Skyway Final Ride Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Across the highway from the cache is a derelict drive-in theater that has a bizarre incident in its past! At least it used to be across the highway from the cache. We discovered today (11/28/08) that the old drive-in sign has been taken away. So just imagine a drive-in theater across the road from the cache.
From 1950 to 1975, the Skyway Drive-In Theater, operated by ABC Southeastern Theaters, was a fixture on Rutledge Pike (U.S. 11W), just southwest of its intersection with Mine Road, which provides access from Rutledge Pike across to Andrew Johnson Highway (U.S. 11E). JT Jenkins ran the theater for several years, and reportedly still lives nearby. Nicelys owned the property, and insisted that only family appropriate movies be shown there. ABC also operated the historic Tennessee Theater in Knoxville (visit link) for a time during the 1960’s.
It was here, on December 31st, 1952, that State Trooper Swann H. Kitts pulled over a car driven by Auburn University freshman Charles Carr, and ticketed Carr for driving recklessly and speeding, charges Carr denies. Motionless in the back seat of the car was Hank Williams, who had either died at the Andrew Johnson Hotel in Knoxville, enroute to this traffic stop, or some time shortly after. Kitts testified that the man he saw in the back seat of the car appeared to be dead to him (visit link) or (visit link) and for Google Earth users, (visit link) .
At the site of the Skyway, as is typical of drive-in theaters today, little remains except some remnants of pavement. The area was used periodically for turkey shoots, untli recently, and a nearby derelict house trailer, now torn down, was once used for the manufacture of wind socks. In July, 2008, an electric fence was erected along the right of way, blocking access to the site, and the cache had to be moved to the present location. The current owners removed the Skyway sign.
This cache is easily accessed by pulling onto the north-bound shoulder on the side of the highway, and walking towards the fence. You do not need to go onto private property to access this small plastic container containing a variety of trade goods, and your path is well off to the side of the highway.
Do be careful of briars. We did not see any poison ivy at the cache location.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Srapr yvar