Good ole southern hospitality....

Downtime between shows gave me a chance to head back down to Tennessee to see my brother Rick.

After a quick change of planes in Dallas, we waited in Houston for a regional flight to.....

….Knoxville, one of many regional flights on the board at terminal B.

Ritsue flew into Houston from Tokyo, our planes were actually only one hour apart.

Is she laughing at my inability to take a proper selfie? Or were we just getting delirious from lack of sleep in the last 24 hours?

We had about 4 hours to kill, most of it was spent watching planes come and go.....

….until finally, it was time to board ours.

This is what $9 American will get you on a regional flight, yikes.

The first day was a travel day to Newport, Tennessee, our home base for four nights. Saturday morning we made the 30 minute trek to Wendrick's oasis in Del Rio. 

So much green, so peaceful.

From the top of the holler looking down towards their homestead. 

A terrapin, (eastern box turtle) chilling in the sun.

...down on the ground, mock strawberries were everywhere.

Stopped on the road on the way back to the hotel, I almost stepped on this giant! (the camera does not show how huge I think this spider is!)

Ritsue posing outside of the old Del Rio Post Office.

I wish this was my commute for my cast pick-ups in Vancouver!

On Sunday we went for a road trip!

Ritsue is about to have her first trip into North Carolina.

...worth a pic...

...love the old sign, unfortunately the Grill is long gone.....

Ritsue and Wendy making their way down the trail.....

Wendrick treated us to a visit to the Hot Springs themselves. This is a shot of the ruins of the Mountain Park Inn bathhouse, that was built in the late 1880's and burned down in 1920. It was not the first hotel to burn down, click here to read the story.

Wendy, Rick and I enjoying the mineral hot tub. I was surprised how buoyant I was in the water. People have been coming here since the late 1700's.

It was so soothing.

Afterwards in was time for some good ole home style cooking at the Fox Den restaurant in Del Rio.

You won't find prices like this in Vancouver.

Back on Wendrick's property, Ritsue is posing outside of the original cabin.

I now it's my turn to be a poser.

The proud homesteader.

Come on in and sit a spell.

3 of the most restful days I've spent in a while at Wendrick's place.

On this day, I was the first one up after the four of us had our afternoon naps, lol. I could of listened to the sounds of silence all day. (the only welcome interruption was the sounds of the many birds about the area)

A pic of the French Broad River in downtown Newport.

Downtown Newport, population 6,784

Alamo car rental upgraded our rental vehicle to a Ford fusion. I was skeptical, but this hybrid was a really good ride. It was probably the quietest vehicle I have ever driven. Also, after driving it for 4 days, and pick-up and drop-off in Knoxville, my gas bill was just under $15 !

Kind of fun for two people from Canada and Japan to have West Virginia license plates.

On our last day, Ritsue and Wendy shared a laugh as Ritsue prepared a traditional sushi dish for our last dinner together.

We went to Michael and Leslie's, friends of Wendrick to share a meal. Rick was visiting with their pet corn snake, which they have had for 14 years.

That was some good eats right there.

Oh wow! Ritsue is getting all redneck on me. Riding in the back of a pick-up truck?

On the way back down, it was Wendrick's turn! What a great pic!

Wendrick's friends were so kind to drive us up to the top of their property for an amazing panorama of the surrounding Smoky Mountains.

Their property had many surprises, love the old signs!

Talk about feeling on top of the world.

I love this pic of my bro taking it all in.

Ritsue found some wild blackberries to share.

The ride down, what a special time, thank-you to our host, and to Wendrick for orchestrating the evening.

Looking through the barn.....

A last look at their property. 

…….and a final good-bye to Rick and Wendy, what an honor to share your world, and so proud to have you in my world. They like to share one name, hence "Wendrick", and now Ritsue and I have been dubbed "Montsue".  

The next day we dropped off the rental car and Knoxville and boarded a plane....

…...looks like Ritsue is reflecting on her time in Tennessee.

…..and we were off....

….we had one night at the Club Quarters hotel in Houston, Texas.

….had time for a quick pint on the BirdDog Saint pub on Main St.

Even I know this one in Japanese, Ima Nanji Desu Ka!

Really?

Looking out of our hotel room window, the Red, White and Blue.

…...later on our way to the park, many sights.....

...getting close....

…..made to Minute Maid Park, home of the 2017 World Series champions, the Houston Astros.

Hall of Fame alley

It was Tuesday night t-shirt, and dollar hot dog, and we took advantage of both.

This was a pretty cool park to spend the night at.

We cheered Garrett Stubbs tonight, it was his first game in the big leagues and he got hits on his first two at bats.

Ritsue is a peanut veteran now, after last year at the Vancouver Canadians baseball game.

Atta girl, that's how you do it.

That's a margarita in a baseball cup. (Once in a lifetime, $15 U.S. per drink purchase, ouch!)

5:30 a.m. photo on at the airport in Houston.

Ritsue had one night in Vancouver, so we out for a beer with Taylor.....

...and my brother Skip and my nieces Erin and Megan. (this is my mediocre selfie version)

….and thank goodness, the great pic the server took.

The next morning, it was one last brekkie with Taylor and Teala, before Ritsue had to head home to Hiroshima.

….a picture Ritsue took. Says it all. Just chillin' on the porch with my brother Rick. …..just chillin, nuff said.....

Thanks to Wendrick for all the hospitality, the food, the shelter, the love.

They treated us in so many ways, and we loved all of them. (I stole that saying from them. It has always been offered over the years, and it was as advertised!)