Megabus travels: A review in story form

Before this past weekend, I had never been to Washington, DC. I've wanted to go so badly, especially since a good friend of mine now lives there, but I kept putting off buying a plane ticket.

Then last fall I read that Megabus was coming to Knoxville and would provide low-price commutes to DC. It seemed too good to be true. Even if it was cheap, it had to be super sketchy, right?

Over time, however, I did hear good things about it, and even saw a friend's photos on Facebook of a trip they took from NYC to DC on the Megabus. One of their statuses read: Megabus, I think I love you, but I want to know for sure.

That was it. I had to know for sure, too.

On January 31, I reserved two tickets on Megabus.com for a trip to DC from February 12 to the 14th. Each reservation cost $16.25, round trip.

This price floored me, but even more uncanny is the fact that if I had booked it sooner in advance, I may have only paid $1 for each reservation.

As my trip neared, I was feeling a little nervous. It calmed me to know that everyone has to book their tickets in advance online, which weeds out the Greyhound types who can walk up to a bus and pay on the spot. (Nothing against the Greyhound types, but you know what I mean.)

So my friend Micah dropped Liz and me off on Church in front of the swanky Transit Center. We had to be there at 10:30pm for our 10:45pm departure, only carrying one bag under 50 lbs. and a small carry on. We got there right at 10:30 and were the last people to board. The bus was already half full, and to my delight, there were lots of college-aged kids, parental types, and the only child was at least ten.


photo by Liz Totten

I pulled out my laptop. The Wi-Fi worked, so I sent my farewell to Robert, who, leading up to our trip, kept telling us a story about someone getting decapitated on a bus and no one noticing. Thanks again for that, Robert.

As you can probably tell, we made it through the night. No one ever tried to decapitate us. We each had two seats and, after watching August Rush that came on the little TV's, we slept in the fetal position. We made a stop for an hour around 1am (why an hour, I'm not sure) and then at the bus stop in Christianburg, VA where we dropped off some people and picked up more. I still had my two seats though.

Our only complaint on the way there was that it was freezing. We put on every item of clothing that we had. Someone on the bus said they were going to ask the driver to turn on the heat, but I never felt any. And in the fetal position on my two seats, part of my body was against the wall of the bus, which was like ice. I did manage to sleep from about 3am to 7am.

At 7am, I woke up to the sun rising past the Washington Monument as we drove over the Potomac River, a scene I won't forget for as long as I live. It was a surreal experience as we drove into the grand, clean, and quiet city that Saturday morning.

Our bus stopped at 10th and H, a block from the China Town Metro Station. Most everyone from the bus bee-lined into the Starbucks that sat directly in front of our parked bus.

So we made it, and we felt good, despite freezing our asses off all night. Liz, in her unceasing optimism, said, "Think of how many calories we burned shivering all night!" That's a good way to look at it, I guess.



So DC was pretty OK. Just kidding. Let's just say, my heart is still there... That doesn't sound overly melodramatic, does it?

But this post isn't about DC.

On Monday it was time to board the bus again. We were a little early this time, but our bus was late, only by about 15 minutes. We did witness a lady who arrived at the departure time (not 15 minutes early) to get on the Megabus to NYC. The bus left her, even though it hadn't pulled away yet. So let her tardiness be a lesson to you. Be there 15 minutes early!

The bus ride back was pretty uneventful. It was during the day, so the need to sleep wasn't necessary. We talked with the man in front of us who works at ORNL who was in DC visiting his son who brews beer. He gave us peanuts.

Our stop on the way home was only 30 minutes, but enough time to eat. The bus was only about 1/4 of the way full this time. I could never get the Wi-Fi to work, which honestly didn't bother me because I get motion sickness easily. Our bus arrived about an hour ahead of schedule, safe and sound. This is typical for most trips. They make good time.

So in conclusion, I highly recommend using the Megabus, unless you are really high maintenance. I'm thinking the more people who use it, the more it will expand. I would love to see it go to Memphis with a stop in Nashville, or to Atlanta. Oh man! The possibilities are endless! And you can be sure if that happens, I will feel comfortable traveling alone.

Megabus, I do love you. I know for sure.

Ross Marble Natural Area at Ijams

A few years back, I hung out with a pretty adventurous circle of friends. They'd always take groups of people on fun little excursions, some of which made me nervous, but that, in the end, were beneficial to my well-being. One thing we used to do was build bonfires late at night in the far reaches of Ijams Nature Center. We'd walk along train tracks, split off onto an obscure trail, walk through a tunnel made out of large, cut boulders, and set up in the bottom of a quarry. Campfire, music, beer. It was illegal, and it was magic.



I had heard a few months ago that Ijams (click here for directions) officially made our old stomping grounds public, so I finally made a trip out there to see it last weekend.



The area has a name, Ross Marble Natural Area, and the tunnel made from rock has been deemed "The Keyhole." Instead of walking along the cumbersome train tracks, they have cut a trail right to the spot, where one can find all sorts of signage and maps to guide you where you'd like to explore. The once treacherous trail to the Keyhole and the quarry is now adorned with hiker-friendly hand rails.



It was good to see the place again, and now that I'm old*, it's pretty nice to get around the area easily and with a clear conscience. It also looks a little cleaner down there, less trash, which is great, but I thought it interesting that there are obvious remnants of a recently made campfire. Although I'm sure it's a little trickier to get away with nowadays, it's good to know there might still be people enjoying the spot at nighttime.



*I'm exaggerating, just in case you were wondering.

Cades Cove Full Moon Bike Ride

It hasn't been scientifically proven, but I think there is a strange correlation of humidity and hills to how many mason jars there are present in Knoxville that can make its inhabitants get a little crazy-eyed, a little hillbillier, if you will. If you stay here long enough, and allow it, it will get you, and you may find yourself walking around outside barefoot or jumping off a thirty or fifty foot cliff into water-filled quarries. During a full moon, it can pull a person all the way to the mountains.

I've ridden the 11-mile loop in Cades Cove three times by bike, but never in daylight. I've only done it at night during a full moon.

The first time I went was about three years ago. I met up with the group I was going with in Maplehurst. I immediately stood out in the crowd with my athletic looking attire. Everyone else was in plaid shirts, jeans, everyday clothes, and they were packing large amounts of liquor into their backpacks and saddle bags. All I had with me was water. It was going to be a different kind of ride than I had expected.



The first time you ride the loop in the moonlight, you may feel a whole range of emotions. For me, it was, "This is the greatest thing I've ever done," to, "We're all going to die." If everyone turns out their flashlights, your eyes adjust to the moonlight. You can see the road pretty well, until you enter a patch of road covered in trees. Then you're just winging it. You may hear the thumping of fast-moving hooves (or paws) next to you, and you hope it's a smallish baby deer. The second time I went, my group lost Max, and I was certain he had been eaten by a bear. Thankfully, he was waiting for us at the car when we finished.



Three years ago, the road was full of pot holes. Thankfully I had a mountain bike. Some of the hills are excruciating for an ever novice like myself, but you make it to the top, and without effort, coast down the following hill, out into the moonlight. Fields and distant mountains are detailed in a way I can't describe in words.



The last time I went was this past Tuesday. The weather was perfect and the road has recently been paved so I took my road bike this time. It was a little cloudy, but beautiful. Our group stopped in at some of the churches and cabins, settings at night that are eerier than any other place I've been.



The hills were still hard for me to climb this time, sadly, but everything else cancels that out. In the daylight hours, sitting at my office desk, I wonder when the next time will be when I can feel that cool mountain air tousle my moon-kissed hair as I descend a long winding stretch of road on my bike.



Photos 4, 5, and 6 are by Kat Campbell

Utopia near Knoxville

When I was younger, most of our family vacations took place in and near the Smoky Mountains. I am drawn to that area to this day because of the ties I have to it from my childhood, but lately, I've been wanting to branch out and explore (personally) uncharted territories.

One place I've really been wanting to visit is the Big South Fork area. I still haven't officially been, but last week I was close. I went to Historic Rugby (a town en route to BSF) for a work field trip. If you've never heard of it or never been, it's remarkable. I never knew anything like it existed in Tennessee.



Rugby was founded by Thomas Hughes in 1880 to be a class-free, agricultural community for men in England who wanted to start a new life in America. Some call it a Utopian community, and now I know why. The land and buildings are beautiful and seemingly untouched. Today there are regulations that require people to only build where original homes once stood, and they are strongly encouraged to use designs similar to the Victorian architecture of the historic buildings.



There is one cafe in town, and we ate lunch there. The cuisine is English, things like fish and chips and Shepherd's Pie. I ordered the Welsh Rarebit, two English muffins topped with grilled tomatoes, onions, bacon, dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and a cheese sauce. It was delicious, but instead of going on a long walk after eating something like this, I split a piece of home-made peanut butter pie with my co-worker instead.





Rugby really is an incredible place. If you should ever decide to stay there, they have cottages in which you can sleep with hammocks on the front porch. You can go for a swim in the Gentleman's Swimming Hole, formerly for men but now also for gentle-women (progressive). They have a couple of quaint shops featuring local artisans' work and even a print shop with printing press, but they can't afford to pay anyone to set up there. I wonder if Yee-Haw could ever do anything there...



Rugby also has the nation's oldest preserved library, in the sense that it is exactly the way it was when it started. Pretty sweet if you ask me.







Even if it was work that brought me there, I am grateful to have finally spent some time in that area. In early October, I'm going back for the annual East Tennessee Preservation Alliance Conference. It's supposed to be incredible then; the leaves will be at their peak. The theme of the conference, in essence, is how to preserve land and historic buildings in a way that makes them destinations, something people in Rugby seem to know a thing or two about. If you are interested in attending the conference, contact Ethiel at egarlington@knoxheritage.org.



It took about an hour and a half to reach Rugby from Knoxville. Here are directions. Do yourself a favor and check it out. It's worth seeing and learning about for yourself.

A Saturday Afternoon at the Townsend Wye- 2010

Last Saturday, a friend and I drove to Townsend. We parked in the lot right before the Backporch Restaurant when you enter town and rode our bikes about three miles up to the Wye, where the road forks into the Smokies.

There were people everywhere near and in the river, as it bends out of the park and makes its way toward Townsend. Friends and family were triumphing over the heat and having a wonderful time in the process.

I jumped off a rock into the cold water and looked up. There on a grass-covered bank sat several people; I couldn't help but think of the painting below.- the Smoky Mountain version of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Seurat. We may be more like the man lounging in the lower left corner than the prim and proper men and women scattered about, but in a way, I'm glad for that.

The best thing that's ever happened to me

Something you may not know about being a writer for the Wigshop is how glamorous it has made our lives. Everyday people are handing us concert tickets, picking up our tabs, or letting us jump to the front of lines at clubs.


I'm joking. Obviously. (When do we ever go to clubs?)

Our compensation does come from the joy of knowing that there are people out there that read this blog. (Quite frankly, I think you're all crazy, but) It is such a great feeling.

However... it does not hurt for something more tangible to come our way every now and again.

That's why when I was invited a few months ago to visit the Titanic replica in Pigeon Forge because I had written a post about it, I was ecstatic. It was a sentiment much like Rose must have felt while dancing with Jack and his fellow swashbucklers in the hull of the Titanic.



It was a gray November day when I drove out to Pigeon Forge with two of my friends. We passed the large upside down mansion, and there on our right stood the smokestacks. We parked and walked inside the black trailer in the parking lot to meet our tour guide, Rick. Upon entering, a jovial woman announced, rather startlingly, "Welcome aboard!" I pursed my lips to hold back laughter, mostly from sheer delight.



Rick asked if we wanted to have the "Welcome aboard!" lady give us her spiel on the Titanic museum or if we wanted the tour first. I couldn't help myself. "The tour, please!"



We entered the ship, donning orange construction hats.

I have to say, it was a little disappointing. There was not much to see at this point but steel beams and concrete. Rick tried to paint images of its potential in our heads, of the Grand Staircase and the fine china place settings you would be able to touch in the dining room.



I'm not one to give you all the details of the inner-workings of the museum: "The Titanic was constructed with 50 gabillion tons of steel, blah, blah, blah..." Rick did inform us that it will be as factual as possible, a place where adult and child can learn in an incredibly ornate atmosphere. I did retain such information as, there will be an ice wall that you can touch at the end of the tour in a room with a starry filled sky overhead. Also, you will be able to get married on the Grand Staircase, and there will be a reception room above for after the ceremony. What a dream!



This spring, you too will have the chance to visit yourself, and it will cost you somewhere around $25. I can't wait to go back when it's all done, and you can be sure I'll be wearing (not a construction hat, but) my "Heart of the Ocean" necklace Rick gave me.

The first, second, third, and fourth photo were taken by Tracy Jackson

The Splendor of Alcoa Highway and Highway 321

As much as I love Knoxville, I have a secret. Every month I get a little antsy and have to leave our wonderful city for a moment. Thankfully, I don't have to go very far to take that much needed, deep breath.

Almost every month for the past seven years, I've taken Alcoa Highway to Hwy 321 through Maryville and Townsend to The Great Smoky Mountains. Just thinking about it now makes me want to blow off work and head that direction.

I've grown accustomed to driving this route, and I know it by heart. Besides the natural beauty that you come across along the way, there are numerous other gems at which I stop from time to time. There are also others I've never been to, but my goal this summer is to take: "An Alcoa Highway/ 321 Vacation"

Here are some hot spots:

1) Green Acres Flea Market (Alcoa Highway) - I'm going for the first time this Saturday and am so very excited. Not that I'm in the market for one, but I hear they have a lot of belt buckles.

2) Foothills Milling Company (Maryville) - Get your Mr. or Mrs. (or in my case, my parents) to take you here for dinner sometime. It expensive, but delectable.

3) The Drive-In (Maryville)- This is the best place to go for some redneck culture shock. It's fabulous, really. I think on Saturdays, they even set up a little flea market on the premises.


4) Various flea markets, thrift stores, craft stands, and antique malls (between Maryville and Townsend) You could spend a whole day stopping in places like this along the way. There are a couple of quaint places where the locals sell wood carvings, mountain honey (mmm) and boiled peanuts. You run into some very interesting people to talk to as well.






(A word of advice: if you see a handwritten sign on the side of the road that says "hot boiled peanuts," you should pull over.)


5) Nawger Nob (Townsend) Local arts and crafts and good people to talk to

6) Deadbeat Pete's (Townsend) Sometimes the food is hit or miss, but this is one of my favorite places to eat. They have a backporch that overlooks the Little River, they serve drinks in mason jars, and their signature burger "The Deadbeat Pete" has guacamole on it. This is the best place to go after, say, tubing down the river.

7) The Dulcimer Shop (Townsend) Beautiful, handcrafted dulcimers. Oh, baby. I could die happy in this store.

8) And finally, the Collosus of Clout, The Great Smoky Mountains.

Now I'm wondering if they'd notice my absence from work today...

All photos by the illustrious Tracy Jackson

dayhiking and hot springs

The Smoky Mountains are ridiculously amazing! And if you haven’t hit them up yet, you might as well do it this year. I think Knoxville resembles the diversity you find in the mountains in lots of ways. There’s something for everyone, but you have to be willing to get out of your car. If you wanted you could pin up a map of the park to the wall, literally throw a dart and hit a trail, stream or feature worthy of a full day’s adventure. And since there are no entrance fees, you could do it on a tight budget of a half-a-tank of gas. We heard about a small creek trail near Cosby that folks travel from all over to see and hit it up in late March.

The only bad thing about our trip was the drive, which happened to take us through Pigeon Forge. But once we passed through and headed north from Gatlinburg, things start to look, well, a little more country. Off 321 we turn north to enter the park at Greenbrier. The trailhead for Potter’s Creek Trail was at the end of the Greenbrier road and we actually had trouble finding a parking spot. This seems a little odd because the park is known by the number of visitors who actually never get out of their car. They just drive around the place without ever setting foot on a trail. I mean, c’mon!

At only a few minute into the trail we hit wildflowers, lots of little irises, trilliums and purple and white flowers. We continued our saunter almost to the next trail junction, but decided to cut the hike short for our next leg of the trip- Hot Springs!

My wife will probably kill me if she finds out I’ve fibbed our secret Knoxville getaway. From Greenbriar, we headed north for about 45 minutes to Hot Springs, NC, a mecca for AT through hikers, whitewater bums, and Knoxville bo-bos like us. From Knoxville, the trip is only about an hour. Ever since we moved to Knoxville we’ve been going to HS, usually on Sundays, and always to take a warm bath in the naturally hot waters at the spa.

For $25 ($30 after 6 o’clock) you can rent a tub for two for an hour right on the French Broad River. For the most part, they are a series of hot tubs with jets with privacy fencing around them. Supposedly tub #8 is the hottest, since it is closest to the water source. What better way to relax after a long hike than to take a long soak!

After the springs we stopped in a new restaurant in Hot Springs called the Iron Horse Station. To our surprise the place was really nice for a small town, and the burgers are really good. I was craving a ceasar salad for a side and they were out of lettuce, which I guess happens when you have to pack in food for an isolated place like that. So we opted for French fries and steamed veggies, which had to have been the only place that actually serves really good steamed veggies with a burger. Not the frozen carrots and broccoli here, we got asparagus and eggplant and zucchini! The meal was complimented by the intermittent dialogue between the bartender and the town bum, who kept trying to sneak 40s of bud ice into the bar in his back pockets. Next door looked like a coffee shop in the daytime, and around the restaurant seemed like overnight rooms for guests. I imagine this new spot would be the perfect layover for throughikers, but for dayhikers, it’s a nice ending to a perfect daytrip from Knoxville.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Hot Springs Resort and Spa
315 Bridge StreetHot Springs, NC 28743
828-622-7676

Iron Horse Station
24 South Andrew St. Hot Springs, NC 28743
866-402-9377
Google Maps

The Front Porch Mexican Bluegrass

If you have never been to The Front Porch in Cosby, Tennessee--seated on scenic Highway 321 in the heart of the Smokies and just a stones throw from Knoxville--then you must go. It is a Wigshop order. It's a Mexican Bluegrass restaurant, and it's one of the greatest places on earth.


When you come upon The Front Porch from either direction on 321, you're greeted by a colorful sign and an even more colorful restaurant. The place is an oasis along the long country road, which is dotted with small markets, shops and gas stations, but nothing quite as grand as The Front Porch itself. It's about a 50 mile trip on Interstate 40 from Knoxville (exit at Wilton Springs) and then another 4 or 5 miles from there. I can't give you exact directs, but that's the kind of place the Front Porch is. (Plus, Google Maps can give you proper directions).

The Front Porch is a favorite among Cocke County residents, the rafting community that flocks every summer to the Pigeon River rafting companies located just up the road in Hartford, Tennessee, and Knoxville and Asheville area residents looking for a day trip or a fun night out. If you're heading into the Smokies for a day hike, you might as well make The Front Porch your pit stop for a great, fun dinner on the way home.

It's fun any night of the week, but I recommend going on a Friday or Saturday when there are live Bluegrass shows at 7:00 and 9:00pm. Get there early and stay for both shows. The bands are local groups with an amazing amount of talent. I'm always impressed to watch (and hear) a good old fiddle player, and most of the bands tend to play traditional Bluegrass tunes, those tried and true old favorites.



It's definitely an all ages place; you'll see toddlers dancing to the music right alongside their grandmothers.

The restaurant is owned and operated by a Cocke County family, a group of women who know how to cook. The Mexican food is definitely the way to go, but they do have decidedly American features on the menu, like a hamburger or ribs. I recommend the Tacos al Pastor. It's delicious pork served with fresh corn tortillas, black beans and jasmine rice. Drizzle a little of The Front Porch's fresh (and spicy!) salsa over the pork, order a side of guacamole to plop on before you wrap your tortilla, and you're in heaven. I'm a big fan of the Veggie Fajitas, too: among the more traditional fajita veggies like onions and peppers, you get big chunks of squash and zucchini. The Burrito Dan is also very popular, and both the guacamole and cheese dip appetizers are yummy dishes to share before you order. And I definitely would recommend an appetizer, because I will forewarn that the service is laid back. I'm not going to say it's slow, because you don't go to The Front Porch to eat in a hurry and leave; but it's definitely a longer dining experience. And why wouldn't it be? You are there to see the live show, after all.

The Front Porch is BYOB, though due to a county ordinance, you can only bring in beer. No wine or liquor. I think you may be able to get away with wine coolers, but don't quote me on that.

Back when I lived down on the Pigeon River, we used to spend many a night at the Front Porch, eating and drinking and dancing among friends. Due to time and travel I hadn't been in a few years, but we've added it back into our rotation this year; and I always look forward to taking friends who are visiting the area. It truly is a gem for East Tennessee and just a really, really fun time.

The Front Porch Restaurant
2912 Cosby Hwy, Cosby, Tennessee
(423) 487-2875‎

Now, if you want to make your trip to Cocke County a true day trip, I recommend you take a whitewater rafting trip down the Pigeon River with Smoky Mountain Outdoors. The little river town of Hartford is home to 11 or so rafting companies that can take you on a 5 or 6 mile trip down the Pigeon River, and I recommend SMO. We've had a lot of rain lately (hallelujah!), so you're looking at a good, thrilling 2 hour trip down the river. It's a laid back community. You're not going to get a crazy Class 5 rapid ride from the Pigeon, but it's definitely still worth a trip. Get yourself a nice, sunny day and a cooler of beers waiting for you in the car after your trip, head on down Hartford Road (toward HWY 73) to the Front Porch; and that's what I call a nice little Saturday.

A different kind of diversity

Every now and again Knoxvillians feel the winds of change calling. Usually at the start of the summer season they sing out, beckoning us to get the heck out of Dodge, if even for a day trip. Sometimes leaving Knoxville is just as important as taking a stroll through Market Square in helping us realize what a gem Knoxville is.


For my first summer excursion I chose to head south on I-75 to Dayton, TN. Every May the folks in Dayton have their now famous Strawberry Festival. Now you may remember Dayton as the site of the historical Scopes Monkey Trial, but be not fooled, in May it's all about the strawberries. 


The festival is technically a week-long event, but my partner-in-crime and I decided to hit up the culmination of a weeks festivities. We drove down on Saturday just in time for the parade (well, just in time to grab a corn dog, funnel cake and a front row seat in between some senior citizens).


Our expectations were pretty high for this event. The night before we watched the mocumentary Drop Dead Gorgeous about a small-town beauty pageant in the Midwest. We knew what we were getting into, and expected a show both on and off the parade route. 

Needless to say, all our expectations were met if not exceeded. From the beauty queen (first of many) who started the parade with her ride in a muddied Hummer to the bloated man in a blazer running for State Senate riding in the back of a vintage convertible, it was perfect. 


It was great to get out of town for the day and be surrounded with people who have different priorities and operate at a slower pace. Now, clearly my investigation of these people goes only so deep-its easy for me to assign a certain belief/priority set to someone wearing jean shorts and a well-coiffed mullet.
 

Surely we are not that different, but for this writer, sweeping generalizations pretty much do the trick. 


My only regret was the fact that there were not more out-of-towners there sneaking a peek at small town life. I know the Strawberry Festival doesn't need to be overrun with self-important hipsters taking pictures of mullets (I think two is enough), but I do urge everyone to take the effort and experience a fascinating and refreshing kind of diversity offered just outside the city limits.