We have started this excursion with the vague idea that we're going out West and leave the motorhome, fly back home for November and December and rejoin the motorhome in January or February for further travels, Perhaps leaving the motorhome out West for a couple of years as we learn more about and enjoy this part of our great country. We have friends and acquaintances spread over the Western US, and we will hopefully get to visit them over time.
We departed Beaufort on Tuesday, August 16. Dad had stayed with us a few days in Beaufort and we dropped him off at his home in Nashville (NC), then went to Cary to pick up Anna and Evan after school.
We spent a great afternoon with them and had the chance to go watch them practice soccer. We left them about 8:00 PM and went to Crosswinds Campground at Lake Jordan for the evening. We've spent several nights there over the past couple of years when the RV was enroute between Spruce Pine and Beaufort.
Wednesday morning we headed toward the mountain, arriving late afternoon. Everything is beautiful in the mountains.
Friday, we went back to Tom Johnson's to pick up the RV and Friday night we had a lobster dinner at Kit's with Will and Bonnie, Ed and Jan, Bill and Judy, Bubba and Susan and Kit. A special evening with special people.
Saturday, Bill and Jan came over from Asheville for a nice quiet weekend. I worked off and on on getting the RV ready for the big trip.
Monday was spent with final preparations for the trip,
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| The motorhome is ready to go |
It's beautiful here at our mountain home. I doubt we'll see anywhere that beats it.
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| View from the deck the morning we leave |
We stopped a couple of times in Asheville getting last minute stuff. We stopped in Waynesville, where I thought I was having some alternator problems. All systems checked okay and Tuesday evening we are in Smokemont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
We had spent some time here back in the 1970's when we were tent camping. It was a memorable experience that night when a bear raided our camp and took our cooler with him up into the woods. We will never forget that night in a tent with Slade only a few years old and us fearing for our life.
Wednesday, September 25
After a slow start Wednesday morning, we drove over Newfound Gap, and we are finally out of NC. We left Beaufort one week ago, but enjoyed a few days at the Mountain house getting the RV ready and relaxing.
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| We finally leave NC |
We have reservations at Cades Cove, a place we have always heard about but had never visited. It is quite out of the way from NC.
We arrive about 2 and take the 11 mile loop. Some of the best sceneary in the mountains.
After we settle in our campsite, I take the bicycle and ride the loop. It's been a long time since I have ridden a bike this far, but it is a beautiful bike ride.
Thursday, we get an early start with the idea that by Friday night, we want to get to Nashville, Tenn and go to a show at the Grand Old Opry.
Clara wants to go through Pigeon Forge to do some shopping, which we do. It is the usual tourist trap, but plenty of shopping.
As we study the maps, we figure we can make Nashville today and hit the interstate, which is what I hope to avoid most of the time. We immediately get behind the biggest truck caravan I have ever seen on a highway. We're not sure what we're following, but with an escort of state troopers, the load takes up the entire width of two lanes of traffic. After about 10-15 miles, they pull off and there must be several miles of traffic lined up behind it. There must have been over 100 tires on the rig.
We get to a beautiful Corps of Engineers campground - Seven Points - near Nashville and check in with a beautiful setting overlooking a lake.
I take this opportunity to get in a good swim for the first time in a couple of days.
We make reservations for a KOA campground (our first commercial campground this trip - we hope to avoid them) near the Opry and get tickets to Friday nights show.
Friday, August 24
To the Opry
Saturday morning we again headed West. Rather than taking the interstate, we drove highway 70 through some backcountry of central and western Tennessee. Around 1:30, I started looking for a campground and noticed that about an hour away there was a casino in Missouri that had RV parking. We called and they said come on in.
We certainly had not planned on getting to Missouri today, but we did.
this turned out to be a real surprise, not having spent much time around casinos. Sure enough they have a very nice RV park right next to the Mississippi River.
The casino is an big old paddle wheel boat (at least 4 floors high) permanently moored to shore facilities. There must be some rule that you can't gamble in Missouri and having the boat on the river, even though it doesn't look like it has moved in years, must solve the problem.
We spent the afternoon gawking at the gamblers and enjoying the facilities. We spent a while in the restaurant/lounge where a great singer/guitarist was playing. All in all a real different experience for us.
