American Press Travel News–September 26th, Gatlinburg, TN.-“Bob and Barb Stopping to Smell the Roses” and ” On the Road Again.” So, here we are are in Gatlinburg. My sons, grand children and me and Barb. We are staying at a big log rental home and doing the rounds of Dollywood, Alpine tracking, mini golf, a walk through a really well done Titanic Museum, and stuff grand kids and Brian & his Professor wife, Diane like to do. This is a great opportunity for getting together for fun and reunification of family!!
View of Norris Dam and Norris Lake impoundment. The lake holds all manner of fish including giant catfish and striped bass so popular with trailer boaters from around the state of TN. and beyond.
AmericanPressTravelNews,-Norris Dam and Lenoir Museum Complex-Bob & Barb “On the -the Road Again”-Dams, always impressive as they are massive and hold-back river torrents. Dam’s also create power for power. Dam’s by holding back constant flows also calm and deepen waters creating lakes. Norris Lake is today a drawer for thousands of boaters and anglers, swimmers and kayakers, and lakes create real estate values. Seems that a view of the woods, compared to a view and access to a body of clean, beautiful water has no comparison in the price of a building lot. Water views trump em all!
Standing at the overlook parking area, at Norris Dam State Park made us think how this dam as many others around America beside being very impressive had opened up beautiful recreational opportunities for so many as well as creating power for so many families as well. We thoroughly enjoyed and were impressed with our stopover here! Go: www.tnstateparks.com/parks/about/norris-dam
Housing all manner of early American artifacts, tools, and agricultural and ground working implements from an age before our Industrial age (hand forged and crafted woods and metals, not manufactured and stamped out in factories) the Lenoir Museum is a repository of these items from early families of the Appalachian region now long gone on to heaven.A mill house that was saved and is in the State Park system. Probably more photographed than any other stop-over with the exception of the Norris Dam.Mark Morgan State Park Ranger showed us around the Lenoir Museum and the incredible music piece with marching soldiers and figurines from the 1840’s. www.tnstateparks.com/parks/about/norris-dam Runoff from the stream that turned the mill at the mill house grain grinding site.
AmericanPressTravelNews-Sept. 19th, “Bob and Barb On The Road Again”–What would make a modern family leave California, and pioneer backwards towards the east coast of the U.S.? When the Echternacht family; Jim and Sandy and their son Ian headed to Tennessee, from their home in Santa Barbara, CA. in a circuitous adventure, they had made the decision to purchase Ken Moody’s hunting lodge, and the many hundreds of acres it afforded for client-hunters since the 1950’s.The family wanted to change their life’s paradigm. No more super highways to sit in traffic, no more anti-hunting, and negative target shooting people to have to deal with, no more incredibly high prices for everything to continue dragging them down.
Son, Ian loves the shooting sports life, handling the dogs, putting hunters on to a wild boar, or the various other game animals on their hunting lodge properties. I had a chance to shoot with Ian at their range, try out some fine weaponry, and master-blast a few sporting weapons-it was great fun and in an environment where booms and rifle cracks were perfectly acceptable.
The family are happy campers since purchasing the lodge in September, 2016. “We knew we wanted to leave CA. so we made an RV out of a 1986 shuttle bus. The bus had a fine diesel engine, and no fancy electronics. We traveled all over looking for a place to land outside of CA. We wanted a rural, quiet place to spend our lives that had water, trees and hunting opportunities. So we coined the term: “Go east young man.” We finally found it here in Clark range. Just down the road from great service, and shopping in Crossville, great neighbors, plenty of room, and very happy hunters are our lot now”, said mom Sandy.
When they got into to TN. they stayed at Fall Creek Falls State Park. “We loved the park, the people and the feeling of being in a state that was more laid back than any other we visited, and upon our return to CA. we looked on a land and business sale site, found this lodge here in Clark Range, and studied the idea of buying and settling in the woods and waters of TN. We took quite awhile to decide, and after selling our home in Santa Barbara, and a few trips to, and from Clark Range, here we are”, said Dad, Jim.
Hunters can stay and hunt at the lodge for boar, Fallow Deer, Black Buck and anything non-indigenous to TN. Whitetail deer, black bear, and other specially licensed animals require a state license. People who wish to have a mount, and the meat hunt here. Several of the long term clients have stated that actually hunting is secondary to being in the wild with family and friends just to hang together-being happy to just be together with those they enjoy in a relaxed, non-working environment in nature.
The property has diverse terrain with waterfalls cliffs and caves for the adventurer, as well as accessible locations with blinds for the more laid back hunter. First hunts for youngsters with their parents are welcomed. A few groups have come year after year for decades.
There is no plan for clear-cutting; just cleanup as the previous owner wasn’t around for controlling usage of his lands perimeters. Today, Ian is on it all! A great sportsman in his own right, he appreciates, and has the drive to renovate and upgrade the lodge to its original condition, yet upgrade in the style and manner of what a true hunting lodge really feels and looks like. Mom, Sandy, treated us to a great chicken dinner, and we slowly began to lose the trappings and feelings of the life in hustle-mode. Yes, while visiting, we relaxed and understood why folks from all over would come and de-stress at the Clark Range Hunting Lodge. A guide with 16-years experience takes you & your party on guided dog hunts. There are tree stands, and ground blinds also available for hunters of any age, and physical condition is what you’re in for. Parties of 10 or more have exclusive use of the Lodge and Preserve, and smaller parties too are always welcome! We’re going back for some more of that “personality.”
Note* There are several hunting and sporting lodges in Tennessee, and we plan on visiting a few of these that are in, or are close to Crossville for Fall features.
Americanpresstravelnews- September 19th, Crossville, TN.-“Bob & Barb on the Road Again”–Crossville has several very good Mexican Restaurants, now it has Abuelas Cuban Café. No, not all Hispanic food emporiums are the same. There are many variations on rice and beans, pork and beef, spicing and marinating, etc,
What’s different? An island such as Cuba, and the little city within a city; Little Havana in S. Florida, has its own distinctive take from Mexican and Puerto Rican foods. Cubans grow Yucca, of course, as in other Hispanic foods; Plantains and black beans, yet marinated roast pork, seasoned chicken and Cuban Spice Veggies are usually distinctive to Cuban style foods, of course not always. Havana salad (use of fruits such as mango and papaya) has avocado and a very different take on citrus salad dressing. Piccadillo bowl has savory stewed beef with raisins and olives (Mexican piccadillo does not usually have raisins) white or yellow rice, yes, but seasoned differently. All of this is to say, Cuban foods are just different and savory too, in their own right.
We tried the Cuban sandwich, and the roast pork sandwich-they are definitely quite unique in their food genre. In true Cuban style, meats are usually marinated, and this not only softens them, but adds considerable flavor. The Cuban bread is toasted with the ingredients in between the bread, usually pressed solidly on the grill. Various items (pork, ham, salami, pickle and cheese) are melted and hot when brought to the table with a side of sweet plantains (banana’s) delicious!.
Mom Karen Reph (the Abuela- means Grandmother) and her daughters; Kelsey Green, and Karly opened the restaurant July 7th 2017. But first, they did a few “pop up” trials where they went into two other off-day restaurants, and showcased their dishes to the public. They had great responses, and so they “jumped the broom” so to say, on to, and into 595 Main Street in Crossville and opened Abuelas Cuban Café.
WOW! The café con leche (Coffee with hot milk) a very Cuban coffee presentation, is superb. Their flan custard dessert was delicious, and the empanadas (little fried pocket sandwiches like those fresh fried pies) were filled with ground, marinated beef with raisins and olives. The empanadas were terrific, and we know; Barb and I lived near some of the best Cuban restaurants in S. Florida, and frequented all of them from time to time several years ago. When you go, try the Yucca Fries with some tangy mojo mayo for dipping. The Havana Salad, try it for yourself-its got the goods for flavors of the islands.
We really like Cuban coffees, and starting out the day with a strong, sweet Espresso is a real mood, eye opener, and energy wake-up.
Karen Reph, mom and grandmother amongst the 3-co-owners said that: “We brought to Crossville our heritage foods we grew up with, and felt Crossville folks would love them too.”
We explored something new in Crossville, and found ourselves at a Cuban Restaurant, so reminiscent of what we enjoyed in South Florida and the Keys, and we are happy to recommend Abuelas for everyone looking to spice up their lives and palates, for a change of pace. Abuelas is Located at 595 Main Street, store #102 in Crossville.
By the way Barb and I wrote the book “Best Restaurants in the Florida Keys.”(Available at Amazon) Of the hundreds of restaurants, one of our favorites was a Cuban Restaurant.
American Press Travel News–September 26th, Gatlinburg, TN.-“Bob and Barb Stopping to Smell the Roses” and ” On the Road Again.” So, here we are are in Gatlinburg. My sons, grand children and me and Barb. We are staying at a big log rental home and doing the rounds of Dollywood, Alpine tracking, mini golf, a walk through a really well done Titanic Museum, and stuff grand kids and Brian & his Professor wife, Diane like to do. This is a great opportunity for getting together for fun and reunification of family!!
