International Storytelling Festival

October 5-10

We are almost at the end of a 2-month journey from Pennsylvania to California to Oregon to Washington and back across the US to visit good friends, Sandy and Terry Countermine, and listen to wonderful stories. 

This is the 50th year for the International Storytelling Festival. The town is all ready with decorations and tents. 

Sandy, Nancy and I took an origami storytelling workshop by Motoko. 

We laughed a lot as we made these origami objects. 

This is the Storytelling Center that brings lots of people together from all over the US and some even from other countries, some to listen and some to tell stories. It is such a happy place. Southern hospitality is alive and well here. 

A large attraction at the festival is The Jonesborough Novelty Band. They started us off with music at the Center at the beer and wine garden. 

And they continued with more music on Friday night with their famous or infamous sing along. People were singing and laughing. This is why we love coming to the Festival. 

At the sing along, the audience was treated with a special instrument called the gitfiddle, played by Bill Shuffstall. If you’ve never heard of the gitfiddle, have a listen:

https://youtu.be/yKBzTzU3EMw

The band travels in a golf cart to their different venues because Jonesborough is up and down hills. 

Lots of storytelling happened in these tents. There are 5 of them and some hold at least 1,000 people. 

Saturday night was the Yarn Spinner’s party with food, beverages and you guessed it, music. This year several different musicians joined the band for their special songs. Lots of dancing happened, too!

It’s always hard to say goodbye to our old friends and new friends but hopefully we’ll be back next year. Thanks Sandy, Terry and Jonesbourgh for a laughing good last 4 days. 

Cumberland Gap, TN, VA, and KY

October 4

Through Indiana into Kentucky, we arrived at our next campground, Cumberland Gap National Park Campground. Beautiful forested camping. 

The National park was the first gateway to the West. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park lies along the borders of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Pinnacle Overlook has views of Cumberland Gap, a pass in the Cumberland Mountains once used by pioneers headed west

We visited the Visitor’s Center to learn more about the role the Cumberland Gap played as a key passageway through the lower central Appalachians.

We drove a winding four-mile-long road up to the Pinnacle Overlook (elevation 2,440 feet) for a spectacular view into Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. 

Next stop is the International Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. 

New Albany, Indiana

Monday, October 3

Traveled through Illinois to Southern Indiana (almost Kentucky) to stay at another Harvest Host - Our Lady of Perpetual Hops.

We chose this area so we could visit Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace National Monument and get a stamp for my Passport book. 

And we thought we were the first generation to have tiny houses!!

Two other campers came and we shared our travels and some beers. 

Tomorrow we head to Cumberland Gap, southeast Kentucky. 

Champaign, Illinois

Sunday, October 2

Drove to Champaign, Illinois and the Alton Vineyard. Great venue and enjoyed tasting the wines. My favorite was the wiener dog white. Wonder why?  

They had music and we sat with a couple from Marysville, CA, who now live in Illinois. Great time sipping and talking, although it wasn’t as good as Happy Valley Winery, Biscuit Jam and our friends.  

Tomorrow we’ll head to Louisville, KY

Coffins Grove, Manchester, IA

Saturday, October 1

Tonight we are camped at Coffins Grove, IS, just west of Dubuque. Very quiet, seemingly out of the way county park. There were only 3 other families camping. We’ll maintained little park but no hiking other than around the campground. 

No pics , first time ever, I think. 

Across Iowa to Elk Point, South Dakota

Traveling across South Dakota, we crossed the Missouri River. We stopped at a rest stop to view the Destiny Sculpture. 

The sculpture is a stainless steel, 50-foot-tall statue that was specifically designed by sculptor Dale Lamphere to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people. 

The view from the rest stop across the Missouri River. 

We continued on the road to our next campground in Elk Point, Iowa. The campground was one of the stops on the Lewis and Clark Trail. We walked around the 2 mile trail which took us by the high school and their Friday night football game. 

Pretty sunset over the fountain in the park. 

Tomorrow we head near Peosta, Iowa.