1 year, 10 months and 16 days from today - A May 2016 PTR FINAL UPDATE 5/6/16

[ddstratton]

May 2015 trip – Day 2


We got up and around, and left the hotel room at 7:35. Here’s DD up and ready – in the MORNING!!! This is unusual for her. She’s usually up at the crack of noon.

We packed up the van again and drove down to the main building for breakfast. It was nothing fancy – biscuits and gravy, two dry cereals, oatmeal, toast, apples, juice. But it was breakfast. We left the hotel at 7:56.

We stopped at the Dollar General nearby, and had to wait a couple of minutes for it to open. We bought a coffee drink, a sprite and 2 bags of trail mix (different kinds). Total here was $7.83. We left here at 8:07.

We stopped for gas at 10:09. $20.00 for 7.729 gallons at $2.58 per gallon. We also bought another coffee drink, a box of raspberry filled donuts and a Cheerwine (we don’t have this cherry flavored soda at home). $8.63 here. We left at 10:09.

Entered Georgia around 10:15 am.

We arrived at Pete’s Music City at 12:02. DD looked around a bit, and bought some picks and a mini harmonica with her own money. We left at 12:24.

We stopped at the Classic Kitchen for lunch, at 12:34. This is another TripAdvisor find. DH had grilled salmon, rice and green beans, DD had a chicken tender wrap with fries and fried zucchini, and I had a cheeseburger with onions and mushrooms with onion rings. We all had Coke. Total was $44.62 plus $7 tip. Food was very good, and service was too. We left at 1:33.

We arrived at our hotel at 3:35. $181.70 here, for two nights. We had a group rate for this, ad regular rack rate would have been a bit more. Room 305. We checked in, took our lugage up to the room, then headed right back out. We had to get to AllMuscleCars for the party! We left at 4:01. DH was a little concerned about the van, because it wasn’t acting right. Almost like the transmission is not working right when it heats up. We ended up getting a bottle of Lucas Transmission Fix and a can of SeaFoam for the gas. Between the two, the van seemed to be running fine.

We stopped for gas first - $30.00 for 11.542 gallons at $2.59 per gallon. After that, we headed to the party. We found Adam – the driver of the rig - and DD got to sit in the truck right away. This first picture is where Adam asked if she’d like to sit in the rig now. The second one – well, you can see how quickly she ran to the rig. I barely had time to get a shot of her before she was in it!

Yeah, I think she’s happy to be here…

She was having a blast. DH and I left her there for a few minutes while we went back to town. We went to the Dollar General and got two lawn chairs, some sunscreen and a couple of drinks. $23.98.

We went back to the party and found DD. They had food, and we got a couple of plates. BBQ chicken and pork (shredded), roast beef, baked beans, mac & cheese, chips, burgers. We just hung out for a while. I started getting bit up by bugs. We went to the van and I put cortizone cream on, and put my jeans back on. We found some Off at the food tables, and I used that. The bugs left me alone after that. The party was a lot of fun! Just a bunch of people hanging out and having a good time.

DD and Tyler – the owner of the rig, and the organizer of the Snowman’s Run.

Those airhorns are not just for looks. They are real. And LOUD!

At one point in the evening, Tyler – the owner of the rig and the Sheriff’s car – gave Elizabeth something to look at. He had a notebook full of memorabilia from the Smokey and the Bandit movie. She spent quite a while looking through that book!

This was a private property at the end of a dead-end road. The road was on a bit of a hill, and paved. Perfect place for burn-outs, right? Quite a few people were attempting them. Some had more success than others. It was fun to watch though.

DD and Adam – the driver of the rig.

You know it’s a good party when the cops show up, right? Well, these cops showed up just to look at the cars and the truck! We stayed at the party until 9:00.

We stopped for more gas - $12.70 for 4.885 gallons at $2.59 per gallon. We also bought a couple of sandwiches, chocolate milk, water and a coffee drink for $13.83. We got back to the hotel at 9:41. We brought the rest of our bags up and relaxed in the room for a while. I worked on pictures and trip notes. DH took a shower then watched TV and went to bed. DD took a shower then went to bed. We were all beat, but it had been a fun day!

 

[pkondz]

We got up and around, and left the hotel room at 7:35.

Whoa. I sure guessed wrong. Still surprised that you were all up and out that early.

We arrived at Pete’s Music City at 12:02. DD looked around a bit, and bought some picks and a mini harmonica with her own money

Does she play the harmonica too?

We found Adam – the driver of the rig - and DD got to sit in the truck right away.

Oh, boy.

There she goes!
OMG, that picture is both hilarious and awesome!

Someone looks happy! Cute pic!

The party was a lot of fun! Just a bunch of people hanging out and having a good time.

Best kind.

Odd. It appears to have a roof and doors.

Those airhorns are not just for looks. They are real. And LOUD!

And I'm guessing you found that out the hard way.

He had a notebook full of memorabilia from the Smokey and the Bandit movie. She spent quite a while looking through that book!

Cool! Can I see after she's done?

Perfect place for burn-outs, right?

I wouldn't know. I have never seen one done IRL.

You know it’s a good party when the cops show up, right? Well, these cops showed up just to look at the cars and the truck!

Seems fitting though, doesn't it?

We were all beat, but it had been a fun day!

It sure looked like it!

 

[ddstratton]

Whoa. I sure guessed wrong. Still surprised that you were all up and out that early.

Christmas and vacation. Only times DD is up in the morning, by her choice. Usually, it takes a lot of pushing to wake her up in the morning. Not on this trip!

Does she play the harmonica too?

She does, actually. She has several. I never knew there was a difference from one harmonica to another, but she has some in different keys.

There she goes!
OMG, that picture is both hilarious and awesome!

It really was funny. He barely had the words out of his mouth, and she was THERE.

Someone looks happy! Cute pic!

She was VERY happy!

Best kind.

Yup. And this group of people was VERY nice. I felt very comfortable around them right away. It was just a fun time.

Odd. It appears to have a roof and doors.

Um.. Just wait for the next installment...

And I'm guessing you found that out the hard way.

Let's just say, you don't want to be standing next to it when they blow those horns!!

Cool! Can I see after she's done?

You'll have to contact Tyler. He let her look at the book, only after making her promise not to let it leave her possession until she gave it back to him. Apparently, he's been offered some nice money for this collection. He has a HUGE collection at his house. He said that his next ambition is to open a Smoky and the Bandit museum! First words out of DD's mouth when she heard that -- "Can I work there?"

I wouldn't know. I have never seen one done IRL.

I don't get the fascination with it, personally. But a lot of people love it. Some of the people doing the burn-outs were doing a great job. You couldn't even see their cars anymore, through the smoke.

 

[pkondz]

She does, actually. She has several. I never knew there was a difference from one harmonica to another, but she has some in different keys.

I have a cousin who plays several as well, he's travelled extensively performing.

It really was funny. He barely had the words out of his mouth, and she was THERE.

Um.. Just wait for the next installment...

Oh??????
sounds interesting and/or ominous.

He said that his next ambition is to open a Smoky and the Bandit museum!

I'm there!

First words out of DD's mouth when she heard that -- "Can I work there?"

 

[KatMark]

I'm slowly catching up (didn't know you had started your TR within this).

I'm glad you missed the shooting. Too much of that nonsense going on...it's got to stop.

Boy...DD up before noon and certainly in ALL of her glory when she got in that rig. It looks like she had a great time (I remember see that picture of her looking through the book on FB).

I'm glad the cortisone cream and bug spray helped.

Looking forward to more.

 

[Rozz]

Finally caught up!

Bug bites and summer in the South, glad you found some bug spray!

I agree with you that Gatlinburg is a beautiful area. We've visited a couple of times.

A teenager old enough to drive, yikes! We've got two. Sounds like Elizabeth is doing great!

 

[ddstratton]

Sunday, May 24, 2015

We got up and around at about 6:30. By 7:30, DD was literally hopping, wanting us to get to the lobby – we were all to meet there at 8:00 to start the movie location tour. I had a donut (leftover from yesterday) for breakfast, and I think DH might have had one also… DD never ate breakfast, but had her coffee drink that we had bought last night. I did get an apple juice at the lobby. We went down and waited for a bit with a bunch of the others. Right around 8:30, we all left the parking lot and followed the truck and cars to start the movie tour. We stopped at a bunch of locations and did several recreations.

Not only did we have a stock Buford T. Justice sheriff car, but we also had one after “the top came off, Daddy”! They put a lot of work into this car! They even had the “evidence” (the driver’s door) in the back seat, like the movie.

The only problem with this car – they had never driven it on the highway. They had transported it by trailer. The wind did bad things to the windshield – they had to literally hold the windshield up. Also, with the driver’s door missing, passing cars created quite a draft – the driver was very happy he had his seat belt on! They ended up getting off the highway at the next exit and just met us at the first movie site.

The first place we stopped was a parking lot behind a tire place. The people who worked there were all gawking and thought it was so cool. This is where they had a black trans am do a burnout, with the truck following it. This is also the point where we lost our daughter. She ditched us to ride in a Trans Am. Can’t blame her, I guess. The Trans Am she rode in was exactly like one that her Uncle Wesley (DH’s brother) used to have. For the rest of the day, she either rode in this Trans Am, in the rig with Adam, or even in the back of Sheriff Buford T. Justice’s police car!! She was having so much fun!

We all went to the Golden Corral for lunch. $48.21 plus tip here. Lunch was good. The place was busy, but it wasn’t overly crowded and the food was stocked and fresh.

There were several stops, and I can’t remember them all exactly, or in order… The one with Frog in the wedding dress in the middle of the road was the funniest. The couple who did this had actually just gotten married the day before! She was standing on the side of the road in her wedding dress and everyone was waving and honking for her.

At the site of the bridge jump, DH and I went into a convenience store and got a couple of drinks. About $3.25 here. We found out later that Adam bought DD a soda.

At another stop, I went into a Family Dollar and got another soda, a bottle of water and two small boxes of lotion tissues – DD and I were still getting over a cold. $5.70.

On the way back, a group of us got separated and we ended up leading, using our GPS to get back to the highway. Once on the highway, the others sped up and headed to the hotel. The group just hung out in the parking lot for a while. I went back up to the room, as it was HOT. Our room key didn’t work, and I had to go back down and get new ones. The desk clerk said that had been happening to a lot of people. I got a ginger ale from the machine - $1.50. I sat and did my trip notes. DH and DD came up for a bit, then went back down to the parking lot. Plans have changed – we’re not going back to the field for a party – we’re all going to just hang in the parking lot after supper. Everyone was tired and just didn’t feel like setting up at the Sportsman’s Club again.

After relaxing in the room for a while, I went down to find everyone. They were in the lobby, talking about dinner. We ended up walking to the Longhorn Steakhouse. We asked for a table for 3. A few minutes into waiting, one of the Snowman Run group came up and asked if we wanted their table for 6, as they had gotten a buzzer for a table, but then went and sat with some others who had space at their table. As we were talking, their buzzer went off. They decided to sit with us at their table for 6, as they hadn’t ordered yet. As we were getting seated, the the couple who were just married joined us. Before we ordered, one more couple from the Run joined us. We ended up needing to put two tables together and being a group of nine, but we had a wonderful dinner. We got to talk a lot with this group of people, and we really enjoyed it. DH had prime rib, I had a ribeye with mac & cheese, and DD had sirloin with fries. Total was $63.91, plus tip.

We walked back to the hotel and I went to the room to veg for a while as I was beat, and DD and DH went to hang in the parking lot. I went back out around 9:00. People had lawn chairs in the parking lot and were just sitting around in a couple of groups talking. DD was loving it. She had several people sign her guitar. I stayed for about an hour and took some pictures. It was really just a nice time of people enjoying each other’s company. When we decided to go to this kick-off for the Snowman’s Run, we really didn’t know what we were going into. We only knew a couple of the people from Facebook – we’d never actually met any of them. We were pleasantly surprised. Everyone there was really very nice. They were easy to talk to, and it felt like we’d known each other for a long time.

I came back up to the room around 10:00, and DH and DD stayed for another hour and a half. I went to the vending machine and bought a soda - $1.50. I was asleep by the time they came back to the room. They got ready for bed shortly after coming up.

All in all, we had a wonderful day. We enjoyed spending time with new friends, had a blast visiting some of the movie set sites, and just basically had fun. You just might be able to tell that DD was enjoying herself. She managed to crack a smile here and there.

 

[MEK]

Nice to see that you are doing a mini TR in your PTR. I enjoy following your travels down south and I continue to be amazing at how detailed your notes are.

Your DD looks like she is having such a fabulous time. Sounds like a wonderful trip!

 

[pkondz]

By 7:30, DD was literally hopping, wanting us to get to the lobby

Going somewhere?

We stopped at a bunch of locations and did several recreations.

Were all, or most actual locations from the movie?

Not only did we have a stock Buford T. Justice sheriff car, but we also had one after “the top came off, Daddy”!

Now that's just too cool.

They even had the “evidence” (the driver’s door) in the back seat, like the movie.

Perfect!

The wind did bad things to the windshield – they had to literally hold the windshield up.

I was wondering about that. It doesn't look overly solid.
I noticed in the movie that they lost the windshield.

the driver was very happy he had his seat belt on!

Funny. I thought about that while I was looking at the photo.
"I would make darned sure I had a seatbelt on!"

The first place we stopped was a parking lot behind a tire place.

Any significance? Or was it just a handy parking lot?

This is also the point where we lost our daughter.

When I first read that I immediately thought "We thought she was with someone else and we all left. It wasn't until later that we realized she was missing."

Glad that wasn't the case!

She ditched us to ride in a Trans Am.

Good reason too.

Can’t blame her, I guess.

Nope!

For the rest of the day, she either rode in this Trans Am, in the rig with Adam, or even in the back of Sheriff Buford T. Justice’s police car!! She was having so much fun!

I love this! FROG!!!!

And the fact that they just actually got married is cool!

At the site of the bridge jump, DH and I went into a convenience store

Was there a bridge there now?

Our room key didn’t work, and I had to go back down and get new ones. The desk clerk said that had been happening to a lot of people.

I miss keys. Real keys.

We ended up needing to put two tables together and being a group of nine, but we had a wonderful dinner. We got to talk a lot with this group of people, and we really enjoyed it.

Sounds like a really nice time.

We only knew a couple of the people from Facebook – we’d never actually met any of them. We were pleasantly surprised. Everyone there was really very nice. They were easy to talk to, and it felt like we’d known each other for a long time.

Just regular people enjoying each others company. Nice.

Partied a little too hard, did she?

You just might be able to tell that DD was enjoying herself. She managed to crack a smile here and there.

I might've noticed a smile hear or there.

 

[ddstratton]

Nice to see that you are doing a mini TR in your PTR. I enjoy following your travels down south and I continue to be amazing at how detailed your notes are.

Your DD looks like she is having such a fabulous time. Sounds like a wonderful trip!

I love keeping my trip notes - I reread them a lot! It lets me relive trips, and helps me plan other trips.

Were all, or most actual locations from the movie?

All of the locations were movie scene filming locations. If I remember.... we did:

1. Stop light scene. Trans Am burned rubber leaving the light, with the rig following it.

2. Chopped Sheriff's car taking a tight turn.

3. Cledus Snow's house. House is no longer there, but we were at the location, and the truck drove down the road there.

4. Jonesboro, GA. This is where the Texarkana scenes were filmed (where they picked up the Coors). The Jonesboro police blocked off the street for us for this scene re-enactment. We didn't pick up any Coors, but did film in the area a bit.

5. Bridge jump scene. And no, there is no bridge there any longer. It wasn't really there when they did the jump - it was already partially dismantled. The funny thing is that now there isn't even a road there. The "landing" side of the bridge is now the back side of a Self-Storage lot (this is where we were standing). DD (and a few others) did pick up a piece of wood from the original bridge. She is very proud of that little piece of wood.

6. Wedding dress scene.

7. A random scene with the Trans Am pulling out from the side of the road where the rig is passing it.

The guy that organized this (and owns the rig and the complete Sheriff's car), knows a LOT about this stuff. He was giving us bits and pieces of info, on where things were filmed and how they did things int he movie. It really was interesting.

I was wondering about that. It doesn't look overly solid.
I noticed in the movie that they lost the windshield.

Yup, but to be road-legal, it had to have a windshield.

Any significance? Or was it just a handy parking lot?

The parking lot was just convenient. We stopped there because it was next to the first scene - the stop light.

When I first read that I immediately thought "We thought she was with someone else and we all left. It wasn't until later that we realized she was missing."

Glad that wasn't the case!

Nope. She just ditched us!

Good reason too.

Yup!

I love this! FROG!!!!

And the fact that they just actually got married is cool!

They had WAY too much fun doing this scene. It was great!

Was there a bridge there now?

Nope. See my note above. You could still see pilings/posts from the old bridge.

Just regular people enjoying each others company. Nice.

Yup. It was very nice.

Partied a little too hard, did she?

It would appear that way!

We all had a great time, but DD... She was in Heaven!

 

[pkondz]

The Jonesboro police blocked off the street for us for this scene re-enactment.

Really! I'm surprised... and impressed that they'd do that.

It wasn't really there when they did the jump - it was already partially dismantled.

That I knew. I just wondered if in the years since if maybe they'd put a road (and new bridge) through there.

DD (and a few others) did pick up a piece of wood from the original bridge. She is very proud of that little piece of wood.

That's cool!

Yup, but to be road-legal, it had to have a windshield.

Figured as much.

The parking lot was just convenient. We stopped there because it was next to the first scene - the stop light.

Oh, okay.

Nope. She just ditched us!

We all had a great time, but DD... She was in Heaven!

 

[KatMark]

Fun update, Darla. Sounds like a great time and you can certainly tell that DD was enjoying herself.

 

[ddstratton]

May 2015 Trip - Day 4
Monday, May 25, 2015

OK, so I’ve neglected this pre-trip report (and mini trip report) for far too long. I’m gonna go ahead and finish off the Mini Trip Report portion…

We got up at 6:30. DD got up and dressed and went down to the lobby to see everyone. I got showered and we went down too. We visited with everyone and watched them take off. We were back up in the room packing up by 8:30.

DD with the driver of the rig - Adam

We loaded up the van and headed out. We stopped at a Walmart Neighborhood Market – we haven’t seen one of these before – it’s a Walmart that is just a grocery store. We got a tray of fruit, some sodas, some sunburn gel – DD and I both had gotten a bit of sun yesterday (see photo above…). Total of $31.08 here. Stopped at the Walmart’s gas station to top off the tank. $17.15 for 6.703 gallons at $2.55 per gallon.

From here, we headed back North. DD decided that she did not want to stop in Atlanta to see the hospital where Jerry Reed was born, but we did take a picture of the building as we passed on the highway. We stopped at a Wendy’s for lunch. We each had a free Frosty, as well.

After lunch, we continued on to Asheville. We arrived at the Red Cottage right around 3:00 and dropped off a few things.

After that, we went on over to Angie and Gail’s. We visited there for a while, and had supper with them. We had bbq chicken, pulled chicken, baked potatoes, cole slaw. Dinner was really pretty good.

DD went back to the cottage with us, as we thought we might be going to Nashville the next day, to meet a couple more of DD’s Facebook friends, who couldn’t be at the Snowman’s Run. As it turned out, that wasn’t going to work for them and we ended up not going to Nashville. We had stopped at Ingles first, to get some breakfast items. $30.98 total here.

We just played around on our laptops, and DD took a shower before hitting the beds.

 

[ddstratton]

May 2015 Trip - Day 5
Tuesday, May 26, 2015

We got up and around this morning, and decided to go to Little Switzerland. We stopped off for gas before heading up the mountian. $35.00 for 13.5 gallons at $2.59 per gallon. The road up to Little Switzerland was very narrow and twisty. Come to find out, they call it the Diamondback.

We finally arrived at Little Switzerland and had lunch at the Switzerland Café. DD just had a salad, DH had a trout BLT, and I had a French Dip sandwich. After lunch, we looked around in their gift shop and bought a few small items for DD. Total for lunch and gift shop was $56.69. We went down to the bookstore that we came to see. It was a bit of a disappointment. It was supposed to be a “three-story bookstore.” Well, it was three stories. But there were only really books on one floor. There were a few on the lower level, but arts and crafts on the upper level. Elizabeth did find three books to buy. $12.95. We went back to the gift shop to buy some cold drinks. $5.33. We took the Blue Ridge Parkway back, and that wasn’t as bad, but still bad enough. There were times that we almost couldn’t see the road because of the fog.

We got everyone together tonight and went to the Olive Garden. Jerry (a friend of the family) met us there. Total for everyone’s meals (including tip) was $219.33. I used $85 worth of gift cards from MyPoints, so that took a bit of the sting out of that price tag.

We went back to Gail and Angie’s after dinner. We stopped at the Dollar Tree first, to pick up some clothes pins for the curtains and a few other things. $6.42.

DD came back to the cottage with us. We played Connect Four for a little while, and watched TV before bed.

We had stopped at Ingles again, to pick up a few more breakfast items. $14.76.

 

[pkondz]

I chuckle at the "business center" sign behind you.
Throw a computer and a printer on a desk and it's a business center!

DD with the driver of the rig - Adam

Cute pic.
It's been about a year now that she got her licence isn't it?
Has she started looking into upgrading it yet?

We stopped at a Walmart Neighborhood Market – we haven’t seen one of these before – it’s a Walmart that is just a grocery store.

Never heard of that.

We had bbq chicken, pulled chicken, baked potatoes, cole slaw. Dinner was really pretty good.

"Pretty good"??? That sounds amazing!

We got up and around this morning, and decided to go to Little Switzerland.

Never heard of it. But it looks like someplace I'd like to see.

The road up to Little Switzerland was very narrow and twisty. Come to find out, they call it the Diamondback.

I'm not sure what you feel there.
Did you like the road because it was narrow and twisty? Or did it make you nervous?

Love the wood.

We went down to the bookstore that we came to see. It was a bit of a disappointment. It was supposed to be a “three-story bookstore.” Well, it was three stories. But there were only really books on one floor.

Too bad. But that one room looks pretty cool.

Great shot! She just looks so happy.

Whoa. I'm betting that was a bit of a nail biter.

 

[GeminiAngel]

Wow. Thanks for the Fog Picture, Its my new desktop! Wonderful update! We have Those Walmart markets here in Vegas.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Goodness gracious at the fog! I'd have been a nervous wreck driving in those conditions.