Day 19 of the Southeast Rhombus Rally Caravan with Friends – Farewell to TN, Hello SC

The last events of the Tennessee Good Sam Rally on Sunday 10/2 are coffee, pastries and a non-denominational service at the pavilion. We could not miss the pastries and coffee breakfast at the pavilion. It was our last chance to see some of our new friends and a chance to say “See You Later, Tennessee.” Because we will be back! We had a great time, we got our Tennessee Caravan Patch and we need to come back to get the guitar or bear patch to go around the patch. You get the caravan patch for the first caravan to Tennessee, you get a guitar (if you caravan again to a spring rally) and a bear (if you caravan again to a fall rally.) You know our group, we will have to get one of each! This picture shows the caravan patches we have earned and the “second” award for Georgia.

We exited River Plantation RV Resort onto Route 321 and turned back onto 411. 411 is also known as Dolly Parton Parkway, named for the famous resident of Sevierville. What impact has Dolly had on this area? In 1986, Dolly wanted to do something for the folks in her Tennessee mountain home. Partnering with Herschend Family Entertainment, Dolly opened her Dollywood family theme park in nearby Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This 150 acre park has grown adding new rides, shows, restaurants and festivals in the past 30 years. Only two years after Dollywood opened, Dolly cut the ribbon on her Dixie Stampede dinner attraction. In 2001, Dolly opened the third of her Dollywood companies in Sevier County, Dollywood’s Splash Country. This 35 acre park, filled with slides, a lazy river and wave pool, is open late May through early September each year. In 2016 she added Dolly Parton’s Lumberjack Adventure dinner show to her collection of quality family fun attractions in the area.

It is not all about the "fun" Dolly believes that education and imagination are cornerstones of success. In 1996, Dolly Parton launched an effort to benefit the children of her home county. Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and feel the magic they can create. Moreover, she wanted to ensure that every child would have books regardless of their family’s income. With the introduction of Dolly’s Imagination Library, Dolly began mailing a brand new, age appropriate book each month to every child under the age of five in Sevier County. With the arrival of every child’s first book, the classic “The Little Engine That Could”, every child could experience the joy of finding their very own book in their mailbox. By the time each participating child entered Kindergarten, he or she had a 60-volume library of books. The last book of the collection, “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come,” prepared them for school. Needless to say, the program has been a success. So much so that many other communities clamored to provide the Imagination Library to their children. Dolly thought long and hard about it and decided to help develop a way for other communities to participate. With Penguin Group USA as the exclusive publisher for the Imagination Library, the program is now replicated in 1,600 communities throughout the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. Also, Dolly has also been a major supporter of health care in Sevier County. She is the honorary chairperson of The Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation, named for the doctor who delivered Dolly and helped establish adequate healthcare facilities in Sevier County. This organization helps expand the range and quality of health care services available by helping Sevier County meet the continuing challenges of the rapidly changing healthcare field. Today, Sevierville’s award-winning LeConte Medical Center is the proud home of the Dolly Parton Center for Women’s Services and The Dolly Parton Birthing Unit. Dolly has been a busy lady!

Part of 411 are a two lane winding road, but it provides you with beautiful views of the countryside. I love these views!

photo credit, Ball Corp.

As we passed the Bush Beans plant, museum, gift shop and cafe, I noticed a sign for the first time. Ball Corporation, Chestnut Hill. Founded in 1880, Ball Corporation was originally known for the glass canning jars your grandmothers used to use. Today, Ball makes packaging that enables delivery of safe, nutritious food and beverages and convenient household products to consumers around the world. Ball Aerospace is known for its contributions in support of space and Earth science, exploration, national security and intelligence programs. Ball is one of the world's largest manufacturers of food cans, aerosol cans, paint & general line cans, and specialty metal tins. Fruits, vegetables, soup, meat, beverages, or pet food. Ball is North America's largest producer of 3-piece steel aerosol cans, Europe's leading supplier of extruded aluminum aerosol cans and the world's largest producer of aluminum slugs. The Chestnut Hill plant located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, produces three-piece steel food and aerosol cans. The plant’s 143 employees produce more than 1 billion, 100 percent recyclable steel cans annually on eight food lines and one aerosol line. Never knew a Ball plant was this close to Bush Beans.

We picked up Interstate 40 East, heading toward the Tennessee and North Carolina State Line. We made a pit stop at the NC Rest Stop, we needed to stretch and take a potty break, especially Lacey! Off I-40, you can find Lake Junaluska. Gorgeous Lake Junaluska has been a mountain retreat for the Methodist church since the early 1900s. Many do not realize that this lake "resort" is open for all to enjoy with plenty of things to do and places to stay. It's at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains near Waynesville and Maggie Valley. Since the retreat's mission is to "renew the soul, mind and body," it's a perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of life in a very scenic setting.

Historic Canton is also off I-40. Canton is a historic mill town. A couple of our friends from Florida, Dave and Freda Teague are from the Canton area of NC. We would have stopped, but Freda is already in Florida and I am sure Dave is somewhere performing! He is an awesome guitar player and singer! We turned off I-40 onto I-26E toward southern edge of Ashville North Carolina. We passed by Hendersonville, which is the crest of the Blue Ridge Apple Orchard Trail.There are over 17 orchards in the greater Hendersonville area.

We drove  7% downward grade into part of the remote Green River Gorge, southeast of Hendersonville. It is a rugged landscape of steep ravines, coves, and old-growth and mixed hardwood forest which boasts the some of the most popular whitewater rapids in the eastern United States. At its most impressive point, the Green River drops 400 feet in a distance of one and a half miles and runs through a six-foot wide crevice known as the Narrows. The Gorge runs through the Green River Game Lands, a state-owned tract of more than 10,000 acres set aside for wildlife conservation and management. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are allowed on the Game Lands, subject to state regulations. During hunting season, which generally runs from mid-September to mid-May, Sundays are the safest day for hiking (hunting is not allowed on Sundays in North Carolina). The 225-foot-high bridge across the Green River Gorge on Interstate 26 is the highest in North Carolina, and one of the highest in the entire United States.

We crossed the border from NC into SC on I-26, as it skirts the west side of Spartanburg SC. We arrived at Magnolia RV Park & Campground in Kinards SC. It is about our half way point between Tennessee and South Carolina. While we were there for an overnight, we took time to do laundry and relax. Pattye cooked spaghetti for dinner, I made salad and Jackie made garlic bread. We spent the evening relaxing and getting ready for our next leg of this trip.

Stay tuned for the rest of our journey to Myrtle Beach.