Page Updated: February 02, 2024
Eastern Tennessee
Making our way back to family, and we took a beat in Tennessee.
In the Airbnb market, one needs to book several months ahead of the game, especially to reserve month blocks. At some point on our journey we entertained the idea of continuing travel but buying our own rental for use when we were closer to family. The thought led us to the Pigeon Forge area. It’s a wildly popular area and we wouldn’t have trouble renting property in our absence.
Property hunting was on the agenda, but our plans took a turn in Leg 28 when we switched gears and ordered an RV!
So we spent Leg 29 working… and exploring!
Homebase for the leg was a cabin rental in Wears Valley. It came with a pool table, a hot tub, and some mattresses in need of help.
After some trial and error and a few nights on the floor with one of our camping mattress, I retried the guest bed - but the opposite side - and we spent another leg sleeping in separate rooms.
We had 4 weeks booked in eastern Tennessee. We took a side jaunt to Nashville to visit some of our favorite family and spent the rest of the leg exploring Pigeon Forge area and parts of GSMP we had yet to see.
And in a random stab to the heart, this is the leg I learned my favorite soda, Sierra Mist, has been replaced by Starry. Are Pepsi taste tester taste buds dead? Starry tastes like it should be window cleaner.
Did we not learn from the Classic Coke/ New Coke fiasco?
I wish I could get someone would pay me thousands of dollars to make stupid decisions!
THE LOCAL GRUB
Triple Meat Skillet
A breakfast right up Lee’s alley. Two scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon and ham on a bed of hashbrowns. All topped with cheese! Red Rooster Pancake House Pigeon Forge.
Tony’s Fast Track Dinner
Haven’t been to St Louis to try their BBQ so can’t compare. But these at Tony Gore’s Smoky Mountain BBQ & Grill in Sevierville were pretty good. Beans and greens were exactly like you’d expect in the south!
Hot Rod’s 50’s Diner in Alcoa is true to its name and serves customers under a neon glow. The menu selection is one of the most extensive we seen. Try the Cheese & Bacon Ribbon Fries - excellent!
Cheese & Bacon Ribbon Fries
scenes from the leg!
THE FUN STUFF
02/25/2023
Authorized by congress in 1944, Foothills Parkway is currently the oldest unfinished highway project in Tennessee. When complete, the scenic parkway will stretch…
Foothills Parkway Scenic Drive
02/26/2023
Little Greenbrier to Walker Sisters’ Cabin
Great morning hike for the person with realistic expectations of what a valley in the Smoky Mountains has to offer….
02/26/2023
Built by Union Soldier John Walker shortly after returning from the Civil War, the 19th-century cabin and surviving structures share a remarkable chapter…
Walker Sisters’ Homestead
03/05/2023
The Stones River Greenway runs from the Cumberland Pedestrian Bridge at Two Rivers Park to Stones River Greenway Trailhead at the J Percy Priest Reservoir…
Stones River Greenway
03/11/2023
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We’re back! This visit we explored parts of Great Smoky Mountain National Park we’ve never been. Of course we hiked! But we also…
03/11/2023
AT Newfound Gap to Charlie’s Bunion
Great section of the Appalachian Trail! Beautifully clear and crisp day. Early March - still no leaves on the trees. Amazing vistas peaking through the trees throughout…
03/12/2023
Tuckaleechee Caverns
There are an estimated 10k caverns in Tennessee, and Tuckaleechee Caverns ranks among the most popular…
03/15/2023
Cades Cove
The 6800-acre valley of Cades Cove is one of the most sought after destinations in GSMNP. The 11-mile one way loop is open to visitors daily from sunrise to sunset…
03/16/2023
Providing entertainment throughout the year, the longstanding Comedy Barn offers a family friendly variety show…