Category Archives: April 2014

Back in the Central Time Zone – 4/26/14 – 4/29/14

The St. Louis Arch, Gateway to the West

We left Nashville and made the 300-mile (crossing 3 states) trip to St. Louis, a bit longer drive than we like, but that is how things work out sometimes. This wasn’t originally part of our plan, but we decided to make the trek, as we didn’t want to miss the “Gateway to the West.” This was the furthest west we have been since December. We arrived at the Casino Queen RV Park in East St. Louis, a newer park right on the Mississippi River, across from the city with perfect views of downtown and the iconic Arch. As usual, we were surrounded by train lines and major highways, but the location just couldn’t be beat. After analyzing our next few days stay, we decided to head over to the casino for dinner, as we probably were going to eat out a lot and it did not make a lot of sense to head out and try to find a grocery store. We found a nice little deli/bar and ate a decent meal, played a few slots (the table limits were too high), then returned to the MoHo, a bit tired and looking forward to our adventures in the St. Louis the next couple days.

Great view from the MoHo park

Sunday we got up and headed out to the light rail station across the parking lot from the casino and took it across the river to the city. Our fist stop was the Gateway Arch, officially called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. We entered into the underground bunker that housed the exhibit, a gift shop, and ticket sales. The tickets were reasonable, only $7 each, with our National Parks pass discount. About an hour later we were in line to head up to the top of the Arch. The capsule to take visitors up to the top was something else. A tiny little bubble that stuffs 5 people in, and it is very close quarters to say the least. (They asked us when we bought our tickets if anyone was prone to motion sickness, which I am, or claustrophobic.) The four minute ride up to the top and a short walk up to the observation windows and we were suddenly 630 feet up in the air looking out small porthole sized windows for 30 miles in both directions. A very amazing view, well worth the trip in itself! I also immediately noticed the movement of the Arch, as it was a windy day, and I could certainly feel it. We descended to the bottom to finish the visit with a few more pictures. On the ground outside, I really started to feel that my equilibrium was not good, and almost felt dizzy for a about the next 3-4 hours; should have taken some of the Dramamine that was sold in the gift shop.

View from on top of the Arch, Busch field to the left

We could see the MoHo! Across river, behind red building.

This was the hallway at the top. About 100 feet long and 17 ft wide. A pretty closed in space.

We walked SW out of the park, our next stop was Busch Stadium, and an afternoon Cardinals game vs. the Pirates. We picked up a couple tickets off a guy who had extras and then grabbed a beer in the street and just took in the atmosphere, a much more lively vibe than what you would see outside of a Mariner’s game. The streets were filled with Red Birds fans and there was a really well developed area to get in the mood for a baseball game. We finally entered the stadium, and wandered around and took it all in. The place seemed huge, with 5-6 levels of seats in all sorts of different configurations, with several specialty venues that had different themes and offerings. We also noticed how all the seats were red, and it made it look like the place was packed, yet maybe only ¾ full for most of the game. The game was great and the Cardinals won 7-0, a perfect day all around. We found our way to the light rail station and returned to the MoHo, and cooked in for the night.

The scene before the game. Notice at left, these are bleacher seats OUTSIDE of the stadium (like at Wrigley Field).

Notice the Arch in the grass which mirrors the real Arch behind

We texted in our name and got on the big screen!

Monday we headed out back across the river, first stop was to Mecca: the Anheuser-Busch Brewery! Many of you that know me, Bud Light is one of my favorite beers, so we had to go to the home of one of the most popular adult beverage makers in the world. The brewery offered a free tour, and it was very well done. We got to see the Clydesdales in their stables, see how they make the beer, watch some of the production lines and packaging, and finish with a sampling in their outdoor beer garden. The grounds were enormous, and when you get inside to see the operations and learn how much this facility produces, it starts to blow ones mind. They have 360 huge tanks for making beer. Each of these tanks holds about 3,600 gallons of beer. The tour guide said that if you wanted to try and drink enough beer to empty one tank it would require you drinking one beer an hour, for 127 years. The storage facility below one of the packaging buildings holds 10 acres of product, that is a lot of beer! After we finished we headed NW of town to find another of Triple D’s recommended stops, Dressel Public House. I started off with a great shrimp appetizer, with the best cocktail sauce I have ever had. Traci had the Grilled Cheese with truffle oil and a cup of Tomato soup, and I tried the Porchetta sandwich; hers was out of this world, mine just all right. We finished dinner and headed back to the RV Park, hoping the MoHo was still in one piece. During our drive up to the restaurant, I got a call from the RV Park that they were under a Tornado Warning, and if the sirens went off we must immediately make our way to the brick bath houses on property. I had been watching the weather all day, and felt safe where we were, and thought the storms would miss our home on wheels, but it was still a bit unsettling to get a call from the park none the less. We arrived to the Park, and all was fine, and the clouds broke to give us a nice quiet evening before we headed out the next morning.

Clydsedale at Anheuser Busch

Paying my respect

Love this place!

Best Grilled Cheese!

Tuesday we headed east, leaving St. Louis behind for a quick one-night stop in south-central Indiana. We were having dinner at some friend’s home, Emi, Mark, their 2 yr old twins KC and Dillon and family dog, a sweet German Shepherd named Wrigley. They live in the town of Ferdinand, a cute little place of about 2,200 people, small town America at its best. We had a wonderful stop, great home cooked meal and nice visit, so glad we could meet up and enjoy an evening together. The next morning we were off to Louisville and the Kentucky Derby!

The Music City did not disappoint! 4/22/14 – 4/25/14

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Grand Ole Opry, Nashville

I was definitely more excited about this stop than Mike, partly due to my obsession with the TV show Nashville. And, I enjoy Country Music while he doesn’t really care for it. The drive west from Knoxville was an easy one and we got set up at our park, Nashville Shores, just about 10 miles east of downtown. This was a great place located right on a lake, including a full-blown water park which thankfully for us wasn’t open yet for the season. It was a beautiful evening, so we did our typical first night ritual; poured cocktails and walked the park.

Our spot at Nashville Shores RV Park

We got rolling the next morning at a decent time and headed out to take care of a few errands. Then, first stop was one of Mike’s ideas, Antique Archaeology, a store owned by Mike Wolfe from the show American Pickers. Not really of interest to me, but so glad we did stop. It is located in the Marathon Village, a hip industrial area, which also houses some recording studio space. Walking to the car, I spotted the singers from Lady Antebellum also walking to their car. I snapped a quick photo and contemplated following them, but decided against being a stalker. I love this kind of stuff and thought if it was this easy, I will no doubt see many other stars over the next few days (didn’t happen). After lunch at the Noshville Deli in the West End, we drove down Music Row, which consists of houses that are businesses related to the music industry. We also drove to the Bluebird Café, which is very prominent in the TV show and also is a place to go watch live music, but tickets were all sold out for the time we were here. Snapped a quick photo and I was surprised that it was actually in a strip mall. Headed into downtown for the rest of the afternoon and evening. The Nashville skyline has a very modern feel to it, most notable is the AT&T Tower with its 2 tall spires that makes for a cool presence that can be seen from most anywhere in the city. Across the river is the LP Stadium where the Titans play and the Bridgestone Arena (hockey) is in the heart of downtown. We walked down Broadway and the people and the sound of live music spilled out onto the sidewalks. We decided to stop in at Robert’s for a bit, then headed to the Listening Room. Basically there is live music in every bar all day long and you can just make your way around and pop in and out. Typically there isn’t a cover charge unless it is a special evening show, so the musicians all play for tips. Fun atmosphere!

AT&T Building, downtown Nashville

Antique Archaeology

The two dudes from Lady Antebellum; Hillary Scott is at left (out of frame – darn!)

Bluebird Cafe

The scene on Broadway, Robert’s Western World

The Listening Room, young artists performing

Yesterday, we just got our feet wet, but today was going to be a full day! It was a beautiful sunny morning, perfect. First we headed out to the Grand Ole Opry and Opryland Hotel. These are located about 10 minutes NE of downtown. Until 1974, the Grand Ole Opry took place in the Ryman Auditorium downtown, but then it was decided that a larger venue was needed, so this current location was built. We decided to do a tour, which was only $20 and lasted about an hour. We got to see the area where the performers enter (nothing fancy, since many of them live in Nashville or have homes here, they just drive their own cars and walk on in to the security area). We saw the wall where all the inductee plaques are, the dressing rooms, green room, the stage, then out to the audience seating. It is much smaller than I thought and really any seat in the house would be good. The seats are all wooden pews. On the stage there is a round wooden circle embedded in the floor that was taken from the Ryman. It holds a lot of historical significance as all performers at the Opry have stood on that very circle. A devastating flood in May of 2010 did significant damage to this location as well as the wooden circle, but they were able to save the circle, renovate and reopen successfully. After the tour, we walked over to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, which is adjacent to the Opry. This place is HUGE! 2,800 rooms and the largest non-casino hotel in the country. We walked through the different areas, admiring all of the landscaping and lush greenery. It is just one humungous atrium flooded with light with numerous restaurants, shops and even a live radio show broadcasting. Pretty impressive and a great place to stay if you were attending a show at the Grand Ole Opry, also a very large convention center associated with the hotel.

Inside the Grand Ole Opry

The wooden circle on stage

One of the many dressing rooms inside the Opry

Chillin’ in the Green Room

The metal bar above the chairs designates how high the flood of May 2010 came

The metal bar above the chairs designates the height of the flood of May 2010

Inside the Opryland Hotel

It was now time to head downtown and listen to some music before our 7pm show at the Ryman Auditorium, known as the Mother Church of Country Music. (There were tour and show options at both the Opry and Ryman, so we decided to just tour one and see a show at the other). We headed back to Broadway Street and hit Tootsies, Legends & Rippy’s then a quick bite before the show. We tried for the highly recommend Jack’s BBQ, but there was a line out the door and we just didn’t have time. We made it inside and up to the balcony where our seats were located. This is a smaller venue than the Opry, so all seats felt pretty close to the stage. The show we were seeing was called Opry Country Classics, which is a live radio show (longest running live broadcast since 1925) featuring various performers, some Opry members and some new younger artists. (There are also intimate concerts here, Rob Thomas and Santana had played the past few days but both were sold out). Turns out this show was a tribute to the late George Jones and his wife was in attendance. We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but it was kind of a variety show hosted by Larry Gatlin (of the Gatlin Brothers). Four or five artists sang a few songs each, then Vince Gill ended the show, which was the reason I wanted to come. He was fantastic and glad we got to see the venue, but looking ahead at the schedule there are some great performers coming up over the next few weeks that would have been great to see (Charlie Daniels Band, Little Big Town, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride & Carrie Underwood to name a few). The cool thing about the Opry is you just never know who will be playing and sometimes they make surprise appearances if they are in town. Would love to see more shows here!
Side Note: Nashville (the TV show) just aired a special featuring the actors of the show singing which was filmed at the Ryman Auditorium, so it was pretty cool to see a show there in person.

Signs designate locations where live music plays

The Ryman Auditorium

Inside the Ryman, awaiting the show to start

Vince Gill performing, Larry Gatlin & George Jones’ wife dancing in the background

We headed back to the MoHo after a full day. A terrible storm rolled in that night that we were not expecting. I can’t believe weather boy did not have this on his radar. Rain, thunder & lightning that literally shook the MoHo and neither one of us got much sleep. The sun was back shining in the morning; the weather in the south is so unlike what we are used to. We were a bit lazy, then headed out to Centennial Park and the Parthenon, which is a full-size replica of the one in Greece. Then it was off to find the Grilled Cheeserie, a food truck featured in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. What could be better than a grilled cheese & cup of tomato soup out of a food truck!? Lastly, we drove over to the Gulch which is an Urban area just SW of town that is kind of trendy. We parked and found Hops & Crafts and sat outside enjoying the sunshine over a cold beer. We didn’t actually go into downtown this day as they were gearing up for the Rock n Roll Marathon to be held Saturday so it was a bit chaotic. Back to the MoHo for some laundry and relaxation while Mike fished on the lake.

The Parthenon in Nahsville

I really LOVED Nashville and would love to come back again when we could attend some good music shows. It may be a better girls trip as I’m not sure Mike enjoyed the scene as much as I did. Off to St. Louis in the morning.

Masters Golf Tournament Tips

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Here is a follow-up to our original post on our Masters Experience (you can read HERE). While we were planning our trip, some of these tips would have been helpful, so we thought we would share what we learned in 2014 and hope it helps anyone planning a future trip to this amazing place.

Tickets
Ok, so you finally got tickets to the Masters, or are at least thinking about going. If you have been granted the luck and have a ticket, celebrate, you are in the minority! This is one of the hardest tickets in all of sports to come by, and if you have them, you are a lucky Patron for sure. If you do not have tickets, then this is what you can expect. When we started looking about 8 months in advance, we determined what the market value was, and at that time was about $1,500 per tournament day or $5,500 for a 4-day badge. (There are two different types of tickets; “paper tickets” for daily entry, or badges, which are for all four days of the event. The badges are highly regarded, and more difficult to come by, and the person that was granted the badge will most likely want it back after the event.) By the time the tournament week arrived, the prices had dropped a bit, but according to those in the business, it was because Tiger had dropped out. When he decided not to come, tickets fell by at least 20% overnight. Then, the other event for us during our trip was the price changes after the cut. Many of the other big names were out, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson missed the cut, and this dropped weekend prices again by another 20% or so. This could have gone completely the other way if all mentioned would have been in contention, so there is certainly a roll of the dice here when it comes to pricing and when to buy. You just have to accept the fact that you will not be getting a deal and know that you will be paying a lot for a ticket. (But it is so worth it!) As for getting a hold of tickets, there are a few different options:

National ticket vendors. (Stub-hub, Golden Ticket, etc.) This route is the safest, you know you are not buying a fraudulent ticket, and if it is a fake, you have some recourse for the cash you shelled out (They also take credit cards which was nice.) We used these two mentioned above and both were great. You have to pick up your tickets from their local offices, and sometimes return them to them at the end of the day. There is no will-call at the course. Augusta National has a 2,700-foot city law that does not allow for ticket sales within that zone, although we did see a few transaction inside the area, but very few.
Street Vendors. Many vendors are there year after year on Washington Road located on the north side of the course, and the majority have connections to buy and sell tickets. There can be a tiny bit of risk as they may buy a ticket from someone to resell to you, and not know for sure if it is a valid ticket, but fairly safe here again.
Craigslist. This is a total hit or miss, and there are a lot of people out there that are fraudulent, and a few that are legitimate. We did post an ad here needing tickets, and were contacted, you just have to get a feel for who you are dealing with and how much confidence you have in that person. This is the place that some stolen or forged tickets trade hands and we did hear of people being denied entry with faked or stolen tickets. (There is a bar code that is scanned for verification by the entrance staff, just like any other event. But, if a member who purchased the original has had the ticket stolen, they can report it to the staff at Augusta, and they can deny entry to that ticket, so be careful.) Our rule here is that if the person will not meet you face to face, then you are taking a huge risk. Or if the price seems to be ridiculously low, it is most likely too good to be true.

Parking
It is free right across the street, but remember there are a limited number of spaces and those will fill up by 9:00AM or so. If you are later, and lots are closed, there are several smaller pay lots off Washington Road on the north side of the course, expect to pay about $20 or so. Many of these sites are fairly close to Gate #9, the main gate. This gate will bring you into the main practice range, concessions and shopping facility.

Entrance to the Course
There are two gates Patrons use, gate 9 and gate 6. Gate 9 is the main gate on the northwestern side of the course, right near the intersection of Washington Road and Berckmans Road. This gate brings you in past the practice area, into the main store for retail shopping, and right out onto the #1 fairway. It can be busy, especially on weekend days, but people are very courteous and mill about getting their business done as they prepare for the days golf. The other entrance is gate 6, on the southwestern corner again off Berckmans Road. (If you are collecting a ticket from Stub Hub, this is the gate you will want to enter through as their pickup house is on Heath Rd right across from the gate.) This gate also has a retail shop, although a bit smaller, and full concessions. You drop down out of the entrance area onto the course via several paths or stairs, onto holes #15 or #14. Easier access to Amen Corner here, and the back nine is more prevalent. We actually preferred this entrance.

Practice Rounds/Pictures
So now you are in, having secured your ticket, congratulations. There are a lot of places to get to, so be sure to get there early and plan on staying late. For those who are attending a practice round, you can take in your camera, but that is it. Banned items include anything else electronic: NO cell phones, no pedometers, pocketknives, cigar cutters, etc. (Check masters.com for a more complete list.) Some people think the practice rounds are the best, as you get to be much closer to the players, there are seats or standing room that is accessible, and the players are a bit more interactive with the fans, lot less stress. If you are there for a practice round, here are a few areas you might want to get a photo:

Right side of #6 green, just to see how sloped it really is.
#8 fairway crossing, how uphill and blind is that second shot?
Amen Corner, #11 green, and #12 green.
#13 Fairway, and Rae’s creek.
#15 pond in front of the green, either from fairway crossing or grandstand.
#16 green.
#18 crossway looking up fairway just below the tee box.
The huge leaderboard on side of #1 fairway, showing all the players names.
There are also several different “street sign posts” with arrows pointing towards specific holes on the course.

Obviously there are a ton of other areas you can shoot pictures, these are just a few we liked. The next thing to think about is do you want to walk around and follow a player or group, or stay at one hole for a while as the groups come through, or just hang out at the practice area? We did a little of everything and moved around all day, shooting lots of pictures, getting the lay of the land, and taking it all in. And on Wednesday, you can take in the Par-3 contest, which is in the NE corner of the course, and is super-busy because it has grown in popularity over the years. (Most every day there is a pairings sheet you can get when you arrive, and we saw that Arnie, Jack, and Gary were teamed up to play the Par-3 tourney at 3:02PM – and did they have a following!)

Tournament Day Guidelines
First and foremost, get there early! Thursday and Friday rounds will start at about 7:45-8:00AM, and there are some 100 golfers going out those days. You need to see your favorites, so no sleeping in or playing too hard the night before. Saturday and Sunday rounds will start about 10:00AM, but if you are planning on placing a chair at a specific hole, you better be in line to be on the course no later than 7:30AM. The gates will allow you in prior to that, but the course is not open till 8:00AM, and that is when the mad rush, (remember walking only), will occur for prime viewing locations.

Viewing Spots
Below is a list of our favorites, not to say that there aren’t many other great locations, these are just the ones we really liked.
1. #16 green. This was our favorite and we would go back here again if we return. We chose the seated area just up from the pond, with views back to the tee box on #16, across the lake to #15 green, and over towards #6 green. (Some people chose to sit up on the hillside, above the walkway, we felt it was a bit steep and over a long time might not be all that comfortable, but it does help with elevation for better viewing angles up there.) Many will rush in to get their chairs set up just in front on the pond, but we liked up on the high side against the ropes just in front of the walkway.
2. Amen Corner. Everyone wants to sit here and it will be crowded all day as long as there are golfers coming through. We sat 5 rows up parallel to the tee box, but would have preferred to be directly behind the tee box a bit more for better angles of the tee shots, and the approach shots to #11 green. You have to get there early to get a seat set, or just wander in anytime for standing on the hill directly behind the tee box is good too.
3. #2 fairway. On the lower side of the fairway, you can stand or sit and watch the tee shots come down over the hill for the big hitters. Then there is a great angle to watch the approach shots to the green.
4. #18 green. If you can get a seat in the first 18-20 rows directly behind the green, it will offer great views. If you are on the sides, be sure to think about what your angles are when the area is full of patrons, and you have to peer through the “heads” to the green. Also, when the Patrons do stand, how will your sight line change?
5. #13 fairway. You get a great view of the ball coming off the tee. From there, you can see just how sloped the fairway is and what happens if the players do not hit a perfect drive. Then there is the approach; do they go for it in two, or lay up in front of Rae’s Creek tributary? You can see all the way to the green, but you may need some binoculars. Added bonus is that this area is shaded a lot of the day.
6. If you have time, go down to the #10 fairway right side and see if you can find the place Bubba Watson hit the miracle 90-degree hook out of the trees off the pine straw; you will be even more amazed he pulled that shot off when you stand down there and see it for yourself!

Lastly, when you do set up a chair, you can leave it all day and nobody will move it. There is an unwritten rule, and security to enforce it, that your chair is your space and you could be gone elsewhere on the course, to return and have a seat wherever you set it. If you buy the chair from the course, we do recommend it, there is a slot on the back for a business card to signify it is yours. We took it a step further, placing a pink ribbon on the edge of the back, so it was recognizable from the others. We did see a ton of people endlessly searching for their seats after having set them early in the day and not memorizing the exact spot or row they set the chair.

Shopping
You have to get something right? Well you can spend as little or as much as you want, and that is up to you. What we will discuss is the timing. If you are going on a practice round, you can go shopping anytime and do your spending whenever. If it is a tournament round, it is always better early on Thursday and Friday, fewer golfers on the course, less people in the stores. Over the weekend, if you get in early before the golfers tee off, it will be crowded in the shops, but better then than during the play. Later in the day, many times it gets crowded, and later in the tournament some things do start to run out of stock, so if you see something, buy it. Here is the best thing of all; you can ship it home directly from the course, or check it like a coat check and pick it up when you leave, no need to tote it around all day with you, we did this a lot.

What to Bring
We actually bought our own chairs ahead of time at a local store, but in hindsight should have just bought the Master’s chair (only $30 and they are much sturdier and a great souvenir). Sunscreen is a must, but it is also sold at the course and very reasonable. In fact, everything is priced very reasonably at the course. Make sure to wear comfy walking shoes, as you’ll do a lot of it; remember that you may be walking some 6-10 miles on uneven ground. Additionally, we opted for golf attire and hats everyday. Bright colors are a good option so you can spot each other while on the course and maybe even on TV! We were fortunate to have great weather, so we didn’t need a lot of layers. Remember, you can always buy what you didn’t bring in!

Communication
Since cell phones aren’t allowed in, we had to get creative about meeting up with friends since we couldn’t just text each other. There are complimentary phones to use to call people outside the course, but in-person is the only way to communicate with friends inside. Most of the time, our group arrived at different times of the day and we also split up at times to explore in smaller groups. A great meeting spot for us was under the scoreboard behind the #7 green. This was a pretty central spot to meet, not too crowded and you could still watch golf as you waited for your friends to arrive.

We hope this helps for anyone planning on making a trip to the Masters. For some, as it was for us, this is one of the biggest bucket list in sports you can do, and it can be done by everyone, just a bit pricey. We were fortunate to have been there for the whole week and attended 5 days. We met a mother and son who actually sold us a ticket for the Wed. round who had flown in from Coeur d’Alene, ID to Atlanta on Tues, drove to the course on Wed. for the practice round, and then drove back to Atlanta and flew home on Thursday, bucket list trip for sure!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – 4/18/14 – 4/21/14

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Great Smoky Moutnains National Park, Clingmans Dome (highest point in TN)

We made the short drive, only about 3 hours, over the hills to Knoxville, TN. We checked into the Riverside RV Park in Sevierville, about 30 minutes east of town. We chose this park for one big reason, only about a 30-40 minute drive to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The RV park was nice and open, and not very crowded, still off-season for many areas.

Our first venture was to downtown Knoxville and to the Univ. of Tennessee. I had read/seen/heard many times that their college football stadium rivaled the UW in beauty, as it was located on a river, much like Husky stadium is located on Lake Washington. As we drove up, I did not get that feeling at all. It is right next to the river, but it is totally enclosed, and there are no river views unless you are on the top row looking out, somewhat of a disappointment. We also stumbled upon a softball game in progress (shout out to Coach Pflu!). We wandered around town for a while, and found a couple of nice little tiny micro-neighborhoods that looked inviting, but for the most part we both thought that the town just felt old. Lots of really old looking brick buildings, not a lot of energy, just a little blah. Plus it was raining, so not a great day for walking around.

Neyland Stadium, Univ. of Tennessee

On Easter Sunday, we headed out to explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We thought maybe it would be less crowded, but many others had the same idea. The weather had shifted and it was a gorgeous spring day. We stopped at the ranger station and got a good idea on a couple hikes. Our first stop was an observation tower at Clingman’s Dome, (highest point in the state of TN) a half-mile journey up to the deck. After a fairly steep ascent, we arrived to a 360-degree view of the Smoky’s. Again, a little underwhelming, especially since we have some massive peaks at home in the NW, and we have visited the Rockies in both the USA and Canada, but the Smoky’s are the oldest mountain range in the country and they have eroded a lot over the centuries. We were just on the cusp of spring opening up all the trees, and the views seemed a bit hazy that day, so it does not show well in pictures, but you can’t control mother nature. Actually, we learned that is why they are called the Smoky Mountains, because there always seems to be a haze or smoke surrounding them. Our next stop was a 4-5 mile hike along the Alum Cave Trail. This was very cool, as we started out winding through 12-15 foot high Rhododendrons, unfortunately not yet blooming, for the first mile or so. Eventually we got above the low canopy of Rhodies, and into a bit of elevation with peak-a-boo views through the trees at many of the neighboring mountains (hills). We returned to the car, both a lot more tired than we thought we should be, but this was the first time we have been at any elevation in almost 6 months, and it hit us pretty hard. We headed home for a nice steak dinner and some Abracadabra wine from Brian Carter and slept well!

Our hike followed a beautiful river – notice the Rhodies

Part of the hike involved going through this cave

The Appalachian Trail winds through the park – only 1,972 miles to Maine

The Park spans into both TN and NC

The next day was one for shopping and projects. Traci has been on the hunt for a dress to wear to the Kentucky Derby, and she thinks she finally found one at the Outlet mall that was nearby. I spent much of the morning doing little projects, organizing, and the little maintenance stuff that is never ending. It is funny how we have accumulated so much more than we left with, and the challenge is now finding room to store things. At home, we would take a huge load to Goodwill, but here we are trying to make sure what we do buy is needed, and will be able to be stuffed somewhere into our home on wheels. We head to Nashville next, and then a quick jaunt over to St. Louis, before our trip to the Derby!

Asheville, NC – worth the stop! 4/15/14 – 4/17/14

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The impressive Biltmore

We left Augusta with mixed feelings because it was such an amazing week at the tournament and spending time with our friends. But, time to get on with the next part of the trip. Asheville, NC wasn’t originally on our itinerary, but we had several people along the way tell us that this was a must-stop, so we added it in. The weather had turned cold, windy & wet, which made for a bit of a challenging drive for Mike. Luckily it was a short one, only about 3 hours. We arrived at the Bear Creek RV Park and decided to just kennel in for the night. Temps were expected in the high 20’s, so we bundled up, ate in and caught up on some shows.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Asheville is located near the south end of the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, so we decided to drive part of it and take in the scenery. This was the first we had seen some elevation in a long time, probably since December, so we welcomed this familiar landscape. Much of our drive was through the Pisgah National Forest which consisted of many tunnels, tons of mountain viewpoints overlooking the valleys below and vegetation that was about 2 weeks away from full bloom. We saw huge rhododendrons, which are a familiar plant from home. It was very cold the night before, so there was still a bit of residual ice and snow in areas. What a change from the 80-degree weather we experienced in Augusta. We returned to downtown Asheville and somehow fell into a mini-pub crawl (surprise, surprise!). Started at Asheville Brewing Company, then found Green Man Brewery. This turned out to be a soccer bar with a game on the big screen so Mike was in heaven! One last stop at the Wicked Weed Brewing then ended at Pack’s Tavern for dinner. Mike had a huge order of ribs and I had fried green tomatoes and salad. All very good and classic southern hospitality y’all! This downtown area was very fun and kind of reminded us of Bend, OR. A very funky and hip vibe with lots of cool little shops and tons of interesting looking restaurants and bars.

Ice from the cold temps the night before

HIghest Elevation on the Parkway

On our pub crawl, the Wicked Weed Brewery

On our last day, we decided to be tourists and go to the Biltmore. It was a bit pricey ($64 per person), but we had heard so much about it and it was another strong recommendation. The Biltmore is an 8,000-acre estate with a 175,000 sq ft mansion that George Vanderbilt built in 1888 (took 6 yrs to build) and was the largest private residence in the country. I believe it still is. This place is HUGE! It has 43 bathrooms, 250 rooms and a 70,000-gallon indoor pool. We toured the inside of the house, then headed out to the impressive gardens and grounds. Photos weren’t allowed inside, so we only have shots of the outside. It was a beautiful day, so we spent a couple of hours walking the grounds. Unfortunately, the azalea and rose gardens weren’t quite in bloom yet, so we could only imagine how gorgeous they will be. But, the tulips in the walled garden were pretty spectacular and the conservatory housed some unique plants. There is also a full hotel, winery, restaurants, farm and shops on site. The winery area was our last stop where we enjoyed complimentary wine tasting and a delicious ham & cheese fondue appy at Cedric’s Tavern. It was a perfect day and we were so glad we did this tour. We heard that locals buy an annual pass so they can visit the gardens multiple times of the year to see the different cycles of flowers and landscaping. I can see why!

Walled garden – tulips galore!

Bass Lake on the Biltmore Estate grounds

Perfect end to the day at Cedric’s Tavern

Click HERE for more photo’s at the Biltmore!

Our next stop is Knoxville, Tennessee – a new state! Happy Easter all!

The Masters! 4/4/14 – 4/14/14

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Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus & Gary Player at the Par 3 Contest

If you are not a golf fan, this post may or may not be all that exciting for you. But, for the golf fans out there, I will do my best to give you as much as you can handle describing Augusta National and our trip to the Masters Golf Tournament.

Traci and I left Columbia, SC and headed to Augusta, just a short 90-minute drive SW down Hwy 20 into Georgia. We arrived at the Heritage RV Park, about 10 minutes west of town, and the owner Don was there to guide us to our site. We had made reservations with him back in September, as there are very few places to park your RV in or around Augusta. This former mobile home park is being completely renovated and turned into an RV park, and there were lots of areas that had been updated, and others they are working towards getting completed. Don and his staff were working hard to get the park looking good for their busiest time of the year, Masters Week as the locals refer to it. (This whole area had suffered a major hit from an ice storm about 6 weeks prior and many places were still trying to repair the damage to trees.) The site we stayed in was perfect, great satellite reception, a very nice little concrete patio outside, and quiet. After getting set up, Don came by on his evening rounds and sat down and visited with us for what must have been two hours, what a really nice man, can’t say enough great things about him and the park.

Our spot at the Heritage RV Park

When we left Columbia, we hurriedly made a “Need 2 Masters Tickets” sign, hoping to display it in the back of the car for the drive, only to find out it was too big to fit anywhere. We decided to place it in the windshield of the MoHo when we arrived, so that anyone arriving in the park would know we were looking for extra tickets. (We actually got a few ticket offers from the sign, surprisingly.) We had been watching the ticket broker sites for quite some time, and really understood the market, but the prices were just way up there, and basically unreasonable for what was being offered. (A huge thanks to Tiger for not coming, dropped prices by at least 20% immediately, and probably another 25-40% over the week.) The tickets are one of sports most difficult to get, you have to know someone, of someone, of someone, to get one from the Masters directly, or take a chance with a broker or street scalper. We had our work cut out for us, and it was a bit stressful at times not knowing what we were going to have to spend to get in.

Mitch, Sunny, Ann, Jerry, Traci and Me

The first couple days in Augusta, we ran some errands and got the lay of the land where everything was located, in anticipation of the arrival of friends, Sunny and Mitch, her parents Ann and Jerry, and Matt and Nicole. Part of our reason for putting this on our list of stops on the trip was the fact that Sunny and Mitch had been able to get 4 tickets for the tournament through mutual friend connections, so we knew they would be there if we could make it to Augusta ourselves. They all flew into Atlanta, and arrived at Augusta on Monday, the first practice round day. The day was a total wash out, as there were heavy rains, thunder and lightning in the area and eventually a total of 3.5 inches of rain fell by days end. They actually closed the course around noon. We gathered at a house they had rented, and caught up on time spent apart. (Matt and Nicole were not in town yet; they planned on staying west of Augusta for a couple days and golfing before they arrived to the area.)

The main scoreboard – everything is manual

We woke Tuesday to cool but clear skies, and the excitement was starting to build, but Traci and I still needed to find tickets. The practice round tickets were much more reasonable and we had contacted several brokers, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow, so we held out. We did venture to the course and waited around outside to see if anyone leaving would give us a pass to go back in later in the day (along with about 150 other people) to no avail. Bummed that we could not get in, we headed to Hooters for a beer and to wait for a call (no cell phones allowed in the grounds at the Augusta National) from the group to meet up for dinner. John Daly, a great golfer who was not in the tournament this year, and who is sponsored by Hooters, had his motorhome parked just outside selling his merchandise and posing for pictures for those who purchased his wares. We headed out for dinner that night, to my new favorite, Carolina Ale House (see one of our previous posts about the wings here!) and waited for Matt and Nicole to arrive after a day of golfing themselves.

Nicole, Traci & Sunny in front of the 13th green – the pink ladies!

Wednesday was here, the final practice round and the famous Par-3 contest. (During our ticketing search, I had placed an advertisement needing tickets on Craigslist, and we were super lucky to get a reply from a very wonderful lady from Coeur d’Alene, ID who was flying in with her son and had an extra she was willing to sell to us for a great price, thanks Susie!) Eventually we had all secured a ticket for Wednesday, and in we went around 8:45AM. The Masters welcoming committee was in full force. We heard “welcome to the Masters” over and over from the staff and everyone was so friendly. We grabbed a couple of beers and headed out to the course, and on the first hole we came to one of Traci’s all time favorite players, Sergio Garcia right there finishing up on the 13th green, and about to tee off on #14. As we wandered around, everything we had heard about was true. Not a blade of grass out of place, no weeds, fairways that looked and felt like carpet, greens that were so fast you could not believe anyone could actually get a putt or approach to stop, etc. It was amazing how the place lived up to its billing, and even surpassed our expectations in beauty. We were also lucky that due to the cold winter everywhere, the Azaleas and Dogwoods were just starting to bloom; some years they have already finished blooming, but not so for us. We took tons of pictures, many of the golfers themselves and their groups. (Only during the practice rounds are you allowed to bring in a camera, so we took some 400 pictures that day, wishing we would have taken more – see below for link to more pics.) As the day wore on we finally ended up at the Par-3 course and tournament, a huge draw due to the closeness of the patrons and the participants. This is a “fun” event, with many of the player’s kids acting as their caddies, or some celebrities taking the bag for the participants. This was also the time that the big three had a chance to still knock it around a little; Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus. We watched this group, along with about 15,000 others, for a hole and they were entertaining as always. We left the course that evening, and met another group of friends for dinner after securing our tickets for Thursday’s round, all very tired from the days’ excitement of actually walking the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Club! Tomorrow was the Tournament and we had tickets and were going, this was really finally happening!!!

Looking down the 18th fairway

Raking a bunker : )

As we mentioned above, Sunny, Mitch, Ann and Jerry had four tickets for the week. As luck would have it for Traci and I, there were some days that not everyone in their group would attend, so they graciously offered those extra tickets to us. We so appreciate their generosity and a huge thank you to these amazing lifelong friends whom we consider family! And, we got to spend a week with them, and take in the tournament with friends, icing on the cake!

Thursday morning Traci and I got up early and got to the course by 7:45AM, to meet Matt and Nicole and set our chairs for the day. (When you go to Augusta, there are a few decent places to view from grandstands, but most of the “patrons” bring in collapsible chairs, without armrests, and sit at their favorite locations to watch the golfers coming by.) After scouting out the course the day before, we thought it would be fun to try for Amen Corner, an area that is probably the most recognizable 3-hole stretch in all of golf. I figured Thursday being the start of the tournament would be the quietest day here; we scurried down to the 12th hole and set up just 5 rows off the tee box! We could look back over the tee box to #11 green, and see the #13th tee box along with #12 green as well. The #12th hole is the hole that every Masters golf fan knows well, and is said to be the most photographed golf hole in the world, and here we were just 5 rows up, wow! We set our chairs down, and headed out to the course to find some golfers on the early holes. (When you place your chair, it stays there, nobody takes it, or moves it, it is your spot for the day. An unwritten rule that all patrons follow.) We ventured around and watched from several different vantage points, walking UP and DOWN the hills of Augusta National. If you have watched the Masters on TV, you have probably heard the commentary of how hilly this place is, and it is no joke. Every hole has some sort of slope, and there is not a flat lie for the golfers out there. You really have too see it in person to understand just how hilly the course is, making it that much more of a challenge to hit a crisp shot with your feet at all sorts of angles at impact. We returned to our chairs on #12 tee box around 1:30PM, right were we had left them some 5 hours before. Upon arrival, we found one of our chairs was broken; someone had used it while we were away and it was not repairable. (We had bought chairs prior to coming, but in hindsight, we should have just bought the chairs there, they are only $30 and worth it for ease, quality, and you get to keep the souvenir.) I ran up to one of the on-course merchandise stands, and they had one for sale, issue solved, that other hunk of junk was going back to where we bought it. We sat there for the next 4-5 hours, watching all the groups come through, in the heat of the day, staying well hydrated. This area was so busy and fortunately there was a concession stand and restroom facility just behind the grandstand so no issue with getting anything we needed throughout the day. Every concession stand and restroom was busy almost all the time, but Augusta National has created what everyone would call the most well oiled machine ever. No matter how long a line might have looked, concessions, restroom or merchandise sales, it moved incredibly fast, and what would take 30 minutes or more at any other venue, was completed in just 5 minutes, simply amazing. We finally headed out that afternoon after the last group came through and felt like we had done the unthinkable, spent a better part of a day at the most famous golf hole in the world!
A side note about the restrooms: They do not use port-a-potties, but rather nice tiled, spacious restroom buildings all staffed with 4 or 5 employees (some of them took their job in stride and had a great running commentary as you entered.) directing “traffic” and making sure they were stocked and clean. The men’s line was always much longer than women’s; something that Traci loved!

This is the menu – check out the reasonable prices!

Friday brought the second round, and Traci and I arrived early again. We decided that this day would be fun to set up on #18 green, and watch many of our favorites finish their round. We hurried in and set up about 15 rows from the green, with a very good view of the hole. Again we left our chairs and headed out to the course to take in some different views of the course and golfers. We spent a lot of time in the corner of #1 green, #2 tee box, #8 green and #9 tee box. Some good views, a concession area that was somewhat hidden, and just a nice place to take it all in. We also did some shopping. There are two main buildings for buying souvenirs, with one huge one at the main gate 6, and a second smaller one near the gate 9 entrance. One of the great things is they have figured it out again, that many people here are from out of town, and buying a lot of stuff for friends and family. (We met one guy buying for all his men’s club friends at Harbor Point in Mukilteo!) After you are done buying all your stuff, you can ship it home directly from the course and not have to deal with it, or you can check it like a coat check, and pick it up on your way out, very convenient. We returned to #18 green for the afternoon and were there sitting right off the place that so many greats have won a Green Jacket, again this is a moment soon not to be forgotten! Unfortunately a few of our favorites missed the cut, so we would not be seeing them on the weekend (Phil, Serg and Ernie to name a few).

Amen Corner, Hogan Bridge in the background

Throughout the week, we were able to see certain views that we wanted to try and return to, and asked many of the volunteers and security about timing for access to the right seat set up locations. So, Saturday we got to the course at 7:00AM, knowing the gates did not open till 8:00AM, but as they say only the early bird gets the worm. At precisely 8:00AM, the course opened and it was a mad rush of speed walkers (no running allowed!) to get to the prime seating locations. We had decided the day before to go for a view of the #16 green, with look-in views of both the #15 green and the #6 green. Many others had the same idea, and it was quite busy. Everyone around us had a plan, and the front rows filled immediately. Fortunately, we had decided to go for the back row, up against a walkway used for patrons to move between the holes. We had learned from the day before that this walkway was to remain open at all times, no stopping and standing. We set up our chairs with the perfect angle to see everything we had scouted out the day prior. Within 10 minutes, the entire area, designated as a seating only section, was completely filled and the guards were standing by to make sure nobody else tried to reshuffle seats to get one more chair in. (It was amazing how few patrons did try to squirm their way in, if the seating only areas were full, they understood and had to go elsewhere – another unwritten rule.) Seeing’s how it was only 8:15AM, and the first tee time for the day was 10:15AM we headed to the concession stand for a snack and did a little more shopping, why not? As the golf began, we followed a few golfers around, and made it to some of our favorite viewing sites, along the fairway of hole #2, and behind hole #7. We returned to our seats about 2:00PM or so, just in time to see the first group arrive, and proceeded to stay there for the next 5 hours and watched every group come through. I think this was our best day at the tournament. We were situated perfectly and could really see a lot, and take it all in without having to move a great deal. We finally left that evening about 6:30PM, two tired patrons, but oh-so happy!

On the 15th fairway with green behind

Sunday arrived and because we had gone in so early the day before, we slept in an extra 30 minutes, and got to the course about 7:40AM. We hustled to gate 6, the main gate with the intension of setting our chairs at #18 green, along with the rest of the world. By the time we got there, the place was packed, and we had to settle for an area a bit just below the #18 green. I had figured if we were going to do this once, we had to be at #18 green on the last day of the tournament, right? Again, chairs set up, and about 2 hours to kill, so we headed in for our last shopping trip, some breakfast snacks, and wandered back down to #2 green. I think this was our second favorite viewing sight, a small hill off the left side of the green, you could see many of the approach shots down the hill, and we had a good look at the green and all the putting. We stayed down there for about 8-9 groups, and then moved around to later holes, only to hear that Seattle’s own Fred Couples was making a charge early. We followed him for 5-6 holes and the excitement was building, shot by shot. By this time, the course was alive with cheers and roars heard from all over, “who did what on which hole,” everyone was excited! Eventually we returned back to #18 green by 4:00PM as many of the final groups were starting to finish. #18 green was still somewhat quiet, but by the time the last 5-6 groups were arriving, it was packed, so much that we could not see through the heads in front of us and our view was not very good. (Sleeping that last 30 minutes might have hurt us.) We stayed to the end, and watched Bubba Watson win his second Green Jacket, and then walked all the way back down the course to our exit point at gate 9. I was giddy all week, and still am shocked that we got to partake in all of this, 5 straight days at the Masters, one huge bucket list item checked off! And it was so special to be able to spend time and share this experience with our good friends.

Stay tuned for a follow-up post about tips for attending The Masters. It is now posted HERE!

Click HERE for many more pics with detailed captions

(Allow time for them to load in, then click on first one and you can scroll through the album)

I feel the need, the need for speed! 3/26/14 – 4/1/14

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Charlotte Motor Speedway

The drive down to Charlotte from Raleigh was quick and we arrived at the Apollo RV Park and got set up. We were actually in Concord, NC, which is a bit northeast of Charlotte, and we were in NASCAR country! This whole area was full of campgrounds for the Charlotte Motor Speedway. We hadn’t researched the area very well, so the place we stayed wasn’t really all that great. We had already scoped out a new place we would be moving to the next morning. The older couple that owned the Apollo were sweet as can be and ran the park out of their home. In fact, we came into their living room to pay for our night and they were settled down in the living room watching TV. Nice, nice people, but the park just wasn’t for us. It basically felt like we were camping in their backyard. We headed out for dinner and stumbled upon the Carolina Ale House. Mike said they were the best wings he ever had, which is saying a lot, and they had over 100 beers on tap, all served in an icy cold chilled glass. We frequented this place 3 times during our stay here!

The next morning, we packed up and drove the ¼ mile to Tom Johnson Camping Center & Racing Resort. Didn’t even need to hook up the car. We got settled and the vibe was already so much better, plus this is the lowest we have paid yet for camping, only $23 (I’m sure much pricier during big events). We had views of all three racetracks – Charlotte Motor Speedway, ZMax Dragway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte. There were no events or races happening, but there was an RV Rally onsite, so lots of fellow campers. I can just imagine how much fun this place would be on a race weekend!

View from our camping spot, ZMax Dragway behind Mike

We decided to do a tour of the tracks, so walked over and paid $12 for an hour tour – totally worth it. We got into vans and headed down to the main speedway. We had a great guide, Babette, who was full of knowledge. We actually drove out onto the track and she explained all of the different areas, then we did a few laps around at about 80mph (racers go over 200 mph) and we could really feel the banked turns. It cracked me up that we were racing around the track in a 12-passenger van. You can do a tour where you get suited up in full gear and get in a car with a professional driver; 3 laps at 165mph for $150. We were good with the van! The tour also included the Dirt Track and the Zmax dragway, which is the only 4-lane drag strip in the world. This whole complex plus the camping areas are all owned by one person, Bruton Smith. Money is not a problem for him — apparently he saw the big screen at the Dallas Cowboys arena (which at the time was the largest HDTV in the world) and wanted to have something larger. So he had one installed at the Speedway, which is now bigger, pretty impressive. Afterward, we went up to the restaurant to try to get a beer, but it was closed, so we snuck down another floor and went out to the seating/suite areas to take some photos. Neither one of us are Nascar people, but this made us appreciate the sport and more interested in attending a race at some point. We made our way back to park and decided to head to the NODA (North Davidson) district to Baja Fish Tacos, another Guy Fieri recommendation. This place was absolutely packed, but we were able to find a spot at the bar. It did not disappoint!

The infield is a mini-city. Restaurant, mini-market, shower house,, garages, tire center and even campsites. It’s Huge!

Largest HDTV in the world!

Winner’s Circle

Pit Row

Doing laps in our van

For more pics from our tour of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, click HERE

The next couple of days were very windy and wet. We took some time to get some errands done including laundry, haircuts, pedicure and some shopping for our upcoming events of the Masters and Kentucky Derby. On Saturday, we headed an hour north to Denver, NC for dinner at the home of Mark & Denise Abbott. Mark is a friend of Mike’s good friend Bruce from high school and Mike met him on their last guy’s golf trip in Bend. He is also a Coug! Anyway, we got in touch with them and they very kindly invited us up to their home. This is always a treat for us to be in a spacious house (rather than the cramped MoHo or a restaurant) and enjoy a home-cooked meal and conversation with friends. We had a great night with delicious food and wine and we really enjoyed getting to know them better. Thank you Abbott’s!

Mark & Denise Abbott

The weather decided to take a turn for the better on our last few days! That is one thing we have learned about this area is how volatile the weather can be. In our 6 days here, we have experienced a range of temps from low 30’s to low 80’s. That just doesn’t happen in Seattle. One day we headed into downtown Charlotte. We walked around all day long and I just really loved the feel of this city. It is very clean and felt completely safe. There was a definite business/corporate crowd walking around and there were many restaurants with outdoor seating areas and a mix of office buildings, retail stores, churches and hip looking condos. We visited some classic tourist spots and took pics at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the very cool Duke Energy building and the Corner of Trade & Tryon. We stopped at the 7th Street Public Market (a warehouse where locals sell food, drinks & crafts) for a beer, then found a wine bar, which had ½ price bottles and sat outside. We were right in the heart of the downtown area and it was fun to watch the work crowds and just enjoy the atmosphere. On the way back to the car, we stopped at the highly recommended Amelie’s French Bakery for a sea salt caramel brownie, which was one of the best desserts I have ever had. I am going to be dreaming about this one for years to come!

Lady Bird at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Firebird at the Bechtler Museum

Bronze statues stand at the each corner at the intersection of Trade & Tryon. Duke Energy building in the background (the one with the whole in the top)

Bronze statues stand at each corner of the intersection of Trade & Tryon, the center of downtown. Duke Energy building is in the background (the one with the whole in the top).

Enjoying a beer at 7th Street Public Market, light rail in the background

Wooden Vine Wine Bar, downtown Charlotte

On our last day in Charlotte, the temps reached over 80 so we just hung out at the MoHo park, sat out in the sun and BBQ’d. We both really liked this town. It has a lot to offer not to mention the housing is extremely affordable. The people were all very friendly too. They are passionate about their sports teams and we enjoyed the local food and craft beer scene. Random side note: Many of the scenes from one of our favorite shows Homeland have been filmed here too – I love that kind of stuff! Next stop is Columbia, SC for a few days then onto Augusta, GA for our bucket list – The Masters! Looking so forward to this and meeting up with some great friends from home.

p.s. I have started a running program via an App that my friend Sunny shared with me. It is great for someone like me who is NOT a runner as it eases you in with alternating walking, running and sprinting. I have been doing it every other day for 3 weeks now and am now running in 3-minute increments with 1 minute of recovery walking for a total of 35 mins. It is not easy for me, but I must say it feels good to get outside and have some “me” time. I have been going rain or shine and it certainly makes all of the eating and drinking feel a bit ‘less-guilty.’ By the end of 8 weeks, I will supposedly be running the entire time. Stay tuned…

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