Family Time, Tennessee Style

Every two years my Spendlove family descends on some random spot in the United States. Usually these places require an extra explanation regarding why 50 aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents are trekking across the country to spend a week in such a place as New Mexico or Dallas in July, the remote mountains in Arizona or, this year, the somewhat "down-scale" town of Crossville, Tennessee. The answer is simple. There are so many of us using the same resort condos, we have to go where no one else wants to be. Thank goodness for this randomness! It has turned out that we have had the most interesting vacations all across America and bonded as a family in the process. I never would have booked a trip to Branson, Missouri before I was retired, spent my 4th of July at a ski resort in Colorado or joined the masses of America at Disney World during the busiest week of the summer, but I know that I am better for it! This year our reunion began in Great Smokey Mountain National Park. We then spent our days hiking to waterfalls and swimming in the pools below, picnicking in the mountains and exploring Appalachian culture.

At the resort we swam in the lake, played in the game rooms and paddle boated.

With our extended family we enjoyed all of our usual traditions, such as family photos, the candy bar game, the family potluck dinner and the much awaited family auction where everyone bids monopoly money for all sorts of items that family members donate from either their goodwill piles or from stashes that they pick up at a local dollar shop. This is truly the highlight for the children. Sophia and Annelise were so excited about three dresses that they were able to win, along with videos and scrapbooks and Ezra was especially proud of a package of Spiderman underwear that Grandma and Grandpa picked up at Target with him in mind.

When we heard about a ten story tree house that a religious zealot built in the nearby backwoods, we decided that we couldn't leave without taking a tour. Apparently the builder, who is a minister, was told by God to build a tree house. He has created a labyrinth supported by six huge trees. There are about eighty rooms around a chapel that includes a pulpit, choir chairs, stained glass windows and a basketball hoop. (The hoop made me wonder if the minister has possibly attended a Mormon stake conference!) There was also a lawn chair that was gerry-rigged into a swing with a huge span, since it was ropped onto the top of the house. We held on tight to our children's hands and never let them out of our sight because apparently there are some huge loopholes in the building codes in the backwoods of Tennessee. After wandering around this curious structure, I googled it and found that it was listed on several great American road trips sites. I too agree that if you are in the area, it is a must see!

As always, the reunion turned out to be a huge success. I took notes all along, since I am in charge of our next gathering which will be in 2013.

The Smokies

On Monday morning we headed into Great Smokey National Park. We drove past streams with families playing in waterfalls, horseback riders, children tubing down the rivers, cyclists on bike trails, and an abundant picnickers, all tucked in these Appalachian Mountains. We were not surprised that this is the most visited National park in the country. We picnicked literally on a waterfall, hiked to another fall and watched the steam rise off the mountains after a rainstorm, which is how this area got it's name.

Our day was too short, but since we know that we are moving closer to this area, we will be sure to visit again.

The Gilded Age

Years ago I learned that there was a castle in North Carolina. I remembered how much I loved visiting Hearst Castle in California as a teenager and was immediately intrigued by what might be in Asheville NC. In the mean time, I visited Newport, Rhode Island several times and other castles throughout the country, so I lost some of my fascination with the Biltmore castle. However, when we arrived at the estate this afternoon, I realized that this place was indeed something to be intrigued by. At 175,000 square feet and with 250 rooms it is the largest privately owned home in the country. It was completed in 1895 in the height of the gilded age by George Washington Vanderbilt II and is still owned by his family. We toured this opulent summer retreat and marveled at it's fine wood work, lavish tapestries and modern conveniences of the time, such as it's indoor swimming pool, refrigerated pantries and plumbed bathrooms. (Because we were not allowed to take photos inside the residence, I borrowed indoor images from the Internet.)

Mr. Vanderbilt was said to have been the best read man of his time, with over 23,000 volumes, half of which were in this library.

This winter garden room was where the Vanderbilt's only child, Cornelia, had her wedding breakfast.

The dining room was our favorite room. I especially love the fireplaces in the home. Almost every room had one and they were all unique from one another.

According to Travel and Leisure, the gardens at The Biltmore are in the top ten botanical gardens in the world. We wandered around the walled gardens, the conservatory, the bass pond and the azalea gardens.

I asked Sophia why she wasn't smiling in her photograph and she said that she was trying to pose like the Mona Lisa. I think that she did a good job.

A Tiffany Lamps display had just been brought in for the summer, so we admired the stained glass works of art in the Biltmore museum, listened to outdoor music on the lawn and bought ice cream from the Vanderbilt family's dairy. Our stop at the Biltmore will definitely be remembered.

Ocracoke Island

Friday night we arrived on Ocracoke, a small island at the southern tip of the Outerbanks. The only way to reach the island is by ferry, private boat or private plane, so the area is quite remote.

It was the July 4th weekend, but when we arrived to spend the day at the beach on Saturday morning, we were just about the only ones around. The water was tepid, the sand was powdery white, the waves were the perfect intensity and the sun was comfortably warm. This was the beach for me. We spent the day boogie boarding, collecting shells, building sand castles and jumping the waves. The day was such fun, we dreamed about renting a beach house for a week next summer.

When the kids had had enough sand and sun, we gave away our sand toys and boogie boards to a cute family of boys, which seemed like such an abrupt way to end a great trip to the beach. We found lunch in the funky Ocracoke Village which was full of cold Popsicle stands, sandwich shacks, and a few stores that looked as if they were left over from the 60's, selling tie dye skirts and long strands of beads. We ate Carolina barbecue sandwiches for dinner at one of the few sit down restaurants in town, served by a surfer with dreadlocks who helped us in a hurry so that we could make the ferry to the main land. We boarded the ferry, a little sad that we hadn't had more time to explore this island, but felt so fortunate to have discovered it. As the ferry pulled out we took a few last photos of this small strip of land with its funny shops, beautiful beaches and the lighthouse that marks it's little spot out in the Atlantic.