Started out this morning about 8am, just ahead of a line of thunderstorms. It chased us all the way to Tampa and we never got wet! We arrived at Lazy Days RV Resort around 2 pm. Got setup and rested up until we ate at a neighboring Cracker Barrel. Retired for the evening shortly after.
Day 2 – On The Road
We are traveling with our friends, Brad and Lisa. They had some problems with their fresh water pump overnight. Stopped by Marlin Ingram RV Dealership south of Montgomery to pickup and self-installed a new pump. Everything working again!
Arrived at the Tallahassee Bass Pro Shop and boondocked again in their parking lot. Ate lunch on the road and supper at a local Mexican Restaurant, Cinco da Mayo.
Florida, Here We Come!
We have decided to go south for a few days. Staying near Tampa, Florida for a week at LazyDays RV Resort. Left the cabin around 2:30pm today headed south. Decided to leave a day early due to some storms coming through here on Monday. Arrived at Prattville about supper time and boondocked at the Bass Pro Shop.
Day 3 in the Smokies
Started the day off with breakfast from the Log Cabin Restaurant in Gatlinburg. As my Mom would have said, we were “full as a tick”!!! So good!
Took a short drive to the trailhead of Clingman’s Dome. We have never seen so many cars parked alongside of the road! And that was well before we were close to the entrance. We decided to forgo the hike this time. Bummed again!
instead we stopped at Newfoundland Gap to see the pretty views of the Smokies. Then returned to do a little shopping at Stages West, the REI Store, and Renee’s favorite Christmas store in Pigeon Forge.
After supper at the RV, we went to The Island to do some shopping and to see the water light show.
Day 2 in the Smokies
On Tuesday we got up early to go to Cade’s Cove. We got there about 8am (opens at 8am), and the traffic was backed up a long way. Probably took us about 45 minutes to get to the front gate! We did not realize how busy this week would be. We did see a few deer, but no bears. The fog covered the grounds where you couldn’t see anything. Fog burned off about 10, about the time we were on the tail end of the journey. We were a little disappointed, but still had fun on the drive.
The mountains have started to turn to their fall colors. It was really pretty. Seems we would always be too early to see the colors change. I think we hit it just right this time!
Finished the day eating jambalaya with our friends. It was really good! Then topped it off with some ice cream from Renee’s favorite place, Cold Stone Creamery.
Smokey Mountains-Oct 2020
On Sunday, we packed the RV and headed to outside of Knoxville at Buddy Greg RV Campground to meet our friends/neighbors. Stayed overnight, then headed for Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park RV Campground, in Pigeon Forge, TN.
After eating lunch at the RV, we walked up and down the parkway in Gatlinburg and wanted to do the sky bridge at the top of the old sky lift. Lines were just too long and it was $50/person. We instead decided to ride thru the Roaring Fork Trail. Just so happened to come upon a black bear near the side of the road. He was finding some food while ignoring all the cars stopping and looking at him.
Day 9 – Travel back home
Left RV park around 10am and arrived 3-1/2 hrs later at home. Had a great time in KY and TN with our friends.
Day 8 – Travel to Goodlettsville, TN
Traveled about 4 hrs to Goodlettsville TN, just north of Nashville. Toured some shops at Leapers Fort, at lunch at Puckett Brothers. Kind of expensive for the food you got. Then went to Antique Archeology, home of American Pickers in downtown Nashville. Wasn’t too impressed.
Day 7 – Toured Red River Gorge Forest in Daniel Boone National Park
Drove through the park stopping at a few sites. One of those was a short trail that went to a swinging bridge. Nice and easy hike.
Then as we traveled we went through an amazing tunnel, made of all rock, big enough for 1 car to pass through. It was a couple hundred feet long, so you better not meet any oncoming traffic!
Ate a picnic at a picnic area, then traveled back to the RV Park.
Day 6 – Natural Bridge Park
A few minutes from the RV Park is various hiking trails. One leads you to a stone natural bridge made of rock atop one of the mountains here. The hike is about a mile and a half to the bridge. The trail is mostly uphill and not easy for us, but doable.
The path to the top of the natural bridge is a “fat man squeeze”! We had to suck it in at some spots!
Once on top, the view was really nice.
As you keep walking across the bridge, you can follow a trail to the lookout point where you can see the bridge from afar with all the surrounding Mountain View’s.
Brad and Wendy made a camera tripod from walking sticks so we could all be in the picture using the camera timer. Quite inventive!
The walk down was slow but not as strenuous. Crossed a swinging bridge at the bottom.
Ate lunch at the RV and rested.