I'm on a horse

Andy on his high horse

Meet Cole, my mustang on loan from Five Oaks riding stables. He had the softest coat. Our hour-long trot through the mountains was stunning. We couldn’t have picked a better day to make the trip – the weather was a perfect temperature and the leaves were crimson and gold.

Our tour guide, Slim, was a pleasant man who had grown up riding. He retired from the rodeo a few years ago to live at the stables, take care of the horses, and give horseback tours. He suggested coming back to the stables when it snowed – and I can imagine how beautiful it would be.

In the stables with Cole

Sevierville traffic is awful though and we dread it every time Andy and I journey into it. Strangely, it’s only the traffic going south that is terrible, traffic heading north, out of the town, is pleasant. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is, it doesn’t matter which day of the week – the main drag is awful and should be avoided at all costs. It’s a tourist trap, for sure.

We left Sevierville behind to travel to Sweetwater, TN for the start of week 7 of tour. Fortunately, we stumbled upon the neatest Cavern called Craighead Cavern. It was a mere jog away from our hotel and after our shows on Monday we treated ourselves to venture out. The coolest thing about these caverns is that deep inside of them is an underground lake called the Lost Sea.

Civil War Era Graffiti, verified by carbon dating and science!

It’s the largest under land lake in the United States – discovered in 1905 by a 13 year old child. In addition to the Lost Sea, the caverns were also home to Confederate Soldiers who mined salt peter in the caverns.

This tour is one of the best tours I’ve done – and I would highly suggest it. I know I will be returning to these caverns to camp overnight. Camp in a cavern? It’s number two on my bucket list right now. (Number one is Scotland to visit Tony and Al – so expect me soon!)

Today’s shows were great, albeit stressful because we had to rush from the morning school in Decatur to the afternoon school in traffic-city Sevierville. Tomorrow is the same song, where we rush from Del Rio to Lenior City. Lando, our blue Hyundai Elantra, is due for another oil change soon – so we’ll have to find time to make that happen. Just another day in the life.