2015~ March 20-22, Trip to Pigeon Forge, TN with sibling

Day 1, Friday, March 20, 2015
We left home around 11:30 a.m.

Traveled north on hwy 43 through Lawrenceburg to Columbia to I-65 to 840 east to I-40 through Knoxville taking hwy 66 at Kodak and 441 to Pigeon Forge.

We stopped at McDonald's where I ordered an ice cream, and strawberry pie.

My sister ordered a chocolate covered ice cream with nuts, an apple pie and we filled up with gas.

We were stopped at a red light in Pigeon Forge, we both looked to our right, where we both saw a young man dressed as a taco.

He was dancing, trying to attract traffic to stop to buy a taco.

I thought he was funny, he saw that I was laughing, so he put on the show, he was trying to dance backward like Michael Jackson.

I cracked up laughing at him and the more I laughed the more he performed.

We arrived at the condo around 6:30 p.m. unloaded our luggage, walked to our room only to find that our cards would not work.

I stayed with the luggage while my sister went to the condo office to see why our cards would not work. My sister came back laughing she said there was nothing wrong with the cards, it was us!

We both were trying to unlock the door by putting the card in the slot upside down. LOL!

We rode to the LeConte Center near Island for the annual Mountain Quiltfest from March 18-22.

We arrived after the display of quilts had closed, they were now doing the show and tell.

We watched for about thirty minutes, I took a few pictures.

We walked over to The Island, we ate dinner at Margaritaville.

Margaritaville

Margaritaville has three levels, we sat at the top level, at the bar it was going to be a 45-minute wait to dine downstairs.

We could hear a local band playing and singing on the second level.

My sister and I split a cheeseburger in Paradise topped with American cheese, lettuce, sliced tomato, pickles, and paradise island sauce for $12.99 served with french fries and Ice tea.

Our friends called and said after we finished at Margaritaville for us to come to their condo.

We walked around on the Island where we sampled ice cream, popcorn, and chocolate. I took pictures of the Mellow Mushroom, Zoltar the fortune teller, kryptonite character store, Doc's Magic Shop, The Wheel, and the Arcade.

Mellow Mushroom

We walked to the ticket center where we both purchased tickets to ride The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, that is 200 feet tall which is the tallest attraction in the Southeast, at night it lights up with pink, green, blue and red glowing lights as it turns.

The Wheel

We were in all-glass gondolas with a magnificent view of city and colorful fountain below.

The fountain was filled with many colorful lights as it danced to music.

We took pictures of each other at the Margaritaville fins up, Fins to the left, fins to the right.

We rode to the condo where we met up with our friends and enjoyed talking until midnight.

Day 2, Saturday, March 21, 2015

We slept late the next morning, met with our friends, we all went to Mel's Diner for breakfast where everyone ordered pancakes and fried eggs, with either bacon or sausage.

Everyone ordered coffee except me and I ordered ice tea.

Mel's Diner

http://www.singlepage.com/mels-diner-44/menu?ref=yahoo

We rode to Cosby to visit a quilt shop, to the Apple House where I purchased a jar of blackberry syrup and a pint jar of chow, chow.

I took several pictures of the barren apple trees that looked like something one would see in the movie with Johnny Deb, Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Apple Trees

There were baskets full of several varieties of apples, jars of apple butter, jams, jellies, and chow.

We took the scenic route back to Sevierville, we stopped at the Red Barn quilts where my friend purchased some material with monkeys on the print.

We ate dinner at Cheddars, my sister and I ordered a Santa Fe Country Club sandwich which was loaded with roast turkey breast, and hickory smoked ham piled high with bacon, two chess, lettuce, tomato and their signature pepper jam on toasted bread.

We also ordered Santa Fe Spanish Dip that is chopped, simmered in sour cream, spices and seasonings blended with four creamy kinds of cheese and it is served with fresh salsa and tortilla chips.

Our friends ordered onion rings.

After dinner we rode back to the quilt show, our friend had to pick up her quilt, then we rode back to the condo.

We said goodnight, prepared for bed when my sisters said we have not bought our lottery tickets. We were already in our pajamas, so we just put on our sweatshirts over our PJ'sand went to buy lottery tickets. We stopped at Osh Kosh where my sister bought her granddaughter some overhauls and a top.

Next, we stopped at Kroger for water and yogurt.

Watched some television and tried to turn off the tv with the wrong remote.

Finally, we went to bed.

Day 3, Sunday, March 22, 2015

The next day we again slept late, we had to leave the condo by 10:00 A.M.

I ate one of the yogurts for breakfast.

We said goodbye to our friends, cleaned the condo and was on our way.

We took a different route home, we made several stops along the way.

Our first stop was at Headrick Chapel established 1902 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Headrick Chapel established 1902

Behind the church, we saw a cemetery with many graves, an old barn with a red tin roof that barely covered the roof and in the distance the Smoky Mountains.

We rode past the Zip-lines, horsehides, cabins, moonshine fixings, The River Rat tubs, and Shuttles.

We were traveling 321 south near Cedar Creek we stopped at a wood shop to see all the carved statues that were displayed.

We saw a tree stump full of Eagles, with a nest on top.

We saw dragons, bears with fishing poles, unique birdhouses with green and blue seemed chimneys with ice cream cones for hats.

We saw a life-size statue of an Indian man wearing only feathers in his hair.

We saw a large metal ball with the words Nation Debt plastered across the front.

We saw a bench with at least twelve variety of dogs sitting on it.

Bears using the potty

We saw a male bear relieving himself at a urinal, and a female bear sitting on the pot wearing her house-shoes.

We saw signs that said, Psycho Path, Drive Slow Bear Crossing, Don't text and fly, and life is good and bear production.

In Townsend we stopped at Apple Valley Country Store where my sister bought her granddaughter a black bear with a leash, I bought some apple chow, chow.

We looked around at Country Elegance Home and gifts but did not buy anything.

Our next stop was at Maryville College established 1819, we rode through stopping to take a few pictures.

 Maryville College established 1819

We stopped at Chattanooga's National Cemetery, I took a few pictures, one was of the Andrews Raiders Monument, erected by the state of Ohio in 1890. It is a bronze replica of "The General, the Civil War-Era-Wood-Burring locomotive famous for its great chase of 1862.

Chattanooga's National Cemetery 

We traveled through Chattanooga onto South Pittsburg where we stopped to fill up with gas, my sister went inside the store where she purchased an Apple fritter and a cinnamon roll.

We stopped to use the restroom at McDonald's, we were going to eat there but the place was packed.

It had started to rain, we did not stop again until we reached home.

Had a great weekend spending it with friends and family?

1993 ~June 4-5 Festival of Lights in Nashville, Tennessee

Day 1: Friday, June 4, 1993

We went to the Festival of Lights in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. We met up with some of my husband's co-workers, Nelson Richardson Junior, Phillip Ritter, and their wives. 

We stayed at The Hermitage Hotel in Downtown Nashville, 231 6th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37219, (615) 244-3121 which overlooked the Festival of Lights on Church Street.

City of Lights Festival 

Performing that weekend was Alison Krauss with her band Union Station. 

When Alison came on stage to sing a couple of songs the stage was almost blown away by a thunderstorm. 

 Information about Alison Krauss: I found on the internet:

“This was the year that she joined the Grand Ole Opry. She also signed with an independent record label Rounder Record. Performing at the East end of the park is Martina McBride.”

 We walk down Printer's Alley located between Third and Fourth Avenues stretching from Union to Church Streets, the Alley started before the turn of the century as the location of many of Nashville’s first Publishing and Printing Companies. 

Without the Country Music influences that started in the 1930s, Nashville could not have possibly been known as the Printing Capitol of the World. 

Nashville’s first entertainment hotspot has long gone but the World Famous Printers Alley remains, providing a Flair of Bourbon Street for those in search of Wine, Women, and Song. 

Printers Alley

Printers Alley

I took several pictures of Printers Alley, the Capitol Building, and Church Buildings. 

I was wearing a cute white embroidered short set that I bought in Cancun Mexico. 

For dinner we had plans to eat at the Old Spaghetti Factory but, it was booked solid.

 History about the Spaghetti Factory: I found on the internet:

The Old Spaghetti Factory is a historic Victorian structured establishment and is filled with antiques from the period.

Classy enough for a business lunch and casual enough for a family dinner. Long Island ice tea flows like water from the romantic bar with love seats and intimate seating for couples. Families can eat an entire pasta dinner with salad and bread for about $8.00 each. Altogether, it is a formula for success even in the touristy climate of Second Avenue. “

 Information about The Music Queen:

“The Music City Queen was a dinner cruise that we had planned to take but minors could not go aboard.  It holds about 250 passengers. The Music City Queen offers exciting and unusual cruises on the beautiful Cumberland River departing from the Nashville Old Steamboat Dock (four blocks from the downtown Convention Center). Nashville is Tennessee's State Capitol. “

To take the dinner cruise you have to be twenty-one and my daughter was only sixteen.

We shopped at the mall and the square downtown.

 “

 The Music Queen

Shopping

Day 2: Saturday, June 5, 1993

We went to the Ryman Auditorium and Museum, which is located at 116 Fifth Ave. North, which was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 until March 16, 1974.

My daughter and I walked upon the stage, where many a Grand Ole Opry Star once stood and belted out singing. 

The seats were empty but that was okay because we were stars in our own right.

Singing at the Grand Ole Opry

We stopped in at Music Valley Village where we saw “The Car Museum” Featuring cars of country music stars including Elvis' Cadillac, Marty Robbins' limo, Louise Mandrell's MG, Webb Pierce's "Silver Dollar" car, Roy Acuff's last touring car, Barbara Mandrell's Rolls Royce, Hank Williams Jr.'s Cadillac and many more - 45 cars in all!  

On June 5, 1993, as we were listening to the radio, the radio announcer said, we are sad to announce that Conway Twitty has gone to meet his maker.  

Conway will be greatly missed and he will live on in his music

🎢2004 ~ May 21-30, Trip to Disney World

Day 1: Friday, May 21, 2004

We left Friday afternoon about 4:30 PM in our 2001 Damon Escaper RV.

We load my sons families luggage, & bicycles in the basement of our RV.

Then my son and my husband connected my son's popup camper to the back of our Damon Escaper. 

We were making a good time traveling south on I-65 when we hit a pothole in the road.

One of the boots on the right side of our RV broke it must have been rotten.

When it broke it caused the RV to drop on the right side causing the bar holding our bicycles to bend.

We pull off the road, my husband made the needed repairs to the boot, and he has to put the bicycles inside the RV.

It was getting late and my husband was getting tired of driving so we stopped on the South side of Atlanta, Georgia at a Wal-Mart parking lot and that is where we spend the night. 

Day 2: Saturday, May 22, 2004

The next morning we cooked breakfast in the RV and were back on the road for another eight hours of riding.

We arrive at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground around 4 P.M. We checked into the park and drove to the first sit where we unhooked the Hughes camper and then drove to our spot and parked.

Fort Wilderness Disney Park has an outdoor theater, swimming pool, country store, golf carts, & bicycles to rent. 

From the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds, you can get to the theme parks by way of bus or you can walk down to the river and take the WDW Watercraft Transportation to the Magic Kingdom.

That weekend Fort Wilderness Campground was hosting a Bike-A-Thon and we had a terrible time getting around. 

We took the bus to downtown Disney where it was beautifully decorated with many colored lights. We saw the Rainforest Café, McDonald's, the Movie Theater, Cirque Du Soleil, and many gift shops. 

Some of the nightclubs that we saw were: Disney’s Boardwalk, Downtown Disney’s West Side and Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner show. 

At one of the gift shops, we bought Hannah some Disney collectible pens to go to her Disney collectible necklace.

We rode the bus back to Fort Wilderness and went to bed for it had been a very long day.

Day 3: Sunday, May 23, 2004

Sunday morning the telethon was in full swing, people everywhere riding their bikes.

It took us an hour to get on the bus to go Downtown Disney.

While we waited with many other people for the bus, Hannah drank a soda.

My husband was dressed in his Blue Disney shirt, tan shorts, white tennis shoes, wearing sunglasses and a white hat with blue band.

Hannah was dressed in red, white, blue outfit with the number 22 on the backside of her shirt.

She wore a red polka dot Minnie mouse hat and around her neck was her Collectable Disney necklace.

I was wearing my overhaul tan shorts, green, white and black shirt, wearing sunglasses, wearing a tan straw-hat and a fanny pack wrapped around my waist.

Downtown Disney

In Downtown Disney, we met Majorie and Russ.

Marjorie, Russ at Downtown Disney

We enjoyed delicious sandwiches served on Artisan bread, filled with roasted meat at Earl of Sandwich. 

After we finished eating we let Hannah run and play in the nearby waterspouts.

It was miserably hot that day and my feet blistered through my tennis shoes.

I took pictures of my husband and Hannah in front of Rainforest Café, sitting next to Pooh, Tiger, and Piglet, besides Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Potato Head, besides Donald and Daisy, Mickey and Minnie and Hannah in front of the Tinker-toys.

After a long day went took the bus back to Fort Wilderness park, changed into our swimsuits and swam in the nearby swimming pool.

Later that evening everyone walked down to the river where we all took the WDW Watercraft Transportation to the Magic Kingdom and then the monorail to Epcot and the bus to Downtown Disney.

Day 4: Monday, May 24, 2004

On Monday we all took the bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. 

The Animal Kingdom

The Animal Kingdom

Upon entering the park we were greeted by Mickey, Pluto, Goofy they were standing in a ride in front of  “the Tree of Life” a 145-foot artificial tree, which is the home to “It's tough being a bug.” 

Our first adventure was an amazing guided Safari ride to Kilimanjaro, which covered 100 acres of African Savannah where we saw elephants, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, lions, and poachers.  

We saw alligators lying abound the lake, zebras roaming in the jungle, and lions lying in the jungle. 

Next, we walked into a cave of "The Tree of Life

We were each given a pair of 3D glasses to watch the performance of the life of bugs.

In Dinoland, we watched a 20-minute musical performance of Finding Nemo. 

We saw the Simba and friends in a sing-along live show, at the Festival of the Lion King. It was a thirty-minute live musical performance of singer, acrobatics, and tumble monkeys with a blaze of color, feathers, beads, and beautiful headdress. 

We watched Mickey’s Jamming Jungle parade of all the characters of the Animal Kingdom Park. 

We had barb q in the park at the Flame Tree BBQ.

We ended the day we went to the outdoor theater in Fort Wilderness Park at to roast marshmallows and watch a movie. 

Day 5: Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Everyone walked to the bus stop for we are all riding the bus to Disney’s MGM Studios.

We walked down Hollywood Boulevard passing Planet Hollywood and straight in front of was the iconic giant Sorcerer’s Mickeys Hat.

Disney Studios

We watched a 30-minute Indiana Jones Stunt show scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

We sat in the audience of who wants to be a Millionaire “Play it Again!”

Our next adventure was the back lot tour where we watched a video clip while waiting in line.

Then we all went to an outdoor viewing area where we stood behind rails to watch the special effect of the water tank. 

People standing near the front were splashed with water from the tanks during the show.

We rode the tram that passes through production bungalows, the wardrobe department (where you can watch the costumes at work), and the scenery shop. 

We passed by topiaries and vehicles that were used in Disney movies. 

We went through a Catastrophe Canyon where the ground starts shaking, the tram starts rocking, and a fuel truck crashes, starting a fire.

Then a flood of water comes rushing towards us.

We watched a 25 minutes musical performance of Beauty and the Beast.  

We took a 20-minute ride on  “the great movie ride” where we saw "Casablanca," "Tarzan," "Mary Poppins," "Singing' in the Rain," "Fantasia," "Wizard of Oz," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Alien".

We saw Muppets 3D and the basic premise is that the Muppets are going to put on a variety show starring the multi-talented Miss Piggy. Kermit tries to make the cast and crew happy, but mishaps get in the way. Fans of the old Muppet Show should recognize most of the characters, but then there is Waldo, a new 3-D character who wreaks havoc during the production.

At the Academy of Television Arts and Science Hall of Fame, we saw the mosaic portraits of Jim Henson, with Kermit the frog, Fred Rogers, Burr Tillstrom the creator of Kuala, Fran, and Ollie.

We saw the head statues of the funny Milton Berle, Creator of Disney Mr. Walt Disney, News broadcaster Howard Cosell, and actor Sid Caesar.

We saw Daytime TV Star Oprah Winfrey, New Broadcaster Mike Wallace, Dick Clark from American Band Stand, and Comedian Bill Cosby,

We saw the funny Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett from the Carol Burnett Show, News Broadcaster Barbra Walters, Danny Thomas founder of St Jude Children’s Hospital, Alda from Mash, Andy Griffith from Matlock, and Andy Griffith Show, and Betty White, TV comedian. 

We watched the Voyage of the Little Mermaid the Academy award winning song; "Under the Sea,” "Part of Your World" and "Poor Unfortunate Soul" are performed during the presentation. An enormous 12’ high and 10’ wide Ursula puppet sings the latter.

We rode the tower of terror a hotel where you see s signs of neglect, and the hotel has been deserted, spider webs, dim lights, Rod Sterling from the Twilight Zone and you enter an elevator where you go up and down numerous times.

We rode the Star Wars ride with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leila, Darth Vader, R2D2, C3PO and chewy.

We see Toy Story, Mary Poppins, Mulan, Aladdin and Jasmine, Leo and Stitch, Mermaids with Ariel and Sebastian, Snow White and Dopey.

We ended the night by watching the laser show of  “Fantasmic” where the Disney Villains turn Mickey’s dreams into Nightmares.

The show includes dancing fountains, with dazzling special effects where Mickey Mouse creates dancing waters, shooting comets, animated fountains. 

Day 6: Wednesday, May 26, 2004

My husband and I rode the bus to Epcot we stayed ½ day walking through the park beautifully decorated with multi colors of flowers floating in the man-made river and shaped into Disney Character along the riverbanks.

Epcot 

There was much different topiary in the park we saw Mickey, Minnie, lions, seals just to name a few.

We rode the bus back to Fort Wilderness where we spent the day biking, swimming, and riding in the golf cart. 

We rode down to the water's edge at Fort Wilderness and watched the fireworks show from the Magic Kingdom. 

Day 7: Thursday, May 27, 2004 

We spent all day Thursday at Fort Wilderness swimming and riding bikes. 

Day 8: Friday, May 28, 2004

On Friday, we rode the bus to Epcot. 

We rode Mission Space in Future World. 

The ride begins with the launch countdown, and they throw in some psychological effects that help build the tension you might experience before a launch. As the countdown approaches, the seats tilt back into the launch position of facing the sky on your back. At liftoff, you feel the engines roar and blast off. The ride creates large G. Forces, and a tremendous feeling of increasing speed as the craft escapes the Earth's gravitational pull. 

Next, we rode the Fast Track your get into a convertible, buckle up, and head onto the Test Track. You are stopped for a quick seatbelt check, the light turns green, and with tires squealing, you are on your way. 

We took a boat voyage through the greenhouse and fish farm in the living with the land. 

We went soaring in a free-flying hang glider.  

Epcot

In the world showcase, we floated along the river of time in Mexico. In maelstrom Norway, we took a Viking ride.  

We watched the laser show that filled the sky at the lagoon with a giant sphere that tells the story of the incredible tale. 

Day 9: Saturday, May 29, 2004,

Saturday morning we hooked up the Hughes camper, checked out, and started home. 

We spent the night at a campground site just outside of Dothan, Alabama. 

After we ate supper, the kids and I went for a swim. 

With all the wet swimsuits and towels, I decided to walk down to the washroom to wash and dry all the wet clothes.

There was an older woman in the washroom using both washing machines but both dryers were empty.

I decided to just dry my clothes instead of washing them for they were just wet from swimming. I put my towels, and swimsuits into the dryer not noticing that I was putting the money in the lower dryer while my clothes were in the upper dryer.

This made the old woman very anger and she said you have contaminated both dryers and she was going to tell management. I said fine and continued to dry my clothes.

Jake and Hannah were with me, the anger frightens Hannah, and she left crying.

Hannah returned with her dad and the woman looked at Mike and said that we were all sorry people.

Mike said not to talk that way in front of his kids and they left.

After Mike, left the old woman got ugly with me and she said nobody tells me what to do. 

I laughed and said, nobody tells me what to do either, and she left.

I finished drying my clothes and walked back to the RV. Mike and My husband walked to the management office and explained what happened. He said we have lots of trouble with this woman. They also said that woman said that I put dirty filthy towels in the dryers. 

Day 10: Sunday, May 30, 2004

Sunday morning we attached the Hughes Camper to our RV and left the RV Park to start our long ride home that took about five hours.

We had a great vacation visiting all the Disney Theme Parks, shopped at Downtown Disney, swam at Fort Wilderness campgrounds and spend time with family.

I had a strange encounter a with an old woman at the RV campground near Dothan.