Chasing Cars: Bristol (and the South)

[UKCraig]

[Editor's Note: Craig is back from his 2007 Summer Adventure and has created a great index you can use for planning your own trip to the south here.]

You can read his field reports, listed in a day-by-day linear fashion here.

Here are the places Craig visited on this trip:
Manchester - Atlanta - Dawsonville
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Baileyton
Bristol Motor Speedway
Corbin - Mammoth Cave National Park
Bowling Green
Nashville
Lynchburg - Chattanooga
Stockbridge
Warner Robins - Atlanta
Manchester
************************************************** *****

Okay, as some of you may know, I've been taking an increasing interest in Nascar in the past couple of years and, well, I've been unable to control myself a little... I've been and gone and booked a couple of tickets to the Sharpie 500 Nextel Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway in August... yeah, I know, naughy Craig!

At the moment I've yet to book any flights or make any definte plans for the rest of the trip but I have some ideas and would welcome any suggestions from you good folks on here. The usual stuff, really, must see/do places, amusing places to visit, photo opportunities, etc. There is some overlap with one of my previous Nascar trips but I think there's enough out there to keep us amused! I'd particularly welcome any suggestions relating to Nashville (is it worth the drive out or should we simply cut that out and chill a bit?) and the JD place (anyone been - is it worth it?)

The dates below (with the obvious exception of the race) are fluid at the moment. But I can only really spare 6 days of my holiday entitlement (ie 5 weekdays and a recovery day when I get back to London) and my thoughts are something along the lines of:

Weds 22nd August fly Gatwick to Atlanta and drive north to North Georgia Premium Outlet Center at Dawsonville GA to stock up on cheap clothes. Stop overnight in motel/hotel.
Thurs 23rd August Drive to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and take tour in car followed by short hike. Set up camp inside the park before heading back out to watch sunset.
Fri 24th August Continue exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, take longer hike, then drive to the Motel 6 in Newport TN.
Sat 25th August drive to the Bristol Motor Speedway for Nextel Cup race. Return to Motel 6 in Newport for the night.
Sun 26th August drive to Nashville TN. Find local campground or motel.
Mon 27th August head onwards to Lynchburg TN and visit the Jack Daniels Distillery. Find local campground or motel.
Tues 28th August Head back to Atlanta GA and take overnight flight back to London.

Has anyone travelled the Cherohala Skyway or the Tail of the Dragons at Deals Gap? They look kinda fun and we could potentially make a detour on the way from Dawsonville to the Smoky Mountains if they're worth the visit??

Thanks!

[UKCraig]

Just another thought. I've camped in the Great Smoky Mountains NP before, but that was in April, will the period that I am planning to be there be ridiculously busy? Will I have trouble getting a place on one of the park's campgrounds?

[Mark Sedenquist]

Has anyone travelled the Cherohala Skyway or the Tail of the Dragons at Deals Gap?

I haven't driven either of these roads, yet, but they are classic curvy roads and some of our motorcycle members really love them.

mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

Will I have trouble getting a place on one of the park's campgrounds?

Those campgrounds that are easily accessible to the main road will be booked up, but I seem to recall that there are one or two places on the NE section of the park that might not be as busy.

Mark

[UKCraig]

Thanks for the imput, Mark.

Having looked again at the distances involved, I suspect that we're gonna give the skyway and the dragon a miss this time. We might make it over there but I think that we'd probably be better off spending a few more hours in the NP than in the car, given our limited time in the country.

I've had a look online and there are a number of options still available with regard to camping. I can even book online for a number of campgrounds within the park itself. However I'm a little unsure that I actually [i[want to[/i]! *stamps feet* :) I guess I really should, it'll be far nicer to spend an extra hour exploring the place than desperately looking for a place to stay before sunset.

Anyone got any tips or suggestions when it comes to Nashville? Is it actually worth the drive out? Or are there other, more interesting, places to visit instead?

[Mark Sedenquist]

Anyone got any tips or suggestions when it comes to Nashville? Is it actually worth the drive out?

Craig, one of our friends, wrote this article and I think it will provide a couple of things for you to consider on your drive in the area!

Mark

[UKCraig]

Fantastic, I'll check it out. There really is so much more to this site than you realise - top work!

Edit: Having read that, it'll come in very handy for my other planned trip this year - thanks for the link.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Fantastic, I'll check it out. There really is so much more to this site than you realise - top work!

Craig, I don't think you had planned to drive as far as Memphis & Clarksdale -- it is an area you will have to come back and check out though. Nashville is pretty cool -- the Grand Ole Opry is certainly worth checking out and here is a current calendar of events in the area.

Here is another thread to get you started in your latest quest:
Boston Wrangler's visit to the Nashville area

Mark

[UKCraig]

Thanks for that link also.

It's now got me thinking about whether we can add a day or so to the trip and maybe do Mammoth Cave NP as well. hmm... I wonder! Maybe something like this would work:

Weds 22nd August fly Gatwick to Atlanta and drive north to North Georgia Premium Outlet Center at Dawsonville GA (61 miles) to stock up on cheap clothes. Stop overnight in motel/hotel.
Thurs 23rd August Drive to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (155 miles) and take tour in car followed by short hike. Set up camp inside the park before heading back out to watch sunset.
Fri 24th August Continue exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, take longer hike, then drive to the Motel 6 in Newport TN (34 miles)
Sat 25th August drive to the Bristol Motor Speedway (85 miles) for Nextel Cup race. Return to Motel 6 in Newport (85 miles) for the night.
Sun 26th August drive to Mammoth Cave NP KY (280 miles) Camp inside the park.
Mon 27th August explore Mammoth Cave NP before driving to Nashville TN (97 miles) and finding a hotel or motel.
Tues 28th August explore Nashville then head south towards Lynchburg TN (97 miles) Find campground en route.
Weds 29th August visit the Jack Daniels Distillery before heading back towards Atlanta GA (225 miles) and finding campground or motel.
Thurs 30th August Finish driving back to Atlanta GA and take overnight flight back to London.

[lhuff]

I don't have anything to add since my travels in that part of the country are limited. Just wanted to announce my severe jealousy.

However, I did purchase tickets for the Lone Star Grand Prix and the US Grand Prix, so I'm kind of broke right now.

We should try to meet up at Houston and at least put a face to the screen name.

Laura