500 Mile Yard Sale

Have you ever traveled the 500-mile yard sale trip?  I have gone a couple of times and would love to go again someday.  Since I have been there, Highway 127 that the yard and vendor sales are strung down has grown from 500 miles to 690 miles of sales with over 2,200 vendors.  The sale is only one time each year held the first full weekend of August.  This year it runs from August 1 - August 4.  When deciding where to begin, you can start in the south and head north or start in the north and head south.  Each time we went, we started in the south at Gadsden, Alabama and have never gone to the far northern part of Addison, Michigan because we always cut back over around Cincinnati, go through Indianapolis, head over to St. Louis and then home.

I always have something special to look for when going to the sales.  The first trip I was looking for anything Coca-Cola and vintage Levi's items.  The second trip I shopped for certain Pyrex dishes and bakeware and these Club brand aluminum pots and pans my parents still have that they received as a wedding gift in 1960 donning the color of turquoise!!  I know, pretty putrid, but they are the best and...I actually found a pink set for $40.00!  I also looked for old handkerchiefs the ladies used to use because my sister wants to make a handkerchief quilt.  Fun times were had both times we went and the food was amazing.  The first time I had ever heard of boiled peanuts was the summer of 2005!  The vendors had them cooking all along the 127 Corridor (http://www.127yardsale.com/) with every kind of spice or seasoning they could throw in the pot!  Cajun, BBQ, Ranch, plain, dill, you name it, they had it!

If you're thinking of going on the yard sale trip, take plenty of water and sunscreen...and of course money!!