WLYS, Part 1: The Trip
The U.S. 127 Corridor Sale, otherwise known as the World's Longest Yard Sale (WLYS), is held for more or less four days each year beginning the first Thursday in August. Originally started in Jamestown, Tennessee, it has grown over the last 22 years and now spans an impressive 654 miles from Gadsden, Alabama, to West Unity, Ohio. I'll direct you to this link for a little more info on it's history. You should read it. It's interesting.
Yesterday my neighbor Peggy and I drove up to Crossville, Tennessee, to meet up with friends Gwen and Nell who had been on the trip since Wednesday starting on the north end and working their way down. Traffic in Crossville was not fun, but it is the nature of this sale at times.
Vendors actually camp out next to their stuff. We spotted more than one screened tent with a blow-up mattress inside.
Some locations featured vendors offering cool relief from the relentless heat. Gwen and Peggy couldn't resist.
At this point Gwen and Nell left us to head on home as Nell had plans for a week at the beach beginning today. But Peggy and I continued on, stopping wherever we thought there might be something of interest and a shred of daylight left by which to see it.
I have done the portion of this event from Crossville up to Covington, Kentucky, once before. If only I had had a blog back then. I could have entertained for days with anecdotes from that adventure. It is where I found one of my Snoopy goodies jars.
Peggy and I took the section of 127 between Crossville and Chattanooga, a long, straight stretch of highway at the bottom of a valley between two high ridges of the lower Appalachians-lots of open fields and rolling hills and the occasional cluster of yard sale stands on either side of the two-lane road.
I found it difficult to take pictures from the car. Even when Peggy slowed down, my ineptness with the camera thwarted my artistic intentions.
Eventually we would stumble upon this typical scene - a big sign directing us to undiscovered treasures and lots of cars parked all around.
We found this charming fellow in a park in Dunlap, Tennessee, as we were circling the block. I didn't get out to read the plaque on his neck, but I imagine he was carved with a chainsaw.
As we made our way back up the mountain toward Chattanooga, this was our last view of the valley. It really was hazy, so I hate that this picture doesn't give you a better idea of how amazing this was.
We had intended to take the route on down to Gadsden even in the dark, but the maps did not help me navigate a tricky turn and it was getting late. So we decided we would take the quickest way home, but first some dinner.
Missing a turn proved to be a good thing as we found this pizza place called Crust. They boast a cracker-thin crust and they delivered. We asked for a margherita pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. As we were waiting I spotted the cook come in the front door carrying a huge handful of fresh basil. They have their own garden right out front by the sidewalk.
The pizza was delicious and just what we needed. And on the way out, of course I had to take a picture of the basil. Those plants are about two feet tall. We hit home right about midnight.
Yesterday my neighbor Peggy and I drove up to Crossville, Tennessee, to meet up with friends Gwen and Nell who had been on the trip since Wednesday starting on the north end and working their way down. Traffic in Crossville was not fun, but it is the nature of this sale at times.
Vendors actually camp out next to their stuff. We spotted more than one screened tent with a blow-up mattress inside.
Some locations featured vendors offering cool relief from the relentless heat. Gwen and Peggy couldn't resist.
At this point Gwen and Nell left us to head on home as Nell had plans for a week at the beach beginning today. But Peggy and I continued on, stopping wherever we thought there might be something of interest and a shred of daylight left by which to see it.I have done the portion of this event from Crossville up to Covington, Kentucky, once before. If only I had had a blog back then. I could have entertained for days with anecdotes from that adventure. It is where I found one of my Snoopy goodies jars.
Peggy and I took the section of 127 between Crossville and Chattanooga, a long, straight stretch of highway at the bottom of a valley between two high ridges of the lower Appalachians-lots of open fields and rolling hills and the occasional cluster of yard sale stands on either side of the two-lane road.
I found it difficult to take pictures from the car. Even when Peggy slowed down, my ineptness with the camera thwarted my artistic intentions.
Eventually we would stumble upon this typical scene - a big sign directing us to undiscovered treasures and lots of cars parked all around.
We found this charming fellow in a park in Dunlap, Tennessee, as we were circling the block. I didn't get out to read the plaque on his neck, but I imagine he was carved with a chainsaw.
As we made our way back up the mountain toward Chattanooga, this was our last view of the valley. It really was hazy, so I hate that this picture doesn't give you a better idea of how amazing this was.
We had intended to take the route on down to Gadsden even in the dark, but the maps did not help me navigate a tricky turn and it was getting late. So we decided we would take the quickest way home, but first some dinner.Missing a turn proved to be a good thing as we found this pizza place called Crust. They boast a cracker-thin crust and they delivered. We asked for a margherita pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. As we were waiting I spotted the cook come in the front door carrying a huge handful of fresh basil. They have their own garden right out front by the sidewalk.
The pizza was delicious and just what we needed. And on the way out, of course I had to take a picture of the basil. Those plants are about two feet tall. We hit home right about midnight.
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