Yes, I took this picture!
I’m in a Snowglobe of Fall Colored Leaves
Our first stop after Gettysburg was Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania-Home of Fallingwater, a masterpiece of architecture. The drive from Gettysburg to Ohiopyle was breathtaking! If you have never been to the East Coast and seen the turning of leaves, you are missing out on one of God’s most beautiful paintings. This was my first time, and I hope that I never forget the majesty of Fall Colors. Pictures, of course, do NOT do the beauty justice. The colors are so bright and varied and you are surrounded by them. Hence the snowglobe reference.
We stayed three nights at Ohiopyle State Park, a heavily wooded campground that was right at its peak of the leaves changing colors. Coach Addy was literally in the middle of a forest of orange, red, green, yellow, and brown foliage in every shade imaginable. Everywhere you looked: up, down, front, back, left, right, and center, you saw this magnificent array of colors hanging from the trees, falling from the trees and underneath your feet.
Breathtaking, simply breathtaking and almost unbelievable…
Of course the beauty was enhanced by the fact that we had absolutely no connectivity-no internet, no cable, no cell service…ahhh what a respite from the news overload of this past week and the terrible happenings in the Middle East. My heart breaks for the region and for all who are affected by this conflict.
The Big Detour
Fallingwater is without a doubt one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest masterpieces. When Peder and I began planning this trip, we each had specific places that we wanted to visit-this was a priority for me! It almost looked as if it was not going to happen when we needed to reroute our trip a few weeks ago. Fallingwater was on our way to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from Chicago, but you may remember that our plans changed and instead we headed down the Mississippi and dropped off Coach Addy and Charlie at our daughter’s house in Boerne, Texas, so we could go on a cruise out of New Jersey. I was extremely disappointed.
As we planned Leg 4 of our trip we were only supposed to go as far up the coast as Savannah, Georgia. However, we decided to continue North to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to visit our nephew, Neils. Well, what do you know, we find ourselves back in the state where Fallingwater is located…a mere 1500 mile detour for us! Oh did I mention that Coach Addy gets a whopping 8 miles to the gallon!
It’s a good thing gas is so much cheaper in The South!
Hot Tip #1 Some things are worth the detour AND Everything happens for a reason!
I remember being so bummed that we had to reroute our trip, but we just decided to make the best of it and start researching places to see that we didn’t have on our original itinerary. I can’t even imagine NOT seeing all of the things that we saw because of the reroute. Starting with Field of Dreams, Hannibal (Mark Twain’s birthplace), the blue moon rising over the Mississippi in Memphis, and our last few stops in Gettysburg, the Smoky Mountains and I can’t imagine not having gone to one of my favorite places-The Shenandoah Valley in Virginia! Oh Thank Heavens for the reroute and I’m so glad we made the trip to Fallingwater a priority-in spite of 1500 mile detour!
FLW-Fallingwater
Fallingwater is even more magnificent than I imagined. Frank Lloyd Wright and his strong beliefs of organic architecture were a driving force for us as we designed our home. The prairie style home, the emphasis on the horizontal rather than the vertical, hipped roof lines, overhanging eaves, the use of stone and the harmonious union of art and nature can all be seen in Fallingwater and Herons’ House. I knew this from pictures, but it was so apparent as I toured the property and the house. The narrow staircases, the large patios, the placement of the home on the property and so much more was on display. Ok, we don’t have a waterfall flowing under and around our home, but hey, we do have Sheawanna Creek in the back of the property! The ethos of integrating humans, architecture and nature together was certainly a major component of our planning and designing of Herons’ House.
If you ever get the chance to come here, you really must visit. It is stunning and preserved for all to see. One could argue that this home and certainly Frank Lloyd Wright were instrumental in defining modern architecture.
Hmmm... See any similarities?
This stop was indeed a highlight of our trip! I was so elated that not only did we get to visit this masterpiece, but I was so grateful to Lori, the attendant for “squeezing” me into a tour of the inside of the home, as I was unable to get a reservation. Such a gift, that made the visit even more special!
The Great Smoky Mountains
We arrived in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on Wednesday and stayed along the Little Pigeon Forge River at Riverbend RV Resort right at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains. We had three wonderful nights of relaxation and reconnecting with nature, lots of walks, bike rides, campfires and another awesome night of music by a local couple.
But the star of this part of the country is The Great Smoky Mountains!
OMG!!! I am sure that a drive through this National Park is fabulous at any time of the year, I have to believe that Fall is the most spectacular! Again, we found ourselves in the center of the most incredible 360 degrees of Mother Nature’s tapestry of fall colors. The drive through the Newfound Gap was much easier than we expected and much more beautiful! Again, pictures don’t do it justice and simply can’t capture the feeling of being in the center of this natural beauty.
Hot Tip #2-You know the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, “It’s not the destination, but the journey…”
Of course we have great memories of so many great places that we have been and the things we have seen, but I have to say that some of our fondest memories are the drives getting from Point A to Point B. We live in a country with such varied landscapes and natural wonders that can really be experienced and appreciated on a cross country roadtrip in a motorcoach! We love our drives along country highways and through small towns-it really is one of the things that I underestimated as we were planning this trip. Yep, Mr. Emerson was a very wise man…
Harvest Host for the win again!
I know I must sound like I am repeating myself, but Harvest Hosts are some of our favorite stops! It is staying on the farms, wineries, breweries and museums that have enriched our travels. We especially love when we get to interact with the owners of the property, farm or business. This is when you really get to learn about the local area and experience first hand the passion that these folks have for their town. Our stay at TnMtnFarm was no exception. This cattle farm was on our way to Red Bay, Alabama, in the small town of Oldfort, Tennessee. Blake, the owner of the farm has led a fascinating life and found himself back on the family farm about 8 years ago. The farm has been in his family since the early 1900’s-his great grandmother was married in the home that still sits on the property. The farm used to be a Chicken Ranch, but now is home to pigs, sheep and cows. We were able to purchase pork chops, steaks and sausage all of which were grown and produced here on the farm. Blake has a nice set up for RVs and even has a Glamping Tent available for renting as well. A nice young couple, Fernando and Angela, were staying in the tent and we had the pleasure of sharing a cocktail and some great conversation with them. What a special night!
Lesson Learned: Sometimes the best things come from the greatest disappointments! Our reroute is an excellent example of this! I always say that things happen for a reason…we just need to trust that the Universe has a greater plan for us than we could orchestrate!
Bummer of the Week: Hmmm…Nope, not this week…No bummer of the week! What would have been a bummer, only being able to get a reservation to tour the grounds of Fallingwater and not being able to see the inside of Fallingwater, was averted thanks to Lori!
Highlight of the Week: Our visit to Fallingwater! A must see for anyone, but especially for those who appreciate great architecture. I have had the pleasure of seeing FLW’s home and studio in Oakpark, IL, The Robie House in Chicago, Talieson West in Arizona and now Fallingwater, all iconic Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. I must admit, Fallingwater is the most spectacular!
Next Week:
We are on our way to Red Bay, Alabama-a pilgrimage for all Tiffin MotorHome owners
and then for a few days in Memphis at Tom Sawyer's RV Resort right on the Mississippi (a repeat stop for us, because we loved it so much!) And then on to Boerne, Texas to prepare for Thanksgiving!
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