5 pigeon forge

Hey Gang,
Our last morning at the Blue Green resort.  Sad to leave the place.  We didn’t use any of the facilities but our condo was well equipped with a wonderful large tub with whirlpool jets. 

 I need to give a warning, careful on how much bubble bath you use in a whirlpool tub.  I thought I was being attacked by the blob.

It seems like I always have at least one regret or wish that this or that would of happened instead.  It was the same on this trip.  I wasted so much time finding places to eat and going in circles that I wish I had that lost time back.  Food bought at the store and cooked would of actually saved time, money and is always way better in taste.  Our second to last night we did buy food to cook.  I made us steak and crab cakes, Ruth laid out the rice, spinach.  We had a nice feast on the patio at 11:30 pm in 68 degree temps.  How romantic and fun.

Thursday morning we left about noon and headed towards Jonesborough, Tn.. The route I drove from Gatlinburg followed the mountains, Smokies and Cherokee National Forest.  It was Rt. 321 through Newport to 75 through Jonesborough to 11E-321 through Johnson City to 91 through Elizabethton to 37 which changes to 19E which again changes to 11E19 and that ends at Bristol, Tennessee & Virginia.  There I blazed a trail for you, well sorta.  The entire route had spectacular scenery.  

For lunch we stopped at Tinkers on Rt. 321, don’t ask me exactly where it is but I can tell you this, it is small, independent, and the hot ham sandwich was delicious.  Yes Virginia there still are non corporate places to eat out there.

Before Jonesborough we made a stop in Newport.  Believe it or not we found a dry goods store, Newport Dry Goods.  It has wooden floors, ornate ceiling, unbelievably low prices and about 4 cashiers each in their own department with their own register just like years ago. Variety was pretty good also.  Ruth bought a couple of blouses,  I bought a surplus German army winter hat.  I told you the the variety was pretty good.

After that it was on to Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town.  I found out about it doing an online search.  If ever in East Tennessee you have to check out this small city.  What charm, you will love the looks and feel of it.  The buildings were all very old but well kept.  Unfortunately we arrived late and it was the off season so many of the stores closed early.  I have to put this on my list of places to return to.  If possible I may even stay at one of the bed & breakfast, historic Eureka Inn on W. Main St. looked very inviting.

From there we headed to Elisabethton but it was late so not much to see or report other than a covered bridge in the middle of town and our eating experience at  Dino’s Italian Restaurant.  The place is honored with a plaque designating Dino’s as the first place to serve lasagna in Eastern Tennessee - 1960, if I remember the date correctly.  The meatballs were huge, the sauce tasted very homemade and the chicken tenders Ruth ordered were some of the best I ever tasted. 

After dinner onto Bristol, Tennessee not Bristol, Virginia.  At first back and forth Ruth and I went, Virgina - Tennessee.  Well guess what?  We both were right.  Leave Bristol, Tenn and you are in Bristol, Va..  It seems the state-line goes right through the city.

 From Bristol a short drive through the south western part of Virginia to our next destination Beckley WV.  HUH?  Yep.  I told Ruth you saw the mountains of Tennessee now I will show you another jaw dropping site – the New River Gorge Bridge.  

Not to far from Beckley the snow hit.  Travel warnings were blaring on the radio… We could expect an inch to three inches of snow, travel advisories are in affect.  1 to 2 inches up north ain’t nothin’ but on mountain roads as I found out, it can be treacherous.   I was beyond tired, almost blizzard like conditions on mountain roads at night, not a good combination so off the freeway.    We found a Travel Lodge that in its day it must have been a fine motel, now its retro old.  Cool if you are into reliving road trips back in the day.  But the room was cheap and clean.  

More when I wake.

Gotta GoGo!!

Carey