Stijn!!

[GH85Carrera]

Howdy all.

Cute grand son there Jeff.

We slept well. Up to get breakfast and on the road early. Gatlinburg first then Biltmore estate. Then on to points north.

[RKDinOKC]

When I went to Gatlinburg also visited Clingman's Dome. The highest point in Tenn. You had to walk about a half mile to the top. At the top found an Eagle feather and put in on my cowboy hat. Thought it was real cool even though illegal. Just told people where I found it, not what it was.

Ran around for a week with a cousin my age from the area. He was recovering from a car wreck and was just able to start getting out, but still couldn't drive. Did all the driving. Went all over the place and visited all his friends. First time since the wreck. When we did the tourist thing there was always a couple of girls he knew that went with us.

While we were running around we went to a popular hang gliding cliff area "for the views". After talking to some of the club members there they let me take a kite and jump off the ridge. Rode the updrafts for about 30 minutes. Much better than the "sled" rides in OK. My cousin and his friends thought I was nuts. They didn't know I was certified. Sure was glad I had my card with me and the club guys were nice enough to let me make a flight.

We also visited the Oak Ridge Nuclear facility. Lots of pictures on the tour. Don't remember glowing or anything afteward.

The girls also made sure I went to a local disco. It was wild. The floor, walls, and ceiling were all backlit glass that flashed different colors with the music. When we first go there the DJ was on break and it just seemed like a normal bar and you didn't notice the walls or floors looking different. Then all the lights went out, there was a big introduction, the music started and it went crazy with all the lights.

We bought some beer on a Sunday. We went to a shack back in the woods with a guy sitting on the porch. The shack was full of cases of beer. Don't think you were supposed to be able to buy beer on Sunday.

Visited a relative that was my Dad's age that lived way back in the Tennessee mountains where my Dad's family was from. His hame was Wave Debord, Uncle Wave. He was a character. Gave us some of his home brew, tasted great. He laughed at us for getting drunk off of one beer.

I initially didn't want to go on the trip with my parents. It was to a family reunion, my great grandmother's on my Dad's side. Sure ended up having a LOT of fun. Told my Dad I was glad he made me go and he just smiled at me. That part of my family is kinda weird. She was a Debord. She got pregnant by a dude name Bodine. Before they got married he got killed, either fell of his horse or over a poker game nobody knows which. Neither family would have her so she went to work as a housekeeper. Ended up marrying him and he adopted my grandfather. That's where my Davis surname comes from. The Bodine family still doesn't acknowledge any of her kids. The Debords took her back after she became respectable.

[GH85Carrera]

At the Biltmore.



This was as stop on the way.

[Jim Richards]

Looks like the Appalachians to me. Of course my memory of that area is fading fast as I spend more time as a retiree.

My MIL passed early this AM in her sleep. She was 95. I was lucky to have a real nice MIL.

[pete3799]

Sorry to hear Jim. My condolences.

[RKDinOKC]

Condolences

[porsche4life]

Sorry to hear that Jim. Was she still back east?

[Jim Richards]

Thanks guys. Sid, my MIL was in a nursing home about 4 miles from our house. Two weeks ago, we brought her to our house to spend time with us, our son & his wife, and our niece and her husband and two young kids. My MIL was very happy to see her grandkids and great-grandkids. Since then, she was slowing down and finally passed in her sleep earlier this morning. She will be missed.

[GH85Carrera]

Condolences Jim.

[Outback Porsche]

Sad to hear Jim, condolences.

[Noah930]

Condolences to you and your wife, Jim.

[Jim Richards]

Thanks guys. Nothing we can do until we meet the funeral director tomorrow. So, we went for a drive to clear our heads. Thinking of Glen's beauty shots, here's our white Carrera.

[RKDinOKC]

That looks like a puppy dog pit stop.

I'll be glad when Pepper stops getting uncontrollably excited around new people.

[Oh Haha]

Sorry for your loss Jim.

[GH85Carrera]

Made it to Lexington. Eating in downtown Lexington at a place called the Southern Inn. Very highly rated. Across from the Robert E Lee hotel. Crab cakes for dinner. Yum. And a Yuengling beer.

[GH85Carrera]

The hotel we are at is a historical register hotel.



Amazing place.

[GH85Carrera]

A few of the sights.

[RKDinOKC]

I must say, the coverage of Forumula 1 officially sucks.

NBC decided to play hockey and then golf. SkyF1 seems to be off the net.

If it's too much trouble to try to find the races to watch, they are going to lose me as a fan.

[GH85Carrera]

Off to Manassas battlefield then Ft. McHenery the birthplace of the star spangled banner.

Then we invaded Paul's (Seahaw's) place.

There was a wreck on the interstate yesterday. It happened a few miles up the road from us but it blocked the right lane. It slowed us down to one or two MPH for 45 minutes. The AC kept us cool and the engine never got above 210 degrees and it was happy. We have driven over 1,400 miles so far.

[RKDinOKC]

Good Morning. Hope everyone has a great week!