Ruby Falls & Chattanooga Choo Choo

Yesterday we had a rest day....which means we cleaned the RV, washed all the windows and did the washing - doesn't matter where you are in the world, there is always cleaning to be done.

You may have noticed some blurry photos of late.  Today we headed out in search of getting the camera fixed and after talking to a lady at Superior Cameras decided it might be easier just to buy a new lens - the standard 18-55 lens the camera came with is being very temperamental and only chooses to focus when it wants to - usually only lasting 1-2 shots and then we have to try and remember to manually focus it... not ideal and we miss the moments quite often.  So after driving around for a couple of hours trying to hunt one out, we decided we would go to Canon website.  It appears they do not sell these separately, only with the camera package - typical.













We call in and see the gang at Honest Charley and Daryl orders some tyres from Coker - much cheaper here than in NZ.  Then we decide to head up to Ruby Falls to see what it is all about.

Ruby Falls is a bit like Waitomo Caves... you go down 9 stories in an elevator and then walk into the mountain through caves fill of stalactites and formations ending up 1120ft underground at the tallest underground water fall in America.





The falls are lit up with coloured lights which highlight the scene.











































































 View from the top of the Castle at Ruby Falls overlooking Chattanooga.

 Historic Hotel where the Chattanooga Choo Choo is now housed.  You can sleep on the train in it's Victorian Train Cars.

"All aboard".... Daryl playing on the Choo Choo.

Chattanooga - Honest Charley Speed Shop

Having got the coupe sorted, we head out and pick up a box of fresh donuts to take down to Honest Charley Speed Shop to say thank you for all their help.  Arriving just before lunch, Mike invites us to have lunch with them next door which we accept and tag along.

Honest Charley Speed Shop is in the same building as Coker Tires and while having lunch, in walks Corky Coker the owner of Coker Tyres with Don Garlits, Big Daddy, the father of drag racing, so we get to met them.  Daryl is living his dream.....

We go back to Honest Charley and purchase some parts that we need for the forty, plus some more T-shirts for Daryl..... They suggest we take the Coker Tour at 2pm, so we head on over and do the tour.
Some amazing stuff in there and worth taking the tour. 

 

Straight 8 Buick owned by Corky, used to race in The Great Race but now used as a pace car since he purchased The Great Race.

 This car got first place in The Grand Race from New York to Paris. 

You may see this in an upcoming TV show.

 

Retro caravan - only 3 left & only two original state

  

JD (the Wheel Deal) at work - Daryl could have spent all day with him just learning stuff.

JD spins the rims for vintage and classic cars - Daryl wants to be his apprentice.

 

 Original old Indy Speedster.

Original old Fireball Roberts Nascar, now used in the Great Race.

Mike's 39 Ford with a 40 front clip - flathead - $33,000 and she's yours.....

We arranged to go out to Mike  & Connie's for dinner and had a wonderful evening with them.  Good food, good company and they really made us welcome.  Mike built the house overlooking the Tennessee river with fantastic views and Connie has helped add the finishing touches - my dream home, just beautiful.  Thanks so much Mike & Connie, your hospitality is much appreciated

 

Mike & Connie

Chattanooga

Hitting the road we head towards Chattanooga and Honest Charley's in the hope they have the part we want.  We get an email saying they don't have it in stock but to contact them if we want to order it.

We leave a message on their phone and keep driving - I have horrible thoughts its going to take a week to get the part...  We have a couple of stops along the way and roll in at 4.15pm before we go to our camp, so we can catch them and see what can be done.

Mike Goodman, the owner of Honest Charley Speed Shop was there and they were just looking for the part when he had overheard the conversation and knew exactly what had happened and what was needed.  Daryl brought in the starter motor in to show him, Mike piled him into his truck and took him down the road to an auto electricians shop who fixed it in ten minutes....  Of course they had to talk cars and things so it took a little bit longer for them to come back.... 

Mike was so good at looking after us and gave us his number if we had any problems or it didn't work  - we are so grateful for his help as it is one of those occasions where local knowledge goes a long way and this could have cost us a lot more and taken a lot longer, had he not stepped in and helped out.  Many thanks Mike. 

About 5.30 we are on our way to find our camp and Daryl fits the starter motor back in - I hear music to my ears as she turns over and starts up straight away.   Oh and the BBQ got a new hose so we could cook dinner as well!   Broken nose is recovering well.......

Nashville - Jack Daniel Distillery

Day trip we just have to do as we drink Jack every night.......................

The trip is about 85 miles so a bit of a drive, but its all new country so why not.


















Our tour guide advises this is the wettest, dry county around.

              

No photography allowed in the buildings, but was interesting seeing the mash fermenting - Daryl was keen to get out of that building having taken a big wiff off the vats....  But the next building made up for that when they waved the lids up & down letting the whiskey smell waft up - so strong it was almost as good as having a drink.  They couldn't sell any Whiskey being a dry county, but they could sell a commemorative flask, which they just happen to throw some whiskey into......

After the tour we headed down the road into Lynchburg town square for a look around and picked up a few more things - think the container going home is going to sink with all the weight that is going to be in the boot (trunk)....   (At least the coupe has a boot thou!!!! not like the 28, after all gotta have somewhere to put all our cowboy boots).

We stopped at the gas station to fill up before heading home and guess what - we can't start again....
We end up rolling the car off the forecourt - Daryl knows its the starter motor and he just needs to get it into 2nd gear to crash start it.......we start pushing and fortunately a nice young man in a pick up stopped to help and then another - folks are just great.  So we get going and know we cant stop until we are back at camp.

We make it back and Daryl rolls her half up the trailer and pulls out the starter motor - yep the bolts gone and the bendix spring shot.  Don't ya love old cars.  After another push start (and some more help from the locals thank goodness) we get her strapped on to the trailer behind the RV as we are leaving in the morning.

Just to top the night off the BBQ decides not to work also, so after an hour of Daryl trying to get that going, I shove the ribs in the oven!  Oh and the third thing as they reckon they come in threes... Daryl gets hit in the face with the lid off the side door on the RV and comes in bleeding profusely.  Thank goodness tomorrow is another day.

We were intending to head over to Pigeon Forge near Old Smoky and I had been looking for RV parks out that way, but then Daryl goggles the part & finds Honest Charley in Chattanooga, so I find a park down that way, which turns out is actually in Georgia by about a mile and a half.

Nashville - Downtown & General Jackson

We make our way downtown to check out the Johnny Cash Museum and what do we find but a car show in the middle of town...........

Two streets closed off with cars lining the sides
and middle of the roads.  Daryl reckons he didn't know about this one....hmmmmm.     Anyway it was quite cool and the shops were all open so I had a nosy around them while he looked at cars and went to the Johnny Cash Museum.

We had a late lunch at BB Kings and listened to Blues played live - good band and really enjoyed just chilling out there.


























Later we went out for our dinner & cruise on the General Jackson paddle boat, which included a cabaret show.  We had an interesting table of eight for dinner and Daryl kept them amused with all the differences in languages and generally misunderstanding what we  were saying......but made for some good laughs. 
































All in all a good night out.  Nashville is the country music capital - the clothes and night life go with this where wearing boats with shorts or dresses is at home as jeans. (Not so common in NZ but all good fun).