V's On Tour: Sights Between the Stops

With a packed itinerary, it’s easy to get focused on each destination. But, sometimes it really is about the journey. Here are a few of the things we have seen/done that weren’t scheduled.

Our first stop was an off the beaten path small restaurant that was featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” in Hendersonville, TN: Cafe Rakka. They featured middle eastern foods that reminds me of foods I enjoyed as a kid when I was in Saudi Arabia

Lamb Schwarma

Grilled Tandoori Chicken and Cheese Sandwich

Cafe Rakka in Hendersonville, TN

Tabouleh

Nice outdoor table we could take the dogs

Next, was a stop in Paducah, KY where we stopped into their Saturday Farmers Market. Besides picking up some delicious in-season fresh veggies, local grass fed beef, Amish delicacies, we learned a bit about the city and it’s history. A flood of the Ohio/Tennessee rivers in 1937 caused devastating damage to the city’s downtown.

On the bank of the Ohio/Tennessee River

A cool spot to take a rest and people watch

60 feet mark for the 1937 flood

Paducah Saturday Farmers Market

A mural painted of the 1937 flood on the wall

We are members of a group called Harvest Host which manages a directory of businesses that offer free parking for the night in exchange of us patronizing their business. So, as we were passing through the nice town of Effingham, IL, we requested to stay at the Tuscan Hills Winery. There we tried their flight of wines and tasty appetizers. We parked in the back of their parking lot where we boondocked (no electric or water hook up) for the night.