North Carolina and Tennessee
July 2017
Cherokee Indians
Blue Ridge Parkway
The 755 km long panoramic road led us along the Blue Ridge Mountain range from North Carolina to Virginia. Hundreds of kilometres high green walls to the left and right. A bit like on the Transamazonica in Brazil, just tarred. In between viewpoints worth their name. Unusual for America: not one traffic lights along the whole way.
Blue Ridge Mountains
Little goes in America without memberships
Which means wide ranging discounts.
AAA, Automobile Club of USA - KOA, camping franchise - Good Sam Club – membership card of department store chains (Walmart, Kroger etc.) which connect to customers by offering discounts on the card.
Due to a positive coincidence, we are now owners of a US Senior Pass.
This grants us high discounts on camping in national parks, national forest camping and state parks as well as army corps camps and many more. Normally up to 50%.
Memberships USA
Hook-ups on campsites in the USA
A must for the often oversized XXL American mobile homes. Most of the campsites offer a 30 or 50 Amp 110-volt power point and water connection for each site. Sometimes even an additional black water point onto which the black water as well as the grey water can be directly drained and disposed of. Otherwise this has to be done at the respective disposal stations.
To be able to also use our electrical appliances like aircon, microwave, etc. in the middle of nowhere we bought a handy 3kw generator. To run or to charge the little consumers our RAM has a build-in 110 volt station in the centre console.
Driving and parking in the USA
There is nothing easier than driving on the generous, multiple-laned, broad roads of America. Junctions are regulated by light signals or stop signs, just like virtually everything in this country. Without an explicit interdiction, it is allowed to turn right at a red traffic light, after having stopped shortly and by adhering to the yield rules. Speed limits are well signposted. We additionally saved them on our navigation system.
Huge free parking spaces without height limits make it easy to reach the shops and malls. Everything is concipated generously. There is still space left. We only saw a few parking decks.
Panic Alarm
Our RAM as well as the der Cirrus Truck Camper have keyless access. I carry the remote of the Ram on my belt. All in all, a very comfortable affair. But there is this little red button. This should only be pushed in on very special occasions. It is marked with Panic! I was indeed panicking when I pressed the button and did not know how to switch off the very loud car alarm again.
On-board vehicle computer
The many possibilities of the on-board computer, which is also connected to the internet are virtually endless. One app for example shows fuel stations with name, distance as well as the current fuel prices. Speaking of fuel prices: a litre super fuel currently costs around 50 cents.
It is really comfortable to be able to start the car via remote control and to let it cool down before we climb in. At the current 38˚C a real treat.
Signposts in the USA
Oversized advertising signposts can be seen en masse.
By now we know that the ABC signposts don’t have anything to do with schools, but are actually liquor stores.
On the highway information signs show food, camping, shopping and accommodation, always indicating the number of the exit road.
Signposts in USA
Cherokee Indians
After having read countless Karl May books as a boy I had a certain perception of the Red Indians. The facts today are completely different. The place Cherokee is a huge conglomeration of shops, amusement stalls, casinos, just America pure.
The guided tour in the Red Indian village and the depicted dances were simply embarrassing.
The nature in this mountainous region with its endless forests, superb campsites at dams or cosy rivers compensates for the kitsch performance at the village.
Photos
USA: July 2017
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2017 07 USA 001 Blue Mountains USA
Blue Ridge Mountain
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2017 07 USA 002 Cirrus Truck Camper
touring with our new Truck Camper
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2017 07 USA 003 Blue Ridge Parkway
pristine nature
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2017 07 USA 004 Blue Ridge Parkway
protected migration
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2017 07 USA 005 Blue Ridge Parkway
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2017 07 USA 006 US Camper XXL
XXL Camper
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2017 07 USA 007 Cirrus Truck Camper
Cirrus Truck Camper and RAM Laramie
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2017 07 USA 008 bird in action
bird in action
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2017 07 USA 009 Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
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2017 07 USA 010
Moses Cone Manor
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2017 07 USA 011
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2017 07 USA 012 Blue Ridge Parkway Campground
relaxed camping
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2017 07 USA 013 Blue Ridge Parkway
Hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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2017 07 USA 014
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2017 07 USA 015 Campground
Camping in Asheville.
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2017 07 USA 016 Shopping Mall
Shopping Mall
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2017 07 USA 017 Camping World
Camping World, the Service Station and Spare Part place to go!
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2017 07 USA 018 Cirrus Truck Camper in front of Biltmore Estate Ashville
Biltmore Estate near Asheville.
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2017 07 USA 019 Biltmore Estate
Vanderbilt's 250 room chateau
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2017 07 USA 020 Biltmore Estate
35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces
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2017 07 USA 021 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 022 Biltmore Estate
Library with 10'000 volumes.
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2017 07 USA 023 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 024 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 025 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 026 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 027 Biltmore Estate
Objects from Vanderbilt's original collection.
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2017 07 USA 028 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 029 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 030 Biltmore Estate
Gardesn designed by America's foremost landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted.
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2017 07 USA 031 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 032 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 033 Biltmore Estate
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2017 07 USA 034
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2017 07 USA 035
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2017 07 USA 036 view during USA
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2017 07 USA 037 Camping in Asheville
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2017 07 USA 038 XXL Camper on the road
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2017 07 USA 039
Rise of the Planet of the Apes?
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2017 07 USA 040 Blue Ridge Parkway
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2017 07 USA 041 Cirrus Truck Camper
Thanks size of our camper always retrievable.
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2017 07 USA 042 Brigitte indian dance
Brigitte is practicing the Indian dance.
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2017 07 USA 043 Blue Ridge Parkway
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2017 07 USA 044 Cherokee Indians
Cherokee-Indian is welcoming us.
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2017 07 USA 045 Cherokee Indians
Cherokee-Indians are producing jewellery.
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2017 07 USA 046 Cherokee Indians
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2017 07 USA 047 Cherokee Indians
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2017 07 USA 048 Cherokee Indians
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2017 07 USA 049 Cherokee Indians
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2017 07 USA 050 Cherokee Indians
mask carving takes 2 days
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2017 07 USA 051 Cherokee Indians
Cherokee-Idian with origin Germany, he told us personally.
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2017 07 USA 052 Cherokee Indians
traditioal clothing