Heading Down To Knoxville Area Right Now
 

I'm already sick of the cold and it ain't even Helloween yet!

I've been interested in the Knoxville area for years and liked what I found on my way through.
Now I'm heading down there for a couple/few days.
I was interested in Cosby/Newport area but city-data.com showed me Knox is better for me.
No offense, Cosby area is an awesome ride but, nevermind.

I'm leaving right now but will be checking my e-mail messages, etc through wifi at motels/truckstops/wherever.
Think I'll cruise Dragon129 while I'm in the area (yes in my HHR).
I'll be searching http://public.kaarmls.com/?AreaID=27 while I'm down there.

Wish me a smooth trip and nice Waffle House waitresses :smile:

If you go to Cosby you can take 321 to Gatlinburg ,less traffic prettier ride,
Ripley,s Aqurium is a great place to go. lots of great resturants in walking
distance. Also Crafters Village (1ST traffic light coming into town turn right)

I'll be staying in Cosby for a couple of nights and tripping out from there.
I'm on Days Inn's wifi an hour north of Roanoke right now.
I just looked it up and have about 5 hours still to go.
Good thing I'm a stubborn French Canuck with a titanium constitution!
I've been driving all night (crankin Shooter Jennings and such) my hand's wet on the wheel...:cool:

Settled in.
Been up since 7AM yesterday.
Fading fast...
Cosby's a trip.
Awesome driving roads.
I can see myself losing my license within a month here.

I'll post pix when I get home.

I drove up 32 south into Carolina and back.
Switchback after switchback the whole way.
Prettier than the White Mountains in NH.
I want to move down here so bad but the ol lady has family up in Mass and won't move.

I'll miss her.

I think i heard a Brad Paisley fishing song just then.

I'm in Maryville right now.
Pretty happy lookin town.
Going to be looking at houses tomorrow.
Any sections to stay away from?

I'm hoping to find a place just out of town to the south.
Good/bad?

Thanks

Tail of the Dragon
 

If you're in Maryville TN you're probably not far from Tail of the Dragon, awesome driving road, 318 curves in 11 miles! 129 south out of Maryville.

I lived in Knox for about 8 years. Houses & land are cheap but jobs are scarce. Oh & I hope you like the color orange. They are rabid about their Vols football team. Everybody & everything in town has orange on it!

You need to come on down to Huntsville, Alabama area. Big technology city with above average wages with below average economy (the recession barely effected us down this way). If you can't find a job down here your not looking hard enough. Plus we are 1.5 hrs from Nashville, 1.5 hrs from Birmingham, 2 hrs from Memphis, and 3 hrs from Atlanta. 6 hrs from the beach straight down I-65.
I've lived all over the USA, north east, north west, central and the believe it or not, NORTH Alabama has been my favorite place. My whole family 1 brother, 1 sister, mom/dad all have moved down here from Pennsylvania over the years. The only sister that never did has joint custody with her kids in PA, so she can't or she would.

Listening to Junior Brown on Outlaw Country XM13 Guy can play some wicked guitar!

Left Cosby Tenn at 11AM
Caught pix of a blazin house on fire on the way to Gatlinburg.
Nice drive to Townsend.
Dragon129 is awesome.
Good thing I took 32South from Cosby yesterday. Good practice.
Guy at the tail said someone did the Dragon in 12 minutes! WTF!
Drove throug Robinsville, Ashville, etc took Future 26 up to 81
Drinking lots of NOS - 260 MG of caffiene yahoo!
Leeching wifi at the Hampton Inn in Harrisonville Va right now.

Have about 200 pix.
I'lll post some later when I get home.

Blackberry Smoke - Up In Smoke Kicks ass!
They're from Bama
Check 'em out.
Gotta git, long way to go...

Not my longest road trip but I am a little tired.
I guess at 48 I'm not as heavy duty as I used to be.
I only stayed up driving all night twice this week and I'm kind of tired.
Bleh.

2245 miles total since Friday night at 11PM and I have a ton of pix.
I'll post some in a thread of it's own.
Loved every minute of it but I'm glad to be home.
I get to sleep in my own bed tonight :smile:

EDIT - There was a house consumed by fire in Cosby, Tennessee on my way to Gatlinburg.
I got a few pix as the fire truck was wailing up the road.
I was standing across the street and it was giving off serious heat.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...0065Custom.JPG https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...0067Custom.JPG

What color are the Fighting c ocks from Newport?
That's their High School team's name.
No ****, too funny

Here's a couple of pix at/from the Foothills Parkway between Townsend and the Dragon.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...0139Custom.JPG https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...0146Custom.JPG

Dragon129

Awesome road that I know I'll visit often.
It's only 950 miles from here. No problem! :cool:

Cropped screenshot from Killboy.
I ordered the 6 pix on CD, I'll update this pic when I get it.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...illboy-600.JPG

I washed about 5K miles of USA dust/bugs off the HHR yesterday.
2+ hours with plenty of redo spots.
Today's winter coat of wax day. ugh.

Stupid can't-replace-a-picture-with-another-named-the-same-exact-thing-and-it'll-work

Here's the shot from killboy.com if anyone cares

https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...600_576494.JPG

Bump to help folks get psyched for road trips this year too :sun:

I was wondering when this was gonna see some action. We were down that way yesterday. Went to The Chimneys to lay-out and play in the water. Ice cold BTW. Can't wait to finally meet some forum members. Intrested intrested intrestred.

Love the new Pic! "his converstations carry weight that would break a lesser man's jaw" he is the most intresting man in the world.

Hey Christien,Doing the Dragon and other roads this Oct. also Savannah G2G the end of this month,was hoping to go to Cosby after Savannah not going to be able to.But Dragon the end of Oct.will be there.Hope to have a good turnout there. :twothumbs: Tim

Hey Tim, October sounds good. Tha Ga GTG is a bit too soon for us. we blew a bunch of time off over the past few weeks. ( my Mom passed away)

Also let me know when in October. I have a Design that opens on Oct 30th. (Putnam County Spelling Bee) It's a regional musical, and if you and your wife want some tickets, I will gladly provide them for you guys to have something to do one night. Free tickets goes to anyone else that wants them. Its a really good show, and already SOLD OUT five months out. Just let me know. I have a limited amount of tickets signed out to me, so first come first serve.

Also for a Friday Night. Knoxville Dragway is an open track on Fridays. This would make for a fun evening especially if there are a bunch of HHR's $5 to Spectate $20 to run all night. It a 1/8 mile course so no major car damage can be made in 750 feet.

Also, the local Sonic will host the HHR's one night for us.

Let me know what I can do.... Just got a 35watt Laser Cutter, so custom stickers, parts, etc. is not a prob for the meet.

Sorry about your loss man.

I like the Sonic/HHR idea, that would make a nice retro picture.

We have a old Gulf gas station (with the round gulf globe on the pump) that was preserved by the city here. I'm gonna take my HHR SS over there some day and do a mini photo shoot.

Christien,Sorry to hear about your mom.I know how you feel,lost my dad back the middle of Feb. Will let you know more about the dragon run as plans are put together. Tim