Day 1: Sunday, September 28, 2014
Sherry drove her Toyota Camera to Foodland, I met her at Foodland, 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 eggs, & sausage Mc-Muffin; I ordered a sausage and cheese mc-muffin.
We left Killen about 8 A.M. traveling east on US 72 to Huntsville, we turned left on to the parkway, we missed our turn to Scottsboro.
I pulled out my iPhone using the GPS, 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 2:30PM.
Bobbie and I ordered a vegetable plate of $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 cost $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 cost $1.25.
Sherry and Bobbie also bought some chocolates.
We arrived at Wyndham Condos Sherry checked us into room 2439.
We got a bellman cart to load all our luggage, food, and extra 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 about 5:19 PM
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 paces to visit.
I thought 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, it was built in 1880, it was located along the side of a hill of 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 to repair 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 built of stones with two barred windows, and a door to enter.
On the backside of the building was a wheel that was feed by a stream that would have turned the wheel to grind the 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.
There was a group of school children that 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 around fifteen to twenty people in our group; the cost was $13 and $12 for seniors.
Our guide walked in front of the group stopping to point out a bat, an abandon still,
Several stalactite, and stalagmites, a natural chimney, grottos, the clear stream, (that is still used for drinking) and he showed us a special light effect about the Indians that have once lived in the cave.
The walk into the cavern was about half a mile down and on the way; back we climbed down several steps into a special room that looped back around to our beginning area.
The cave was very well lit but the lights were turned off as we left each area to protect the growth of the cave.
We rode back to Pigeon Forges to Huck Finns where we ate lunch.
We all ordered a catfish plate, which included all the fixings you could eat which included white beans, cornbread, slaw, hush puppies, and onion.
We each ordered water with lemon to drink 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 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 in a candy shop where I bought a chocolate 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 with cheese for supper.
Watched some TV and went to bed at 11 P.M.
I wrote in my journal, took pictures from the balcony of the mountains.
Day 3: Tuesday, September 30, 2014
We rode to Kitchen Gadgets were 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 each eating two apple fritters dipped in apple butter we were too full to finish our soup so we ask for to-go cups for our soup and a box for our half sandwich we 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 thought 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 father were aboard the Titanic returning home from our trip to Egypt, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem.
Our mother and sister did not attend this trip.
We were both given a handheld recording that you pressed stop, a number, and then go, to listen as we walked through the museum.
• We saw third-class cabins living quarters
• Stairway to heaven-Grand Stair Case
• Going First Class
• Captain Bridge
• Memorial Room
• Building the Titanic
• Crash of the Titanic
The self-guided audio tour was very interesting with artifacts, recreated stateroom, fabulous staircase, iceberg, the water you could put your hand in that was 28 degrease, and visual displays.
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| The Titanic tour |
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| My Madeleine Newell Ticket |
We exited into the gift shop and looked at the pictures that were taken of Bobbie and myself but did not purchase any. Sherry was waiting outside for us; she had gone to the three bears to shop while we were in 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 11PM.
Day 4: Wednesday, October 1, 2014
I ate a banana and fig bar for breakfast.
I took about 32 pictures of the sunrise along with the clouds.
We rode to the Bass Pros shop 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 roll and butter and we all ordered water with lemon.
Once again, we could not 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, a Porter Music Box that cost $16,500.00, some Christmas Trees, a manger scene, Nut Cracker, Diner, Scream Ville, etc.
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 PM, we went to the Club House for wine tasting. There were between 30 to 50 people 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 which is very complex a white dinner wine 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 was several drawing 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 leftover from Texas Road House
We watched TV and went to bed at about 11 PM
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, dark clouds of the sunrise.
For breakfast, I ate the half banana, oatmeal cookie.
We rode to Jim Grays Gallery that 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:
Sevierville Tennessee-Sevier County was created in 1794 and named after John Sevier. At a meeting the following year, the Forks-of-the-Little-Pigeon area was chosen s 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 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in the foothills of the Smokies has operated continuously since 1830 and provides 13 kinds of meal, flour, and grits.
The Old Mill 1820-a registered National Historic Landmark, the Old Mill is located on the East Bank of the Little Pigeon River. The mill was built in 1830 and had been in continuous operation and remains one of the most rustic scenes in all the Smokies.
Great Smoky Mountains-Pictured a black bear-Has this black bear climbed this tree… to get away from you.or.to get a better look at you? Black bears are wild animals please be careful getting a better look at him!
The Great Smoky Mountains a postcard with a hodgepodge collection of pictures.
Welcome Pigeon Forge Family Vacation Smoky Mountains Hospitality Pigeon Forge Tennessee
Greeting 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 was each given a picture.
My picture was a picture of an old truck that once located 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 vegetarians 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 doors down to the Federal Style Wheatland Plantation built around 1825 that 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 lead inside the home and were told about the Chandler family that had occupied the plantation during the Civil War and how the home was taken over by Union soldiers.
How the Union soldiers had killed two Confederates 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 Wal-mart where I purchased a small cheesecake and bag of chips.
We rode back to the condominium and watched TV.
I walked outside no the balcony where I took twenty-four pictures of the smoky mountains in the far 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 $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 have to get to-go boxes.
The cost was around $12.00.
Bobbie and I walked to the large tent full of vendors selling their wears.
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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; signature corn chowder mix $5.41 and yellow cornmeal spent almost $20.00.
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| Waiting to eat at Old Mill |
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| The Old Mill Square |
Signature corn chowder poured 7 cups of water into a 3-quart saucepan, bring to a boil, stir in contents of bag into the water until well mixed. Reduce the heat and simmer 25-30 minutes. Yields, eight 1-cup servings.
Fritter Mix Stone Ground with waterpower 2pounds cost $4.99
Add ¼ cup of water 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. Drop by spoonful into 350 degrees 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 shorting
Mix milk and eggs with cornbread mix add melted shortening. Pour into a hot greased cast iron skillet or cornbread pan and bake in hot (400 degrease) oven for 30-35 minutes.
We walked back to the car and we rode to AS See on TV but I did not 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 11PM.
Day 7: Saturday, October 4, 2014
Finished packing, loaded the car, checked out, filled up with gas, and was 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 Jasper Rest Area to rest our legs, take a few pictures, and to use 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 good-bye.
My husband and I rode to Logan’s Steakhouse in Madison where I ordered a 6-inch sirloin steak, broccoli with cheese and Caesar salad.
My husband ordered a 10-ounce New York Steak with broccoli with cheese and 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 think I dozed off on the way home.
Had a great time with relatives, saw many sites, ate many places, very relaxing; finish writing in my journal?
Forbidden Caverns!
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