Jack's Journal: June 9

CBS News producer Jack Halsbond is behind the wheel of one of two Early Show Winnebagos traveling the country in June and July as part of the "Great American Vacation" giveaway. Read his Web-exclusive road diary.

Located in the northeast corner of the state, Johnson City, Tenn., is within a day's drive of 60 percent of the U.S. population and is served by two U.S. Interstates: I-81, and I-26. Three million people reside within 75 miles of Tri-Cities Regional Airport, which has a highly diversified economy, including a $4 billion health care industry.

I'm told that there is world-class trout streams and lakes, and have been invited back to test my skills with rod and reel, an invitation I plan on taking advantage of. The region is comprised of metropolitan and rural areas with breathtaking backdrops of the beautiful Appalachian Mountains.

Some of the more notable names who call Johnson City and the Tri-Cities region home include: Kenny Chesney, Timothy Busfield, Garrett Willis, Steve Spurrier, Ed Whitson, Dale Ford, Andrew Johnson, Andrew Jackson, Daniel Boone and David Crockett, also widely known to a generation of television devotees, myself included, as Davy Crockett, "King of the Wild Frontier."

Speaking of Ed Whitson, who some of you may recall had a successful major league baseball career as a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher — more so with the San Diego Padres then perhaps with the New York Yankees — his sister, Brenda Whitson, is the executive director of the local Chamber of Commerce. A special thank you goes out to Brenda, a multi-talented lady who happens to also be a gem of a person.

The folks we've been lucky enough to meet in Johnson City have been as generous, friendly and as accommodating as can be.

There's Tom Seaton, who comes from a family of firefighters. His uncle, Norman, was once chief of the Johnson City Fire Department. Tom, however, has made his name tending to other "fires."

I can tell you from personal experience that Tom serves up some of the very best down-home Tennessee ribs that you will ever eat. His Firehouse Restaurant on West Walnut actually was one of the original fire houses in Johnson City, built in 1930. It's since been renovated and expanded, including a garage door in the foyer area where Tom parks his still-operational 1927 fire engine.

Our "hometown" culinary cooking treat continued at the scene of our Friday vacation giveaway, the Johnson City Fire House.

Built in 1929, this fire house is still fully functional and an intricate part of the community. When Fire Chief Greene learned that I had never tried biscuits and gravy for breakfast, he insisted that I was to join him at 4:30 a.m. the day of the event, to sample "the best I was likely to ever have."

Chief Greene wasn't whistling Dixie! The trick, as he explained to me, is to crumble up the biscuits, so as to let the homemade gravy loaded with homemade sausage and all sorts of secret ingredients, do its thing! Outrageous! I kept going back to the crock pot for more, right up until airtime. It seems we all owe Chief Greene's wife, Becky, a huge "thank you ma'am," as Becky is Chief Greene's secret culinary weapon.

Now for all of you out there who are thinking that it's only about the food with Jack, here's the feel-good story of the day.

During the show, Joanna Torgerson approached me and she explained that she had accompanied four young ladies down from Jonesborough, Tenn., and had a gift basket that she wanted to give The Early Show's Dave Price.

She further explained that the four young ladies — Laura Denney, Brenda and Wanda Corby, and Liz Bailey — all had various disabilities. Being physically challenged did not prevent them from starting their own gift basket business in Jonesborough. It was one of their very own "Gifts With A Heart" baskets that they had brought to Johnson City. Thank you Laura, Brenda, Wanda and Liz for showing me that however one might be physically challenged, one's sense of self-worth and self-accomplishment is something that, if strived for, can be attained.

Johnson City is rich in history, outdoor recreation and, recently, the world's largest fossil site was uncovered there. A 45,000-square-foot museum will open in January 2007. The site has unveiled species of fish, frogs, elephants, rhinos, red pandas, tabors, saber tooth cats and alligators. The site is estimated to be 4.5 million to 7 million years old. Scientists will be digging at theGray Fossil Site for more than 100 years. That's going to require a lot of biscuits and gravy!

So come on down and visit the friendly confines of Johnson City, Tenn.

Look out Cape Girardeau, Mo., we are on our way!