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Road Trip Junkin’ — 6 Tips for a Successful Route 127 Sale

July 11, 2019 /

We are three weeks away from one of my FAVORITE weekends of the year! What is it? It’s the Route 127 sale!!! A collection of yard sales, antique vendors, junk sellers that runs all the way from Gadsen, Alabama up to Michigan, for the most part on Route 127. Billed as “The World’s Longest Yard Sale,” this nearly 700-mile long event is held annually the first weekend in August.

This will be my sixth trip on the sale. I’ve done it by myself a couple of times and I even got my husband, Chris, to go along one year (I don’t know why, but once was enough for him).  The best trips have been when I’ve gotten a friend to go along. I’ve gone as far north as Frankfort, KY and as far south as Gadsen, AL. Since there is no way I could survive the entire 700-mile trip, I’ve finally settled on focusing on a stretch of Route 127 between Frankfort, Kentucky and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

For those who love junkin’, antiquing, or going to flea markets and thrift stores, this is a road trip for you! I will say that it can be overwhelming. So, I’ve put together a few tips that I’ve picked up along the way.

1. Don’t plan to travel too far each day

Obviously, “too far” will mean something different for each person. It took me several trips to figure out how far was “too far” for me. Now, I travel to my furthermost northern point on my trip (Frankfort, KY) and work my way back south. That way, when I have a full truck and I’m super tired, I’m almost home.

I go about 100 miles each day.  It doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re stopping a dozen times or more, it is plenty. There’s one stop right down the road from the hotel I stay in Frankfort, KY. I’ve actually started leaving earlier on Thursday so I can swing by there before checking in so we can head down the road earlier the next day.

2. Make reservations

Once you’ve planned your route, make your hotel reservations early! Every year I go there is always at least one group that walks in and asks for a room without a reservation and go away disappointed and out of luck. There are not a lot of options along the way and they fill up quick. I usually make reservations 3-6 months out knowing that most of these places have generous cancellation policies (please check before you book). I’ve also found out that you can sometimes save 10-20% if you call the hotel directly instead of booking online.

You can find anything at the sale. Chris was fascinated by these. He thought they would be cool in the yard. We didn’t buy them.

3. Don’t try to stop at every sale

If you do, you won’t get very far. There are several places – ball fields, fair grounds, community parks – that gather dozens, if not hundreds, of vendors in one place. These are great for getting the most out of a stop. If you have a friend with you, assign the non-driver the role of spotter. Many of the smaller sales are all about books, clothes, videos, etc. That’s not something I’m usually looking for but it is fairly easy to see those items from the road and just keep going. The road is busy and traffic does slow for the larger stops so that can be a good hint of promising things to come.

On the flip side, when the road is open and you don’t see anything interesting, go the speed limit. Or, as my husband, started saying, “make time when you can, so you can go slow later on.” There are several bypasses on this stretch of Route 127. Every trip I debate to bypass the small towns or not. I still haven’t figured out which way has more shopping so I just keep trying.

4. Pack like you would for a long day at the flea market

Just like when you go to the flea market, water, snacks, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, bags, etc. will keep you feeling good for the trip. There have been years where they’ve had heavy rains leading up to the sale. This translates to mud – lots and lots of mud, so I started bringing a pair of comfortable, junk shoes that I don’t mind getting muddy or even just leaving at the hotel on my last day. And, of course, don’t forget your cash.

Yes, this was for sale.

5. Make sure your vehicle matches your shopping expectations

My first trip on the Route 127 Sale was in my PT Cruiser. I loved that car, but there was no way the retro bar I wanted to buy for $80 was going to fit! I have rented vans and now I take Chris’s Ford F150. Some years I don’t come close to filling it up, others I rival the Beverly Hillbillies on their move into town. I figure better to have leftover space than not enough. Don’t forget bungee cords, tie-down straps, packing blankets, and towels. I also bring along a tarp in case of rain.

I thought this was super cool, but couldn’t figure out a way to get it home. It still worked!!

6. Have an idea of what you’re looking for, but don’t be upset if you don’t find it

I looked for years for one of those industrial carts to restore. I finally found one that had already been restored and at a better price, too! Keep an open mind. Like most flea markets, you never know what you might find. I was looking around a table where everything was 75% off and found a mid-century Welby sunburst clock for $7.50 with the key. A quick check on Ebay showed the exact clock going for $140-$200! A good cleaning from a friend of mine who’s into clocks and it works great! Score!!

I’m determined to turn this into a super cute picnic table. Stay tuned.

I’m determined this year to get a good listing of my favorite stops. I’ll share it with you when I’m back so you can use it when you go take a trip on the Route 127 sale. Until then, you can find a great deal of information on the official website here.

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