Snowbird Trip Diary:
RV Trail New York to Florida
Day 19 -
Lunch at Sisters & Afternoon on
Loretta Lynn's Ranch
We had heard rave reviews about a particular restaurant here in
Dickson, called "Sisters". Only open from 7am til 2pm most days,
except Friday evenings when the town comes out for catfish. It
is a Southern cafeteria-type set-up with the two sisters, Janet
and Emily, manning the serving line. You choose a meat + 1, 2,
or 3 veggies. Thursdays are especially mobbed for their turkey
and dressing day. The vegetable choices included yams, white or
green beans, turnip greens, slaw, or mac & cheese. All homemade
and delicious, including pecan pie and other desserts.
This restaurant was definitely the meeting place in town for
lunch. The line was long and included the lawyers in their suits
to the highway workers in their dusty jeans and reflective
vests. It seemed everyone knew everyone else and it grew pretty
boisterous at times. We both rate it as perhaps our best
restaurant stop on this trip thus far, along with the Pennsylvania Dutch
restaurant we found up in Lancaster County, PA.
We spent the afternoon at Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane
Mills, Tennessee. The ranch encompasses the town. The Lynn's
bought it back in the 60's. They own the zip code and the Post
Office system pays them to use it. We used an
entertainment-dot-com 2 for 1 coupon and took the "Home and
Museum Tour". The home in the attached picture faces the "grist
mill" (which is now one of Loretta's museums with her doll
collection) across the river. The "Dude Ranch" general
(souvenir) store is beside the grist mill, with the larger main
museum just beyond.
The tour took us through the main floor of the home they lived
in for 22 years and raised their children. Loretta had a smaller
home built in back which she lives in when not on tour. The main home
is from the 1800's and came complete with its own ghosts which
several TV documentaries have covered. The furnishings are a
mixture of cowboy and Indian reflecting the owners' heritages.
The bus then took us to the main museum where we spent nearly 2
hours browsing. It is large with sections and tributes to
Crystal Gayle, and Conway Twitty, as well as other members of
Loretta's family. It also housed some of her cars, Dooley's
favorite truck, and her original tour bus with some 3 million
miles on it. The museum houses tons of LL records, photos,
clothing, and awards. All professionally displayed. Much of it
with notes in Loretta's handwriting. We spent much of the time
trying to read her handwriting. She could have had a second
career as a doctor.
We stopped in the gift shop where we were quickly turned off by
the mass of merchandise, photos to trinkets and cookie jars, all
hand-signed "Love, Loretta Lynn". We cannot guess how many hours
she must have spent doing it.
Our final stop was at "Loretta's Kitchen". A restaurant
proclaiming true Southern food. We had burgers and fries. The
restaurant has received some poor reviews and we had to see for
ourselves. The reviews seem to have been correct. We should have
stopped at the McDonald's next door.
The Loretta Lynn Ranch encompasses hundreds of acres including
what they claim to be Tennessee's largest RV Park ($36.50/night)
and a large motocross venue. We drove through the campground and
it was full for a big motocross event they are having this
coming weekend. The Park is located on top of a hill and has a
pretty steep incline leading up to it.
Loretta's kids are involved in the Lynn "dynasty". One runs the
ranch, ones has a restaurant nearby, and one has a flea market.
Some travel with her and are part of her show. We learned that
she had just left the previous evening to start a West Coast
tour.
That's our report from Dickson, Tennessee. We next head for
Mississippi with two overnighters before we stop for a few days
on the Gulf in Bay Saint Louis. Our next update will be from
there.
On the Road with
Niki, Jack and K.C.
Good Fuel Stops:
Truck stop at this Exit 172.
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