The next day was a sort of a free
day. We decided to drive toward Knoxville, TN, and spend the day viewing the
attractions in Sevierville and Pigeon Ford.
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| Entering Tennessee |
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This would be Mimi’s perfect day
and she guided us to Sevierville’s famed Apple Barn—a place to spend money on
all things apples. The original farmhouse, now a restaurant, is surrounded by
apple orchards.Within this complex of stores, one can purchase candies, baked
goods, ciders, wines, and ice cream, all with apples being the common thread.
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| At the Apple Barn |
The
girls left with some souvenirs for their mom and dad; apple things. Mimi next
guided us to Pigeon Ford’s unique Christmas Store, which is so huge, you can
get lost in. The girls really enjoyed the displays and some souvenirs for their
Christmas tree. It was lunchtime, and we found a park next to a stream adjacent
to the Christmas Store’s parking lot. We had lunch in a covered picnic area and
watched the ducks swim in the stream. It was hot and time to check into our
motel so the girls could enjoy the swimming pool.
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| Enjoying the pool! |
After cooling off and
cleaning up, we decided to go out for dinner, but there were sparse offerings
at this exit, and we ended up at a Cracker Barrel restaurant. Everyone got to
pick what they wanted from the extensive menu, so it worked out OK. We returned
to our room and crashed for the night.
The next day we fulfilled our
promise to the girls and took them to Dollywood. We had promised two days at
this amusement park, but with temperatures forecast to hit 97° and with a
likelihood of rain the second day, we started to back pedal. We entered the
park and made our way to the attractions farthest from the entrance, so we
could work our way back to the entrance around closing time and when the
fireworks were set off.
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| Enteriing Dollywood |
As the day wore on, the temperature did soar, and
around 1600, a lightning storm closed the rides. The girls had been on most of
the major rides, but were waiting for the park’s major ride—the Screamin’ Eagle—to
reopen. We told them that if it didn’t open by 1800, we were going to leave and
check into our hotel. They were at the front of the line, and even though Sadie
said the clock said 1800, they waited one more minute and the announcement came
that the ride was open!
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| Enjoying the ride |
So they got to ride one of Dollywood’s major
attractions and most of the major rides they had highlighted. They had no sooner finished the ride when it started to lightening
and rain again. Time to go. We left Dollywood, got take-out for supper, and
checked into our motel. The motel had a magnificent swimming pool which the
girls enjoyed until well after dark.
We left early the next morning,
hoping to make it to our home in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. A day at the beach was
our makeup for the second day at Dollywood.
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| At the Screamin' Eagle |
We arrived around mid-afternoon and
no sooner had we unloaded the van, than the girls were on the beach. After coming
off the beach, we cleaned up and headed for a Chinese restaurant that had been
voted on earlier. Back home, we watched a little TV before turning in.
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| Mmmm! Georgia peaches |
We drove
the girls back to Louisiana the next day and deposited them with their parents.
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| At the beach! |
All in all it was a great adventure and we hope we can do something with them
again next year. Geez, 7 days and no beatings—are we great grandparents or
what?
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| Back home! |
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