The World's Longest Yard Sale is a four-day event that stretches from Gadsden, AL. to Defiance, Ohio, a stretch of 630 miles, and held during the first full week of August.Since 1987, yard sale enthusiasts have been heading to U.S. 127, running through northern Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and part of Ohio.My friend, Betty Robinson, and I had seen the yard sale extravaganza on HGTV for the last few years and wanted to get a feel for it firsthand.In addition, Betty was looking for a retro 1950's metal three-seater glider for the front porch of her Sears and Roebuck home.

Our first day on the road (August 8) toward Chattanooga, TN., brought us not only great mountain scenery, but interesting stops along the way.While we started in Gadsden, AL. from nearby Cove Cottage, it was south of Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls and those famous four-state views where we picked up the beginning of this famous Yard Sale.Around each curve of the two-lane road, we found tables and tents filled with treasures.Vintage items caught our eye as we moved up and down the aisles.This included lots of old tin cans sporting the logos of products sold between the 1920s and 1960s.Even farm equipment was mixed in the groupings.

As we approached Chattanooga, we came across a Yard Sale sign pointing to the driveway of what appeared to be a multi-million dollar mansion.We couldn't pass up what we thought would be an outstanding view of the surrounding valley.The homeowner graciously shared her mountain top view where we could look at Alabama behind us and Chattanooga in front of us.It was its own version of Lookout Mountain and definitely worth the stop!!

From there, we travelled down the mountain into the home of Ruby Falls, Rock City, and the famous incline.This is the spot where we officially picked up U.S. 127.

It was off to Dunlap, in southern Tennessee, where a large yard sale with tents and good parking caught our eye.We found long tables of glassware, children's toys and games, books, prints, large furniture and even large signs from old gas stations and new art being painted right on site.Here, we even came across two tour buses from Ohio.Trucks were carrying furniture for new dining rooms and we found two vintage Ringling Brothers circus posters.My friends in Sarasota might enjoy those!

At additional stops throughout the day, we rummaged through tables of today's popular vintage tablecloths and napkins, with broad red and blue stripes, checkerboard patterns and some embroidered florals.There were also a few stacks of grandmother's doilies.A 1940s kitchen table and four chairs in red and white plastic seating in great condition brought back memories of kitchens seen in many homes across the country more than 50 years ago.

Many vendors were smart to bring along large tents, not only providing an escape from the sun for treasure hunters, but also keeping their items cool.Others had items "too hot to handle" from the day's heat.The tented displays definitely attracted crowds.

From funnel cakes to BBQ, food was available at each stop.One vendor had no problem meeting individual requests for breakfast and lunch menus and in between, good country cookin' was found in local restaurants along U.S. 127.

Late in the day of our first day, we found a white metal chair that needs some rust repair, but could be made to match a chair and table already on my friend's back porch. From there, we headed to a country restaurant for dinner and then to Jamestown, TN. for the first of two night stays at The Dunford Cottage, a 1930s or 1940s refurbished three bedroom retreat from a busy day on the yard sale trail.

This part of America is representative of lots of country churches, cracker houses, old brick schools standing next to newer versions, lots of historical markers to educate visitors along the way, and quaint small towns that reminded us of movie sets, with the mountains creating a huge backdrop.Even Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. York - Alvin C. York - played by actor Gary Cooper in a 1941 film was part of tourist stops along the way.

Obviously missing was the lack of communications - poor cell phone service and limited computer services.Many people were yelling on their cells, providing tips to fellow treasure hunters or checking in with family.

We concentrated on yard sales where furniture seemed the main attraction, but still combed through boxes of books, old records (Yes, records!!) and a series of black and white photos of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and other great Yankees stars.If you are a milk glass collector, this yard sale caravan is definitely for you.There wasn't a stop that didn't include LOTS of this popular glassware, which had its most popular period in the late 1800s.

We arrived at The Dunford Cottage, near the border with Kentucky.The cottage sits on about 10 acres, has three bedrooms and could sleep seven family members.It had a full kitchen, dining room, living room with a/c, direct TV and a microwave. Of course, we laughed that while the air conditioning cooled down the house when we first arrived, we needed heat overnight as the temperature outside dropped to 57 degrees.The morning was cool, yet gave us the energy to continue the search.The cottage is located in an area between US 127 and I-75, giving visitors good location to either return to the sale trail, OR, if you wanted, head for the traditional interstate route.

We, of course, headed back to the yard sale, starting in Albany, KY on the second day (August 9).Now the search for the impossible glider turned into a concentrated effort.We stopped at a local trailer restaurant for bacon and eggs.They told us to talk to Junior in the green-striped tent.He had 14 classic metal lawn chairs in a variety of colors.They had all been re-finished and would be ready for your porch.We just missed the glider and we left a business card hoping that Junior could find another one and give us a call.

Across the street, we meandered through rows of tables with glassware, wrought iron gates and wall decorations, books, rain sticks and South American purses, and two 33 1/3 LP albums of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and the singing cowboy Gene Autry.Back in the car, we went through several towns, passing smaller front yard sales.

Then I spied a red glider.We found a place to park and walked toward the possible find.It was red, rusted and had a bad paint job.It also wobbled, so the swing action of the glider would have to be corrected.Even bartering on the price didn't make the sale. We continued up the road and laughed as we passed many mid-century (the 20 th century, that is) homes with gliders on their porches.We wondered if they'd sell one to us.

Then it happened.In front of a wood frame antique store with lots of folks standing outside eating ice cream and two men sitting under a tent was a retro metal turquoise glider.About 15 minutes later, it was sitting in the back of our car.Not to borrow a phrase, but MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

Before heading back to the Jamestown cottage via I-75, we headed toward Danville, KY. (Established in 1787) for a visit to my friend's Southern roots.Her grandfather was born in this Town of Firsts in 1871.One of the firsts was the first Post Office west of the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania.We headed to Florida on Sunday (August 10).

While we never spotted the HGTV cameras, we heard from vendors that they had been on site at some of our stops in Tennessee and Kentucky.

The HGTV website now indicates that the World's Longest Yard Sale can be seen on October 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and on October 13 at Midnight ET/PT.Hosts Steven Lee and Elyse Luray followed two yard salers on their quest, provided appraisals of their treasure finds and roamed several yard sales to give viewers an idea of what they would encounter if they decided to make the trek in 2009.

The next World's Longest Yard Sale is already scheduled for Thursday, August 6 - Sunday, August 9, 2009.Mark your calendar and join the fun, the scenery, the education, the food and people.It's definitely worth the journey!

Thanks for letting us share.