Relaxing in Kodak, Tennessee

On Tuesday, October 8th, we drove a couple hours east from Crossville to Kodak, Tennessee. We're camped in a farm field. No really, it's an old dairy farm converted into a bluegrass festival venue and subsequently into an RV park. The name is Dumplin Valley Farm RV Park. They don't advertise in the big campground directories. We stumbled upon them on RVParkReviews.com which is our go-to site for realistic evaluations of campgrounds. The few reviews online were encouraging and $25/night for full hookups in this area was also attractive. We've been very happy with our stay. If you're looking for lots of amenities this isn't for you, but for a nice quiet place with full hookups this is the place. The story behind the place is interesting. The owner took Dale and another camper on a 'two-cent' tour behind the scenes. The whole thing started when the owners got interested in bluegrass music in the late 90's and started to attend festivals. What they soon realized is that they had a better place to host a bluegrass festival right in their own backyard than the venues they were visiting. The first year they had four campers and a handful of people. The next year about 10, then 25. Now they squeeze nearly 200 campers in here and have had as many as a thousand people in and around their barn/stage. But other than that one weekend a year they usually have no more than a half dozen campers. Tonight there are indeed six of us. A big night! Joe, the owner, explained that his main livelihood comes from building houses and the RV park was more of a hobby to support the bluegrass festival. They are intending to step up the marketing. 

Our Dumplin Valley Farm campsite

Feeling lonely?

Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival Venue

The stage

View from the stage. They can get 600 in here under cover for the  concerts.

A pretender

Picture taken from their Facebook page showing this year's gathering

Next door neighbor

A few too many dumplins' for this old gal

Another neighbor

Do I detect some sadness that the Bluegrass Festival is over  until next year?

Wednesday we drove into Knoxville and did a walking tour. Thursday we abused a golf course called Millstone Golf Club in Morristown, TN. Actually, we enjoyed the round and were quite happy with our scores. Friday we drove down to Gatlinburg and wondered around for the afternoon. LOTS of people with the same idea. This is reported to be their busiest time of year. People like us looking for fall colors. 

Downtown Gatlinburg taken from the open top of the Jeep

Side holler in Gatlinburg

Folks enjoying a local Bluegrass band in the same side holler

Saturday night we enjoyed an unexpected highlight: dirt track go kart racing right across the street. Dale started out perching his chair up on the hill above our campsite and watching from a distance. Then we took the Jeep down and sat right along the fence. The karts were flying by at 70 mph less than 15 feet from us. The first race we saw once we got down next to the fence was between a brother and sister. At least one of them was reported to be only 6 years old. No, these tikes weren't going 70 mph, more like 25, maybe 30. The entertaining part of this race was that the little boy's kart died right in front of us. So one of the track officials came over and told him to stay in the kart while he started it. His sister was made to stop on the other side of the track while they got him going again. The track official told the boy 'Now your sister is going to wait on the other side of the track for you. When you get over there, slow down when you see her.' Well, I guess he forgot to specify just how much to slow down and that maybe he should go around her if she wasn't moving yet. We were impressed with the quick sprint the other track official managed just seconds before brother locked up the brakes just a little too late. He ended up sliding sideways into his sister, but at a slow enough speed that no real harm was done. But it was indeed entertaining. The next race brought out the 12 year olds and now we saw 70 mph. The gentleman in the truck next to us informed Dale that his grandson was in that race and had a slim 5 point lead in the standings, but still needed to win the race to finish the season in first. Unfortunately, it wasn't his night. He finished second, but grandpa was still proud. 

View of the racetrack from the hill above our campsite

Zoomed view from the same hill

Another zoomed shot

Seats closer to the action and they were free!

Moments after the crash of the 6 year olds

All is well. Brother on the move after the love tap he gave his sister.

Sister finishing up

Grandson (see text) congratulating winner of the 12 year old class

Lisa finally got a wave back

New group of four entering the track

Same four highly grouped for the start of their race

Sunday we attended church at St. Paul Lutheran church in Sevierville; a small,  but very welcoming congregation. On Monday, Dale read motorhome related owners manuals and Lisa went shopping. On Tuesday, October 15th, we'll do some prep work for the long anticipated 'Newmar Hoots Looking for a Roost' gathering which officially starts Thursday, but unofficially starts Tuesday evening with the arrival of the first Hoots. Look out Sevierville, the Hoots are coming!