September 2015 in Doe River Gorge, TN

Leaving North Carolina had its good and bad!  Good - we were ready to move on as traveling has definitely set in and sitting in one place for any length of time is not the norm, got a little gypsy in us I guess!  Bad - we were able to spend at least 3+ weeks with our g'daughter, Lily, so we will miss that time with her terribly.  They just grow up way too fast.  But we keep telling ourselves that on the other side of the U.S. are 2 other little g'daughters that are growing up equally as fast.  Got to get back over there to spend time with them as well.

Gen. 1:1 - God you are so awesome in Creation.

September has led us to Doe River Gorge, TN at a camp/conference center in the heart of the Appalachian Mtns. at a time where Fall is moving in.  The first night we slept with the windows open and was pulling up the blanket before dawn set in!  Felt marvelous!  This setting is incredible.  The Doe River runs right through this landscape.  There is the Tweetsie Railroad that still exists for a short distance and invites anyone to ride through 2 tunnels to view some of the most scenic routes in the mountains of East Tennessee.  Wild turkeys pass by our front door on a daily basis while deer graze by the Doe River and are not easily spooked since this is a protected area for them.  The amenities offered to the visitors is unbelievable.  Unimog rides, 2 types of ziplines (one of which ends in the lake), horse back riding, skeet/paint ball, blog jumping in the lake, rock climbing, numerous hiking trails, rope bridges, white water tubing down the river and just sitting on a huge rock to experience the bliss of it all.  While we were the only SOWER couple assigned to this project for September, we were in good company.  A SOWER on ASSIGNMENT (SOA) has been here since May - Kay & Ken Griffin and they were parked right next door.  Ken & Wayne had some fun experiences making runs to the distance cabins across the river to deliver luggage and sometimes people that were afraid to walk there in the pitch black dark of the spooky night!

Target shooting down by the river.

The blob - one person on the end as one jumps on.

Trajectory!

Can you see the people coming down the zipline?

They will end up in the lake!

Closer shot!

Oh to be a kid again - line em up!

The play lake on a quiet afternoon.

The Unimog - crazy fun in the Doe River.

Looking back on the train ride to the rappelling wall.

A busy day at Doe River - lots of cars and busses.

Our campsite was located right behind the office which is very well maintained with a chat/rock base.  No mud and ample parking.  The office offered us several amenities to include laundry facilities.

Wayne used his carpentry skills to do a roof repair on the depot and numerous maintenance repairs.  He also stained the stairs leading up to the caboose which is used to house speakers that come to the conference center.  He has had a few off hours to strip paint off of a train engine that will be used in 2016 to pull the train.  Eventually it will take on a new look like the one in the picture below.  It will be a beauty and we will need to come back to see it in the future.

This is a picture of what the new engine
will look like once renovations are done.
They hope to have it up and running by
Spring of 2016.

One of Wayne's projects.......

This decorative door at the office was in need of bad repair.

Rotten wood all needed to be removed






 and replaced.

 Then primed.

Then painted.  Hinges yet to be installed.

Good as new - great job Wayne.

All of this porch needed to be stained and the rails painted.

This caboose is used to house the speakers when they come to Doe River.

Another great job and wow looks so real!

This job was labor intensive to say the least and Wayne ended up with a fried butt or to put it more nicely, rosy red cheeks - just not on his face!  

Rotten wood on both sides of the chimney had to be removed, replaced and then new shingles.  Turned out quite nice and you can hardly tell it has been repaired.  

The ladies that run the store are thrilled, no more drips!

Gail worked 3 days in landscaping and then she was used primarily in the housekeeping dept. to help get ready before and after retreats.  I also sewed a new roof for the playground hut which was a new experience but it turned out great.  Feeding it through the neck of the sewing machine was a challenge!  The ladies I worked with in housekeeping were so funny and very organized - you would have to be for a center that can house up to 250+ sleepers, plus maintain the depot, 5 gigantic teepees, 5 train cars and a train side car for the lake.  They keep it clean and immaculate.

Gail's sidekick - Laurie.  We cleaned so many lodges & bath houses and

it really is not during their peak season.  These housekeepers are awesome

and keep a squeaky clean premise.  I could almost say you could eat off the floors!

Another of Gail's projects.........

This roofing was also in need of replacing.

Not an easy thing to put under the neck
of the sewing machine but once we found a
huge room to set up the machine and put 4 tables
together, it was a success.

Here is the new topper - looks much nicer.









While in this are we were able to ride our bikes twice on the complete Tweetsie Bike Trail that runs from Elizabethan to Johnson City.  Such a peaceful and well maintained bike trail.

Tweetsie Bike Trail ended up being 20 miles - broke that up between 2 days.

Also rode the Beltway in Kingsport - that was

an additional 16 miles.

We were also able to attend the National Fireworks Display that debuted the 2016 fireworks to vendors.  It was a 2 hr. fireworks show at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

 Some finales were 3 min. long - incredible.

When we first pulled up to the office 3 weeks ago we were not optimistic that they could use our talents here at Doe River but we have stayed very busy and as always challenged!  The beauty of this mountainous region is exquisite and it breathes God's creation at its max.  I could easily get used to this!  Of course it has not got to freezing temps yet but even then I am sure it is beautiful.

 Turkeys outside our door just about every morning.

The big tent used for eating facilities.

 Unimog experience - not me, Wayne yes!

The vastness of this property is gorgeous.

From the train there were times you felt

like you were going to fall off 

the side of the mountain.

Never got over the beauty of the Doe River.

One lonely tree - starting to show off Fall.

Here comes the Unimog.

The River never runs dry, can't wait for leaves to change.

Here they come!

Fast and furious!






One of the highlights of my visit to Doe River was that my friend, Alison, came up for a visit.  We enjoyed pumpkin treats (DQ of course), the gorgeous scenery and nights of crocheting!

Alison and Gail.

At the end of our project Philip and Lilly came up for Father/Son Retreat.  The guys did all the manly events and Lilly and Grannie did low key things like clickity clacking down the train tracks.  Gorgeous weekend - couldn't ask for better weather.

Philip & Wayne with the shield they made
together.  They were not sure what they were
going to encounter down the trail.  Lions,
tigers and bears oh my!

Grannie and Lilly.  Cool start but
warmed up.

See saw, see saw - high was not high enough!

Next we are going to a campsite in WV for a week while we wait for our next project to start at Appalachian Bible College.  We are hoping to ride (not all 77 miles!) the Greenbrier River Bike Trail.  We will post pics from that experience as well.  October should prove to be very colorful and very inspiring with cooler temps while we labor.  Each project lends it's own beauty and God's work for the believers that are challenged to labor.  We count it a real privilege to work along side of these precious people.  Their vision is contagious.  They are appreciative of our labor and we are awed by their enthusiasm to serve continuously day and night, season after season.  We'll work till Jesus comes.  That tune becomes more precious with every project we work.