Sunday 5th October - Downtown Nashville - Sunny and Hot



An old Wurlitzer jukebox

Elvis' gold Caddy



Guitar man

The Grand Ole Opry

Tennessee Titans football ground

For some strange southern reason the shuttle doesnt run on Sunday so we drove into town. Sadly so did every other person in the state as their was a big football game on in town today between locals Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns (who won by 1 point) We did find somewhere to park and spent most of the day in the country music hall of fame. It was excellent and very well done. Amongst the many treasures were A Kenny Rogers exhibition, Alan Jackson display, Elvis Presley's gold cadillac and piano, Burt Reynolds car from Smokey and the Bandit and the fiddle used by Charlie Daniels to play the Devil went down to Georgia!. It was an excellent tour, full marks to Nashville. When we came out, so were all the football fans it was manic with people. Another shuffle round town and a giggle at the pedal bar then another beer in a music bar before heading back to have a look at the Grand ole Opry which was magnificant. Mrs D was disappointed that we hadn't got tickets to see someone in there whilst we were in town. Maybe another time, who knows.....

 

From here we have 750 miles to go to get to Orlando and Mickey Mouse. So we have a stopover halfwayish at Florence Marina State Park just into Georgia. However after the last 2 days we wish we had another night here in Nashville. On the way tomorrow we pass Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey distillery but sadly it is in a dry county and you dont even get a snifter at the end, you do get to smell some grains though! Think well give it a miss.



Saturday 4th October - Townsend to Nashville - Sunny and Hot

Our pitch in Nashville KOA

Broadway in Nasville

Broadway

The Pedal Tavern

The Honky Tonk Bars

Broadway at night

A steady run into Nashville a mere 200 miles. We are camping at KOA Nashville KAO being Kampgrounds of America. It is on Music Valley Drive which is home to the world famous country music Grand Ole Opry. Sadly the campsite here is under renovation so we were put among the RVs which wasnt ideal but ok. Excellent facilities and a handy shuttle into downtown. After a splendid makeshift meal done by Mrs D on our handy little new stove from Walmart we got the shuttle into town. It was fantastic. Best place ever for live music. Every bar had live music some on 3 floors! We had a shuffle round town saw the Nashville pedal bar, pretty much two rows of folks cycling and one guy in charge in the middle whilst the cyclists all drink! My kind of cycling!We also saw BB Kings blues bar. We did end up in a music bar surprisingly, one with 3 floors of live music! After a couple of bottles of Blue Moon we got the last shuttle back to KOA and our tent. We love Nashville!!

Friday 3rd October - Cades Cove to Townsend - Cloud, Rain and Wind

Old homestead

Mrs Bear

 

Happy faces today as we are leaving. After a night of storms, trees, nuts and cones hitting the tent all night we are happy to be off! A dry spell gave us a chance to get the tent away dryish. A last drive round the cades loop rewards us with Mrs Bob bear and her 2 cubs running across the meadow who Mrs D managed to spot. More smiles now as we left heading for Townsend and laundry day. Laundry done we went to our digs and had the best shower ever! Its my birthday today so we are off out to eat and drink. Sadly we were in a bit of a dry county so we ate but had to go back to digs for a drink. Nevertheless a good evening out. This marks the end of our Smokey mountains adventure. Music city of Nashville tomorrow.

Thursday 2nd October - Another walk in the woods - Sunny and Hot

A quick note on the beer before the days adventure. There isn't the choice that there was on the west coast. One or two fruit beers here but all been rubbish compared to the ones we had on the west coast. Today we are heading into the hills in search of the Appalacian trail again with vistas and views promised. We went up the Anthony Creek trail to the Bote Mountain trail before reaching the Appalacian trail and Spence Field many hours, miles and trees later. No vistas or views just trees. We did manage to find one vista. Mrs D and I were most disappointed. The park notes were done 10 yrs ago and obviously all the trees have all gotten bigger spoiling the view! We got back to the tent 14 miles later & no showers! Got mopped up clean had a drive into nearby Townsend to book a room for Friday night had enough trees and no showers! Back to camp dinner then a drive round the loop looking for Bob bear but not today. Back to camp, beer, fire then bed.

Wednesday 1st October - Cycling the loop - Sunny and Hot.

Cades Cove

An old Baptist church

Old homestead

Leisurely start today with breakfast and bathroom stuff. Then down to the visitor centre to hire a couple of bikes to cycle round the cades cove loop road. Quite an experience, nice chatty helpful guy telling us the bike deal. Then suddenly when we said yes we'll do it, it was like someone hit a massive on button! 'Hi my names Marvin and I'm your voulunteer guide today here at Cades Cove.' This went on for ages wih rules, does, don'ts, bike types and costs. We tried to speak to give the guy a chance to get some air but that wasn't happening he WAS finishing his speech. Bikes at the ready after our mandatory test run round the car park, we set off. It is a one way single track loop round the Cades cove meadow which you share with all the car trucks and RVs (campervans to you and I) It is a lovely run round with lots of wildlife and maybe Bob bear. Oh yes on the campsite we have to lock all our grub, waste and toiletries in the car as Bob does wander the campsite at night looking for grub and Avon products. Hope we dont hear big feet crunching the ground at night! Back to the bikes and we saw old churches homesteads of early settlers lots of trees birds horses but no bears. It was nice to be out on the bikes again with Mrs D, 'ee it was like old times'. Back at the tent we scrubbed up from a bowl then wandered down to see Marvin again about some firewood but he'd gone home (to practice his speech probably) a nice laid back young Amercan guy sorted us with wood. We had some dinner then a beer by our campfire.

Tuesday 30th September - Middle Creek to Cades Cove - Cloudy, Sun and Hot

Deer by the tent

Our Cades Cove pitch

Quite a long drive down today so we are off in good time. Very nice run down with a brew stop on the way. Just before Cades we went through Sevierville - the bithplace of Dolly Parton no less. She now lives in Nashville but has left her mark here in the form of 'Dollywood.' A theme park dedicated to all things Dolly, enough of that! From here it was a short drive to Cades Cove campground. Mrs D drove the car today and was not a big fan, she said it was like driving a giant armchair full of boys toys! We checked in at 5.30ish and got the tent set up in time for dinner just before dark. A quick look at the at the site and toilet block as there are no showers here so could be a bit smelly after 4 nights! Deer wandering around the site, very good. Lots more trees and bugs in the night but slept OK.

 

Monday 29th September - A walk in the woods - Hot and Sunny

Cheers

Today we are having a walk up little cove mountain trail up to the famous Appalacian trail. Set off down the road then crossed a cute little bridge over a creek to start the trail. It was a very pleasant trail up through the many trees and we walked and walked. It said the Appalacian trail was 3 miles from the trailhead or start point to you and me but we seemed to walk up and up tree after tree and nothing. Eventually we stopped and had lunch and gave the Appalacian hopes up as a bad idea. Also the humidity was up making life difficult and Mrs D was not impressed. Back down we went and got back to camp late afternoon in time for big showers, ale, grub and bed. Lovely site nice setting but some of the cabins they rented were very tired, as were the bathhouses. There was an outdoor pool and site bar which we were told were busy at weekends but there was only us on the site so it was OK. Moving on day tomorrow down to the Great Smokey Mountains and Cades Cove Campground and no doubt some more trees.

Sunday 28th September - DC to Middle Creek - Hot and Sunny

Our Middle Creek pitch

Our Chrysler 200

Today we pick up the car so always a worry, the upgrade, the 'you're not insured for this' hard sell. Early train down to Union Station and sorted out the paperwork in no time with no hard sell and no extras or debate what a surprise. Then down to the lot to collect our compact Ford Focus type car and they give us a huge luxury 2.5 litre mega car. All gadgets and touch screens, reversing cameras, leather seats and satellite radio. The first challenge was to get out of DC.  This went remarkably well going out on the 66 all the way to the 81 south. Just one stop on the way at Walmart to pick up some camping gear we ordered back in the UK before we set off - how clever is that! It was all there so with gear and shopping off we went to Middle Creek Campground on the Blue Ridge Mountains (no singing please) We arrived at the campsite around 5.30 to be greeted by a boy of about 10 driving across the site in a huge chevvy. He disappeared and came screaming back on a big quad bike asking if we had a reservation. His mum then showed up on a golf cart and then another guy checked us in. Walking here is obviously a no no amongst the staff! Mrs D and I were both amused. We got set up and had a beer and some food. The bathhouse as they call it in their best southern accent wasn't too far and was OK. There was a bit of wifi but no phone signal and we managed. The site was not quiet but not noisy people it was the bugs on the trees - man were they noisy we did manage a good nights sleep though.