2 posts tagged “us road trip”
Finding the right road around South Atlanta was a bit tricky but eventually I managed to get onto the I-287 which is the big ringroad, then branched off East onto the I-85, turned onto the xxx which after Gainesville becomes US 23. Still a two-lane Highway, though.
At one point, I decided to follow an exit for the Historic 441 which took me past an old "Indian Trading Post". I only wanted to stretch my legs a bit but when I parked I realised it wasn't a current souvenir shop but an abandoned one. Looked around a bit, shot some photos and waved at a man trimming weeds. He came over and we made some small-talk. On a whim, I asked him for a portrait and he agreed. We continued talking and he not only told me about the history of the place but also showed me around the "store". Absolutely fantastic. I don't think I've ever seen something like that. It's an collection of all kinds of junk but also I'm quite sure, genuine antiques, like the richly carved Chinese rosewood furniture and the huge dolls collection. When I planned this trip, I hoped I would find places like this but not necessarily on the first day and not a gem like this. Among the stuffed things was also a black bear's head so I asked Liam if they had any around here and he said "Oh yeah, that's why I got a dog." What a brilliant thing to find on the first day.
The Tallulah Gorge is quite impressive and beautiful. Apparently, you can do some white water rafting down there.
A couple of miles down the road I stopped at a grill and had a rather lovely "Tallulah Melt" (burger on sourdough) and a brownie for dessert. Just as I was waiting for the brownie, a huge brown bird of prey (probably an eagle) sailed across the gorge. Too bad it was gone before I could even think of taking out the camera and switching lenses...
Then I left the 441 for a bit to go west on the 76 to Hiawassee along Chatuge Lake and then West again on the 64 to Franklin, NC. From there straight through the Smoky Mountains with some breathtaking scenery. Sadly, the light was mostly failing already and I was running out of time so I was stopping for photos less often than I had wanted to. It was then I realised I should have taken the trip the other way round because in a week's time, the leaves will have turned further (they just about started) and it would be even more beautiful. Oh well, I know next time.
Nothing prepared me for what was to come after I had left the Smokies and entered Gatlinburg. I knew it would be a tourist trap but I hadn't expected a Vegas style strip with all kinds of tourist traps. You'd expect lots of hotels/motels, restaurants, souvenir/craft shops and outdoor/hiking/camping retailers but not neon/LCD screens with Vegas style shows like Magic, Dixie Stampede (and other C&W ripoffs) and of course, Miracle, the "faith-based musical". o_O This continued all the way through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and also in Sevierville to a certain extent. Found my motel, checked in and had dinner at a Cracker Barrel down the road.
I've now decided against Mammoth Cave as it'll be too far for the kind of driving I intend to do (i.e. back roads and stopping often) but I intend to brush Kentucky regardless, just so I can say I was there.
Right, time to turn in. Good night.
There's a photo preview on flickr. Click the thumbnail and then through the first couple of pages:
Not much to say, really. Flight was OK and getting through immigration and customs wasn't too bad, either, just involved long queuing. The first motel in College Park, right outside the airport was fine, too.
