🚙2018 Nov 11-16, Trip to Smoky Mountains with Sherry & Bobby

Sunday, Nov 11, Sherry picked me up at home around 9AM. We traveled 72 hwy to hwy 101 to Town Creek and turned left onto hwy 20 to Decatur. We stopped at McDonald's near Beltline Highway for a restroom break and hot apple pie. We traveled 565 to 72 through Huntsville to Scottsboro, onto South Pittsburg, where we turned right onto I-24 to I-75 through Chattanooga. I drove from Chattanooga to Sevierville, where we were staying at Wyndham Condo 3017. We stopped several times for restroom breaks and lunch at Subway and Shell Gas in Louden, TN.

Bobby and I split a Tomato Basil wrap with rotisserie chicken, pepper jack cheese, avocado, and fixes we all drank a bottle of water. Sherry ordered a full roast beef wrap.

We arrived at check-in, Sherry went inside, and we went in later. While Sherry talked, we snacked on popcorn and water.

After we unloaded the car and were settled in, we watched some TV and decided to order a 1/2 vegetable and 1/2 sausage and pepperoni pizza from Big Daddy’s. 

I was very tired after the long trip, so I took some night quills and went to bed. I tried to read but was too sleepy.

Monday, Nov 12, We ate breakfast at the guest house of the Wyndham and listened for 2 1/2 hours about timeshares. Bobby and Sherry each received a $150.00 gift card for listening. I did not qualify because I was married, and my hubby was not with me. They were both widows. 

We rode to 3901 Hwy 411 Dandridge, TN, and ate lunch at Bushes Family Cafe Restaurant around 12:37PM. We each ordered the vegetable plate. I ordered okra, green beans, Mac and cheese, and fried apples with iced tea. 

Sherry and Bobby both ordered okra, green beans, Mac & Cheese, fried sweet potato, and water. 

We watched a short film about the Bush Family and factories, and then we toured the museum. 

We had our pictures taken together at the end, and each received a copy free.

, Aunt Bobbie and Cousin Sherry 

Green Beans, Fried Apples, okra, Mac & Cheese, Onion, and Cornbread

We stopped inside the Bush store for some mints and candy.

It rained all day. We rode to Sevierville and stopped at Ollies, where I bought a Christmas Carol book and a bottle of baby lotion. 

We rode to the condo, watched some TV, read some of my books, and ate leftovers for supper. 

On Tuesday, Nov 13, We ate lunch at Old Mill Restaurant, 164 Old Mill Ave Pigeon Forge once again, we all ordered vegetables.

I ordered pinto beans, fried apples, mac & cheese, and okra. 

We each received a bowl of corn chowder and corn fritters. Once again, we had enough leftovers for supper. 

I stopped to take a few pictures of the raging Little Pigeon River. It has rained every day that we have been here. 

Bobby and I walked around inside the Old Mill Store and did not buy anything. 

We walked across the street and looked inside an oriental gift shop with lots of jewelry, wood carvings, and glassware. Sherry bought 5 or 6 bottles of balsamic Olive oil dressings for $25.00. We rode to Old Time Pottery I took several pictures of the Christmas displays. Bobby bought an elf, and Sherry bought a small table and several stackable shelving. We stopped at Kitchen Collections, and I walked to Dollar Tree, 141 E Wears Valley Rd Pigeon Forge, and bought some candy and 3 cans of Diet Coke. 

We rode to the Condo, watched some TV, finished one book, started another, and ate leftovers. 

pinto beans, fried apples, mac & cheese, and okra
Old Mill Restaurant 

Wednesday, Nov 14, We rode to Workshop Tools 105 Knives Works Ln Sevierville, where I bought sunglasses, flashlights, and ink pens, we walked next door to Lodge Store, where I bought 6 10-inch skillets with nickel carved backing. I had them shipped to my home because they were too heavy to carry. 

We rode to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World 3629 Outdoor Sportsman Place Kodak, TN, where I bought a pair of boots. Bobby bought herself 2 henley shirts. 

We ate lunch at Applewood Grill Restaurant, Apple Valley Rd Sevierville. We were all tired of vegetables, so we each ordered a bowl of soup and a grilled sandwich. Sherry ordered chicken noodles, Bobby ordered loaded potato soup, and I ordered vegetable soup.

We were all brought apple fritters, apple butter, and Julep(orange, apple, and Pineapple juice mixed). We once again had enough leftovers for supper. 

Watched some TV, read, and went to bed. 

Pipping a hot bowl of Vegetable Soup in the black kettle with grilled cheese at Applewood Grill Restaurant 

Visit the North Pole at Bass Pro Kodak, TN 

Merry Christmas from the Lodge Store 

Welcome from Old Time Pottery 

Thursday, Nov 15, We rode to Dolly Pardon’s Stampede, 3849 Parkway Pigeon Forge, to take a few pictures of the Christmas display with camels, sleighs, and Christmas trees.  

We walked through the Three Bears General Store, 2861 Parkway Pigeon Forge, and took a few pictures at the entrance. Could not take pictures inside. 

We ate lunch at Firehouse Sub 2627 Parkway Suite Pigeon Forge. I ordered a kid's meatball sub, chips, and a drink. I ordered a 4-inch Philly sub to take home. We stopped at Incredible Christmas Place, 2470 Parkway Pigeon Forge, took several pictures, and had my picture taken with Santa. 

We also stopped at Wranglers and several other stores behind Texas Road House on Collier Drive Pigeon Forge. 

Ate leftovers for supper, watched TV, packed, and read my book.

Come take a sleigh ride at Dolly Parton's Stampede.

Fireman at Firehouse Sub

Come visit Three Bears, General Store 

Friday, Nov 16, Finished Packing, cleaned, loaded the car, checked out, and rode to Great Smoky Mountain Flea Market 220 W Dumplin Valley Rd Kodak, TN around 8AM. 

We Stopped at McDonald's in Fort Louden for breakfast(around 10:36AM)  and to fill up with Shell Gas. I ordered two apple pies and ate both. Sherry and Bobby ordered a sausage and cheese McMuffin. 

We Huntsville) for lunch. I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and water. 

Sherry and Bobby both ordered a cheeseburger. 

Hubby picked me up at a barbecue restaurant in Town Creek around 3:00PM and was home by 3:30PM.

Last Stop before heading home
Great Smoky Mt Flea Market

We were having a Tidwell Thanksgiving at 6:30PM tonight.

🚙2017 March 27-29, Adventures in the Smoky Mts

Before we could get on the road we had to take our Chrysler Van in for body repairs.
We stopped in Elgin to have the front end checked on the Honda Van and had to leave it for repairs so we ended up driving the LS Saturn an older car that got good gas mileage.
We stopped for our weekly B-12 shots and began our journey.
We took I-65 North to 840west to 40west stopping at Pilot in Knoxville to fill up with gas.

We stopped in Lancaster Tennessee Rest Stop where we saw a display about Tennessee in the Civil War, tough men ~ an even tougher war. 

We reached the Inn on the River around 5PM, checked in and rested a few minutes, and rode to the Islands where we saw the ferries wheel, Dudley's Daiquiris, Mellowmushroom Pizza, Margaritaville, and a Carrousel.
We were getting hungry so we decided to eat at Paula Deen's but it was way too much food and we both were watching our weight so we ended up eating at Long John Silvers.
I ordered a piece of Cod Fish (my favorite) and a hubby seafood platter which we shared.
We rode past the Old Mill stopping at Patriots Park which was nearby.

Liberty Bell
Home to a beautiful landscape and several major events, Patriot Park is an area where you can go to relax and have an exciting time.

The park is located behind The Old Mill, off Middle Creek Road. A large expanse of lush greens covers the park, but the highlight of the park is certainly the inspiring Veterans Memorial.

A large, cracked liberty bell was erected within the park to pay homage to all of the Sevier County war veterans. This act of patriotism carries over into the Annual Celebrate Freedom event, a two-week celebration that pays tribute to the millions of men and women who courageously fought for the freedoms of America. When visiting Sevier County be sure to take some time to pay a visit to Pigeon Forge's Patriot Park.

Patriot Missile
Patriot uses an advanced aerial interceptor missile and high-performance radar systems. Patriot was developed at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, which had previously developed the Safeguard ABM system and its component Spartan and hypersonic speed Sprint missiles. The symbol for Patriot is a drawing of a Revolutionary War-era Minuteman.

Patriot Park City of Pigeon Forge
A patriot is someone who feels strong support for their country. (See also Patriotism.) It is derived from the Hellenic (Greek) word Πατρίς (Patris), which means homeland. It is the female form of Πατέρας, which means Father.

Liberty Bell

We rode back to the hotel watched some television and fell asleep.

The next morning we took the elevator from the fourth floor to the ground level and walked to the dining room to eat breakfast.
We then rode through Gatlinburg looking at the sites where the fire had been earlier in the year.

We crossed the Tennessee State line into North Carolina.

It was a bit chilly and I had left my jacket back at the hotel

The Smoky Mountains

Our next stop is Mountain Farm Museum & Visitor Center Oconaluftee, NC. 
At the Mountain Farm Museum, we saw Corn Cribs, Broomcorn, a Sorghum Mill and Furnace, a Blacksmith Shop, Sorghum Cane, the fenced-in garden, an Apple House, Hog PINS, the meat house, Corn Cribs, AND Springhouse.

Cabin

Mountain Farm Museum 

Most of the buildings on a mountain farm are related to the most basic of all needs; preserving food. The historic buildings at the Mountain Farm Museum were moved here from throughout the national park in the early 1950s. These buildings reflect the challenges faced daily by every mountain farm family. John Davis spent two years building this house near Deep Creek, North Carolina. It was completed in about 1900. The log walls are "matched"; Davis split chestnut logs in half along their length and placed the halves in matching positions on opposite walls. 

Oconaluftee River Trail  

Hand-stitched quilts at Oconaluftee Visitor Center 

Inside the Oconaluftee Visitor Center 
We saw cultural-themed exhibits about the people that once lived in the area. 

Our next stop was Cherokee Veterans Park where we saw markers from Indians who had served in the US Army, US Navy, US Marines, and US Air Force.

A bear at the Cherokee Veterans Park representing our US Flag and the American Eagle. 

We enjoyed a Whopper, Whopper Jr, onion rings, and a slice of chocolate cheesecake at Burger King in Clyde, NC.

Slice of  Oreo Cookie Cheese Cake 

Whopper Jr, Onion Rings, and drink
We took a different route (I-40s)back to the Inn on the River and stopped to tour the Bush Museum and Store. 

Come on down to the BUSH'S® Visitor Center in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, where you can trace the values and events that made BUSH'S BEST® for what it is today. And it's all housed in the original A.J. Bush & Company general store, founded in 1897.

Bush's Truck 

Bush's Visitor Center

3901 US-411, Dandridge, TN 37725

A replica can of Bush's Baked Beans showing the bean's journey 

Jay Bush and his dog Duke 

Bush's Factory 

We arrived in Pigeon Forge just in time for dinner at the Apple Farm Restaurant.
Where we enjoyed Applewood Apple Fritters, juice, chicken, and vegetables.

Applewood Apple Fritters

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 egg (beaten)
4 Tbsp margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 orange, rind, and juice
1 cup apples (chopped but not too fine)
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Beat egg. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, egg, and melted margarine. Add the orange juice, rind, chopped apples (skin can be left on), and vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir into milk mixture with a spoon until blended. DO NOT OVERMIX. Preheat oil in a skillet to 350 degrees. Drop off the end of tablespoons into the hot oil. Fry to a golden brown. Turn so they brown evenly. Allow cooling Makes about 30 fritters. 

Applewood Farm 

We had enough left over for the next day.
After enjoying a nice meal we rode back to the hotel, took a shower climbed into bed to watch some television, and fell asleep.

The next morning we dressed and rode the elevator down to the first floor and walked into the dining room for breakfast.
We checked out and headed for home. 
We stopped to fill up with gas and stopped at the I-75  rest stop, where we saw a historic marker.

The road to Chattanooga The tide turns for the Union.
This interstate highway parallels the historic line of the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad. Late in 1863, Union and Confederate armies followed the tracks during a series of battles in the fight for control of Chattanooga, a strategically vital rail center.
     Multiple Civil War-related sites are located in Charleston (Exit 33), near the location of a raid by Confederate Gen. Joseph Wheeler’s cavalry. The Henegar House was the headquarters for Union Gen. William T. Sherman. Cumberland Presbyterian Church served as a Confederate hospital. The Hiwassee River Heritage Center interprets the story of the Union occupation.
     In downtown Cleveland (Exit 25), late in 1863 Union forces built Fort Hill to protect the railroad. A cemetery was established nearby, with the dead of both sides interred there. In 1914, the Grand Army of the Republic erected a monument for the Union soldiers there, one of three such memorials in the state. Fighting occurred around the Masonic Female Institute in Cleveland.
     The site of a major Confederate hospital is located near Exit 7. Silverdale Confederate Cemetery contains the graves of about 155 of Gen. Braxton Bragg’s soldiers. Most of them are unknowns who died in hospitals in 1862.
  Several units of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park can be accessed from Exit 3, including Orchard Knob, 
Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain. Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s victory there late in November 1863 turned the tide against the Confederates and resulted in the Federal occupation of most of East Tennessee for the rest of the war.

We ate lunch at Taco Bell in Athens and were home by 5:30PM.
My granddaughter brought over her daughter and she stayed with us until 8:30PM.
We had a great time in the mountains but were also glad to be home.