We spent much of our first full day in the Smokies visiting Cades Cove, an isolated valley that was home to generations of settlers prior to the formation of the national park. Its well-preserved structures and scenic views make it a popular destination, evidenced by the fact that we joined a long line of slow-moving,…
We arrived at the Smoky Mountain Premier RV Resort in Cosby, Tennessee, just in time to get set up for Pasta Wednesday. Cliff quickly grilled chicken with onions, green beans and carrots, and ravioli with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella accompanied by homemade pesto. What a way to end the day! Our campsite was situated just…
Our second full day at “the mothership” began with our 7 a.m. wake-up call, as the tractor arrived to take Cloud 9 to the service bay. On Day 1, a list of warranty items were addressed, all very minor. For example, we needed a smoke alarm re-attached, a few rivets replaced, some knobs and handles…
We arrived at Jackson Center, better late than never. We had hoped to arrive in time to watch the presidential debate, but that was not to be. Instead, we arrived about 10 minutes after the debate started. By the time we settled in and started watching, 45 minutes had elapsed. Fortunately, we recorded the event…
We set out for our first planned visit to a national park in 2016 with a quick trip to Jackson Center, Ohio, home of the Airstream factory. Referred to, affectionately, as “the mothership,” it is THE destination for many Airstream owners who want to get warranty and other work done on their rigs by the…
The first weekend of fall found us at our beloved Loyd Park, weathering storms, high humidity, and heavy downpours. We love this time of year, when, as the poet Humbert Wolfe said so beautifully, “the air is wild with leaves.” Autumn has a certain scent, thanks to abscission (from the Latin ab, meaning “away,” and…
When Jon worked on the real estate sections at The Dallas Morning News, he often had to deal with “romance” copy — content written by realtors to evoke emotion and speak to the dreams and aspirations of their target market. You’ve probably read “romance” copy in some form or fashion. Here’s the romance copy for…
The long-anticipated cold front arrived on Friday night, bringing gloriously cool temps and low humidity throughout the remainder of the weekend. It also provided a welcome relief from the stresses of the week, which included Jon’s grand jury service, a nonfunctioning refrigerator, spoiled food, a new fridge delivered and returned and replaced, and the typical…
The time has come. The end is near. Throughout the summer, the leaves have absorbed all the energy necessary to transform carbon dioxide and water into the sugars and starches needed to help trees grow and thrive. But now they’re spent. They’ve done their duty. Daylight is shortening, temperatures are falling, and the trees are…
Once again, the weather forecasters seemed to agree we would have a wet weekend, with 80 percent coverage in some areas. What they couldn’t agree on was the timing. Clearly, other campers were deterred by the dire warnings. But we pressed ahead, knowing that being holed up in Cloud 9 would be as good or better…
Garinns on the Go 