Day 5 - Over the Mountains and through the Woods...(dejavu)

Today was another rainy day - (imagine that!) which was preceded by a busy night of thunderstorms once again!  Quite frankly, we are tired of the rain, thank you very much Isaac!  Even as I write this in the driveway of our Son's home in North Carolina, thunderstorms are once again in the area and threatening!  But the storms did not dampen the sweet, sweet sights and sounds of our wonderful grandchildren!  What a blessing indeed!  Elijah, Levi, Seth and Missy were a sight to behold!  They've all grown in so many ways since our last visit - funny how that happens! Oh, and it was just as nice to see their Mom and Dad as well!

It was very difficult to get good pictures today, but we did what we could despite the weather. This has been the case each of our travel days thus far.  We passed through the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In the process we passed through Knoxville, (Home of the University of Tennessee), Ashville, (Home of the Biltmore Estate, and numerous smaller towns noted for their hardwood furniture productions.

Biltmore Estate

 

www.biltmore.com

 

 



After 7 1/2 of driving (we took numerous breaks due to the weather), we arrived in Lexington, N.C. at our Son's home around 4:30 P.M. 

Lexington, N. C. has a population of 18,918, and is located in central North Carolina, twenty miles south of Winston-Salem.  Notable residents include Robert Sink, Lt. General for the U.S. Army during WWII.  Sink was portrayed in the TV Mini series "Band of Brotheres" by Capt. Dale Dye.  Also Johnny Temple, former MLB player and Perry Tuttle, former NFL wide receiver.

Lexington is known for its' BBQ, and claims to be the "Barbecue Capital of the World", but Jim and I would beg to differ on this .......<grin>

As a result of a public art initiative effort to revitalize the downtown area of the city, they created artistic displays of full sized ornamental pigs (Pork BBQ -you get the picture) which can be seen in front of various businesses in the city.  Some of the pigs are really creative!

Tomorrow is another day - filled with grandchildren to spoil and the never ending travel chores - laundry, shopping and fleet maintenance!

 

 

Took this picture for our Son's - we were stranded in Cleveland, TN

one year on our way to NJ for the Christmas Holidays due to a very bad

blizzard! Then on the return trip home, our generator went out in the van in the same spot. 

 Not one of our most memorable family trips!

 



 

French Broad River, travels from Ashville, NC to Knoxville, TN

 

First view of the Great Smoky Mountains 

Now you can understand how they got their name!





More views of the Smokey Mountains.  

 

Some of the trees are starting to turn to their fall colors......

 

 

Wire mesh used along the side of the road to keep rocks slides from

 landing on the roadway

 

Continued remnants of Hurrican Isaac!

 

 

Pigs in the City of Lexington, N.C.