By MARK GREEN

Special to the Herald

In the sun, in the shade, under make-shift tents, on tables, trucks, trailers and the ground….this is where buyers would find their treasured merchandise along the 411 Yard Sale 2009. As one traverses U.S. Highway 411 through Cherokee County from the Georgia line above Forney to the Etowah County line past Slackland, the approximately 28 miles of landscape is dotted with vendors hoping to sell their goods.

Whether the meandering highway is four lane or two lane, the traffic is slow as vehicles from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky and Ohio stop to hopefully find something they need….or maybe just want.

In the Key Community along Highway 411, one of the shoppers, Iva Russell from Oxford, Ala., said, “We are just out shopping, sightseeing, finding treasures to take home, visiting with people and looking at this beautiful country. We have found a lot of bargains, a lot of good food to eat, and most of all just visiting with people and having a good time.”

Jack Guttery from Jack’s Trading Post near Moshat Community is enjoying his sixth year with the Highway 411 Yard Sale. According to Guttery, he has vendors from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi and Ohio. The first year he opened the Trading Post, Guttery said he had seven vendors and it has grown every year with this year being the biggest. Even with numerous vendors along the route, sales have not been as good as in the past years.

Bill and Margie McReynolds from the Exie Community are set up for the first time along Highway 411. They report having a good day.

Carl Cumbaa, a second year vendor from Rockmart, Ga., said, “things have been a little slow, I guess because of everybody being laid off. It’s been slow but I like getting out and talking with people and just having fun…. that’s the main thing.”

It seems having fun was a prevalent sentiment among the sellers. Sue Fike from Fort Payne who has set up on 411 below Leesburg said her business has been slow but she is having a good time.

Vendors in the Slackland Community expressed the same views with one seller hoping for a better day tomorrow. But those who browse among the tables, under the tents, stepping over items that did not catch their fancy, seemed to enjoy the beautiful weather and the good ole southern hospitality of Cherokee County even if they were just looking.