Pilot. In which our narrator introduces himself and begins at the 127sale in Kentucky.

Hey, everybody.  I was going to wait until summer to dip my toes into this blog, but kept getting too excited just thinking about it.  Besides, I'm a planner, and I will plan a trip years, or at least months in advance.  I am, however, going to pull a Holden Caulfield and dismiss with all that "David Copperfield kind of crap" until later because I want to start sharing my secondhand travels now.

It's been almost 7 years since our trip to Kentucky and Tennessee by way of the World's Longest Yardsale, but when I think of my adventures in fleamarketing (I'm coining it, feel free to spread it around) it's the first trip that springs to mind.  It's also the source of that great-ish photo of me (taken by my wife and trip[py] photographer, Mari) I decided to use to head this blog.  So, I'll start in Kentucky--even though I'm a New Yorker who went to college in Indiana and has lived in Texas for over 25 years.

Mari is a fan of HGTV, especially back in its early days when it wasn't all about flipping your house or buying a home.  For several years we watched their spring special on The World's Longest Yardsale until we decided to get off the couch and make a summer vacation out of it.

It wasn't a vacay.

It's NEVER a vacay.

If you don't live along the 127 route (visit 127sale.com for details and lots of helpful information), then there is a lot of planning involved including transportation and lodging.  Since we live in the farthest reaches of the Lone Star State (10 miles from the Mexican border in McAllen), it takes a WHOLE lot of driving before you stop seeing Texas asphalt, so we decided against driving all the way to Kentucky and Tennessee.  That was a big decision because it limited our purchases.  No antique furniture (of which there was A LOT), nothing that wouldn't fit in our suitcases or carry-on luggage.

The thing is, we weren't really LOOKING for anything.  When we fleamarket (again, used properly as a verb), Mari and I don't LOOK for things.  We sometimes keep an eye out for items that we collect (more on our myriad collections at a later time), but we enjoy the experience of browsing and meeting friendly people more than hunting for that missing collectible.  When you look for something, you don't find it.  Of course, when you are just casually browsing--without a particular mission in mind--you'll find (and buy) more than you expected.  Congratulations, you just started another collection!

We did find some goodies and brought them home safely in our luggage.  Part of bringing home your treasures safely is being prepared.  Rule one of fleamarketing by air:  carry bubble wrap.  Bubble wrap pouches are especially awesome for small collectibles, including jewelry.

I get VERY excited

about bubble wrap.

Of course, this flea market adventure wasn't just about the shopping.  It was a vacation and it was beautiful.

More on what we found and where we went next time.

This last photo was just a few steps off the grounds of a large sale in Kentucky.  So lush and colorful, the natural beauty of Kentucky and Tennessee made this flea market adventure an unforgettable journey.