Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Worlds Longest Yard Sale

The US 127 Corridor Sale is 450 miles of bargain hunting fun and is known as the world's longest yard sale. The sale began in 1987: it begins in Covington, Kentucky and runs south to Chattanooga, Tennessee, then switches to the Lookout Mountain Parkway, continuing to Gadsden, Alabama. It is always held the first Thursday in August every year. Originally, the sale was intended to prove the back roads have something to offer.

Thousands of people participate in the sale each year as vendors, and even more come to shop for that hard-to-find item or antique. Front lawns become storefronts and showcases for interesting items. Yard sales spring up every quarter mile; some are small with the contents of a basement displayed proudly o­n the front lawn, and some are large, with huge fields clustered with a hundred or so tents of professional dealers and flea market regulars.

People come from near and far to experience the longest yard sale in the world! Coming by car, truck, motorhome, and even plane, shoppers find all kinds of antiques, flea market items, and more! Whatever you're looking for, you'll probably find it at the US 127 Corridor Sale! You'll find so much good stuff that you might be tempted to rent a U-Haul and follow the entire route! You can plan to spend the whole four days and travel the whole 450 miles, or opt to spend time in a selected area and venture off the beaten path to discover new places and charm of the land.
As you go along your way, a few tips might help you deal with the locals:
Directions: The locals may be of some help as you try to find your way o­n the route, but don't count o­n it. Even though you're still in America, you might run into some language barriers among the charming southern residents with their unique dialects.

It might be useful to purchase a road map or look up some destinations o­n websites to plan your route ahead of time to avoid misunderstandings and wasted time. Getting a bargain: Don't be afraid to haggle and negotiate with the vendors and sellers. Some of the professional dealers might not want to barter, but you never know. Asking prices are almost always negotiable. And remember that you'll have to pack what you buy, so take it easy at first.

It's best to go with a set item in your mind to limit your spending. To get the best deals, be even earlier than the early birds; vendors sell from sunrise to sunset! Rain or shine: The shopping won't stop in any case, so be prepared for the weather.

In the four states that the route covers, (Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Kentucky) the summertime weather in August can get unbearable, soaring past 100 degrees; bring lots of bottled water and even some portable fans. Concessions along the way are selling cokes, water, and, of course, sweet tea.

There are also downpours to look out for; while they can be a relief from the heat, you might want to bring a poncho or umbrella along.

But most importantly, remember to have fun making split-second decisions about where to pull off and where to shop. Enjoy the different personalities you'll encounter; at o­ne table you might see a neatly arranged set of books, and at the next, eight track tapes. But that's part of the fun! Wander aimlessly or find exactly what you want. It's all up to you!

( I cant recal where I found this online - I love yard sales and have always wanted to go to this one!)

2 comments:

  1. I LOVE the 127 Yardsale. I used to live in Salvisa KY, right off of 127. I got to go one year. I'm going to try to go again this year. We didn't travel very far -- Only around 50 miles. But it was still a blast!

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  2. Thats great that you went and had such a great time, thats awesome. I would so love to go. I would need a semi truck if I went. I believe this is the one I saw on the travel channel, people had their trucks packed so tight, every inch full..and on the roof too. Take pictures next time you go, I would love to see them.

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