Minor Mechanical Difficulties

So, last night we were just coming into Richmond, Virginia and the motorhome started making a strange noise, it was about 8 pm and not quite dark. We pulled into a parking lot just as the brakes locked up. We got out and noticed there was hydraulic fluid all over the car and underneath the motorhome. Upon further inspection, ha ha, Bill diagnosed the problem. Fluid was leaking out the emergency brake system, a switch had gone bad. We spent the night in a parking lot, where a woman drove up to us, asked if we had broken down and offered to take us to get parts/help and let us know if we were going to be sleeping there, we were safe and the police were fine with it.
Next morning, (this am) Bill found the part we needed and fixed it and we are already in our campsite! We are so blessed, we had been driving through mountains and where there were no towns and just as we come to a city of some size, the motorhome breaks down, couldn't have been better!! And for only $79.00.

The bad part

Master Mechanic Bill

Smoky National Park Tennessee

We have also enjoyed going to the places where generations have been at work making all kinds of things, from braided rugs, made from old fabric, brooms the same family has been making for 3 generations, wood carvings, spinning, pottery.



We met this wonderful family as we were driving through Cades Cove, really enjoyed meeting them!!
Beautiful butterflies, so many of them, all beautiful

Dan Lawson built this house in l856. The brick chimney, unusual for the time and locale, was built of bricks made on the site. These homes were built without nails or pegs, they had notched corners , the round logs were scored along their length, and the open spaces were filled with mud.

Baptist congregations used the cove's streams for baptisms.

Cades Cove, Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

We're in Smoky Mountain National Park outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It's so beautiful here. We went to Cades Cove and drove through it, it was a farming community and by 1850 Cades Cove supported 685 members of 137 households. Distilleries, both legal and illegal operated in Cades Cove. The national park was established in 1934, moving most of the remaining families out.

John P. Cable built this house in 1879

Too bad the traffic bothers him so much

That's a bear way up there

Inside the Baptist church

John Oliver arrived in the Cove prior to 1820 and bought this land in 1826. It remained in the family until the park was established more than 100 years later.

Grist Mill

Our campsite in Yogi Bears Jellystone Park

Max Patch, North Carolina

Went on a picnic with our friends Steve and Joy. About an hour away from Asheville, Max Patch, we were on top of a mountain surrounded by incredible mountain views, trees, even lakes. We drove part way up a gravel road and then walked up the hill, best place ever to have a picnic. Joy packed a wonderful picnic dinner: corn from their garden, chicken, garlic bread, wine. so good.

Our wonderful campground host, Andy, at Campfire Lodgings

Great place to start the day with a cup of coffee

Asheville, North Carolina

Started raining about midnight, and just about rained all night, but cleared up in the morning and we had a beautiful day. We were going to go to Nashville, but since they had a flood, think we'll pass. Don't think Bill will have any teeth left at the end of our trip, too much sweet tea.

Thanks for all of your comments, we LOVE hearing from all of you, keep 'em coming!!!


These are pictures from our campground. If we had a view like this at home, I doubt anything would get done. The pictures don't do it justice. So beautiful, and watching the colors change as the sun went down was amazing. Too much cloud cover for a good sunset, maybe tomorrow.

Some of the buildings in downtown Asheville, will get more pictures tomorrow.

These are pictures of the freeway, sounds funny, but it was so beautiful.

12 Bones Jalapeno Cheese Grits

12 Bones Jalapeno Cheese Grits

1 qt milk
1 qt water
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 Tbls. salt
2 cups stone ground grits
1/2 of a poblano, diced
1/4 of a jalapeno, diced
1/4 of a red pepper, diced
5 oz. yellow Cheddar Cheese
5 oz. Pepper Jack Cheese



In a skillet over medium heat combine milk, water, butter, salt and grits. Whisk often to prevent burning. Once grits begin to soften, add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low; simmer until grits are soft.

Asheville, North Carolina

We're in Asheville, North Carolina, by far the prettiest place we've been to so far. We absolutely love it here. The town is so quaint and beautiful. Lots of fun things to see. They even have a chocolate lounge which has incredible liquid truffles! We love the old, charming homes here, and it is just unbelievably beautiful. Our campground is overlooking a river and looking at the Blue Ridge Mountains.
We have been visiting an old friend of Laurie's from Escondido. Such fun to see her again after more than 20 years! Joy has been a wonderful tour guide and took us to downtown Asheville and introduced us to the Chocolate Lounge, dangerous place; and to the art district down by the river and then home to her charming 1930's bungalow and we met her husband Steve and two of their daughters, Steve and their daughters are wonderful artists. Joy made us gumbo and incredible cheese grits!!
Sunday we went to church with Joy and Steve and we went for Mexican food, finally good Mexican food.
Drove to Chimney Rock, hard to believe it could get any prettier, but it did. Then back to Joy and Steve's and made tamales, yummy!!!
We think our whole family should move here with us :-)
In and around Ashville, North Carolina

View from our campground

My friend Joy and I

Laurie, Bill, Joy and Steve