Tennessee Trip

[FLDRD]

I appreciate the suggestions, and we intend to make it across the width of the whole state, exploring what we can with the time we have. Finding small towns to enjoy is a small problem overall.

Turns out my biggest challenge for this is acclimating to the significant price increase in lodging since I last took a road trip. I'm truly astounded. Seems like it's double what it was a few years ago...

 

[FLDRD]

I'm back!!
And I spent less $$$ than I anticipated so it's all good. I've a few pics to share. So this was really a Road Trip more than find a place and explore it thoroughly trip.
1,800 miles in all. TN has a lot to offer and we enjoyed. Don't really like the big cities. Stopped in Nashville after the first big long day to get us on a good start. Drove through downtown but didn't care to stop. It was a madhouse, the young me might have liked it... All those bars with the music downtown - none of it sounded remotely country. And they had just finished filming an episode of The Bachelorette or something similar so that added to the congestion.

But we enjoyed seeing some beautiful vineyards (no, most of the wine is terrible but the search has it's own fun), waterfalls, caverns, mountains, downtown squares, etc.

Stopped in Knoxville to visit a friend and had dinner down on the river, drove through some of downtown and they have a nice and lively square. Made our way through the Wears Valley, over to Maryville, went over Top of the Mountain and then a wrong left hand turn put us accidentally on The Tail of the Dragon. 118 curves in 11 miles...
Over a mountain byway at about 5,400 feet back into TN (from NC) to Sweetwater. Vineyards, and Lost Sea Cavern with a 4 acre underground lake. Recommended.

Lots of miles through the hills and valleys, small towns with little shops, etc. Stopped in Columbia and enjoyed some food and drink, like usual. Ended with a stop in Memphis so the wife could see Graceland...................

 

[AJL67]

Anyone else read the title and instantly hear banjos?

 

[AJL67]

I'm back!!
And I spent less $$$ than I anticipated so it's all good. I've a few pics to share. So this was really a Road Trip more than find a place and explore it thoroughly trip.
1,800 miles in all. TN has a lot to offer and we enjoyed. Don't really like the big cities. Stopped in Nashville after the first big long day to get us on a good start. Drove through downtown but didn't care to stop. It was a madhouse, the young me might have liked it... All those bars with the music downtown - none of it sounded remotely country. And they had just finished filming an episode of The Bachelorette or something similar so that added to the congestion.

But we enjoyed seeing some beautiful vineyards (no, most of the wine is terrible but the search has it's own fun), waterfalls, caverns, mountains, downtown squares, etc.

Stopped in Knoxville to visit a friend and had dinner down on the river, drove through some of downtown and they have a nice and lively square. Made our way through the Wears Valley, over to Maryville, went over Top of the Mountain and then a wrong left hand turn put us accidentally on The Tail of the Dragon. 118 curves in 11 miles...
Over a mountain byway at about 5,400 feet back into TN (from NC) to Sweetwater. Vineyards, and Lost Sea Cavern with a 4 acre underground lake. Recommended.

Lots of miles through the hills and valleys, small towns with little shops, etc. Stopped in Columbia and enjoyed some food and drink, like usual. Ended with a stop in Memphis so the wife could see Graceland...................

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Just another reason America is beautiful, as the song says, we have a little bit of everything, some countries might have more history but we have more of everything else.

Every year the local Nissan Z group heads up there and drives the Tail of the Dragon. It's quite the site of 100 or so Zs all driving it in a pack.

 

[Fuelman]

Smoky Mountain knife works in Gatlinburg is a nice stop. The good thing is it is not to far off of I-75.

 

[FLDRD]

Smoky Mountain knife works in Gatlinburg is a nice stop. The good thing is it is not to far off of I-75.

I did a quick stop there and looked around for a bit. Didn't really need anything but it was nice to see.
After that we got out of the heavy traffic and commercialized area ASAP - headed to the Wears Valley from there.