American Press Travel News–Bob and Barb “On The Road Again”-this time at our TN. Ranch. We made it through Atlanta from Florida, with just minor slow-ups on I-75, and got home to our “Goose Holler” Farm and Ranch last week. With virtually zero help, I (Bob) have to go it alone in late spring cleanup. If I could get a Nickle-a-leaf, I would be a billionaire. So I rolled up my sleeves, grabbed the rake, the tarp and proceeded to slide mountains of leaves away from our buildings. I rake onto a ground-laid-out tarp, clip a little lock-jaw pliers onto the tarp and drive my golf cart to my designated leaf burial ground. I actually love the leaves as they force me to get a copious amount of exercise each spring, help me drop two notches on my belt and for ce me to eat a balanced, nourishing diet to assist in keeping up my strength and muscle tone. Our pond too, needs some TLC. Since the very unwise release of Otters in a wildlife area not far from our farm, these otters cleaned out the park ponds and streams and then headed south, passing through our pond areas, and I lost my koi, my giant catfish and big bass. Well, the koi kept the weeds down, so now the weeds are up, the bass kept the sunfish population regulated, so now we have a ton of sunnies, and the catfish ate everything along the bottom, keeping the pond clean of dead stuff and detritus. (More later)
American Press Travel News-July 4th, Eastern, TN.– “Bob and Barb On the Road Again.” Part 2 of our adventure in Linden, TN.–when we met Michael Dumont and his wife, Kathy, we knew were in a special place. Not to over dramatize our visit, but we felt more confident that in Linden, we could relax and experience a bit of the historical aspects of this region, east of Memphis and about two hours west of Nashville.
Michael took us for a tour of Perry County area. A fabulous rural area, rife with fabulous water, valley and mountain vistas as well as all manner of wildlife! We visited and drove along the Tennessee River, to the Mousetail Landing state Park, with RV facilities including 5 different levels of fitness trails, and views that are sensational. We toured the Lindens riverside nature of the Buffalo River, and Michael introduced us to a new Bed and Breakfast, he had completely rehabbed close to the TN. River, in a nearby, small hamlet of Clifton, “Tennessee’s best preserved river landing town.”
In Clifton, we visited the T.S. Stribling Home & Museum. Thomas Sigismund Stribling was the first Pulitzer prize winning author of 14-novels, plays and short stories in Tennessee. A great stopover and visit during our stay, and well worth visiting. The museum is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Go: www.cityofclifton.com or call (931) 676-3370 for tours information. Lots to marvel at.
The town of Linden in Perry County, Tennessee 1819-2019 had this nice hotel building, but according to Michael Dumont, “the town had seen better days.” The hotel was basically shuttered and needed everything! But getting to know him and his wife Kathy, I saw what they saw, and felt that with their drive and entrepreneurship, that they certainly made a huge difference in bringing a large spurt for economic revival to this town and county. They went to work with enthusiastic support from several towns folk in bringing back a huge measure of curbside appeal to Linden. They pushed getting rid of all the crisscrossing powerlines, that opened up the towns look, and feel that it wasn’t a hodge-podge anymore, of neglect. Like many towns, the rural roads were once the main roads, but as in this case for Linden, when I-40, the east-west interstate cutting through the state, was completed, traffic on the once, main route, 100 decreased to mainly local traffic and businesses soon to be gone, on Main Street. So the businesses, and well-kept stately buildings became just old, non maintained, and almost all abandoned. from the car dealership, vehicle repair shops and retail stores, and the bus stations that once serviced travelers from Memphis to Nashville, virtually ended. Sufficient to say when the Dumonts came to Linden in 2007, the little town showed 14 vacant storefronts. Michael says now there are no vacant stores. Perry Chamber of Commerce lists that in 2009, unemployment was 28.9-percent. Today, its between 2-3-percent. and now Linden is not a pass-through, according to Mitchell Rhodes, Chairman of the Perry County Chamber of Commerce, Linden is a destination with a proper hotel again, restaurants and the “Bloomin Arts Festival along with music, music, music! Go: Commodorehotellinden.com and call (931) 589-3224 for a visit. Note* next post will detail many more amenities and businesses in and around the town of Linden!!
AmericanPressTravelNews-March 21st, A book review for The New Neotropical Companion, by Biologist, John Kricher “Bob & Barb Stopping to learn all about ecological issues.This book will help thousands understand the complex ecology and natural history of the most species-rich area on earth, the American tropics. This $35 dollar book has 432-pages with 18-color illustrations covering all of tropical America. It describes the species and habitats most likely to be observed by visitors. It includes every major Eco-system, from low land rain forests to the high Andes. The book features a wealth of color photos of habitats, plants and animals. Check out press.princeton.edu The book is 7.5 X 9.5 inches and the ISBN: 978-0-691-11525-2. HAVE BOOK WILL TRAVEL!
American Press Travel News, The Swag, 5000-feet up in Maggie Valley-makes a fine tale, if you will; “a tale of two mountains” would be appropriate to call our experiences at both the Cataloochee Ranch perched high atop Fie Top Mountain in Maggie Valley, where we lived, enjoyed ranch style breakfasts and wonderful barbecue dinners for 4-days as we visited and experienced the pleasures of Maggie Valley. We visited and had a wonderful al fresco lunch at the Swag Resort, high atop another mountain ridge also called Cataloochee. The views were astounding, witnessed and making for indelible memories as we lunched near a beautifully crafted gazebo by an esteemed New York Architect, who also did one in the most famous park in New York; Central Park. Everyone in the “know” would like to have their wedding at and in the forever views of the Smokies. We hear the regular sit down fare at the Swag is gourmet all the way, we looked over one of the rooms with copper bathtub on the porch with a view that was purely astounding from the giant bed, or anywhere else in the suite! We are looking forward to return and fully experience this special place in time and space, designed for hikers and trail blazers from around the world, as well as Americans.
Dan and Deena Mathews developed this property as a vacation home in 1971. They originally had no intentions of becoming owners of an Inn, but now and for the past several decades they have put together a treasured (cool low 60’s even in August) environment where things are low key, but always very special for their guests, their employees and for themselves as well!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ON A SCALE OF 1-10 THE SWAG IS AN 11! 800-789-7672 E CONNECT IS TheSwag.com