While in Tennessee  we decided to drive over to  Dollywood for a day.  I’m not a fast ride, rollercoaster type person.  Still, there are usually a few slower rides and shows to see. And Larrie really wanted to go.  So, we checked the weather for a dry day (we have had a lot of rain) , and headed out.

Driving over to Pigeon Forge was a pretty drive.  The sun shone on the smoky mountains, and traffic wasn’t too bad.  Then, we got into the commercial area of Pigeon Forge.  I don’t think I have ever seen so many different businesses on one strip of road.  There is everything you would ever want to see, do, and eat in the couple mile stretch.  What a mess.  We were there early enough so we did not deal with the really busy traffic. Still, I thought about the people who had lived there, in that area for years and years.  How sad for them to see the area turn into such a commercial, hectic, and glitzy area.  It kind of takes the beauty of the mountains away.

In December , Dollywood is decorated for Christmas with over 4 million lights.  Everything had red, blue, green, yellow ,white , or pink lights strung over it.  I never thought of pink as a Christmas color.   After touring Dolly’s first travel bus, that was full of “everything pink” I knew why they had pink lights for Christmas.  We were there for the full day and evening so we had the full effect of all those lights.  I have to say it was beautiful.

We spent the day  watching the different music shows and checking out the shops .  The only “ride” we went on was their narrow gauge railroad.  Overall, we had a nice day.

I have to admit, I am a Walt Disney fan.  And, its  hard not to compare “theme parks”.  Dollywood did  need a bit of sprucing up (paint and cleaning ).  The workers wore T-shirts and blue jeans (not always in the best of condition). If you had a question it was hard to know who to ask since most people wear T-shirts and blue jeans now days.  The park, overall looked worn out and in need of some TLC.

All in all, we did enjoy  the entertainment for the day.  But for me, it is a one time stop. Not a repeat performance.

JA

Recommended to visit in the area of Knoxville, TN is a nearby city that was created to develop the atomic bomb used in WWII.  The Manhattan Project was a massive wartime effort, including a highly secured area of operations and a large  recruited workforce.  The purpose of it’s construction was kept top secret from even those engaged in the work of research and development.The city ultimately became Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge area formed out of a community of about 3,000 to a planned city of 13,000 to a peak fifth largest city in Tennessee at 75,000 to a current population of about 28,000.  The government obtained the 59,000 acres by displacing the nearly 3,000 people living in the area.

Three plants were constructed to provide development and production of the different stages of the bombs creation.  Various forms of housing were provided to support the needs of the wartime workers.

Infrastructure was rapidly added to provide quality of life and life essentials.  There were stores, theaters, bowling alleys, churches, medical facilities, and nearly anything to reduce the need for residents to go elsewhere and raise suspicions.

A visit to the American Museum of Science & Energy delivers a collection of displays documenting the significance of the area, the rise of the city, and the current life after decommissioning most of the city.  It covers the technical, political, and logistical aspects of the bombs development.  These were the most riveting of the exhibits to me.

The museum also has other displays of each form of energy used throughout our country and the world.  For $4 per senior it was a good value.

-LA

Music strikes a chord in most of us.  I suspect it’s because of how we encountered music as we grew up.  I grew up with my dad playing the guitar and mandolin occasionally and my mom singing while chording the guitar.  The genre was of the 50’s country which would often be referred to as “hillbilly” music.

Stops at Nashville and Knoxville in Tennessee have exposed us to many settings where country music is being performed.  Some is current or more recent country, but some is old-time gospel, bluegrass, or hillbilly.  We listen in when we can.

A couple of Thursday nights we gathered at the clubhouse of Raccoon Valley RV Resort where a group of mostly old-timers were having a weekly jam session.  I could recall the few times I was allowed as a child to hang around jam sessions my folks would participate in.  I couldn’t help but reconnect with the past.

Hearing songs I hadn’t before, in the form sung in those good ole days, was wholesome and stirring.  I believe they were written and recorded from the soul rather than for marketing.  Gospel songs performed (and their deep messages) have also been meaningful to me.  They tend to connect me to times in my life when Truth was better received through song.

-LA

We recently made a very quick trip back home to Michigan.  This was planned before we left Michigan in the early fall.  Because our time home was scheduled to be short, we drove straight through.  Nine to ten hours of straight through driving is not my cup of tea.  Still, we wanted to make use of the short time we were home, so we did it.

The main reason we went home was to support our grandson, Mitchell.  He played the lead role of Aladdin in Comstock Community Theater’s production of Aladdin, Jr.  He was wonderful as Aladdin.  He has grown up so much in these last couple years.  God has given him a talent that he is using.  You can’t get better than that.  We are proud of you Mitchell.  Keep honing your skills.

While home we were able to run some errands and  have lunch with our daughter Cathy, our grandkids Amber and Mitchell, and Kevin.  It was so good to catch up with all of them.  On Sunday we worshiped in our home church and then took our grandson, Harrison, out for dinner.  It was great to see how he is adjusting to living on his own.

We will be going  home for the Christmas holidays.  I can’t imagine not celebrating with at least some of our family. I still love those times of opening gifts, eating together, sharing life.

It seems we all get too busy to just enjoy sharing our life with each other. As life passes us by, we need to stop, overlook all the flaws we see in each other, and just enjoy the time, the moments we have with each other. For these days are just a blink of an eye and then they are gone.

JA

This pursuit of full-time-travel lifestyle brings challenges to the running routines I have practiced over the years.  I must seek new places to do so wherever I go.  Safety and convenience are major considerations.

Indiana State and County parks we stayed in had internal roads separating campgrounds from other public areas.  These provided very nice running areas, especially early and late in the day.  I encountered about fifteen deer along one run when traffic was nil.

Tennessee, on the other hand, hasn’t offered roads designed to accommodate pedestrians or bicyclists.  In Goodlettsville I found a city recreational park  http://www.cityofgoodlettsville.org/147/Moss-Wright-Park  excellent for running.  Areas of the path allowed no bikes or pets hence no potential hazards.

Where I’m currently at, there are no nearby places to safely run.  So I have altered my routine to utilize three hiking trails established behind the RV park we are staying in.  Elevation varies by about 220ft.  I can take segments of each trail and make multiple loops to provide many options.

Running uses the same muscles in a repetitive pattern.  Hiking uses many more muscles in an ever-changing pattern.  I’m feeling “the burn” and huffing and puffing as much as when running.  The bottom line is that I’m still a runner (regardless of how slow) and in a cross-training mode for the time being.

-LA

One thing I have learned in this life is that it passes quickly.  Funny as a kid, if you are waiting for a special day, it seems like forever before it comes.  As an adult, the days turn into months and months into years very quickly.

This new adventure for us is moving quickly.  It seems like a month or so ago, we spent three full days looking at RV shows.  First in Indy.  Then in South Bend.  Finally, in Grand Rapids.  On the 4th day we returned to the Grand Rapids show and bought/ordered our new home on wheels. This really happened  in January of this year (winter).   From there, the months have flown by.  First waiting to move into the trailer ( spring).  Then really living the life of a full time RV’er  ( summer).  Those “months” have flown by too.  We have now been in the trailer for  over six months.

Another thing about time passing so quickly, is the special occasions we mark every year.  Of course the holidays ( I was just reminded that Christmas is only 52 days away).  And birthdays, anniversaries, and special events. All things that we plan for.  They come and are gone so quickly.

Fall is the season we are in now.  It is my favorite season.  I love the change of colors and crisp air. When we left Michigan, the colors were just starting.  On the road south, we mostly saw “green”.  Now, in Tennessee, we finally are seeing the colors change again.  Not as much red as in Michigan.  But, still some beautiful scenery as we drive the back roads. Fall brings the smell of pumpkin pie, fresh apple crisp, and butternut squash.  I thought I would have to give up baking as this little oven is hard to use.  But, I keep trying .

I guess my message today is, stop…and smell the roses.  Enjoy each day to its fullest.   As we age , we are more aware of how fast this life is passing.  A wise man once said ” when I die, I don’t want to look back and regret all the people I did not see or the things I did not do.  Instead, I want to enter heaven saying  Holy Cow! what a ride!!!”

JA

I love to read!  If I  love the story, I read my book around  my work day.   If I really love the story, I work my day around my reading.  That includes staying up until wee hours of the morning just to finish the book.

I think I come by this naturally.  My mother loved to read. There was always an open book sitting on the end table in her living room. She bought paperbacks every week at  $6 – $8 each.   I would suggest she look for a used bookstore.  Or, go to the library. But, she never did.  Instead, we would later find bags of her once read books in the closets.

Up until this adventure, I  had 2 great library’s to check out books at.  Kalamazoo Public library and our church library.  For the past 3 years I was the chairman of our church library.  That meant as we received new books, either by donation or purchase, I had first choice to read them. Unlimited books….a readers dream!

Now, we are on the road.  We do not stay in an area long enough to check-out books from a library.  And, my budget doesn’t stretch to purchase books on a weekly basis.  So where do I go to fill this very big need?  Used bookstores.

For a small amount per used  book, I can pick and choose,  have reading for hours of enjoyment , and stay within by budget.   My daughter Crissa and her family have used these stores for years to fill their bookcase on the road. (Their family has been on the road for over 5 years now. Check out their site at Ditching Suburbia.com)

While in the Nashville area we found a good used bookstore.  Ms. B’s Used Books Cds, and Dvds was great.  It looks like a  little house from the road, but it’s rooms were full of books.  All categorized. Clean.  No musty smell.  As I was without any books to read , I felt I was in book heaven .  Larrie looked around and found one book to purchase.  I on the other hand , found a basket to fill. It was wonderful. An hour later and we left the store with a bag full of books.  I am reading book two already.

Ms. B’s Used Books, Cds, & Dvds                                                                                  Our “new” stash of reading

If you are a reader, check out the used book stores in your area.  They are a treasure of reading at a smiggen of the cost.  Another good thing is:  When you are done reading, you can take the books to a used book store and they will usually purchase them back .   Now, you have store credit to buy more books.  It doesn’t get better than that.

JA