Day 185: Sinking Creek to The Baker Inn, Tennessee
Day 185: Thursday, October 20th: There was significantly less fog this morning than the last several mornings, but Integrity was very dirty and had many dead bugs and dirt all over her. So we fired up the seawater washdown system (we are in fresh water) and cleaned and scrubbed. Of course, Ruth did most of the work. The early morning view from the boat was magnificent while we worked:
Views like that are becoming rare. Much of this area of the LTR and the Tennessee River continues to blossom with huge new homes along the riverbanks. This is due to the economic success some enjoyed in the late 1990s coupled with a new bridge across the Tennessee, making the area more accessible. Also, many retirees are discovering the area's many charms.
When we were done cleaning we weighed anchor and cruised out of the nice cove and up the Little Tennessee River (LTR). The new homes on the right side of the river continued to be jaw dropping:
We went up the LTR to the location where Ron and Eva Stob live. They are the folks that founded the AGLCA (America's Great Loop Cruisers Association).
Many of the houses have a way to pull their boat out of the water and put it in a boathouse on the shore. Of course, the boathouse serves as a guesthouse also. This is one example:
Occasionally we encountered silos in the river. This is proof that much of this land was farmland before the TVA and other authorities built dams. Now the wealthy homeowners and fishermen, rather than the farming families, enjoy the area. We wonder how it would be if it were still natural. Oh, yes! We were looking at the silos:
Here is a large section of land that belonged to the TVA but is now being scraped clean by big yellow graders and bulldozers so the developers can sell the barren lots and build huge houses on what was once pristine land. It saddens us to see this happening:
This is a boathouse. We're told it has never had a boat in it. Go figure. Maybe the developer guessed wrong:
As we moved a little further, we noticed this matching gazebo:
From still a different angle, we saw the big stone house that the boathouse belongs with:
Our destination for the day was to visit our friends Beverly and Newsom Baker who live on Ft. Loudon Lake. They refer to their home as the "Baker Inn" when guests are coming. We had arranged to be there with our Atlanta friends Chaz (our Webmaster) and Pete.
Webmaster notes (in italics): Pete and I drove up from Atlanta to meet Bill and Ruth at Newsom and Beverly's home on the Tennessee River.
This is the view of the Baker's boathouse and quiet cove looking down the hill from just behind their home:
We walked down to the boathouse and took up residence on the boathouse deck, looking anxiously downriver for Integrity:
Though it was warm, Pete's spirits were high with anticipation:
We didn't have to wait too long before we saw them steaming in our direction:
Here's Pete ready to catch the starboard aft line as Cap'n Billy backs Integrity perfectly into the slot:
..and here are Admiral Ruth and Cap'n Billy safely moored at the Baker Inn:
Now all we need is our hostess and host to arrive. Here come's Beverly:
With a quorum at the boathouse, we all toured Integrity:
A long, long time ago (Click HERE), Bill mentioned he was going to "get around" to putting Integrity's name on her nameboards; looks like he really did it:
Webmaster notes: Back to Billy's narrative:
We arrived and moored at the Baker's dock with the fathometer reading "0.0 FEET." That means we were stuck in the mud, but it turned out to be no problem.
Here are Beverly, Newsom and Bailey, the perfect poodle (Bailey is a very intelligent standard poodle and a delight to know!), at their front door:
The Bakers built their English Tudor home in the mid-1980s when the entire area was woods and farms. Beverly is a very accomplished painter and has decorated the interior of their home with beautiful, whimsical free-hand paintings. We were given a tour of the home and the wonderful paintings. Here is the ceiling treatment in the foyer:
The wall and candle (complete with dripping wax) are another creation:
Here is the ceiling in the dining room:
And this imaginative treatment in the kitchen:
One of these plates is painted on the counter; the other is real:
The ceiling in the sitting area of the master bedroom has this unique decoration:
In the same area, this rug is painted on the floor. In fact, the wood design on the floor is painted:
One of the guest baths enjoys hand painted wallpaper and tub's exterior design:
On the porch door, Beverly painted this window box and ivy:
We all enjoyed chatting together on the porch at happy hour. Then had a perfect dinner - the dinner is one of the things that make the "Baker Inn" legendary. It really was one of the best meals we have had on the entire Loop, no kidding.
Later on, we bid goodnight to our friends and went back to the boat for a good snooze.
Position tonight: N35 49.721 W084 07.305
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