Day 55~ Pigeon Forge, TN to Hurricane Mills, TN

Well, the day finally arrived where the GPS took us completely the longest route possible to where we were headed.  Here's how it all unfolded;

We left fairly early this morning from Up The Creek in Pigeon Forge.  We were well prepared to go, everything went very smoothly.  As we were heading through Pigeon Forge John and I programmed the address to Loretta Lynn's RV Park in the GPS.  We were doing great until the GPS took us off of Highway 40W onto Highway 70 (byway).  We really didn't mind, gorgeous drive.  As we got closer to the RV Park, we were getting a little more anxious to get to our destination, we had been on the road for almost 5 hours and wanted to have time to explore a little at our new site.  Then it happened!!!!  OMG!  We turned onto a "Very" Narrow Gravel Road, we should have known then, but oh no, we had the right address and there were signs that said Loretta Lynn's Ranch.  These signs looked a little strange, just signs made from a sharpie on a white piece of paper!

So, we continued on the gravel road for about 1 mile, no place to turn around.  John asked me to call the RV Park and see if we were headed in the right direction, no cell phone service!  We were in the "Hills" of Tennessee.  The road continued to wind deep into the mountains of Hurricane Mills....we were in trouble!  We passed a home that looked like something out of a horror story,  John thought he heard banjo music.... then finally a breath of fresh air...Cell Phone Service!  The lady at the park said we were coming in the back way of Loretta's Ranch.  We continued through the deep woods and rough terrain for about 10 miles, thank god we came to an asphalt road!  Wow, we experienced the true Tennessee Hills, with a fifth wheel!

We finally made it to the Park/Ranch.  Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful!!!  We were never so happy to be there.  Our fuel gauge on the truck was so low...We were certainly happy to have made it to our new campsite.

John went to fuel up the truck while I made the arrangements to go to the Loretta Lynn Museum and Mansion.  When he came back he couldn't believe what he had found out!  Apparently the address on the website to the RV Park is the wrong address!  So it was NOT the GPS's fault!   John spoke with the park personnel and they apologized and said that they were in the process of getting it changed.   He was relieved and I was as well, since the GPS has been a great tool on this trip. 

We enjoyed our time at the Loretta Lynn Ranch.  A Lot to see and would recommend it to anyone that is a Loretta Lynn fan.  So much history about her becoming a country western singer.  Her homestead is amazing!  After her husband Mooney passed away she left the homestead for about a year.  When she came back she had a new home built and made the homestead a tourists attraction.  She was on the grounds while we were there.

I managed to get some laundry done and was accompanied by a stray cat.  It seems that the park has been a dumping ground for unwanted cats and dogs.  So sad to see them in the condition they are in.  John gave the cat some dog food and some sandwich meat.  I named him Sammy and he seemed to like it because he kept meowing and loving on me!

All and all it was a stressful day, but we managed to get through it!

Leaving early from Pigeon Forge, TN

Highway 70, close to Jackson, TN

Loretta Lynn's RV Park/Ranch

Coal Miner's Daughter Museum is "Wonderful"...So much to see!

Loretta had this house built...it's a replica of her original home in Butcher Holler in Kentucky

Loretta Lynn's mansion she bought was built in 1876, shortly after the civil war.  After her husband passed away she moved out of the mansion and built a new home on her 3,500 acre ranch.  The mansion is now part of the tour.

The Grist Mill on Loretta's property. 

Just a beautiful place!