Strange Folks Traveling Together - Also Known As The T@b Blue Ridge Rally!!!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Loving the trip report!

It reminds me of Scotty trips we took when I was growing up (in the late '60s early '70s). We belonged to a club that did lots of weekend trips. We also did 2 caravan trips, so I'm looking forward to see what yours was like. I guess those summers with my family left an impression, cause now I really want to buy an old Scotty and relive my youth!

It's a real shame they quit making the T@bs. Do you know why they did?

Well, when the economy tanked, Dutchmen shut down production on EVERYTHING on August 30, 2009. Then when they reopened a couple of months later, they announced their new lineup of only 7 trailer models, down from 18 models. They basically only had simple white boxes left. Plus the T@Bs with all of the European parts had a pretty low profit margin from what I understand.

However, good news is on the horizon.

Little Guy has purchased the rights to the T@B name from Dutchmen and will be producing T@Bs again soon. They are keeping the shape and a lot of the look, but will be using entirely American parts, so that means an American frame with electric brakes and the need for a brake controller. We lose the nifty Alko frame with surge brakes and a hand brake.

So far, the Little Guy T@Bs are only one model with the inside kitchen, no clamshells, and no T@Das yet. The news ones will be built in SugarCreek, OH by the Amish.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Time for another installment.

Sunday, May 1st, 2011, My Birthday!!

It turns out there were 12 of us that were going to be traveling together along the Blue Ridge Parkway to head to our next destination.

Now, I was SOOO excited, cause as long as I've owned my camper, and as much as I've been out with my T@B and gone to T@B gatherings, I've NEVER, EVER seen another T@B on the road. I've seen them at other campgrounds, and at dealers on the highway, but never ever on the road, so to be traveling along with 12 other T@Bs/T@DAs was going to be so cool!!

We all lined up at the exit of the campground and headed on our way about 10am.

Our first stop was the Pisgah Inn.

It was a hotel along the Blue Ridge Parkway that had a cute gift shop, a nice restaurant, and some beautiful views. A lot of us ordered sandwiches to go and we had a picnic in the parking lot.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Time to continue on.....

After our rest and lunch we continued along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Our next stop was the......

It was SOOOO cool traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a beautiful Sunday, the sites were wonderful and watching everyone's expressions were awesome!! For one section I was about the 4th in line. You could see folks look as the first trailer passed by, then the second one passes by and there are double takes, then obvious stares, waves, thumbs up, and horns beeping as the rest of us pass by.

At every stop there were folks wanting tours and asked LOTS of questions. We had a ball!!!!

We then continued on, and I got brave enough to snap a picture while driving.

One last scenic overlook stop on the Blue Ridge

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

After that little stop and photo op, we headed on to our next destination,

The Little River Townsend KOA on the edge of the Smoky Mountain National Forest.

There was some major construction going on and even had some one lane roads, so while stopped on the road got a chance for a couple of road shots

More to come soon!!!!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I guess those summers with my family left an impression, cause now I really want to buy an old Scotty and relive my youth!

Did you know you can actualy buy brand new Scottys now :-)

[mgsmom 9]

Those caravan pictures are SO cool!!! :banana:

I bet you guys drew lots of attention!

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

That looks like so much fun and it was gorgeous. I can imagine people doing a double take when they saw your group go by.

[BouncingTiggers 98]

great pics

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

You ever post something that is beautiful and brilliant only to realize it didn't take!! Well I just did, so here is try #2 for the next installment of this trip report!!!

We arrived at our destination campground all at once and were quite the cluster getting in as we were all very near to each other and they were all backin sites!!! We all did get settled in and set up, then somebody quickly got the fire ring going and we all gathered Happy Hour provisions and spent the evening drinkin and socializing around the fire!!!

It was the perfect ending to the perfect birthday!!!!

Coming next, turkeys and bears and Mountains oh my!!!

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

:popcorn:

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The next morning we all gather at the campground entrance for a bus tour to Cades Cove (in the Smoky Mountain National Forest)

We all get settled on the bus and off we go

We've got some great river views on the way in

We saw some wild turkeys

Lots of majestic mountain scenery

A deer

and a Bear!!!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

A Bear! How cool is that :banana: :banana:

[SCTigerCock 171]

:popcorn:

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

We also learned that Cades Cove was a thriving settlers community with

Churches

Cemeteries

(If you can prove you are a direct desendent of the settlers here, you can still be buried here)

A town center with the public building

A blacksmith shop

a water run mill

(Did you know "millin around" came from the settlers coming into town and waiting on their turn to have their corn/grain milled)

and the grand house in town

Of course most of the settlers lived in log homes like this

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

We returned to the campground and I got shots of all of us at the campground.

FYI the website for the Little River KOA is: http://koa.com/campgrounds/townsend-great-smokies/

Snarky Sign is out again!!

Also, Olivia (Liv Luvs Disney) and her beautiful children came by for a bit

Then the group all wandered down the road for dinner at a local place

The name is.....

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

Scenery like that always makes me feel so alive! I love the explaination of "millin around."

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

It's time to continue on.

After dinner, we once again got a fire going, pulled out the happy hour stuff and enjoyed each other's company.

The next morning about 10am, we pulled out and continued on our drive. By way, for this portion of the journey we are down to 8 of us. The other 5 had to continue home, or onto other adventures.

Today was a short driving day, less than 100 miles and the drive honestly was not fun. It was through downtown Knoxville (in an effort to avoid the interstate). It wasn't even an interesting downtown, just your basic redlight every 100 yards.

This was about the only interesting thing I saw:

We arrived at Cumberland Gap National Park visitor center with a huge threat of rain nearby:

We went inside to check on our campsites and learned that there was another large group at the campground, and that if we wanted electric sites, we needed to get on over. (This was the only campground in our trip that didn't take reservations).

So we all scooted on over to the campground, found our sites and got set up. This is the Wilderness Road Campground in Lee County, Virginia (part of Cumberland Gap National Park) only $17.50 a night for electric.

This was the view out my camper window:

After setting up, the rains came down. We had to go back to the visitor center in the rain to pay for our campsite (if you didn't have cash)

Wandered around there, and settled into the camper for the night with a good book and the radio. I decided to have a couple of pop tarts and a tuna lunch kit for dinner. The cold and the rain and the stressful drive did me in.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Carol-

Great update!

I am always fascinated when I see campsite with multiple levels. I have never towed my camper out of Florida, and wouldn't know how to level it if I ever had to.

The photos of y'all caravanning is great. I would have loved to see a line of T@bs coming down the road.

I also enjoyed the photo of Olivia and her children.

Looking forward to more.

TCD

[anolefan 8]

Loving your report!

Cades Cove is a great place to visit, we have been there a few times and usually make a day of it. Townsend is a much more enjoyable area to stay when visiting the GSMNP IMO.

You are doing a great job of capturing the wonderful scenery along your journey.

More please!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Carol-

Great update!

I am always fascinated when I see campsite with multiple levels. I have never towed my camper out of Florida, and wouldn't know how to level it if I ever had to.

Looking forward to more.

TCD

Well, you've got a popup, (single axle, I assume) so you know front to back leveling is done with the toungue jack and/or wheel. For side to side leveling you need the following:

http://www.campingwo...e-leveler/21017

It is the easiest thing since sliced bread. You place it around the wheel on the low side of the trailer and crank it up until you are level. It is acts as a GREAT wheel chock. Your camper isn't gonna roll anywhere with that thing on.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

OK, as I said before, with the rain and the cold, Cumberland Gap National Park was a bit of a bust. All of us cozied in and pretty much just stayed warm and dry. I was asleep by about 8pm and didn't wake up till about 8 the next morning.

Since most of us did the absolute mininum setup, we were out of there and on the road by about 9am.

Our first stop was in town for McDonalds coffee and/or hot chocolate and gas

Oh, by the way we were now in Kentucky. If you don't know Cumberland Gap is at the corner of Tennesse, Virginia, and Kentucky. You can be in all three states within a few minutes of each other.

There was also a pretty cool tunnel that we went through, but I never got pictures of it.

After warming our bellies and filling our tanks, we were on our way to our next destination:

Once again, the drive for this portion was not all that scenic. But our destination was fun.

This is Sanders Cafe, home to the FIRST Kentucky Fried Chicken opened by Col Harland Sanders

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

After exploring the museum and having some "Tucky Fried Chicken" for lunch we continued on to our next stop.

Cumberland Falls State Park.

http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/cf/

We arrived at the campground and all quickly got set up.

It's kindof hard to see from this picture, but two sites share an electrical and water connection. My water hose had to stretch directly across the firepit. Good thing I didn't want a fire!!

After setting up, we headed over to the visitor center and the falls

More to come soon

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

That evening we went to dinner at the lodge

There was a racoon outside the lodge window helping himself to the contents of the bird feeders

A lot of us also lingered in the lodge lobby for the fireplace and the free WiFi. I had LOTS of emails and birthday wishes to catch up on.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Hey Carol, that's a nice looking sweatshirt you're wearing. :banana:

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Hey Carol, that's a nice looking sweatshirt you're wearing. :banana:

It is isn't it!!!!