Touring Lorretta Lynn's Ranch, today

Where are we today ?

Loretta Lynn's Ranch, Hurricane Mills Tennessee

        A beautiful sunny very warm day today temps in the low 70's a great day to be heading out here in the woods on Loretta Lynn's Ranch. This whole property covers 6,5000 acres and has been put to good use. With camping areas, concert stages, motocross tracks, rodeo grounds, horseback riding the many trails, great fishing in the river all the way to the far end where Loretta Lynn actually lives  right here in Hurricane Mills. When they bought the property this area was on it. Established in 1876 it was a Mill on the Hurricane river.

horseback riding

Loretta's new home on the left

        Now we are at the ranch and area for a guided tour of the grounds. It was a little pricey at $25.00 each we thought, but compared to Graceland and Elvis this was a much better deal. After purchasing our tickets we had almost an hour before the next tour. So we started with the huge 18,000 square foot museum. And did not see it all before it was time to head back for the tour. The museum is amazing displaying hundreds of photos, and awards a couple of videos. Pictures of her over the years doing different concerts with her talented family. Crystal Gayle being her sister too. And a section devoted to Conway Twitty as well.
         No pictures allowed inside the museum, the coal mine or any of the buildings.

        But we were allowed to take pictures inside her tour bus now parked inside the museum with over 3 million miles on it. In that area was her Cadillac, Mercedes, Mooney's jeep and old truck.

custom made coach from the early 1970's very impressive

        Then we met for the tour by the Butcher Holler homeplace where she was raised as a child.

exact replica of the original house that still stands in
 Butcher Holler, Kentucky 

beautiful spot by the river

replica western town

Loretta's old house across the river

We toured the simulated coal mine, in memory of her father.
 That is Bob our entertaining tour guide.

        After the coal mine we hopped in the shuttle bus over to the the huge house where they had lived for many years and raised all six of their children. Loretta was married at 15 years old and became a grandmother at 29. Today at 80 years old she even has a couple great, great, grandchildren and is still touring with 19 concert dates yet this year.

        Ok, now we can tour the house and it is huge! One of the largest kitchens I have ever seen in a house. This house was built in the 1800's and upgraded thru the years and was where the Lynn family lived until the late 1980's. Once the children had moved out it was too big just for the two of them, so they built a new smaller house right behind this and opened this one for the public to enjoy. A very impressive looking, well preserved home. 

        Now back across the river we explored Loretta's Doll museum, the old mill, souvenir shops and even the western store right here. One thing that we really enjoyed, was the fact that every person working there wanted to talk to us, know where we were from and were so friendly. Really makes you feel welcome and enjoy this experience much more. With a personal touch to everything here. Stories from the employees that have known Loretta for many years. Like the elderly lady working in the boutique who had just gotten off the phone with Loretta, looking for her brother. There is a lot of friends and relatives that work here on the Ranch.

I even got to go horseback riding too!

Hurricane Mills

Loretta's new house

trail ride

        Now after about 4 hours here, back home for lunch and putter around for a while. With such a great sunny day, we can enjoy fresh air and get some quality reading time in.

        Then before we know it time for supper, so I fired up the Weber and fry daddy for a feast of chicken wings and homemade fries. 

        Add some hot sauces and celery, carrots w/blue-cheese having a feast.

yummy

        After supper was working on posting the blog, but we got side tracked. Someone started a campfire in the community fire pit. And we just had to go over and enjoy it with them, chat for a while then before you know it way past my bedtime. 

wonderful campfire

       There ya go we had an awesome day here in the hills of Tennessee, fantastic weather, checking out one of our favourite country singers who is a legend in her own time. You can read more about her if you are so inclined by clicking HERE.

       Thanks for stopping in and enjoying this awesome day with us, hope yours was good too. 

       On the road to Bowling Green Kentucky on Tuesday.

Our countdown timer is still broken

But we back in Ontario

April 10th, only 9 more days!

 Check out the map below to see where we have been this winter

View Winter 2012-1013 in a larger map

Happy Easter, from Hurricane Mills, Tennessee

Where are we today ?

Loretta Lynn's Ranch, Hurricane Mills, Tennessee 

        Happy Easter to y'all out there and hope everyone has a wonderful day. For some great Easter wisdom check out this posting here, by the Princess and the Cowboy, love it!

133 miles today

        Up early this morning and just puttering around, coffees, computing and a walkabout the parking lots, garden center and the Walmart Supercenter. Surprised how busy this place is at 7:30 on a Sunday morning. It was still pretty foggy out so waited until about 9 o'clock before we hit the road, only have 133 miles to go today and were still here at Loretta Lynn's Ranch by 11:30.
        It was a good drive, thru some Tennessee hill raining most of the way again, same as yesterday.

here we are

to campground

nice cabins

porch swing

        We got set up and was still drizzly a bit so decided to take a drive into town and check out Loretta Lynn's Kitchen. Seems everything around here has her name on it. This place was pretty busy, but thats good because it was a buffet lunch and a great turnover of fresh foods. Ham, fried chicken, catfish, pulled pork, chicken a dumplings, creamed corn, mashed taters, gravy, turnip greens, hushpuppies, salads and deserts not too bad for $10.95 each. Took care of two cravings all at once, catfish and fried chicken of course w had to sample almost everything else there too!
        We had also checked out the Log Cabin Restaurant  which were told was pretty good too. But was much smaller, more expensive and had a 30 minute wait for a table So the Buffet it was, sure did the trick and no we will not be having supper today, that's our Easter Sunday feast.

too expensive small and busy

we have lunch here

very tasty

              Then checked out the gift shop, lots neat novelty stuff we don't need and didn't by.

a pet Buffalo ?

        Once we got back to the Ranch drove around a bit checking out the grounds. This place is huge! About three miles to the rear of the property where we will go tomorrow and take the tour of all there is to see here, looks impressive! Its supposed to be a nice sunny warm day tomorrow too

the long road back to more stuff to see

old tour bus

         So now relaxing in the woods here at the Ranch after a few walkabouts, compute and read for a bit. And our Mifi is not working and poor phone reception but we do have free wifi at the clubhouse behind us. So that is where I have to go to post the blog and check email.

our site, pull thru

store right behind us

        Hope ya'll had a Good Easter Sunday I know we did. 
        Come back tomorrow and we will tour Loretta Lynn's Ranch.
        Thanks for stopping in for a visit.

Countdown timer Broken/busted and internet sucks here but,

 we will be home, April 10th,11 more days

Check out the map below to see where we have been this winter

View Winter 2012-1013 in a larger map