Bank of the Little Pigeon River. The mill was built in 1830 and has been in continuous operation, remaining one of the most rustic scenes in the Smokies.
Great Smoky Mountains- Pictured a black bear- Has this black bear climbed this tree… to get away from you, to get a better look at you? Black bears are wild animals. Please be careful getting a better look at them!
The Great Smoky Mountains is a postcard with a hodgepodge collection of pictures.
Welcome, Pigeon Forge Family Vacation, Smoky Mountains Hospitality, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Greetings from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Fall scene of the Great Smoky Mountains- A colorful patchwork of Mother Nature glistens in the sunlight along Thomas Ridge as a valley of fog flows between the mountain peaks.
We walked back to Jim Gray Gallery, looked around, and were each given a picture.
My picture was of an old truck that once stood next to a building in the Smoky Mountains.
We ate lunch at Subway located at 2467 Boyd's Creek, Sevierville.
Both Bobbie and I ordered a vegetarian sub; I ordered Sun Chips and Diet Coke. Bobbie ordered water.
Sherry ordered a 12-inch cold cut sub with a bottle of water.
Next, we drove a couple of doors down to the Federal-style Wheatland Plantation, built around 1825, which had been purchased by a couple of men and opened as a museum.
We were given a guided tour of the home, slave graves sites, summer kitchen with dining hall, smokehouse, and slave quarters.
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| Federal Style Wheatland Plantation |
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| The Slaves quarters |
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| Slave graves |
We were led inside the home and told about the Chandler family, who had occupied the plantation during the Civil War, and how the house was taken over by Union soldiers.
How the Union soldiers had killed two Confederate soldiers at the front door.
We were also told the tragic story about the murder of a member of the Chandler family.
I took lots of pictures around the outside of the plantation, but inside was prohibited.
We then rode to Walmart, where I purchased a small cheesecake and a bag of chips.
We rode back to the condominium and watched TV.
I walked outside onto the balcony, where I took twenty-four pictures of the Smoky Mountains in the distance and seventeen of the moon with my telephoto lens.
I wrote in my journal and went to bed at about 11 P.M.
Day 6: Friday, October 3, 2014
It was a rainy Friday morning, so we chose to walk to the clubhouse to play BINGO.
Only five people showed up to play BINGO, so everyone won something.
I picked a box of Reese's Pieces. Sherry and Bobbie both picked a box of Crunch and Munch.
We rode to Vanity Fair, where I bought my husband two Wrangler shirts for $7.98 each. Bobbie bought her some pants, and we waited outside while Sherry paid for her wares.
We ate lunch at the Old Mill Restaurant, where I ordered Shrimp on a bed of rice with mashed potatoes and green beans.
We were served corn chowder soup with corn fritters.
Oh my gosh, that was so good!
I only ate my grilled shrimp, and we all had to take our meals to go.
The cost was around $12.00.
Bobbie and I walked to the large tent full of vendors selling their wares.
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| Vendors Tents |
I took some pictures outside the tent of the fall Festival characters.
We met Sherry inside the Old Mill General Store.
I bought a corn fritter mix, a signature corn chowder mix for $5.41, and yellow cornmeal for almost $20.00.
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| Waiting to eat at Old Mill |
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| The Old Mill Square |
Signature corn chowder: Pour 7 cups of water into a 3-quart saucepan, bring to a boil, and stir in the contents of the bag until well mixed. Reduce the heat and simmer 25-30 minutes. Yields eight 1-cup servings.
Fritter Mix Stone Ground with waterpower, 2 pounds costs $4.99
Add ¼ cup of water and 1 egg to 1 cup of fritter mix. Mix well, add ¼ cup frozen cream-style yellow corn (thawed) and mix until blended. If the batter is too stiff, add an additional tablespoon of water to loosen it. Drop by spoonful into 350°F oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 12 fritters
Self-rising Yellow Corn Meal stone ground with water power $3.69
Corn Bread 2 cups self-rising cornmeal, 1 egg, 2 cups milk, ¼ cup melted shortening
Mix milk and eggs with cornbread mix, and add melted shortening. Pour the mixture into a hot, greased cast-iron skillet or cornbread pan and bake in a hot oven (400 degrees) for 30-35 minutes.
We walked back to the car and rode to AS See on TV, but I didn't buy anything.
Rode back to the Condo and for supper, where I ate half of a chicken salad sandwich with chips. I took several pictures of the clouds and the moon.
We watched some TV (Deadly Women) and I finished writing in my journal.
We all packed for our trip home tomorrow, and we're in bed by 11 P.M.
Day 7: Saturday, October 4, 2014
Finished packing, loaded the car, checked out, filled up with gas, and were on our way about 8 A.M.
We stopped at McDonald's, where I ordered a Strawberry pie with Coke, and Bobbie and Sherry ordered egg muffins with sausage.
Our last stop was at the Jasper Rest Area, where we rested our legs, took a few pictures, and used the restroom.
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| Jasper Rest Area |
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| Jasper Rest Area |
We met my husband at Cracker Barrel in Madison, where I swapped my luggage from Sherry's Car to our van, and we hugged and said goodbye.
My husband and I rode to Logan's Steakhouse in Madison, where I ordered a 6-inch sirloin steak, broccoli with cheese, and a Caesar salad.
My husband ordered a 10-ounce New York Steak with broccoli and cheese, as well as a Caesar salad.
We both had coupons for a free birthday dessert, so we both ordered a strawberry cheesecake.
We shared one and brought the other home.
I dozed off on the way home.
Had a great time with relatives, saw many sites, ate at many places, very relaxing; finished writing in my journal?
