Dandridge Tn.-Ashville-Advance and Winston-Salem N.C.

Wed. On the way to Dandridge we stopped by two RV places we did not find what we were looking for.  After we got set up we looked up a church and found it near Dollywood/Pigeon Forge. We left early so we could visit the area.  On the way we went to a old covered bridge called Harrisburg covered bridge 1875. Linda was weary about going over it for it was narrow so put my mirrors in. Then we past a restaurant (Holston's Kitchen) that looked busy so stopped in for a big meal.  We ate my hot roast beef open face sandwich with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy and took Linda's pasta home for dinner later.The portions where so big we could share! Then to church an a drive up and down the strip. After Starbucks (long overdue) we stopped by The Old Mill built it in 1830. They have a whole block of different shops.  We did not eat there but most of the folks come out with left overs and said the food was wonderful.

Thur. We drove to where Bush beans are made. When we got there we ate lunch.  They have a different sample of beans each day.  For desert we had Bush's Pinto Bean Pecan Pie boy was it good. We then went to the visitors center where we saw a movie of the history and how they make there beans.  They had a lot of interactive displays. My weight in beans is 137,472 and Linda's was 112,896.  From there we drove to Dandridge a town named after president Washington's wife, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington the second  oldest town it Tn. 1783. We stopped by the Tinsley-Bible Drugs and had a peanut- butter malt it was delicious.    It is the same age as the town and still acts as a drug store and soda shop.  We left there to go to a new RV park(Anchor Down).They were priced from $59-$79 a night! Some had a brick fireplace.  It was on the lake and had nice pads. After we got home ate dinner and I washed the truck.

Fri. We went swimming and relaxed.  washed the rig then played sequence.  This is the second afternoon that it hailed and the elect. went out. WE both found a tick on us. The first place we experienced them.

Sat. We got up enjoyed Linda's apple tart and coffee.  After our bible study we left for Asheville N.C.We stopped by rest area/information and got alot of ideas of what to see in N.C. Below are the Mountains we drove through, it just doesn't show their beauty.

We went into Asheville first to French Broad Chocolates. We each had a warm truffle were they GOOD. As we walked around this restaurant. It caught our eye Rhubarb. Below middle Linda is holding a rhubarb plant, next to her is one of the waitress. We had just eaten so we hope to go there next time we visit. We did do a take out Strawberry Rhubarb Fried Pie.  When we got home we found they had warmed it so we just had to eat it then!

If you look close to this trolley you will see that all the folks have to pedal to make it work.  When looking close they look like they  are at a bar as they pedal around town.

Sun. after church we met Heather, Al, Bob and Mona for lunch at Biscuit Head.  We had fried green tomato egg Benedict on a large biscuit.  We then had to get a biscuit for they had many honey and jams to put on them. 

Heather, Linda and I went tubing (2.5 mile over three hours) down the French Broad river.  It was very relaxing we need to do this at least once a week.

Mon. We left for our spot in Advance N.C. at Thousand Trails Forest Lake.  We got a nice wooded site.  After getting set up we went into Lexington to  eat Chinese for the folks where we checked in had take out and it looked good.  We got two orders and brought one home it was good and filling.  We went grocery shopping then home.  We went for a walk around the campground then back to the air conditioned rig.

Tues we drove into Winston/Salem  to get the truck serviced. We visited the Salem part first. It was a trading and traveling stop for those going west and south.  Moravians from eastern Europe settled in the area 1753 built the town in 1766 started the women's college in 1772.

The first three pictures below are in Salem the fence,  the hand water-pump and the tea pot. The rt. middle picture is a water bubbling and cascades of water that goes  around  the entire square park.  Winston started after civil war in 1851 as a industrial center.  They became one city in 1913. In 1929 the R.C. Reynoolds building was complete and was the model for N.Y.C.'s empire State Building(bottom rt). Bottom left is one of the many churches. This is where Krispy Kreme started in 1937 and for the sport fans 1954 birth of minor league baseball.

                               Today Winston-Salem is note for its arts and colleges.

Wed. we did laundry and went to church.