August 6th, 2014

My Summer Road Trip

August 6, 2014

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	As I left Pigeon Forge on this morning, I stopped to take a picture of the Memories Theater. That show had definitely beeen worth the price of admission.
	I turned onto US321 to Maryville off Pigeon Forge's main street (71). Not too far down the street was "Goats on the Roof".
	Yes, there are really goats on the roof.
	I had actually heard of this place a couple of years back when friends of mine had driven past it and snapped a quick picture. I decided to stop and see just what Goats on the Roof offered.
	One part of the business was dedicated just to "fun stuff to do". This was a running sluice. I guess people would have a chance to "pan for gold" so to speak. Looks like different rocks were used as "prizes".
	There was also a General Store with PLENTY of knickknacks...
	... and of course, goats on the roof.
	The store WOULD have to have goats as a possible purchase item!
	You could also buy food for the goats and send it up to them by either peddling a stationary bike to send it up the slope or cranking a handle (red on pole) to jack it up to the top.
	where highway 73 crosses Cedar Creek in Townsend, TN, there was the coolest woodshop ever.
	Sculptures carved/cut out of large tree trunks were everywhere.
	Some were almost like totem poles...
	... some used more the the tree than others,
	THIS was MY favourite!
	T'was a bench with carvings of different kinds of dogs adorning the back side of the bench as well as "hidden" in the two feet of the bench.
	There was a lot of detail (and imagination) in this one.
	I really liked these next two... first an "Indian" motorcycle.
	... second, a "Hog". These were both very original but the difference between these and the bench is that I would think of actually purchasing the bench whereas I would only want to look at these.
	Here's a different kind of couch. The signs you're seeing on all these pieces is the artist's name and the price of the object.
	This one was awfully cute.
	It might be a little scarey sitting in this chair!
	As I walked towards more sculptures (and towards the creek), I noticed a torally different type of business. River Rat offered water tubing, I suppose on Cedar Creek?
	Although the creek wasn't big , it did have quite a current.
	In my original plan, I was going to ride the Dragon (US129) again but thunder showers in the area seemed to make that a bad idea so instead, I travelled along 33 west to the Little Tennessee River.
	Just over the bridge, there was a huge marina when tons of boats and SOME cottages right on the river.
	I walked back up the bridge to take some pictures of the river.
	The river was quite wide and commercial boats were using as well as recreational ones.
	A man at the marina told me that it was possible to "travel north and take a left" on this water system and that it would lead you to the Mississippi River then of course to the Gulf of Mexico. I wonder how many boats from the area have tried that!
	I followed the path of the Little Tennessee River by turning up 72 and then taking the Tellico Parkway north. Along the way I stopped in this lovely neighbourhood.
	Fairly idyllic, wouldn't you say?
	Access to the parkway a block out, access to the Little Tennessee River with your own dock.
	Not a bad view out your back window, eh?
	Most of the docks were pretty fancy, like this one.
	Instead of street lights, how about a gas firebowl marking your house?
	A little further up the road, there was a yacht club.
	This was a private road but I didn't realize it until I'd already turned in and I had to go to the parking lot to turn around.
	Tellico VIllage's own "Family Park" complete with picnic tables and kids playground, as well.
	You could see all the private docks down river...
	... but I guess if you don't live directly on the river, you dock your boat here.
	Route: 321 to Maryville, TN US411 to 72 72 to the Tellico Parkway Tellico Parkway to US321 US321 to Interstate 75 I-75 to Jellico, TN then Williamsburg, KY 92 to Monticello, KY 90 to 127 127 to 55 55 to Columbia, KY This day continues here... Skip to Next Day Back to Main Page