Beckley WV Camping

On our way home from the Discovery Rally in Renfro Valley, the Parsons, Halsteads and Tolsons decided to spend a few days in the Beckly WV area. We seem to pass thru this area going here or there, but had not stopped to do any sightseeing. So this time we decided to stop! What a wonderful time we had exploring the area with wonderful fall weather and good friends.

Here's our Camping Spot--no noise, no traffic, no grass! We had water and electric.

Campground Dog--This mangy guy came around each evening to visit while we were sitting outside. He was well fed, as he never begged for food. He sure needed a bath!

Beautiful Wild Flower & Bee

New River Gorge Bridge looking up from the old Bridge.

[Mem & Larry Halstead, Donna, Janice & Ralph Parsons]

Glade Creek Grist Mill

Hinton, WV Train Museum--We enjoyed seeing this wood carved display of the railroad; this is just a small portion of the whole thing. Great museum and worth the stop!

We stopped at the Sandstone Falls on our way to Hinton, WV.

Here we [Larry, Chuck, Janice, Ralph and Mem] are on the porch of a restaurant over looking the New River in Hinton, WV. It was a beautiful day, BUT the yellow jackets were terrible!

Renfro Valley & Discovery Club Rally

From Oct 8 thru the 11, we enjoyed spending time with our Discovery club "family" at a rally in Renfro Valley KY www.renfrovalley.com/, hosted by Bob and Carol Baugh and Bob Nelson. We had wonderful weather for the whole rally and didn't lack for food either! Breakfast was served all 3 mornings and we enjoyed a family style dinner (fried chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, etc.) but on by the restaurant there in Renfro Valley. Some folks went to see Loretta Lynn perform either Friday or Saturday night and then we the rest of us went to the "Renfro Valley Barn Dance" on Saturday night. Wonderful show!

Breakfast Cooks--Bob Baugh (Host) Martha Palasota and Bob Nelson (Host)

Facing: Ralph Parsons (our SOB guest) & Jim Campbell

Breakfast Time! Halsteads, Karen Didich & the Kreiners

Lollie, Janice, Mem and LaVerne at the Berea KY Artisan Center

www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov/

Time to eat! Get plenty of syrup now!
Cliff Newton, Bob Foerster, Carol Baugh (Host) & Pete Palasota

Janice Parsons and Mem Halstead learning how to compose music

Donna getting a ride on Newtons' Trike

Discovery Members Attending the Renfro Valley, KY Rally

What do you do when you are waiting for your food at Cracker Barrel?

Outside the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Ralph & Janice Parsons, Nelsons, Harry & Mary Condrey,

Chuck Tolson, Mem & Larry Halstead

www.kymusichalloffame.com/

Several of us women went to a couple of local (out in the country!) potterys where the artists spoke to us about their techniques--Bybee Pottery and Tater Knob www.taterknob.com/, where several of us bought some pottery. We also spent some time at the KY Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Fall Fair at the Memorial Park in Berea, where Mem and I bought several pieces of jewelry.

Cumberland Gap Area

What a beautiful sunny day we had to visit the Cumberland Gap Area. The Halsteads, Parsons and us were traveling together to go to a Discovery International Club rally in Renfro Valley, KY. This will be the Halsteads first Discovery rally since joining and the Parsons will be our SOB (Some Other Brand) guests.

Cumberland Gap Tunnel

Parking at Cumberland Gap Visitor Center

We watched a couple of films about Daniel Boone and the Westward Movement and one about Cumberland Gap

Red Leaves at Pinnacle Overlook in Cumberland Gap

We all piled into Larry & Mem's car and took a ride up to the Pinnacle Overlook.

Mem & Willey the Portuguese Water Dog at Pinnacle Overlook

(The couple that owned Willey had a second dog named Otis for Otis Redding who sang "The Dock of the Bay". I forget who Willey is named for, but it isn't Willey Nelson!)

We spent the night at one of our favorite campgrounds--Wal-Mart in Middlesboro, KY.

Heading Back to VA to Rest Up for Next Trip

Today we left Nashville about 9:00 a.m. and headed southeast to Rt. 40 to drive across TN and then up I81 in VA. We spent the night at a relatively new Wal-Mart in Dublin, VA and had a tractor trailer park beside us that ran his generator ALL NIGHT! Not good for sleeping, but what do you want for FREE! Tomorrow we will drive the rest of the way home and begin the unpacking process.

So long until the next trip.

Nashville Tour & General Jackson Dinner and Show

Tommy's Tours

This afternoon the four of us, Janice & Ralph and Chuck & I, took a 3-hr tour of Nashville with Tommy Garmon, who is also a comedian. With just a day and a half to see Nashville, we opted for this tour that covered downtown, Ryman, Hall of Fame, Charlie Daniels Museum, the Wild Horse Saloon, Coyote Ugly and homes of Brooks & Dunn, Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Lea Ann Rimes, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. There were 27 of us on his van and it was a quick tour of all of the things I listed above with just two 2 15-minute stops downtown to see the old Train Station and the street with all of the Saloons on it. It made for a good over view of Nashville and we know what we'd like to go back and see more of.

Passing Glimpse of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

A Passing Glance of the Ryman Auditorium (the Mother Church of Country Music) in Downtown Nashville

Old Customs House Downtown Nashville

Nashville Downtown Saloons

AT&T "Batman" and US Bank "Star Wars R2-D2" Bldgs Downtown Nashville

Inside Wildhorse Saloon

Downtown "Nashville Cowboy" Boot Store--with a 15-minute stop, there was no time for serious buying--just looking!

Beautiful Union Station Hotel Downtown Nashville (Beautiful Stained Glass & Decor)

Alan Jackson's 500 Acres and House at Sweetbriar--Roof being Retiled

Dolly Parton's Nasville Home

General Jackson Dinner and NashVegas on the River Show

This evening we boarded the General Jackson Showboat, a 300-ft paddlewheel riverboat, for a 3-hr cruise down the Cumberland River along with dinner and a show. We enjoyed drinks and jazz band music up on the top deck before heading down below for dinner and the show--NashVegas. Dinner was very good with salad, char-grilled skinless chicken breasts with roasted red bell pepper cream, boneless short ribs of beef served in a forest mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and all the fixings. Desert was strawberry shortcake and very good. We were seated at table 8 which was very close to the left side of the stage. So we had no problem seeing the show, but the music seemed pretty loud! My favorite impersonator was "Elton John". He sang and acted just like him. "Tina Turner" sure had some beautiful legs and could move! "Elvis" was okay.

General Jackson Show Boat

Chuck, Donna, Janice & Ralph Enjoying Happy Hour and Listening to Jazz Band

Tina (Vivian Ross-Scott), Elvis (Michael Conti) & Elton John (Mitch Adams) Impersonators

Jazz Band Performing on Deck

Fort Campbell & Nashville, TN

Fort Campbell, Clarksville, TN

This morning--a nice sunny warm day, Ralph unhooked his car and the 4 of us headed out to Fort Campbell. We drove all around the Post where Janice and Ralph reminisced about the time that they were stationed there. We even found the house Drennan Park that they had lived in and where Ralph's office was located. We were glad that they got to see all of the Post and "remember when" and check out what was new.

Then we headed out to our next destination--Nashville, TN.

Two Rivers Campground, Nashville

It was a nice short drive into Nashville and the sun was shining brightly and the weather was perfect for sightseeing. After we got settled in (Site 414 Tolsons and Site 413 Parsons), we drove a short distance over to the Grand Ole Opry to pick up our tickets for the show tonight. Well, the show is subject to change and we found out that the Del McCoury Band would not be there--bummer! They are one of our favorite bluegrass bands. Next we drove over to the Opryland Hotel--what a place. (The folks at the campground told us that if you park in section 6C of the Opry Mills Mall, you can walk across the street by the BIG rock and walk into the back of the hotel and not have to pay for parking!) You could spend days in there walking around and going to all of the shops and restaurants! They had maps posted everywhere so you could figure out where you were. After the hotel, we decided to head over to the General Jackson Showboat to see about getting show and dinner tickets for the next evening.

Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Wow, what a place! After walking around just part of the hotel, we decided to have an early dinner at Findley's Irish Pub. It was a good choice as their fish (deep sea cod) and chips was really good and we got to try a new beer - Shock Top. It is an Anheuser-Busch Belgian White ale. After lunch, we stopped in an Italian ice cream store and tried Gelato--different, but good. We walked thru the atrium areas of the hotel--all under glass--until our legs and feet were sore and it was time to go to the Grand Ole Opry show. Here's a few pictures of the many that I took:

Map of Hotel

There are 4 major areas of the hotel that are "under" glass: Delta, Cascades, Magnolia & Garden Conservatory.

Bird of Paradise Plant in Garden Conservatory--

just one of many, many plants and flowers that I took pictures of!

Garden Conservatory

Janice & Ralph Parsons at just one of the many fountains in the hotel

Jack Daniel's Restaurant inside Garden Conservatory Area

Canal in the Delta Area

Here's the Boat that you could take a ride on thru the Delta

Wasabi Restaurant in the Cascades Area

Grand Ole Opry & Museum

Next it was off to spend an hour in the Museum and then go to the Opry for tonights show. It was a great show with 8 diffferent performers: John Conlee - Rose Colored Glasses; Richie McDonald - he was a member of Lonestar, but is out on his own now; Charlie Louvin, Raul Malo - we really enjoyed this group with its sax and horn!; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys (of past Jim & Jesse Bluegrass Group), Point of Grace - 3 very lively women singing gospel; The Time Jumpers - a western swing band; and a mystery gentleman cowboy that I don't rember his name who wasn't on the program (see pic of him below).

Donna in Audience of Display Depicting Old Ryman Theater in Museum

Donna - Time for the Grand Ole Opry Show!

Grand Ole Opry

JCI (where Chuck retired from) was One of Five Sponsors of Tonite's Show - Can You Believe it!!

Mystery Cowboy Singer

What a full day we had and we will have no trouble sleeping tonight! Tomorrow it will be another full day of sightseeing in Nashville!