Our Trip Into The Smokies

Blogging has taken a back seat to other activities and situations this summer, I'm afraid.  I don't know about you, but when this happens, I begin to question my focus and whether the direction (or lack thereof) I had been taking with my blog is worth continuing.  Or, do I need to rethink what I'm doing and come up with something new.

While I'm still pondering those thoughts, I want to share with you some of our recent early fall trip to Indiana via a few days in the Smokies.

Our destination goal was to be in Indiana on August 31 for my 12-week post-op appointment on

Sept. 1.  Hubby mentioned that he would like to leave a little early and drive through the Smoky Mountains.  That was all this person needed to start planning.

We had never done this, but on the suggestion of our son, we rented a vacation cabin in Gatlinburg for a few days.  We went through VRBO to find what we wanted and were not disappointed.  They provide an iPhone app with all the information you need for accessing, etc. the property right at your fingertips.  This was a great experience and one we will do again.

One of the things we like about taking a driving trip is being able to take those little side roads when we think something looks interesting.  So, when we saw the signs for Tallulah Falls we thought, "Oh boy, our first view of a beautiful water fall!"

Not exactly.  However, what we did find at the end of the road was this gorge.

Then we saw this view.

Evidently at the bottom of this gorge is the Tallulah Falls hydroelectric plant.

This poster explained that as part of Georgia Power Company's development, in order to get all needed equipment and personnel down into the steep gorge, a railway was built.  It took three years, 1911-1914 to build the 1,200-foot incline railway which connects the Tallulah Falls power station at the bottom of the gorge with the rim above.

This car, built in 1915, carries 20 standing passengers and I cannot imagine what that downward trip must have been like.  YIKES!

 We didn't see any waterfalls on this little side trip but we did see history and it was worth exploring that little road.

I wonder if I would ever tire of seeing mountains.  Especially ones covered in clouds.

 Just across the North Carolina line, we had another of those, "Oh, that looked interesting.  Can we turn around?" moments.From the road it looked like the most fascinating junk yard I'd ever seen.  Not that I am normally attracted to junk yards.

We learned that what appears to be a place that has been in that spot for at least 100 years was actually built five years ago with the goal of looking old.

The inside was a wee bit more organized than outside, but was equally as piled.

This gentleman was one of the owners and explained that this antique piece came from his home land, India.  It can be a desk as you see here, or

a bench.  The holes you see in the back are actually the ink wells for the desk top.

The cast iron piece here was a bridge support and cannot be lifted by the normal person.

 Need a door anyone?

 Corbels and any architectural item you can think of is here somewhere.

 They stock nautical lights and windows from old ships.

Downstairs is everything wood and this workshop.  He was making a set of sliding barn doors that would literally fit in a barn.  All from the huge stash of old wood.

So when in the area, you must plan a visit to this fascinating if not overwhelming "junk yard."  For more information their website is Otto Depot Wholesale Salvage Company.

 But, you must be prepared to take home all the great finds.

Next time, I will take you further into the Smokey Mountains and share more highlights of our great trip.