Official "Peepers"

We drove the Cherohala Skyway to enjoy the changing of the leaves and thus are now official leaf peepers. Florida has it's blue hairs; Tennessee has it's peepers. The Cherohala Skyway is a 40-mile, winding mountain road that crosses through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests, connecting Tellico Plains, TN and Robbinsville, NC. The Cherohala is a motorcyclist's dream. A portion of it is called the Dragon's Tail because of it's ups and downs and never-ending curves. The foliage was peaking, the creeks sparkling, and the waterfalls gorgeous. Try this link and click on slideshow for more pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hOiodt5d9ku-gQaB03n2ew

Lost Sea Found

How would you like to be a nine year old boy who one day is exercising his typical curiosity and wanders into a cave and discovers America's largest underground lake? The huge caverns are large enough to hold a two-story building. There's evidence of indian tribes holding pow wows, moonshiners brewing, and Civil War soldiers hiding out there. We took a boat ride across the 140-feet-below-ground lake and watched huge Rainbow Trout vying for the food our guide provided. Pictures were tough because of the limited lighting, but trust me, it was awesome down there.

All Aboard!

The Hiwassee River Rail Adventure is a 50-mile train ride along the Hiwassee River gorge. This passenger railroad was originally planned to run from Knoxville, TN, to Marietta, GA, with construction beginning in 1887. There were many obstacles to overcome, the greatest of which was a 3.5% grade (very high for a train) due to a rise in elevation from 750 feet to 1580 feet. At the TN-GA connecting point, there was a 200-foot vertical separation. Passenger service began in mid-1890 but only lasted a few years and the line went into receivership. After that, it was used primarily for freight until 2006 when it was converted to an excursion railroad. Autumn along the Hiwassee River is absolutely beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed this three-hour train trip with my brother, Robbie.

KOA Kolors

The autumn leaves drift by my window. . .as the song goes. Fall is upon us, and our decision to stay in the Smokey Mountain area until the leaves change was a good one. We can walk out the door of our motor home and experience beautiful foliage right here in the RV park. Of course from a maintenance perspective, the fallen leaves are a nuisance, but since we're departing in a week or so, that task will rest on the remaining workampers!

Campfire Comradarie

These cooler evenings we've been experiencing just invite a campfire. Drew is a fire-builder extraordinaire and partly because of where our site is and partly (we like to think) because of our hospitable nature, we have become a gathering place. Our spot is across from Kamp K-9, so it's easy to start a conversation with dog lovers like ourselves. Often we end up sharing some of our "valley vino" (see previous post) and great conversation with other park guests who are passing through. We also keep a supply of marshmallows on hand for the long-term kids here we've come to know who stop by to visit Buddy. One fellow workamper calls me the Pied Piper because when I'm out walking Buddy, the kids trail along one-by-one and end up at our site.

Wild Thang!

With the cooler weather we've been getting here in eastern Tennessee, the wildflowers have become resplendent. It's almost as if they are hurrying to show their colors before the leaves take center stage. Along the highways, the flowers form a carpet of color. Out in the fields, they stand up tall, their brilliant colors contrasting against the clear blue sky. God's canvas is awesome.

Say "Cheese"!

Little ole Sweetwater has it's own cheese factory! Most of Sweetwater Valley Farm's milk is sold to Mayfield (see previous blog: "Holy Cow!"), but about 15% is used to make farmstead cheese in over 24 varieties. Feed blends for their Holsteins and Jerseys are mixed according to the age of the cow, using ingredients such as soy bean, cottonseed, hominy, and a specialized mineral mix. Each cow consumes about 100 lbs. of feed and 50 gallons of water per day! The cows are milked three times a day and produce between 8 and 10 gallons of milk. We were able to watch the automated process. After a walking tour of the dairy, we partook of the numerous samples back in the farm store. Drew's cheese of choice and purchase was the Tomato Herb cheddar, while mine was the Buttermilk cheddar. Buddy likes anything!