We headed south thru the Virginia countryside and as soon as we entered East Tennessee (Tennesseeans divide their state into east, middle, and west sections) we noticed a distinct change in accent. And we thought people in Boston talked funny! In the middle of nowhere, we came upon this very large facility. Actually it was our destination or we wouldn't have been in the middle of nowhere. This is where Bush Beans are processed and canned. (I don't know how ML comes up with these places!). This has been a family-run business since around 1908, and there is obviously enormous family pride still today. The dog Duke is an integral part of the family business. See ML with her new friends? We had hoped to be able to tour the plant, but like Hershey, all we got was a movie tour which showed the process of bean canning from field to store and a lot about the family history. Anyway there was a small museum which was interesting. A cute hands-on model of the 'bean canning' process for kids of all ages. And a scale to measure your weight in beans. So ML weighs 99,840 beans. So next time you see Bush Beans in the store, you now know 'the rest of the story'. Moving on down the road, our next destination was Cade's Cove in Great Smokie Mountains National Park. This was another of ML's goals, having been there many years ago. To get there we had to go through Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. We chose a campground in Pigeon Forge, which is the home of Dollywood. The town itself is a major tourist destination with many attractions which are also in Branson, Missouri, like those below (That's King Kong on the right). Click to enlarge. Ever the realtor, Mary Lou thought about getting a new listing (That's an upside down house). Traffic in Pigeon Forge was horrendous, and not a destination we care to go back to. If you have kids, it might be fun. Anyway we jeeped into the Great Smoky Mountains to Cades Cove. To get there the road follows a scenic river for much of the way. (Although inviting, we dared not fish there - inside joke!) "Cades Cove is a broad, verdant valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies." And more, "The first Europeans settled in the cove sometime between 1818 and 1821. By 1830 the population of the area had already swelled to 271. Cades Cove offers the widest variety of historic buildings of any area in the national park." "An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace." Obviously getting lazy, the above quotes are from this website. There's a mill with water wheel, and the sluice to get the water from a nearby stream. Driving the loop around the 'cove' is a place to look for wildlife like elk, deer, and other assorted critters. On other trip wildlife tours, we have seen these things, but this time we finally saw a bear!! It appeared to be a young black bear. Mark that off our bucket list. And finally on our tour we spotted a 'senior' couple riding in this strange machine. Turns out this is made by Polaris, the maker of off-road and other sport and utility vehicles. This one is called the 'Slingshot' and just came out earlier this year. It's rated as a motorcycle and subject to various states' motorcycle laws including wearing of helmets, and requiring a motorcycle drivers license. Really cool. More info here for those interested. ML thinks our map looks like a character on the Simpson's. This is the last of the interesting stops on our list of things to do and see. From here we have plans to visit friends and relatives on the way home, so there may be a final report as we near home.
Stay tuned.
5 Comments
Bo
6/15/2015 05:19:33 am
Family, not interesting? What about Elwood? Now there is interesting!
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Jim
6/15/2015 05:41:35 am
there was a Slingshot at the car show in the Woodlands this past weekend. Neat Has just been approved to be sold in Texas
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Bo
6/15/2015 05:48:12 am
Saw one in the Huntsville area last week
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jackie
6/17/2015 02:24:44 am
bear-- too close for comfort.. and good thing Batman was there to save you. the old buildings were very cool looking. thanks!! liked all the pics and info. Cute picture in the truck with the bush dog!! lol
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Jackie Hunt
6/22/2015 01:24:03 am
I am sure you are long out of Tennessee by now but Chattanooga would have been an awesome visit for you the site of the Civil War battle is just awesome
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Who are we?Chuck and Mary Lou have been traveling in their RV since 2002 and have lately been taking longer, extended trips. This is our way to share our experiences. Trip Reports
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