Ark Encounter, the Great Eclipse, Falls and More Part 5

Hey Gang,
It’s amazing how different a place looks in the daytime.
Karen’s property was not eery at all but it was as rural as can be.

Where I parked I was concerned it was too close to the road but found out that the road is a dead end with only two families living on it and Karen's family was one.

Karen didn’t exaggerate when she said we would wake up to some beautiful scenery, it was an understatement.
They have such a wonderful spread. Her parents bought the land in 1972 and built the house right next to Rocky River.

My thoughts then briefly went back to where is Janet? The ranger said stay away from Rock Island, her and her family could be enjoying all this. Oh well.

I asked if I could help with setting up for the eclipse party but they already had everything under control. I decided to hurry to a store and buy something to contribute to it.
The options were drive back into McMinnville or much closer was the HWY 30 Market which is where we went.

I walk in. Gary the owner says hey neat vehicle. I introduce myself. He asks to see my book. From there it went like this....
Sure we can do some swapping. So I ordered a fried pork chop sandwich, a ham & cheese sandwich, (both were delicious especially the pork chop) a 2 liter Sun Drop pop, a water melon and a newspaper. Gary received the book.
If ever around the Rock Island, Tennessee area stop in HWY 30 Market order a sandwich and sit a spell.

It was now back to Karen and Michaels place but not before stopping at the cemetery to check on my phone messages then we would return and await the big event, the eclipse.

When we returned they had everything set up right on the bank of the river. While waiting I enjoyed a quick dip, wow was that refreshing, talk about cold water.
Karen had more than enough food but only two friends showed plus Ruth and I.
Here I was enjoying what possibly could be a once in a lifetime event with people I just met, now that’s the way to make lasting memories.
To be continued....

Gotta Go-Go!
Carey

Ark Encounter, the Great Eclipse, Falls and More Part 2

Hey Gang,
After the Ark Encounter it was time to head south into Tennessee to find Janet and Rock Island to witness another phenomenon of God, the great eclipse. I was a bit concerned though because Janet had not called and the map I had I could not locate Rock Island. I thought when I briefly looked at it through Mapquest on my home pc it was by Knoxville. Well I was wrong.

I am sure you are thinking well why didn’t you call Janet? Simple I didn’t have her cell phone number and I am sure you are thinking why didn’t you use a Smartphone, simple I don’t have one. One of the joys of traveling is going carefree, getting lost, worrying where the heck you are then have it all turn out for the better, as in this trip.

We drove Rt. 75 into Tennessee and stopped right over the boarder at the Tennessee Welcome Center. The buzz and excitement at the center was all about the eclipse. The man behind the counter was talking to people from all over the US. I met a family from Pontiac, Michigan.

I asked for directions but the man manning it had no clue where Rock Island was and neither did a lady standing next to him. He couldn’t find it on the map. Finally he located it on a brochure for state parks. We were way to far east, head west young man.
He handed us a map that he hi-lighted. I shook his hand, thanked him again and left to find Rock Island.

Once I climbed in the GoGo Bus I decided on different route, the back roads which I think was shorter. His route was four hours. But if you are weary or scared of being in the middle of nowhere on curvy roads at 2 am it is not the route for you. I navigated the GoGo Bus through the dark, somewhat foggy mountain roads and arrived close to our destination without incident. Tadah!

Finding Rock Island state park was another matter. We wasted a good hour maybe more finding the park and then trying to figure out what to do. The campground had a barricade up with a sign, park opens at 7 am.
A person in a car behind me pulled up and asked if I was lost. He was local and said I am going in, park by the office until they arrive. But instead of waiting where he said we found an empty camp site, left a note at the office explaining when we pulled in, our vehicle, and time we would come to the office to pay for the site even though there was a sign at the office reading campground full.

Around 8 am a park ranger pulls up to our site and says hey we got your note but this site is taken. I called around for you and there is a campground nearby that has one site left, here’s their card, call them ASAP. How’s that for service? I asked if I could sleep a bit longer and he replied sleep till noon, they can’t sign in until then so you can stay. With that he drove off, I dozed off and Ruth took advantage of the showers, all for free.

No pictures this entry, it was dark out.

Gotta Go-Go
Carey

4 pigeon forge

Hey Gang

We planned things right. Yesterday sunny and warm we stayed outdoors, today rain n more rain and much cooler we did indoor things.

The first place we went was Christ in the Smokies museum formerly Christus Gardens. Dad took the family here the first time in the 60's which I barely remembered, then again on another family vacation in the 70's. So I wanted to see it to relive some memories and for Ruth who has never seen it.

It is almost the same lay out but when Christus Gardens closed about 15 years ago, they auctioned off all the figures to a bible museum in Florida. So the figures are all new, some other changes but mostly the same. The scenes are narrated and as one scene ends a door opens that leads you to the next. Excellent.

After that I thought we should walk rather than pay for parking. I thought it was a good idea even if it was pouring, Ruth not so. She waited in the rock/gem store while I got the car. I thought she wanted to buy some rocks to throw at me but got some nice necklaces instead.

As I said we planned the day right. Dinner was planned for 6:30 not midnight. After asking around and some online search I came up with the same conclusion - Bennett's or Mamas Farm House restaurant, both locally owned. We decided on Bennett's. And what do you know.... in the lobby there were advertisements for Alamo's Steak House. I asked the waitress is this affiliated with Alamo's? Sure is. Then I find out so is Mama's Farm House along with a couple of pizza places. All that researching I still ate at a corporation. Pigeon Forge is so saturated, actually the whole area, there are 2 Cracker Barrels, 2 Bennett's just to name some of the duplicate restaurants in a close vicinity. The food was OK but pricey and not a lot of side dishes, potato and one other.

From there we went souvenir shopping, and one more museum, The Hollywood Wax Museum. We both enjoyed this. They let you take as many photos as you like and get as close as you like as long as you don't touch. I am lost in time and not up much on the current crop of actors. Some of the mannequins looked just like store mannequins at a Sears or Penney's, I had no clue who they were. But Clooney, Stalone and some of the other older actors I recognized. Terrific museum.

Then it was back to the condo for packing up and here we sit....

Gotta GoGo!!
Carey