7th Day Bluff City TN-A Day OFF

It is our last day in this location and we decided to take a day off ,get some groceries,go to the pool,and get things done in the 5W.

But plans is one thing and reality is another,at 10PM (yesterday) we suddenly lost power throughout the trailer ,I did all the regular things,looked to see if it is only us or power is out in the C.G,checked the electrical box outside and the fuse box in the trailer.

Finally I figured out that the Hot Water Tank is causing the problem , so I emptied the tank and regained electricity.

I sent an e-mail to Crossroads service and asked for help,next morning there was an answer advising me to go to a local RV repair shop.

I called the local RV repair mobile person recommended highly by the C.G management  and at 5:30PM ,an hour earlier than scheduled he arrived with his “shop”.

In no time he found the problem-BAD FACTORY WIRING

Accordingly to the repair person it could cause a fire easily, so we are lucky to end this episode with only $171 less in our bank account. 

So this was our last day here,it is a part of any RVers life from time to time ,we put it behind us and are ready for some dinner with wine .

Thank you for visiting.

3rd Day Bluff City TN-Laurel Falls TN

The day started with a great promising weather but for us morning is actually when we wake up so it was not before 1030am before we loaded the hiking gear , a picnic lunch and drove to the TH of the very impressive Laurel Falls http://www.waterfall-picture-guide.com/laurel-falls.html.

The hike is a around 2.3 mills R/T when the last 1/4 mile is very steep going down towards the bottom of the falls-BUT IT IS WEARTH IT.

            

DOWN HILL TO THE BASE OF THE FALLS                ALONG THE TRAIL

Along the trail it was “crowded” 4 people all together including us,what a pleasant surprise.

As we got closer to the falls we could hear the roar of the falling falls but could not yet see it,and then suddenly after another step lifting the eyes from the ground the magnificent sight of the falls where in front of us with a wow factor……

LAUREL FALLS TN

We took our sweet time around this natural beauty and imagined how it might look at full swing or in the winter.

                 

LAUREL FALLS TN                                                     FISHERMAN ALONG THE CREEK

 

As it was only early afternoon we drove to Watauga Dam and had a picnic before going to a movie called “Rock of Ages” with Tom Cruz here it was also “crowded” ,,,4 people including us.

               

PICNIC AT WATAUGA DAM TN                                  AT THE THEATRE

That’s it for today',till we meet again.

2nd day Bluff City-Blue Hole Falls TN

If you like to see a serial of multiply  Waterfalls that can be reached by a great short hike this is the hike for you,it is sure one of our favorites  .

,http://www.wataugalakemagazine.com/blueholefalls.html

Not far from Hampton TN we hiked along a creek to find 5 beautiful waterfalls one more beautiful than the other,they are not the most high falls but the  surroundings are sure very inviting,some of  create a small pool at the bottom and one can swim or play around in them.

   

   

If you will hike this trail wearing  walking shoes then I suggest carrying extra sandals with you so you can walk in the water while crossing  streams,walk in the pools  or wear snickers that you don’t mind if they get wet.

The trail in parts is covered with vegetation and some times looks like not been used for a while but it is difficult to get lost,we did a circle hike instead of coming and going on the same trail and were surprised each time to discover another beautiful spot/fall along the route.

                

Old hut along the trail                                                Hiking down to the bottom of the falls

You can spend a day of just a few hours in this area it all in entirely up to you, we left after completing the circle after 3 hours in which we enjoyed this small “heaven”  that we had almost only for ourselves.

Tree roots hanging to a rock.

On the way back “home” we stopped to see the covered bridge had a good coffee in Elizabethton TN and visited the old General Store that is closing after 120 years…

     

Elizabethton TN covered bridge                        Old general store.

Technorati Tags: Elizabethton TN,Blue Hole Falls

Thanks for visiting.

From Chucky TN to Bluff City TN

After 5 great days in Chucky it was time to say goodbye's and move to another central location just 2 hour drive North.

We like moving the trailer short distances from one place to another provided it will be a base to our close by side trips usually in a radius of 50 miles, this way  it also leaves us a free afternoon to do what ever as  we will not be tired from the trip.

Around noon we arrived to our 4th stop on this trip to a beautiful spacious Lakeview RV Park in Bluff City TN  http://www.lakeviewrvpark.com/ that has it all:View to Boon Lake,full hook ups,Cable TV,WiFi,Pool,very spacious sites and good location.

 

Our site in Lakeview RV Park

The C.G is close to the Crooked Road (Music trail),Bristol (The Birth place of the Country Music ),Roan Mountains,Blue ridge and some great waterfalls,so booked a place for a week to make the most out of it.

We ate lunch and at 6PM we took off to Bristol VA (just 18 minutes North) for a street concert,people brought their chairs ,danced and had hot dogs.

But this small guy stole the show and got all the attention till his mom had to pull him away from the drums.

THE DRUMMER.

We are a kind that always what to see what is beyond the next mountain so here we are in our new “base” looking forward for new adventures …

Technorati Tags: Bristol VA,Bluff City TN,Boon Lake TN,Roan Mountains,Grandfather mountain.

5th Day Chuckey TN- Millstone Creek Falls TN

We have hike to many waterfalls during our travels but never ever saw one that is located in the backyard on a private property ,but I guess there is always a first time.

A short 1/2 hour drive from our C.G we reached an entrance to a private property,reading Mark’s blog http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/2007/08/millstone-creek-falls.html I understood that the owner’s do allow a visit if you “behave” so we rolled into the driveway and asked the owner permission to visit the falls.

He was very kind and let us walk his wooden path passing his house to the looking point,woow what a place and all this in his backyard with a cozy sitting area.

Builders that were working at the house told us that in winter the falls freeze and they are 20 feet wide what makes it an outstanding site.

                       

Some more pictures from the same location.

After thanking the owner we drove down stream and took a hike to the lower part of the falls and that too through a private forest surrounding the falls.

The falls run down into the beautiful Nolichucky River that provides nice spots for swimming,fishing and camping.

http://www.tnvacation.com/vendors/nolichucky_river/

                       

Nolichucky River TN

We walked the beach ,sat on the rocks and enjoyed the light breeze coming our way,Shula took the time to register the moment.

                                         

That is it for today,tomorrow we hook up and head towards Bluff City TN to discover new places,adventures and friends.

Technorati Tags: Nolichucky River,Millstone Falls TN

4th Day Chuckey TN- Rhododendron Fest in Roan Mountain S.P TN

I woke up by a sound of something falling on the roof of our 5W,after getting my bearings I realized that nuts from the tree thought it is an airport and were landing on our roof,as I was already fully awake I realized that it also heavily raining….so here is the part where we change our plans as a result of the weather change,but yesterday the guy on the weather  channel showed a chart for a” partly  sunny” through out the week…..well this must be the ONLY work where you can be wrong and still keep the job.

So we had breakfast , put some additional clothes in the truck incase we get soaked and hit the closest Walmart, it can be expensive but at least it is dry there .

As we finished our shopping the skies turned bright and we could even see some pieces of “blue”  ,so here again plans changed and we drove to David Crocket S.P only finding the museum and the information CLOSED…

As there nothing else we could do there we drove to Jonesborough Flea Market (not so impressive) and got a nice ceramic doll for our grand daughter.

By now it was getting hot and after checking our options we decided to take a drive to Roan Mountain S.P and visit the Rhododendron Gardens and Festival.

             

Lots of vendors food and Music ,after an hour we continued to the Gardens at the top of the mountain and what a sight it was…

            

A short 1/2 mile uphill hike took us to the top of the mountain where the view is breathtaking.

            

I like it when we adopt to the situation and every works out just fine.

3Day Chuckey TN-Sill Branch Falls TN

Today was a low key day only one hike to a fall and later in the evening a concert in the C.G….nice and easy ,we even had a chance to snooz afternoon –what a treat we should do it more often..

We took off around 9AM towards Still Branch Falls http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/2008/12/sill-branch-falls.html in the Cherokee National Forest ,it is one of the falls recommended by a blogger Mark W. Peacock that is very familiar with this area.

Cherokee N.F is a paradise for rough camping and horse riding ,the creeks runs through it provides great small beautiful and inviting spots with small rapids and nice vegetation.

After finding the parking area as described on Marks blog we hiked uphill towards the falls,as you can see it was not at its best but I am sure when it is in a full blast it is very impressive.

On the way back we stopped at a produce stand to get some fresh vegetables and great sweet corn.

At the C.G I helped Larry the owner to cut some tree branches “sitting” on my trailers roof and hit the sack for an hour or so.

Around 6PM everyone brought some food to the C.G shack ,we all got into our best outfit – clean shorts and T shirt VS shorts and T shirts and enjoyed a local noisy off key band-but it was relaxing and fun.

 

Till we meet again.

2nd Day in Chuckey TN-Margarette Falls&Jonesborough TN

The day started very early in the morning ,around 4am I felt very hot and therefore turned the small ventilator on,but it did not start,I checked the electrical connection and found out that we are with no power,as it was still early I went back to bed but woke up again at 7:30am just to find our electrical plug burned out,luckily Lows had it on stock and we were back on track in no time.

At 9am we were ready for Margerette Falls hike http://www.cmpros.com/hiking/Margarette ,a drive of 10 miles from our (great) location and a 2 mile hike R/T took us to a very rewarding hike along a creek and to an outstanding beautiful waterfall.

Along the hike we encountered huge mushrooms,snake and a group of butterfly's,good that we were wearing our hiking boots….

All along the hike we followed a running water creek with high granite walls from both sides which made the whole hike jus great,many small rapids created inviting stop spots in almost every turn,but the most rewarding and exciting is the minute you see the falls ,especially if it comes to sight as a sudden surprise  around a corner-you turn and here it is in front of you in full size woow factor ..

            

SMALL RAPIDS ALONG THE HIKE TO THE WATERFALL

 

THE BEAUTIFUL MARGERETTE FALLS

We took our time to let this sink in ,no rush,enjoyed the natural power of falling waters,the sound and the smells of the wet wood,on the way back Shula “lifted” a huge tree trunk ,it was heavy but not a match to “wonder woman”

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME PASS….

As it was only 1PM we changed our clothes (had it ready in the truck) and took off to Jonesborough the oldest town in Tennessee  just in time to hear a Story Teller in the famous Story Teller Center in the town http://www.storytellingcenter.net/.

All this made us hungry and especially thirsty…so a local Brewery was out next stop followed by a BBQ place –both just fantastic and just as needed it,not far was an old style  Lollipop store which we avoided in purpose….

       

If you think that this was the end of this endless day you got something coming,there was a street concert at the town square at 7PM ,so we pulled our folding chairs and enjoyed great young girl singer singing among others Petty Klein…

What a way to conclude this outstanding day,wow I am tired see you soon-tomorrow.