Walland Rally – Day 2-5 - Tuesday Thru Friday

On Tuesday, we drove the newly finished section of the Foothills Parkway called the "missing link" which was authorized by Congress in 1944 and completed in 2018.  It rises less than other completed sections as it makes it’s curvy 16 mile route into Wears Valley and while the sky wasn’t real clear, we could see pretty good with the developed area in the second shot being Townsend, TN.

Once in Wear’s Valley, we made our way the Elvira’s Café for lunch and the only food shot I got that turned out was my Reuben, which was taken after I discovered my lens wasn’t on properly for the other shots.  Elvira was on hand to coordinate things.

   

The afternoon plan was a trip to Tuckaleechee Caverns but after reading about the pretty strenuous 1½ mile walk, all but one person opted not to go and most of the group headed to Tanger Outlets in Sevierville for a shopping trip.

That evening we gathered in the clubhouse for games of Pegs & Jokers and Rook.

Wednesday's plan was to drive up to Tapoco Lodge for lunch then on to Fontana Dam but several of the group went to a Receiving Of Friends for a previous club member so only 10 of us made the 1½ hour drive up to Tapoco in the on and off rain.  The first part of the trip was over the section of the Foothills Parkway that was completed in 1966, where we got some shots that show how the Smoky Mountains got their name.

Then we drove the now-famous-to-motorcyclists Tail Of The Dragon which is an 11 mile section of US-129 that runs from Chilhowee Lake to about a half mile into NC, contains 318 curves, and ends at Deals Gap.  Along the way, we got a shot of Calderwood dam and lake which was barely visible through the mist.

Before the road was discovered by the bikers, it was just another road thru the mountains and a shacky looking place sat at Deals Gap where there is now a nice motorcycle resort with a store restaurant, and motel.

From there we drove the three miles to Tapoco passing below Cheoah Dam which was used in the dam scene in the movie The Fugitive with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones.  

Along with Calderwood, Chilhowee, and Santeelah, Alcoa built these four dams on the Little Tennessee River watershed to furnish power to their aluminum smelter in Alcoa, TN, then TVA built Fontana Dam (highest dam east of the Missiissippi) above Cheoah.

We got to Tapoco right on time for our 11:30 reservation and were seated outside but under cover where we could watch the rain and listen to the water cascading down the river.

Not many diners when we arrived, but the covered area was pretty full when we left.

All but one person ordered one of the wood fired oven pizzas and while I again forgot the food porn, it was very good.  Since only four of us were interested in going on to Fontana, it was raining, and we’d been there before, we opted to just head back to the campground and relax the rest of the afternoon.

On Thursday, fellow club member, Louie and I cooked two meals for the group beginning with a breakfast of sausage gravy and Bojangle's biscuits, scrambled eggs, bacon, and the leftovers from previous days.  Then for supper, it was beans, potato salad and grilled burgers cooked through the open club room door with me inside and the grill outside in the light rain.

Both meals were a big hit and my cooking partner, Louie, and I got to do something we enjoy.  After supper while sitting around the faux fire, we got a few sprinkles but were treated to a rainbow.

On Friday morning, we said our goodbyes and headed home with another successful rally in the books – even though it rained on and off the entire week.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South

Larry

6/18 - 6/21/19 event dates