On the Road Again: Pigeon Forge, TN

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“You just take your time, sweetie, and your room will be here waiting for y’all when you get here.”  I hung up the phone and said, “I love the South!”  Just calling to confirm our reservation reminded me.

We spent last week in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  My husband and I were both invited to teach at a conference.  We could not have asked for a lovelier environment.

The last time I was in Tennessee, it was an impromptu trip with a youth mission team.  This time, we’ve been planning for months.  Greg taught a workshop on Creation vs. Naturalism and I led one for homeschoolers.  I also got to host a discussion for families considering homeschooling, and was invited to speak during one of the evening services.

We make road trips an event.  Planning snacks is my department, and getting audiobooks or podcasts all set is my husband’s.

What neither of us planned for was watching an accident unfold before our eyes on the way down.  We were just crossing the Illinois to Indiana border when traffic in all 5 lanes came to a stand still.  We were slowing down, and still a good distance behind the car in front of us, when a red car came speeding up on our left.  I was thinking, “Where does she think she’s going?”  She cut into our lane, realized it was stopping too, and tried to cut back over to the left to get onto the shoulder, slamming on brakes, but didn’t make it.  The car plowed into the stopping car in the far left lane, sending it across two lanes of traffic (including directly in front of a semi) where it got clipped by another car.  We didn’t stop, since it seemed more dangerous to do that, but did call 911.  Scary stuff.

It’s amazing how witnessing an accident can change your driving on the rest of your trip!

Once we made it safely to Tennessee after a long day of driving, we hit the grocery (in torrential rain) to get some things and were ready to hit the sack.  Pulling back the covers, our bed had crumbs in it.  Crumbs, blech!  My husband, tired as he was, brushed them off and was ready to hop in.

No.

After a quick call to the front desk, they delivered new bedding and we were finally ready to start our week with some sweet dreams.

I need to ask:  Would you have slept in the bed, or required new sheets?

I feel terrible that I didn’t take one single picture of the gorgeous surroundings (thankfully my husband snapped a few).  Somehow I did manage to get a shot of our snack stop in Gatlinburg, The Donut Friar.  I find when I travel, I sort of lose myself in just being there.

My mother’s heart, however, ached a bit because our eldest stayed home for classes and work and his 18th birthday fell while we were away.  So this mom spent that day taking pictures of friends (and strangers and inanimate objects) holding ‘Happy Birthday’ signs for my guy.

 

Southern Charm

Like I said above, I really miss the manners of the South.  We noticed a stark difference on the way home when a fast food employee audibly sighed and began mumbling under her breath when we asked for ice (the machine on our side of the counter was not working).  My husband looked at me and said, “Well, I guess we’re not in the South anymore.”

I’m curious, though… while my youngest, who was with us, notices the difference in manners, it doesn’t phase him.  My husband and I both crave the gentility we experience down South.  What about you?

Would you welcome widespread Southern manners?

Yes ma’am, no sir, sweetie, darlin’, bless your heart??