Day 27 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Wednesday May 28th, day 27 of our 2025 summer adventure we planned a trip to see "that beautiful bean." Naturally, I had to walk first. Also, Tim & Debbie had to head to Camping World. It would not be a week camping, if someone did not have to go to Camping World for something! 

In Chestnut Hill, TN, the AJ and Sallie Bush Homeplace is a beautifully preserved window into the past. AJ Bush lived with his wife, Sallie, in this home that they built together in 1909, just one year after the incorporation of Bush Brothers. Not lacking in charm, the AJ and Sallie Bush Homeplace allows for visitors to understand what the lives of AJ and Sallie Bush were like during the beginnings of Bush Brothers. We could not tour it, but once a  year, the historic Homeplace opens to the public to experience an old-fashioned Christmas. 

We had to take some outside pictures, with all the fun props!

Bush Beans plant, museum, gift shop and cafe are located on Route 411 in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee. We were greeted by an awesome ambassador and he took our group picture!

We explored the very building where AJ Bush operated his General Store. We saw the movie and learned about Bush Brothers & Company’s 100-year-old canning history and how Bush became the number one name in beans. After the movie, we walked through the century-old history of an iconic family business. 

Some of the girls had to get their weight in beans! We are not showing the whole number!

There are so many interactive exhibits in the Bush’s Story located in their free museum, Tim & Debbie had to play Bean-Tac-Toe!

Sheryl loved to see where all the beans were produced!

 

We enjoyed lunch in the cafe. Our meals ranged from beans and cornbread, chili and grilled cheese, club sandwich and fried bologna. All of it was delicious! Naturally, we all had to shop in the store. They always have some items here that we cannot get in the store. We all bought too many beans!

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 two-piece food cans 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 ended the day with some fellowship, a campfire, and anniversary apple pie. 

What a perfect way to end another great day! 

Happiest of Anniversaries to Gary & Sheryl!

Day 26 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Tuesday May 27th, day 26 of our 2025 summer adventure. Our group of 3 rigs grew to 4 when we arrived at Creekside RV Park. Our group grew by 1 more rig today, when Tim & Debbie Carroll arrived!

This morning involved a walk (for Lisa and I), laundry (for Lisa and Sheryl) and a trip to a quilt shop for Gaby, Sheryl and I, in downtown Sevierville. 

On the way to the shop from our street parking space, we passed an "Ole Smoky Moonshine", good thing it was 10 in the morning and it was not open yet! LOL

Gaby is the quilter, not Sheryl and I. But it was a nice shop with very helpful staff. There were "no picture taking" signs, but I snuck a picture of a panel that I liked. I took pictures of my friend in front of the store. Please notice, that she only has a small bag!

Our big trip today was driving Cades Cove scenic loop. This valley is surrounded by mountains, providing picturesque landscapes and opportunities for capturing beautiful photographs!

 

The 11-mile, one-way loop allows visitors to drive through the valley, with pull-offs and parking areas for exploring and taking photos. We saw too much wildlife for me to get out and walk around too much! I'll stay close to the car! 

Cades Cove Loop Road is one of the best destinations for wildlife viewing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and many people hope to see a black bear during their visit! After all, these adorable animals are the iconic symbol of the Smokies and are fascinating to see in their natural habitat! We were lucky and saw a black bear early in our drive!

While there are about 1500 black bears in the Smoky Mountains, they do prefer to stay away from people in the mountainous terrain. However, you got lucky during our drive in Cades Cove and spotted another black bear! Tim even got out to capture a picture! Black bears are the staple figure of wildlife in the Smoky Mountains and people come from all over the world to try and take a glimpse of one of these majestic creatures. 

However, not many people know a lot about them besides that they are fuzzy and cute and hibernate in the winter. We picked the perfect time to take our drive. In the late afternoon hours between 3PM - 7PM, is a good time to see bears out collecting some food for their dinner! Just remember that bears are wild animals that are dangerous and unpredictable, so always keep a minimum distance of 50 yards!

Bears were not the only wildlife we saw. This turkey was just hanging out in the field! The Smoky Mountains are home to the eastern wild turkey, which is one of six subspecies of wild turkey that live in North America, and this subspecies has the strongest gobbles and longest beard of any of the other subspecies!

We even captured a picture of these elusive creatures! We stopped at the Cades Cove Visitors center.

We also saw a good sized deer in the woods. We saw it thanks to the woman on the road with a HUGE camera lens pointed into the woods! We got his back side!

The Cable Mill has become a symbol for the Cades Cove area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. John P. Cable built his water-powered gristmill and sawmill around 1870. It was one of several in Cades Cove that served about 670 residents. Mills played an important role in people’s lives, and families often looked forward to “mill days". 

A dam on Mill Creek directs water through a canal to the wooden flume that channels water onto the top of the mill wheel. This activates the mechanism for grinding corn with a mill stone. The same wheel powered a heavy reciprocating blade that cut logs. Such technologies made life easier for Cove residents. Many families had small “tub” mills that could grind enough for a family. However, mills like the one belonging to the Cables were larger and faster, if one was willing to give the miller a share of the grain. Mills also removed many back-breaking steps required for traditional log cabin-building.

Adjacent to the mill is the Gregg-Cable house built in 1879. This is the first and only remaining all-frame house in Cades Cove. All-frame houses were once popular in the cove but were removed after the park was created due to their more modern appearance. The Gregg-Cable house is believed to have been constructed using some of the earliest timber cut on the Cable Mill. 

A store was operated on the first floor by the Gregg family and later residents, Becky Cable and her brother, Dan Cable. Many of the products necessary for daily life could be purchased there without going to the larger markets of Maryville or Knoxville. Becky and Dan only ran the store for a few years before they sold the contents and turned it into a boarding house. 

Dan and his wife, Martha, were both ill, and they along with their four children lived with and were supported by Becky. After Dan and Martha died, Becky raised their children, which is why she was known to many as “Aunt Becky".

Back on the road, we ran into a "bear jam." Which is what the Rangers call it, when people see a bear and stop in the center of the one-way road! Some people took unique ways to see the wildlife! Black bears are huge! Well, they aren’t that big compared to their cousin, the grizzly bear, but they are still pretty big. A typical black bear is 3 feet tall and 6 feet long. Males weigh 250 pounds on average while females are much smaller at around 100 pounds. However, bears of over 600 pounds have been documented within the Great Smoky Mountains.

Black bears, like humans, are omnivores. Eighty-five percent of their diet consists of berries and nuts. The other part of their diet consists of insects and other animals, which is where bears get their protein from. We were lucky, or blessed again, as we saw another bear very close to the road. 

So close, there was a Ranger stationed there to ensure people did not get to close! She was about 50 feet from the road, but the tall grass kept her camouflaged! Mama bears are notorious for being protective of their young. What people do not know is that a bear can have between 1 and 6 cubs per litter. But most bears have only 2 or 3 cubs per litter.

Keep your eyes on the trees. Black bears love to climb. There are several food items that can be found up there. We did this and we were rewarded! In a tall tree, just beyond the bear close to the road were 3 cubs climbing! We soon figured out that the bear in the field was the mother of these little climbers! Seeing these three cubs was the icing on the cake of our tour on the scenic Cades Cove Loop.

On our way home, we stopped at the Townsend Wye. The Townsend Wye is the area where Lamar Alexander Parkway intersects with Little River Road. It is not only an important directional marker in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but also a point of interest for swimming, picnicking, and hiking in the warmer months. 

Most locals and visitors know the Townsend Wye as a popular swimming hole. It features several access points to reach the Little River with large pools big enough for swimming. 

We did not swim, not nearly warm enough for that ... but, we did put out feet in the water! Can you tell which feet below to the Florida girls?

We enjoyed dinner on our own in the campground and the rain kept our visiting down to a minimum. But tomorrow is another day for more Two Lane Adventures!

 

Day 25 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Monday May 26th, day 25 of our 2025 summer adventure.

Its Memorial Day today and its a solemn day that we reflect on our incredible fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our great nation.   

We are blessed with many opportunities and freedoms because of the selfless service and sacrifice of these brave service members. As a grateful nation, we must Never Forget.

I got out at 6:30 am to walk in the misty remnants of last night's rain. Sheryl joined me and once the rain started to pick-up again, we enjoyed some coffee under her awning.

Charlie, Gary & Milt had a small job in Gary & Sheryl's rig on this rainy morning.

So, the girls headed to the Tanger Outlets in Sevierville. The rain let up by the time we found a parking spot at the outlets. There was nothing in particular that any of us were looking for, except Sketchers for Sheryl. Our first store was Columbia. I found a shirt for Charlie, one for me and a pair of my favorite shorts. Sheryl found a fleece for Gary. Gaby, who was dressed in everything Columbia, walked out empty handed. She said that does not happen very often!

We walked the entire open-air shopping center. It was busy, but not so busy that we had a difficult time shopping. We chilled for the later part of the afternoon. Gaby and Milt took a drive around the town. While the rest of us just enjoyed the company of each other.

Tomorrow Tim & Debbie Carroll arrive and we will do some more sight-seeing. Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 24 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Sunday May 25th, day 24 of our 2025 summer adventure and my birthday, not just any birthday... it's the big 6-0. So... the gang said "I could pick" our activities for today.

We departed from Creekside RV Park at 11 am and made our way into Gatlinburg, via the Parkway, to avoid some of the stop and go traffic. Our destination was the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. It's an intimate journey through the Smoky Mountains lush mountain wilderness. Drive along the road and immerse yourself in the mossy green rocks and boulders as you gaze at the water rushing through the mountains.

Its name derived from a “roaring” mountain stream, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail twists and turns for six miles, forming a one-way looping scenic drive through the Great Smoky Mountains. The narrow roadway only allows cars—trucks, trailers. Unfortunately, or maybe it's a good thing, RVs cannot fit on this road. 

Healthy second growth forests escort the road on its journey. A few better drained ridges support a pine-oak forest, but cove hardwoods and hemlocks dominate the landscape. Rhododendron's thick, sprawling foliage green the understory year-round. In early July their pink blooms highlight the shadowy forest.

The drive on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail begins at the Noah “Bud” Ogle farmstead, where you can take a walking tour of the historic buildings. The cabin, barn and working tub mill have all been restored and preserved. One look at the Ogles’ handcrafted wooden flume plumbing system will make you think twice before you complain about modern day plumbing!

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail also provides access to the Trillium Gap Trail. You can hike the Trillium Gap Trail to reach Grotto Falls, the only place in the Smoky Mountains where you can stand behind the falls as the water cascades to the pool. If hiking to a waterfall is not your thing, the Place of a Thousand Drips can be reached by car. It’s one of two waterfalls in the park accessible by caron the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

In places, it reveals some of nature's secrets, while in others it weaves the story of the people who once lived here. Water is a constant companion on this journey. Cascades, rapids, and falls adorn the roadside. The sound of rushing water is never far away. The air feels damp and tropical throughout the summer months, yet the icy water rarely reaches 60 F.

No trip to Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is complete without getting a history lesson by visiting the old cabins, barns and working tub mills that have been preserved and restored. See the early settlers’ ingenuity firsthand at the Noah “Bud” Ogle homestead. The one-time Ogle farm features a handcrafted wooden flume plumbing system as well as one of the few working tub mills still in existence. 

The historic district of Roaring Fork includes the Jim Bales place, the Ephraim Bales place, and the Alfred Reagan place. The problem with stopping is the parking is limited and all filled up! Especially when you need 2 spots to park!

Before we headed back into town, we found Ely's Mill, near the end of the motor trail, and two parking spots! Its a family owned and operated mill built in 1925. Inside Ely’s Mill you can score a jar of delicious honey, locally-made antiques, and crafts that make for fun keepsakes. You can also rent a cabin.

Known as "Old Man Ely", he was a Yale law school graduate, a practicing Tennessee lawyer and a printer. Disenchanted with city life after the death of his wife, he bought this 25 acre tract in an effort to live a healthy life. He preached against smoking and strong drink--coffee, tea, alcohol--along with the evils of various foods: milk, salt, white bread, and "store-bought" food. 

He advocated eating fresh vegetables, bananas, buttermilk and lots of spring water. For years, the old Lines Bakery made a special bread from his flour. There was no subject he felt lukewarm about, be it politics, taxes, marriage, youth, religion, or the like. It's been told that if he liked you he'd talk for hours, but if he didn't approve of you, he'd take the whole afternoon off just to tell you so.

He hired local craftsmen to build the mill and showroom to display their wares. Initially called the Water Wheel Craft Shop, the mill featured weaving and local crafts, made solid wood furniture and sold antiques. The water wheel powered the machinery in the furniture shop, belt sanders, lathes, planers, and saws, by a system of pulleys and belts. 

The wheel itself is almost 30 feet in diameter and 8 feet wide. It was supplied with water from a race which came over the top of the buildings and began 800 feet upstream. A second mill was located 800 feet downstream to do the grinding of corn and wheat.

As the place grew, more buildings were added: barns for livestock, sheds and chicken houses. A caretaker family lived here also to tend the garden, keep bees and manage the animals and grounds. A hammer mill was built to crush and mix feeds. A blacksmith shop was added to repair tools and make parts. When the building was completed in the 1940's, Ely's Mill had grown to almost twenty buildings.

 

No, Sheryl is not trying to push Gary in... We had to "test" the water...

Yes, it was a bit cold!

While we had a signal here, we added our names to the wait list for Five Oaks Farm Kitchen. It was going to be a 60 - 75 minute wait. Perfect... that gave us plenty of time to slowly finish our scenic drive!

Five Oaks Farm Kitchen is proud to carry on the legacy and lore of Dr. John and Blanche Ogle. 

Dating back to String Town, their hospitality was known throughout the county. 

The Ogle family is well known in the Sevier County area. The first Ogles settled in East Tennessee in 1925 on the Five Oaks property. 

They worked the land to provide for their family, and their legacy continues today through several businesses, including Ogle Brothers General Store. 

 

Just for "chocolate" Terri, they have warm chocolate gravy!

Later in the evening, we enjoyed warm peach & apple cobbler with ice cream, conversation and trivia. Before the rain chased us all inside!

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!