2019 Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains

As a younger man, like 60’s or thereabouts, I said I would never care to join an Over-the-Road Coach Tour. This was my third. I don’t have to plan my trip. I don’t have to choose the places to stay. And I don’t have to decide on the wonderful things I will do.
Would I plan to experience a Dolly Pardon Hokey Hatfield & McCoy musical? I’m sure not. But ‘they’ did and, other than the corniness of the skits, the music, singing and the athletic dance routines were excellent. As this, and the other similar ones, were all dinner shows, the food was rather repetitive, but in keeping with our southern expectations, filling and quite good.
During our visit we spent some time in the Smoky Mountains with a wonderful guide who was very knowledgeable about the mountains and the Cherokee Americans that once occupied that territory. I could have spent the entire day, or more, with him but, instead we wasted far too much of our time wandering the tourist trap streets of Gatlinburg. Here we could taste test a varieties of flavored Moon Shine at the Smoky Mountains Moon Shine distillery and pay much more for a jar of the same stuff we could buy back home. I, at least, when we got back home, learned that Moon Shine can be purchased in my neck of the woods.
Only eight days long, the journey was filled with experiences that I would, otherwise, not have participated in. Glad I did.
Relatively inexpensive, relaxing, good companions, it was a nice getaway.
(More about the trip on the Kentucky Page)
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2017 Memphes

2017 Graceland

We visited the home Elvis Presley as part of a trip to New Orleans in March of 2017. The "Den" is the only garish part of the house that Elvis lived in. This "jungle" filled with Tiki style furnishings was a favorite more for his wife than him. The remaining rooms that we were permitted to view were modest and would be commonly seen in most middleclass homes.

1976 Nashville

About 1976, I and the gal I sang with, the person who I was going to create this wonderful vocal sub career with, the vocal duo of Doug & Mary or Mary & Doug, depending on who you asked, sent my kids to grandma’s, got in my car, and drove to Ohio to visit her family. On our journey back we stayed a couple of nights in Nashville because Mary wanted to attend a show at the famous Grand Ole Opera. We had reserved seats months ahead of time. Country music not being in my wheel house I didn’t know most of the names of those who performed but could tell that they were famous by the enthusiastic reception they got when they entered the stage. The only name I recognized was that of Mini Pearl, the lady with the price tag still on her hat, who supposedly was a comedian. There was much laughter at her comments. I smiled politely.