Bluegrass and Blue Ridge 5-12-21 (Knoxville, TN)



We have not had great weather this entire trip, unseasonably cold and very little sunshine, but this morning is the wettest and coldest day so far…and we are headed for the highest elevation on the trip.  On the way to our first stop, we watched a Ken Burns video about the Great Smoky Mountains.  It was a good diversion from the foggy, rain covered bus windows that obscured our view as we traveled along the Blue Ridge Parkway.


Up first this morning was the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.  With a mission “to preserve and perpetuate the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee people”, the museum covers 13,000 years of their history.  Unfortunately we were not able to actually visit the museum as it was unexpectedly closed, something we discovered only after the majority of the bus had made their way to the museum doors.  There are a few advantages to being at the back of bus as we did not even make it off the bus!


Onward to our next stop, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  Here we stopped at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center.  This stop had an exhibit about farming with a short pathway to several historic buildings.  With the inclement weather, extra time on the schedule due to the closed Cherokee Museum and no internet service, most of the group felt we spent a little too long there.  Just a few miles down the road, we with stopped at a picnic area for lunch.  Before departing the Biltmore, the kitchen packed boxed lunches which we enjoyed on picnic tables under a shelter.  Those that ate quickly had time for a stroll on Collins Creek - a quiet walk before we re-boarded the bus.


We made one last stop, this time at the NC/TN line.  This location has an overlook as well as  access to the Appalachian Trail.  With only very little effort, all could claim they have hiked part of the Trail.  Back on the bus we passed through Pigeon Forge and Sevierville on our way to the Hilton in Knoxville, TN for the night.  And yes, this was our second visit to the land of Dollywood since our trip began.


Once again, the hotel was very happy to see Tauck travelers as they hoped it signaled a return to normalcy for the travel industry.  Dinner tonight was “on your own” and we opted to eat at the hotel.  In honor of their first tour group, the chef prepared a special menu just for Tauck travelers.  It was very reasonably priced, unlike most hotel restaurant pricing, and they were more than happy to pack our dessert to go.


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