Dinner at Buckhorn Inn, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

I almost feel guilty indulging at the wonderful Buckhorn Inn again for dinner.  (here is where I wrote about a visit earlier this year, and here is about our very first visit there in 2016). The food here is incredible, and enjoying an evening at the Buckhorn Inn is very special.  This is especially something we truly look forward to on a visit to the area.

It looks like they have opened up a little more space in the inn for diners.  I am glad their business is doing so good....  and I didn't feel like the slightly bigger crowd affected the atmosphere.


Here are just a couple of photos from our last evening there.  The beef was unbelievable. 

Three Bears General Store- Gatlinburg, Tennessee

I know this might sound odd, but we went to Three Bears General Store in Gatlinburg the other day for the first time.  Several of my friends and co-workers seemed to think I was joking when I said that....  they figured that, at some point in our travels, we surely would have gone there.  Apparently it is one of the first things you are supposed to do in the area.

There IS SO MUCH to do in the area though....  I think it is understandable that someone who has been down so many times might miss one of the main attractions.

Three Bears is a HUGE store in an area with a ton of smaller similar stores....  But this is really over the top.  Their prices and selection were better than most for sure.  AND I literally saw people getting lost in this place.  It is that big.

And, for a few bucks you can see their bears... and you can feed them too.  There is a large caged in area here.  Check out my photos.

I did google around, and, as you might expect, this place has attracted some controversy around their caged bears.


But, I found a lot of praise for this place too.  A friend of mine actually told me a story about meeting the owner once, and they were exceptionally nice.

Anyway, here are a few photos!

Berry Springs Lodge- Pigeon Forge Tennessee... Again

Yeah, I know I have mentioned Berry Springs Lodge in Pigeon Forge A LOT lately (see here, and here).

Well, we stayed there again on our way back from Savannah and Columbia.  It was on the way, and we were able to get a couple of days in visiting the Gatlinburg area.

The staff here is so sweet, and we thought it was pretty cool that most of them remembered us.  Plus, this is just a very relaxing place.

Speaking of Berry Springs Lodge being relaxing...  We figured that a couple of days of just hanging out here at the end of a big road trip would be perfect.  We did go out one morning to walk the strip in Gatlinburg, mostly before things opened, but, for the most part, we just hung out here.

We had a couple of great breakfasts again.  I am not sure why, but they had an Elvis themed breakfast one day, with peanut butter and banana waffles.  It was great and sweet.  No syrup needed.

We also spent a lot of time on their great porch admiring the green scenery and birds.

First Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina

 First Baptist Church in Columbia hosted a state convention in 1860 to discuss secession after the election of Abraham Lincoln.  Delegates unanimously voted to leave the United States, becoming the first of the Southern States to do so.

So, in a lot of ways, First Baptist Church in Columbia can be marked as a very significant spot in the formation of the Confederacy... and the Civil War.

AND, when Sherman's forces invaded the city....  this church remained unscathed (I've read that his troops looked for it and got confused about which church hosted the convention). 

It is still a large functioning church. 

We stopped by briefly as we drove around the area.  I did see on their website that they have a bookstore/coffee shop on the property.  YOU KNOW that a bookstore/coffee shop on a church property WITH a Civil War connection made this a place I had to visit. 

Higher Grounds Books and Beans is a GREAT PLACE to stop for a drink!  My wife is on a smoothie kick, and they have a lot to choose from, AND they make them right using real fruit.  I had a great cup of coffee too and we enjoyed chatting with the friendly staff there!  If I lived in Columbia, this would absolutely be my hang out!

South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum in Columbia SC

The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum in Columbia South Carolina has a ton of cool old Civil War items.  They are trying to make this a military museum in addition to the Confederate items but....  well, we were here to check out their old Civil War flags.

Here are a few photos we took.  The museum isn't huge, but it is packed with some quality items.

South Carolina State House, Columbia South Carolina

The South Carolina State House in Columbia South Carolina is a must see.  I think it might be one of the more significant buildings linked to the Civil War.

We walked in to the massive government building and went through the usual very reasonable security to get in.  Right after that, another nice employee asked us if we were looking to do a tour and we confirmed that we were.  Almost instantly, we found ourselves, along with another couple, touring the huge building.

At first, we were shown a short film on the State House.  Then, we were taken around and told about the building itself, and all it had been through.

Construction started on the State House in the early 1850.  The project was slowed by the Civil War.  When Sherman invaded...  well, they did a number on Columbia.  The Old State House was burned, while it's nearby unfinished replacement (the current state house) took on a ton of damage too.  In fact, on the outside of the building, six stars mark where cannon balls hit and caused damage.

In the film we saw, they showed that a sword and a mace are displayed when certain government bodies are in session.  The original sword was stolen and never recovered.  The current one is still exceptionally significant and it is valued at a half million dollars.  The mace has been in use, I believe, since the 1700s.  According to the film it is estimated as having a value of PRICELESS!

President Trump in Richmond Kentucky

So, we made plans a while back to spend some time in Somerset this past weekend.  We then heard about President Trump's visit to Richmond.  We briefly thought about rescheduling our trip, and avoiding the Richmond area for the weekend.  Nothing against Trump, it's just that a presidential visit can really screw up traffic.  We were in Austin Texas a few years ago and actually totally changed our plans when we found out that President Obama would be coming through.  You just don't want to be on the roads when a president and their entourage are going to be around.

I had hear that doors would be opened for the Richmond event at 4, and Trump's appearance would be at 7.  So, we were in Somerset finishing things up maybe around 4.  We had planned to take 27 all the way back to Lexington, but then we thought that any traffic issues near Richmond should be cleared up by the time we drove through....  so we decided to drive back home on I-75.

So we drove north on 75.  We did start to notice that there was no traffic going south.  None.  AND, as we passed the Richmond exits, we saw where cops were holding up traffic there too.

There really wasn't a lot of traffic going north either...  and, other than a few other cars here and there, we felt like we had the road to ourselves.  We did notice a few clusters of people here and there standing in business parking lots watching the road.

We did see a couple of cop cars speeding south at one point...  and then maybe five minutes later we noticed a HUGE cluster of vehicles, moving fast and with emergency lights all around.  A cluster of motorcycles was followed closely by black SUVs, with an obvious PRESIDENTIAL LIMO in the mix, followed by a couple of ambulances!

The vehicles were moving fast, but there was no doubt about it!  We had just watched President Trump go by us!

We did exit in Lexington, and you could see where traffic had been held up for the President.  We very well could have been held up in traffic ourselves under different circumstances, but we ended up having a nice drive home...  and seeing the Presidential limo as we made our way north.

Also, I have added a couple of photos a friend took of President Trump actually at the Richmond event.

Heritage USA, Fort Mill South Carolina Postcard

I'm guessing this postcard is from the 80s.

"Heritage USA Victoria style enhances the beauty of the shops lining the Partner Center at Heritage USA."

We drove by here nearly a decade ago.  I have no idea what the status of the property is today.

Sam Kendall's Restaurant in Camden South Carolina.

At the recommendation of Bruce and Katherine at Bloomsbury Inn, we spent a very nice evening at Sam Kendall's Restaurant in Camden South Carolina.

My wife wanted a simple burger, but she said that this one was very good.  I ordered some fish tacos and they were really something special. 

We actually had a couple of nice waitresses taking care of us, and our cups were never empty.  The place is kind of dark and relaxed.  They were playing some really mellow rock while we were there.  I heard Don Henley's "Last Worthless Evening" as I walked in.  There was a very relaxed and nice vibe going on.

Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site, Camden, South Carolina

Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site was the second Revolutionary War site we visited in this nice small town.  They have some open cabins with exhibits in them, and a driving tour.