Renfro Valley still a popular destination

Since 1939 when John Lair began the national radio broadcast of the Renfro Valley Barn Dance people have flocked to this picturesque little community nestled in the foothills of the Cumberland Valley. There’s still a lot of talent around here and the show continues to pack the house. Each weekend tour buses bring large groups from all over the US to enjoy the fun. The entertainers work very hard to make visitors feel at home. From our group John and Karen Blair were invited to the stage to be part of a gospel choir. They looked very comfortable in front of the crowd, thanks to years of practice.
While in the Valley many of our group toured the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Its amazing how many famous musicians spent their formative years in our state. Those folks have been very generous to the museum, donating rare artifacts associated with their careers in music. Two of the most popular exhibits were the Model T and the 32 Ford woody loaded down with instruments for a bluegrass band. The museum also provided a good history of the significance of Renfro Valley in the popularity of country music. Fifteen A Models participated in the tour at various times during the weekend. Many could only make the day drive and some could only come for the show. On Sunday morning while some toured the museum others extended the drive to London and enjoyed the annual Chicken Festival. There was just too much to do for anyone to do it all, but everyone had a great time. New members Sharon and Jerry Floyd along with Kenton and Kristin Brake enjoyed their first club tour. Hopefully both couples will continue to explore the backroads with us in these old Fords for many years to come

Our yearly Christmas dinner is a time to fellowship with other members, stuff ourselves with great food and dream of the warm days of driving ahead. This great bonding process results in some really great travel trip plans. The Land Between the Lakes tour was born at this special time. It also just had to be during the fall when nature puts on her finest show. What could be better? A lengthy driving trip across the state to experience the scenic beauty of Kentucky through the historic camera eye of a Model A windshield. Time slows down at 45 m.p.h. to allow the occupants to see the real beauty of a hillside of red and orange maples or the reflection of a glowing yellow hickory grove in the calm mirrored surface of a lake. Experience small towns and communities with intriguing names like Black Gnat, Lickskillet, White Mills and Rosine. While these small dots on the map are unfamiliar to us, they occasionally produced big names that became very familiar, like Bill Monroe whose boyhood home on Jerusalem Ridge in Rosine is referred to as the residence of the first family of Bluegrass. The road through this area is known as the Blue Moon highway. On arrival to our destination, you will be greeted by the vastness of Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. The impressive system of dams and locks is an ongoing process that will leave you with a sense of wonder at mans achievement. The Land Between the Lakes (LBL) is a 170,000 acre National Recreation Area about 40 miles long and 8-12 miles wide. Construction on the Kentucky Dam began in 1938 followed by the Barkley Dam in the late 1950s. In 1963 President Kennedy directed the TVA to create a recreation area in KY/TN that would attract a large number of tourists and today we have the beautiful LBL Park that is visited by nature enthusiasts from all over our nation and world. I don’t want to give away all the surprises but I will reveal a few highlights of the Trace. Our group will arrive at the Ky. Dam Village resort on Friday evening about 5:30 pm after a 245 mile journey and then dine at the lodge dining room. The view of the lake from your rooms balcony will tempt you to never leave but new sites and experiences beckon. We will depart early for our Saturday drive down the Trace. This is a 45 mile scenic road that follows the LBL Park North to South. We will view some spectacular lake fall foliage before arriving at Kenlake State Resort Park for a buffet country breakfast with a different view of the lake. We will also explore a country store museum at Aurora, Ky. The main visitor center for the park is the Golden Pond Center. This is a great place to read up on the history of the park and the people who lived there. Find out about small towns that were never to be seen again after the lakes filled. Learn which animals and birds make their home in the Park. Another site that fall will touch with itÕs beauty is the Homeplace. Travel back in history to a time when domestic well-being depended on hard work, ingenuity, good planning, practical skills and teamwork. This is a mid 19th century Southern farm that provides demonstrations of daily chores in the field and authentically furnished houses and barns. If time allows we will view the hauntingly beautiful Civil War site of Fort Donnelson National Park at the southern end of the park. Our evening meal will be at Pattis 1800s Settlement - home of the two inch pork chop and mile-high pie! For those travelers who want to experience the height of Kentucky fall color and the LBLs nationally acclaimed beauty, this is the trip of a lifetime! The hours will be long and you will be tired at the end of each days journey but you will have made memories that will last forever. Meet Danny and Tammy Godbey at Turfland Mall at 8:00 sharp for departure. If anyone still needs reservation information please contact us.