The World's Longest Yard Sale

I have been twice. Chattanooga is where i found the best buys personaly. I go with a friend and we split the cost. This is a great girls trip even without the sales. The towns along the route show wonderful hospitality. You can learn the true art of packing your car full of stuff.

I have been before but find the accommodations a long the way VERY EXPENSIVE. These motels really raise their prices. We did find some wonderful bargains, it is just a fun atmosphere. We found some inexpensive accommodations this year and plan to spend three full days. Can’t wait. The small towns along the way are so neat. People are very, very friendly. Would recommend it anytime if you can find an inexpensive way to stay.

I won’t go! My mom, aunt, and some friends went and they didn’t like it! They said they mark things up WAY, WAY too much! Not like any garage sale I want to attend!

I finally got to go. I started on the southern end, in Alabama. My advice to you is to go in pairs. I was in bumper to bumper traffic, inching along. If I’d taken someone with me, they could have jumped out and shopped. I went about a 1/2 mile in two hours, with nowhere to park. I may try it again someday, with friends, and take turns driving/shopping.

I go 2 or 3 days early. Most of the sellars, except for those that sell used clothes and broken lawn mowers, are alresdy set up and selling. The motels have not raised their rates yet and the traffic is not that bad and plenty of parking available.

I always wanted to go and last year finally did with my 20yr old daughter. We had the best time and have decided that this will be an annual mother-daughter trip. I didn’t find accomodations expensive, to me they were average but then I am a northeasterner. And I didn’t think the prices were bad either, just about everyone was willing to bargain. I started my days a little later so I really didn’t have bumper to bumper traffic. It was great and I highly reccomend it.

I live in Michigan – I’m flying down to Texas and meeting up with my two sisters and we’re doing the WLYS. We are traveling to Jamestown, TN on Aug 4 and spending 2 nights then heading south along 127. We’ve decorated shirts, hats and purses for the trip. We have hotel reservations for the 5th and 6th, then taking our chances on the other nights – we’re prepared to sleep in the truck if we have too. We’re all city girls so we aren’t worried about traffic. Let the party begin!

I live 30 miles from Crosville We were up there last wk people are already situp to sell.Lots of stuff,people and fun.Everybody should come.

I wrote a review for a website last year about
our trip along the WLYS. I think the website was http://www.yardsalers.net Then you have to look
in the archives for September or October of 2008, I think. Very interesting…with a little humor thrown in.
But I don’t know why people complain about the
traffic and not finding a place to stay, etc.
We were there for the first day. Starting at
Signal Mountain just outside Chattanooga. And
I called 2 days before we left to get our room
at the Best Western in Chattanooga. And they had several rooms.
We encountered traffic…but had no problems at all, moving right along. We didn’t find prices marked up any higher than at a flea market. We even bought a lifesize Indian mannequin for $175 that was in tip top shape…including hair and clothing. (We bought that for my husbands mini 1950’s motorcycle museum at our home.) But we also
bought advertising coffee mugs…most were 5 cents to 25 cents…just like at yard sales
around home. (He has about 900 hanging from the ceiling of his little ‘museum’ and it is
a breath taking sight. I bought a few old
dishes like I collect for 75 cents to $2…with the old rose pattern in them. A few
vintage linens & doilies for just cents or a
couple of dollars. Except for the indian…we
really didn’t spend much at all & brought tons
of ‘good stuff’ home.
We’re counting the minutes & staying in Crossville this year and going North from there. That’s where we headed home from last year. But this year we may stay on the road
2 days…we’ll see. It seemed like we were just getting into the really good ‘classic
yard sale’ stuff about Dunlap. And Dunlap, Tennessee was heavenly. We just parked & walked all over town. It was hundreds of side by side yard sales. We also had one of
the best barbecue sandwiches we have ever had
in Dunlap.
I just called yesterday…to get our room in
Crossville…right on the route. And they
said they had plenty of rooms left..and that
was at the Ramada Inn. And we didn’t even
pay more for our rooms than usual. And this
years yard sale is only 7 days away.
I have nothing but positive things to say about our experience.
Was it hot? Yes…it was August!!! It would
have been hot anywhere!
Was it crowded? Yes…but not any more crowded than in any flea market or craft show.
Was there lots of traffic? Yes…but not so
much that we had to really be ‘on the ball’.
It was normal heavy traffic just like around
any ‘mall’.
So lighten up people…if you want to go to the WLYS. There are people sitting home with
no legs…people that have just lost loved ones & don’t know how they will face tomorrow.
If you’re going…it’s for FUN!!! So loosen
up…be careful…and have FUN!!!
Life is a journey…enjoy the ride when you
can. Kay Comer Metropolis, Illinois