Day 39 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Monday June 9th, day 39 of our 2025 summer adventure. Debbie and I got a walk in at Center Hill Lake. We even got to see some of the wildlife. I was telling her, we always see deer while we are camped here. I was starting to think those cute little deer were going to make a liar out of me, but then we head one come crashing out of the woods. There was a second one, but he, or she, turned back around into the woods.

We had a late check-in at our next COE in McDaniels Kentucky. So, it was a relaxing morning at Floating Mill Campground, enjoying the water views. We did not depart until almost noon! But, Charlie got some maintenance on the rig and Jim & Debbie rearranged their exterior storage area.

When we departed, we backtracked to Smithville and onto Route 70 west. Smithville is home to 54th Annual Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree. It is held each 4th of July weekend. It has been free to the public since 1972! The old-time Fiddlers' Jamboree is a DeKalb County tradition that draws musicians, craft artists, and spectators to the Smithville Square each summer around the Independence Day weekend. Over time, the festival became a broader tribute to Appalachian art and culture.

Before we got to our first rest stop in Lebanon Tennessee, we ran into serious rain, wind and a bit of hail. We started looking for a place to pull-off, no luck. So, we hit the flashers and slowed down. By the time we got to downtown Lebanon, it had slowed considerably.

The traffic circle in downtown Lebanon is part of the Tennessee Civil War Trails and even boasts a historic log cabin, Neddy Jacobs cabin. Prior to 1780, the land that is now the Historic Lebanon Town Square was claimed by William Gosney. It was part of 640 acres surrounding the gushing spring, and here he built a cabin. After his death, the land was sold in 1793 by his heirs to James Menees. In 1801 the Tennessee State Legislature appointed five commissioners to determine the site for a County Seat for Wilson County. They chose this site around the spring and cabin. 

When Lebanon was founded and lots were sold on August 16, 1802, there was one family living in a cabin near the spring around which the town was laid out. Edward (Neddy) Jacobs and his Lumbee Indian wife had moved into the cabin in 1800. Neddy, an Irishman who had shipwrecked off the coast of North Carolina, was taken in by the Lumbee Indians. There he met his wife, Layula, before moving westward to Tennessee. Neddy later built a new cabin for his family, but after his death, Layula left and moved west with a band of Cherokee who passed through Lebanon on the Trail of Tears.

In Lebanon, we turned onto US Route 231. I had to capture all the cool and unique murals I could see. This one looks like it pays homage to the days gone by. 

This one is a more modern take on living in Lebanon. There was a cool set of butterfly wings, where you could stand and take a picture, but not in this rain!

We crossed the 688-mile-long Cumberland River. It was the first passage for hunters and settlers. Later the Cumberland River also supported riverboat trade, which traveled to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Villages, towns, and cities began to spring up at landing points along its banks. Today, it's also recognized for its natural beauty, particularly Cumberland Falls, a waterfall that can produce a moonbow. The river also supports a variety of fish, including trout, walleye, and striped bass, making it a popular fishing destination. 

We crossed from Tennessee into Kentucky. The first town we came to was Scottsville, it made me think of New York for a few minutes. We came into Bowling Green

We found a left over hippie from the 1960's. He was standing on the corner sharing his sign with everyone! I loved the third round glass on his glasses!

We also found the Historic RailPark & Train Museum and L&N Depot. They do not offer train rides, but they do bring alive the magic and adventure of railroading everyday. This historic national landmark allows you to see, touch, hear and explore important railroad artifacts of our region’s heritage. In the foreground of this picture you can see what looks like a skateboard resting on a ledge. That is actually the sign for the Bowling Green Skate Park. Inline skates, skateboards, and BMX bikes can use the skate park to enjoy the variety of rails, ramps, bowls, and half pipes. It is part of the Roland Bland Park. It's located on 6 acres in the heart of Downtown Bowling Green.

We took Jim & Debbie on the ultimate Two Lane Adventure! We went up and down for 50 miles on Route 185! It was very good road and great scenery! 

We did find an old store front in a small town on Route 185. 50 miles later, Route 185 terminated at Route 79.

We arrived at our COE campground for the night, 30 minutes before check-in. No one at the booth, so we quietly found our sites and got set up. Phone is almost dead, so pictures of the area in tomorrows blog. Good night! Stay tuned for more two lane adventures.