Paul Robert at Reelfoot Lake.
Photo by Annemarie Robert.



A European's View of the Tennessee Highway 52 Tourist Trail
by Paul Robert
Amsterdam, Netherlands
December 2009

Taking a couple of days to drive Highways 22 and 52 from west to east is not something you do when you visit the USA for the first time. But once you've seen New York, Florida, California and the Grand Canyon, why not? These backwater highways are a fantastic way to get in touch with people and places you otherwise wouldn't meet.

Wherever you go in the USA, you are bound to run into countless European tourists, each celebrating the current exchange rate in his or her own way. Not on Highway 22 or 52. The chance of running into another non-American is very small. And many people you do meet along the way rarely run into tourists. They have a standard reply here, when you tell'm where you're from: "Now, I'll be darned! What y'all doing here then?"

What you do here? A couple of hints. Hang out with the fishermen at Reelfoot Lake, and exchange stories by the fire. Or maybe rent a boat and sail around the lake for a day to look at the eagles. (Even better: get the fisherman to take you along. Much more fun.) Take a hike along one of the wooden boardwalks that were built through the swamps. You'll just love the mosquitoes. More Nature? Check the buffalos in the land between the lakes, and grab a sandwich at Patti's (ok... that's about an hour off 52, but worth it. Really). And if that still isn't enough of the nature bit, do check out Dale Hollow. That is one amazing lake. You can get a houseboat there and sail around, catching your own meals.

Driving along one of these endless highways at 55mph in a state where overtaking is regarded as an extreme sport (or everybody is constantly aware of the police) is a treat in itself. Lay back, play some music and keep on rollin'. And when you get to a town, like Union City or Clarksville, take an hour for a stroll along Main Street. Check out the antique shops (it's amazing how many antique shops they have in this country where antiques are rare). Have a surprising burger in a diner or cafe.

Not to be missed: Sunrise on Dale Hollow, an evening meal at the Armour's Hotel in Red Boiling Springs, a stroll through the Collinsville museum village, a visit to the library in Historic Rugby. But above all, make sure you spend time with the people you meet along the way. The Tennesseans are Tennessee's biggest asset. They are hospitable, friendly and open. Their view of the world may also be very different from what you are used to. So brace yourself for a culture shock.

As Featured on the A&E hit show "Paranormal State"
A&E Network's nationally broadcast television show "Paranormal State" is featuring THE THOMAS HOUSE in Red Boiling Springs in this season's (their third) line-up.   The title of the episode is "Room 37."  The Paranormal Research Society (PRS), founded by Penn State student Ryan Buell in 2001, conducted a four-night investigation with the use of High-Tech Thermal, EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena), Electro-Magnetic Field (EMF) Detectors and Audio Recorders, all seeking out the truth behind the many eerie experiences reported by guests and visitors of the hotel since its establishment in 1890. 

Whether you are a believer or not ...Ryan Buell and his Paranormal Research Team will intrigue you with what they've uncovered at Red Boiling Springs' historic inn.   The episode "Room 37" had its national premier on April 13, 2009.  You can catch reruns on A&E TV, or watch the entire episode online.

Remember, whatever Ryan and his team did find at the Thomas House, it's benevolent!  :-)