Killing time in Pigeon Forge

 Tuesday September 23, 2025

We did some shopping this morning, there is a tool store near where we are It is called Workshop tools, that’s a bit of a misnomer, if you’re expecting large power tools, they don’t have any. What do have is all sorts of small hand tools and a large selection of, for lack of a better name, gadgets. After walking around for at least forty-five minutes, after handling dozens of tools or stuff I walked out with……nothing! 

One of several locations they have in Pigeon Forge


Later while getting my thoughts for this blog posting together, I said to myself, you bought nothing, how did that even happen? I think it’s a combination of things, first most tools I took a shine to, I already have at least one of them, more than likely two or more. Second, my little two car garage shop is full, I don’t have room for more of anything. And third, I’m hate to admit it but I’m getting a little age on and would I actually use what I looked at? 

Anyhow, it was enjoyable to browse through the instruments of the skilled trades, the craftsmen, the hobbyists and the dreamers.

A favorite of Millie's


Afterwards we went across the street to a Beall’s Store. For the uninitiated Beall’s is a discount mostly for woman clothing store. In the same shopping center was an REI sporting goods store, Millie went to Beall’s and having never been in one, I went to REI.

More of a cult than a sporting goods store, kind of like Trader Joes is to a grocery store.


Right up front I will tell you, REI is way out of my league. The least expensive thing I saw was a Smoky Mountains trail map for $15. Hiking shorts were $75-$85, hiking pants $100 and up. I saw a nice jacket that I thought I would wear, it was $179. 

They had bike clothes. Not my kind of biking attire, I’m in a different genre but I was curious and took a gander. Those rubber pants you see those other bikers wear, you know who they are, they wear rubber pants, weirdly colored shirts and helmets that look like they’ve been left in the oven too long and melted! Well, those rubber pants cost about $50 bucks a pair. 

An REI cult member


I am not a bit ashamed to say, I bought nothing at REI. Millie did score a couple good deals at Beall’s.

We then had to stop at Walmart, my wireless computer mouse is deceased, it either it got tired of my endless spelling corrections and pulled its own plug or maybe it was the coffee I spilled on it in the other day. Anyhow it died. You can still get a wireless mouse at Walmart for less than ten bucks, but I upgraded to one on sale for $14.88. As usual we left with two bags of essential snacks from the food department!

Final stop was Publix grocery for a Chicken tender sub. You are lucky enough to have a Publics in your area, you must try the chicken tender sub, our favorite is the Buffalo Chicken Tender sub.  

Wednesday September 24 2025

Today was a zero day, that's hiker code for taking an off day and hiking zero miles. Actually, I was working, I spent a good deal of time catching up with the blog writings. 





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