Mammoth Cave National Park Visitor Center

You know I make my way to the Mammoth Cave area several times a year.  I'm always looking for an excuse to get to the Cave.

I think that there are so many cool things going on there......  sometimes you overlook some of the great things at the park.

Well, I made a point to swing through the museum at the visitor center as I hadn't done that in some time.  Here are just a few photos!

Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum at LMU in Tennessee

I've been to almost every museum and historic location associated with Abe Lincoln.  I've visited some of them multiple times, but I had yet to make it to the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate Tennessee.

Well, a friend told me that the museum would be closing soon!  THANKFULLY, not forever but just for a the next year or so.  They are doing BIG renovations!

So, we ended up trucking down to Harrogate so that we could be there before they take a break!  We were there the last day it was open before the renovations!

First off, I have actually passed by here a few times.  The museum is right off the main road....  not hard to find at all.  This is a great stop to add to a trip to the Cumberland Gap.

The museum had a TON of events going on this day.  They had pop and cake right when you walked in!  We got there a little after opening and some of the beautiful cake was already gone!

On this festive day there was no admission to the museum!  AND, there was a 50% off sale in the gift shop!

Right after walking in to the museum, we saw an area with postcards where we were encouraged to write a note to ourselves in 2020.  I thought this was a BRILLIANT idea on the museum's part.  They will mail these postcards to you after the newly renovated museum opens back up!  We LOVED this idea!

We quickly found out that another special bonus to coming on this day was that they were giving timed tours INSIDE of their vault!  we were lucky enough to get in on one of these tours and we were able to get a very close look at some Holy Grail level items.

We were shown hand written letters- written and signed by Robert E. Lee and US Grant!  A document signed by Lincoln was laid out on a table too.  These documents were shown to us on a table without a glass barrier!  It was very exciting to look at documents like this!

Also shown was a small case with a small cut of Honest Abe's hair!

AND, passed around for all to actually hold in their hand (it was in a protective case) was a TICKET from Ford's Theatre from the night our 16th President was shot!

Looking at these items was easily worth our drive to the museum.....  and any one of them would be a great centerpiece for most other museums.  We were also allowed to ask the curator questions about the museum.

We asked about some of the more odd items they have.  He mentioned that the museum owns a lot of "interesting art."  He also told us that the museum does turn down items often.  He mentioned a VERY strange piece of art that an artist offered (the artist didn't offer to donate it, but they wanted $50,000 for the item!).

We walked around the museum for some time after viewing the vault.  There are some epic statues.  I always love seeing anything created by Borglum.  That stuff is here.

There were personal items on display, and paintings.  There was a china set owned by the Lincoln family.

There were impressive weapons and clothes displays from the Civil War.  There were dioramas.  There was a wall of modern art pieces.

You know that on the way out, I dropped some coin at the gift shop.  I picked up some postcards, magnets, and some other small items.

We made a point to thank the staff and let them know how much we enjoyed our visit.

I honestly can't wait to so this museum when it reopens!

Gondolier Italian Restaurant in Harrogate Tennessee

While we were in the Cumberland Gap area...  our buddy from Middlesboro told us we had to eat at a great Italian restaurant he knew about.

We said sure, and we were very surprised and excited when we realized that we were getting to visit ANOTHER Gondolier!  There is one in the Great Smoky Mountains that we love!

Gondolier just makes great, reasonably priced Italian food.  You never leave hungry and they always have friendly people working there.

This is a nice chain making great food!  Check them out when you can!

Gap Cave, Virginia

Our main goal for visiting the Cumberland Gap area on this day was going to "Gap Cave" which was formerly known as Cudjo's Cave.

The hours are limited and seasonal.  We had tried to visit before, but could just never time things out right.

So, we arrived on a Saturday morning and waited for the ranger guide to arrive.  Other groups arrived to the small parking lot to wait.

Our guides came and each group paid their small fee (I think it was $8 each) and received an electric lantern to carry.

We had a great guide named Brittany who would lead as we took a good hike to the entrance of the the cave.  She told us about the old road that went through the area until 1996 when the tunnel was built and went into use.  The trail we were walking on was that former road used for cars...  and before that used by explorers to the area.  The park had also replanted trees in the area and they have tried to get it back to the parks earlier appearance.

We were told that the previous trees there (which were logged long ago) were huge, and it would take 6 men to wrap their arms around them.

The tour had a very primitive feel  with none of the common show cave lights.  Our lanterns were it.

The tour was listed as moderately strenuous and I felt like it was a good workout.  Brittany kept the pace reasonable though, and we stopped to discuss the trail and parts of the cave as we explored.

Our guide said that she wasn't sure if we would see bats, but we did!  In fact, we had a rare moment where one came and flew right past our group as we stood discussing the cave!  We also saw a couple of salamanders!

The cave was dark and winding but our guide said she felt like she could probably make it through without light at all!  I thought that was pretty impressive considering that there was one metal staircase we had to navigate (that rattled a bit) and the longest set of stairs was a bit of a tight squeeze.


My friend Rick was on this trip with us, and he grew up in Middlesboro.  He said that he took the cave tour, he thought in the early 90s when it was Cudjo's Cavern.  He thought that they drove up to the entrance and he did not remember the metal stairs.

Brittany told us that they did clean the cave out when the National Parks took it over.  There is, however, an issue with what is historic vs what is garbage.  Depending on the age of the trash, it might be considered historic, and they would have to leave it alone.  I did not notice any "historic trash" on our tour.

At the end of the cave tour and the hike back, the guides did spray a cleaner on the bottom of everyone's shoes to help prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome in bats.

We would later see Brittany again at the main Cumberland Gab visitor center!  You could tell that she loved her job working for the parks!

Cumberland Gap Visitor Center, Middlesboro KY Postcard

"In 1775 Daniel Boone aided by thirty axemen, blazed the Wilderness Trail through Cumberland to Boonesborough, KY".

Ths unused postcard is probably from the 1970s.

Destination Truth:Memoirs of a Monster Hunter by Josh Gates

We've really enjoyed watching Josh Gates whenever we can...  in whatever show he is on!

I figured it might be fun to read his book, so I picked it up not too long ago.  It was very enjoyable!

The book flows just like one of his shows (its funny, witty, but mostly interesting just hearing him talk about his travels and his thoughts on whatever he is investigating).

He gives a very fun story about how he got his job on his first show by pretty much showing up looking dirty and rugged.

I REALLY enjoyed hearing about Josh's searching for odd cryptids, finding footprints, trying to research their existence, etc.  He also talks openly about his feelings on whether or not the critters are real or not.

Greetings from Reelfoot Lake, Tiptonville, TN

I have visited the Reelfoot Lake area with my dad.  VERY nice section of western Tennessee.

Sugarlands Visitor Center- Gatlinburg TN

I am guessing this undated postcard was sold over half a century ago!  The Sugarlands visitor center is still there, and is usually crowded when I'm there!

Crockett's 1875 Breakfast Camp Gatlinburg, TN

We've driven by Crockett's 1875 Breakfast Camp a lot, but we've never gone in.  Mostly because there is usually a long line out the door!

We got up early though, and got there right when they opened.  We were able to get seated immediately.

The menu is printed like an old newspaper, with articles about the restaurant and its history printed in it.  We kept ours as a souvenir.

There is a Civil War connection here...  and I am always interested in anything "Crockett" related....  though this isn't connected to the legendary Tennessean/Texan.

The food was GREAT!  Check out those photos!

Inside looks like a great old cabin, and it feels very authentic.

Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tennessee

We got up early and did the half mile hike to Clingman's Dome!

That whole "half mile" hike thing is deceiving.  Its feels like a straight up hike.  You are going up hill.  There are several spots to rest, and we took advantage of most of them.

Still, we hiked there and back in about an hour.  Its a nice little work out, but its not that bad.

Once you get to the top, there is a curved ramp leading to an observation area.  It is very nice at the top.

Here are a few pictures I took!

Margaritaville Resort in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

We stepped inside of the Margaritaville Resort in Gatlinburg, which just opened up!

I'm not sure if the Jimmy Buffett vibe is the vibe I want while in the Smoky Mountains, but it kinda fits...  even if this isn't exactly an ocean front resort....

Still, the hotel looked nice!  There are birds and lots of places to lounge around.

They had a very clean looking snack restaurant area at the front that wasn't crowded.  It was lunch time...  AND I saw that they had shrimp tacos, so we ordered!  I love shrimp tacos anytime!

There was a very nice lady running the restaurant area who was great!  She talked about her brief time at the new resort and she loved it.

She confirmed that she had never met Jimmy Buffett and she didn't think that he had ever been to the Gatlinburg resort personally.

I was glad to hear some Van Morrison being played over the resorts speakers.  I thought surely JB's greatest hits would be played constantly, but I was wrong.

I went through a phase where I really loved Jimmy....  I listened to him a lot.  AND, Margaritaville is a great song..  great music and brilliant lyrics.  In fact, I have listened to the song so much that I never want to hear it again.

They did have TVs up constantly showing people wearing cheap plastic accessories and acting like they were having a great time.  The people were shown in slow motion.  Maybe they were at a Jimmy Buffett concert, or a resort....  I don't know.  I might have thought they were at a sporting event but I don't think any of them were holding up one finger in the air.

This was an interesting new place in the area though.  It is right on the strip, and I would definitely think about staying here at some point.

Tennessee Cider Co. Gatlinburg tennessee

We did a tasting at the NEW Tennessee Cider Company in Gatlinburg!

Tastings were free when we were there and man, the drinks were tasty!

They sell their hard cider by the jug for $24 and refills are $16.

They have a very cool logo too, and I am sure their shirts will be a hot item!