Ashland and The Great Smoky Mountains
Uncle Tom, Aunt Ellen, and me
Friday, August 26, 2011
I have been looking more forward to this trip than even going to Mardi Gras this past spring. But, due to having a lot on my plate this past year, (finishing my “Thank You books, getting the yard into shape for our Aug BBQ, and numerous weddings and graduations), I was way behind on getting this trip planned. I got all of the major details worked out, but I wasn’t as comfortable with my back up plans, route planning, and back up information, as I usually am. But, I was still confident that we would have a great time. I wasn’t disappointed.
The plan was to spend Friday through Sunday at Aunt Ellen’s in Ashland, KY, and then drive to the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and spend Monday through Thursday there. We would travel home on Friday. As there is a few hundred miles between these destinations, we planed to fly into Knoxville, TN, to be close to the Smokys for our return drive, but not be outrageously far for our drive to Ashland.
We had a 6 AM flight to get things started so Margo and I had to get up very early. After going to bed at close to 11 PM the night before, 2:45 AM got here really quick. I got up and took care of the morning routine. The only hitch to this morning was that Margo’s car needed gas. So after a stop at the gas station we were on our way. Jessi went with us, and drove the car home. They would be boarding our flight at 5:25 and it was 4:45, so we looked to have plenty of time. But, the security line was longer than I expected. So by the time we checked our bag and got through security, it was about 5:10, and we still had to get to our gate. Denver International Airport (DIA) is a large and very spread out airport. So getting to the two distant concourses requires a train ride. So after a train ride and walking a bit we arrived just in time to sit down, and for Margo to buy a snack to take on the plane, and then we boarded.
We flew two hours to Houston and by the time we found our gate there it was only about 20 minutes until we boarded for our flight to Knoxville. I had gotten a little sleep on the leg from Denver to Houston, but no such luck this time. I guess my body thought I had gotten enough rest. I was up for all two hours of this flight, and I was very happy for the air portion of this trip to be over. But, this was just the first half of a 12 hour travel day. We had traveled by plane for the last 6 hours or so. Now we had about six hours by car. But, first we stopped for lunch. We stopped at Hooters on Kingston Pike.
Stopping at Hooters is something we have done for the last nine years. It started back in 2002, in Honolulu, HI. We had spent a day of sightseeing, and had ended up at Aloha Tower, hot, tired, and hungry. We were looking for a place to sit down and eat. We weren’t in the mood for any adventurous food. Just some food that would be easily recognizable and a nice place to sit. I looked up and saw the Hooters sign. Margo saw it, threw up her hands, and said “ I don’t care”, so we went in. The girls were pretty, the beer cold, and the food edible. Plus they were working hard to make things fun. One of those “things” was that they were taking Polaroid pictures with the girls. You could use your own camera if you wanted. Margo asked if I was going to get one. I was pretty sure she just wanted to see if I had the nerve. But, I was fortified with a couple of cold drafts, so nerve was not a problem. After I got my picture, we took Jessi over to the Hooters merchandise section and got her a shirt. We had a good time, and that started a tradition. We now visit a Hooters if there is one close, and I get a picture, Jessi gets a shirt or such. And, Margo gets to tell her friends what a goof I am. Everybody is happy.
Lunch was OK. Hooters food is not the draw, but we still ended up spending 45 minutes there, making our start later than I wanted. I wanted to be in Ashland no later than 7:45, so we could check into the hotel and be over at your place by 8 PM. We made a couple of rest breaks, one at Mt Vernon, where we got gas, and I took over driving. Margo does most of the driving, because she is more patient and cautious, especially in the city. Also, because she can’t read a map. We pulled into our hotel parking lot about 8 PM. We had text Ginger with our ETA, and got over to Aunt Ellen’s place just as soon as we could check in and get the luggage inside.
We had a nice visit for better than an hour. I thought Aunt Ellen looked about the same as last year, and maybe was talking a little better. Uncle Tom seemed the same to be, maybe a little more tired. We are always concerned that we are keeping Aunt Ellen especially, up later than normal. I’m a night owl, and am rarely in bed before midnight. Margo goes to bed earlier but, not much more than an hour. So once it was past 9 PM I was thinking we should be going. Plus it had been a long day. We said our good byes, and made a stop at Arby’s for a late dinner, (late for Eastern Time, but our stomachs were still on Mountain time, and we were starting to think it was dinner time) and then Wal-Mart to pick up drinks and such, as our room had a small frig. Then it was back to the hotel, and bed not long after.
I have been looking more forward to this trip than even going to Mardi Gras this past spring. But, due to having a lot on my plate this past year, (finishing my “Thank You books, getting the yard into shape for our Aug BBQ, and numerous weddings and graduations), I was way behind on getting this trip planned. I got all of the major details worked out, but I wasn’t as comfortable with my back up plans, route planning, and back up information, as I usually am. But, I was still confident that we would have a great time. I wasn’t disappointed.
The plan was to spend Friday through Sunday at Aunt Ellen’s in Ashland, KY, and then drive to the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and spend Monday through Thursday there. We would travel home on Friday. As there is a few hundred miles between these destinations, we planed to fly into Knoxville, TN, to be close to the Smokys for our return drive, but not be outrageously far for our drive to Ashland.
We had a 6 AM flight to get things started so Margo and I had to get up very early. After going to bed at close to 11 PM the night before, 2:45 AM got here really quick. I got up and took care of the morning routine. The only hitch to this morning was that Margo’s car needed gas. So after a stop at the gas station we were on our way. Jessi went with us, and drove the car home. They would be boarding our flight at 5:25 and it was 4:45, so we looked to have plenty of time. But, the security line was longer than I expected. So by the time we checked our bag and got through security, it was about 5:10, and we still had to get to our gate. Denver International Airport (DIA) is a large and very spread out airport. So getting to the two distant concourses requires a train ride. So after a train ride and walking a bit we arrived just in time to sit down, and for Margo to buy a snack to take on the plane, and then we boarded.
We flew two hours to Houston and by the time we found our gate there it was only about 20 minutes until we boarded for our flight to Knoxville. I had gotten a little sleep on the leg from Denver to Houston, but no such luck this time. I guess my body thought I had gotten enough rest. I was up for all two hours of this flight, and I was very happy for the air portion of this trip to be over. But, this was just the first half of a 12 hour travel day. We had traveled by plane for the last 6 hours or so. Now we had about six hours by car. But, first we stopped for lunch. We stopped at Hooters on Kingston Pike.
Stopping at Hooters is something we have done for the last nine years. It started back in 2002, in Honolulu, HI. We had spent a day of sightseeing, and had ended up at Aloha Tower, hot, tired, and hungry. We were looking for a place to sit down and eat. We weren’t in the mood for any adventurous food. Just some food that would be easily recognizable and a nice place to sit. I looked up and saw the Hooters sign. Margo saw it, threw up her hands, and said “ I don’t care”, so we went in. The girls were pretty, the beer cold, and the food edible. Plus they were working hard to make things fun. One of those “things” was that they were taking Polaroid pictures with the girls. You could use your own camera if you wanted. Margo asked if I was going to get one. I was pretty sure she just wanted to see if I had the nerve. But, I was fortified with a couple of cold drafts, so nerve was not a problem. After I got my picture, we took Jessi over to the Hooters merchandise section and got her a shirt. We had a good time, and that started a tradition. We now visit a Hooters if there is one close, and I get a picture, Jessi gets a shirt or such. And, Margo gets to tell her friends what a goof I am. Everybody is happy.
Lunch was OK. Hooters food is not the draw, but we still ended up spending 45 minutes there, making our start later than I wanted. I wanted to be in Ashland no later than 7:45, so we could check into the hotel and be over at your place by 8 PM. We made a couple of rest breaks, one at Mt Vernon, where we got gas, and I took over driving. Margo does most of the driving, because she is more patient and cautious, especially in the city. Also, because she can’t read a map. We pulled into our hotel parking lot about 8 PM. We had text Ginger with our ETA, and got over to Aunt Ellen’s place just as soon as we could check in and get the luggage inside.
We had a nice visit for better than an hour. I thought Aunt Ellen looked about the same as last year, and maybe was talking a little better. Uncle Tom seemed the same to be, maybe a little more tired. We are always concerned that we are keeping Aunt Ellen especially, up later than normal. I’m a night owl, and am rarely in bed before midnight. Margo goes to bed earlier but, not much more than an hour. So once it was past 9 PM I was thinking we should be going. Plus it had been a long day. We said our good byes, and made a stop at Arby’s for a late dinner, (late for Eastern Time, but our stomachs were still on Mountain time, and we were starting to think it was dinner time) and then Wal-Mart to pick up drinks and such, as our room had a small frig. Then it was back to the hotel, and bed not long after.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
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The timing of this trip was predicated on Aunt Ellen’s birthday. She was turning 85 this year, so I thought it would be an excellent time to come down. We could have a little get together, and maybe she could see a bunch of people who she had not, in years. Ginger McKnight, the wife of Aunt Ellen’s youngest son, Tommy did the planning for the party.
Saturday the day for Aunt Ellen’s party and we were looking forward to seeing all that would attend. We got up, got our showers, and were dressed. We weren’t sure about breakfast. Most hotels offer a continental breakfast, which usually means bagels, cold cereal and fruit. I don’t eat breakfast a lot, but when I do, I prefer something hot. So, while Margo was finishing up in our room, |
cont
I poked my head in their breakfast room to see what the fare was. They had a pancake machine, biscuits and gravy, sausage, and premade cheese omelets. This was in addition to the normal items, and they had cinnamon rolls. I thought this might at least be worth a try, so I went back, reported to Margo and we were soon eating breakfast. It turned out to be very good, so we left happy.
We promised to help Ginger set up, but that was not going to be necessary until about 11:30 AM. The party was scheduled for 1 PM. As it was only about 9 AM, we went over to Aunt Ellen’s to visit for awhile. Aunt Ellen was dressed and ready to go. She must have been anxious, as every ten minutes or so she was trying to shoo us out the door to get the party going. The fact that it was hours away did not deter her in the least. Diana, Aunt Ellen and Uncle Tom’s daughter, came over shortly after 11 AM. As she was due at 11 AM, Aunt Ellen was worried she wasn’t going to make it. At 11:02 she was wondering, out loud, where she was at.
We got a text from Ginger, that she was running behind, so we got to stay and visit for an extra half hour. But, at 11:30ish we were on our way to try to find the church. I had the GPS programmed, but to the wrong Wesleyan Church. Oddly enough the addresses were close enough, either on or near 2400 Main St, sorta. The church we went to was in Ashland, on Main. The church we were supposed to be at was really in Westwood, on Main West. We called Ginger and she straightened us out. As it turned out Subway was behind on her food order, so she was even farther behind than she was planning.
We got there and Ginger had gotten about everything done. It wasn’t long after we got there that the first guests started to arrive. The first was Aunt Ellen herself. She rode with Diana and Uncle Tom. There was no ramp into the Fellowship Hall, where the party was being held, so it was my job to pull Aunt Ellen up the three steps, in her wheelchair. Only, I evidently can’t count to three. As soon as we cleared step two, I took a step back and fell over backwards with Aunt Ellen coming down on top of me. I was instantly very worried about Aunt Ellen. But it turned out OK. She ended up only getting tipped very far back, and never hitting the ground. I was OK, as well. It would have been nothing sort of tragic to send the birthday girl to the hospital for her birthday.
After that the party went out without a hitch. We had about 20-25 people. I tried to talk with everyone and for the most part I did, but a couple of those conversations were measured in words. I spent most of my time with Gary McKnight (Aunt Ellen’s oldest son) and Carlos Sparks, two cousins who I had never met. We had a good time, with Gary busting my chops a bit about my tendency to plan to the last detail on our family vacations. Oh, well. It works, and I try not to fix the things that work. There are too many other things that aren’t. I also made a point of visiting with Denny Conley. He told me a story about my Dad, and I wished I would have had more time to talk him and hear a few more. It was evident that he dearly misses his wife, Charlene, who passed away about two years ago. I can only imagine the loss.
The party lasted past the 4 PM that was planned, which is always a good sign. The ladies, mostly Margo and Ginger, jumped all over the clean up. About the time that was over, so was the party. I was thrilled to see everyone that had shown up, but disappointed that Teresa, Uncle Jimmy’s girls, Aunt Opal, and Tommy McKnight couldn’t make it. But, they were all either working or at a wedding. I had mentioned to Ginger that I wanted to see Aunt Opal and she offered to take me by to see if she was at home. Carlos was of the same mind as me, so he followed, too. We were there in about 5 minutes.
Aunt Opal was at home, and sitting out on her patio enjoying the beautiful evening. Ginger pulled in, and we pulled in behind her. Ginger was worried that Aunt Opal wouldn’t recognize her, as she hadn’t seen her in about 5 years, and Aunt Opal is 85. But, the first thing Aunt Opal says is “Are you going to get out of the car or not” with a big grin. She also recognized Carlos and me. We had a great visit. And, about half way through, Aunt Opal’s daughter, Shelia and her husband, Bill Rhodes came over. This made me very happy, as I got to see one more cousin, and got to visit with her and Bill. He is quite a character and made the evening that much more fun.
But it was getting dark, so it was time to call it a night. Carlos had left earlier, as he both wanted to say good bye to Aunt Ellen, and he had a long drive to get back home to Somerset, KY. I was torn between going back to Aunt Ellen’s or to get to my bed. In the end, bed won. Margo and I were still running on a sleep deficit and we were beat. So, after a stop at Wal-mart to throw something in the microwave for a late meal, we ate, and went to bed.
We promised to help Ginger set up, but that was not going to be necessary until about 11:30 AM. The party was scheduled for 1 PM. As it was only about 9 AM, we went over to Aunt Ellen’s to visit for awhile. Aunt Ellen was dressed and ready to go. She must have been anxious, as every ten minutes or so she was trying to shoo us out the door to get the party going. The fact that it was hours away did not deter her in the least. Diana, Aunt Ellen and Uncle Tom’s daughter, came over shortly after 11 AM. As she was due at 11 AM, Aunt Ellen was worried she wasn’t going to make it. At 11:02 she was wondering, out loud, where she was at.
We got a text from Ginger, that she was running behind, so we got to stay and visit for an extra half hour. But, at 11:30ish we were on our way to try to find the church. I had the GPS programmed, but to the wrong Wesleyan Church. Oddly enough the addresses were close enough, either on or near 2400 Main St, sorta. The church we went to was in Ashland, on Main. The church we were supposed to be at was really in Westwood, on Main West. We called Ginger and she straightened us out. As it turned out Subway was behind on her food order, so she was even farther behind than she was planning.
We got there and Ginger had gotten about everything done. It wasn’t long after we got there that the first guests started to arrive. The first was Aunt Ellen herself. She rode with Diana and Uncle Tom. There was no ramp into the Fellowship Hall, where the party was being held, so it was my job to pull Aunt Ellen up the three steps, in her wheelchair. Only, I evidently can’t count to three. As soon as we cleared step two, I took a step back and fell over backwards with Aunt Ellen coming down on top of me. I was instantly very worried about Aunt Ellen. But it turned out OK. She ended up only getting tipped very far back, and never hitting the ground. I was OK, as well. It would have been nothing sort of tragic to send the birthday girl to the hospital for her birthday.
After that the party went out without a hitch. We had about 20-25 people. I tried to talk with everyone and for the most part I did, but a couple of those conversations were measured in words. I spent most of my time with Gary McKnight (Aunt Ellen’s oldest son) and Carlos Sparks, two cousins who I had never met. We had a good time, with Gary busting my chops a bit about my tendency to plan to the last detail on our family vacations. Oh, well. It works, and I try not to fix the things that work. There are too many other things that aren’t. I also made a point of visiting with Denny Conley. He told me a story about my Dad, and I wished I would have had more time to talk him and hear a few more. It was evident that he dearly misses his wife, Charlene, who passed away about two years ago. I can only imagine the loss.
The party lasted past the 4 PM that was planned, which is always a good sign. The ladies, mostly Margo and Ginger, jumped all over the clean up. About the time that was over, so was the party. I was thrilled to see everyone that had shown up, but disappointed that Teresa, Uncle Jimmy’s girls, Aunt Opal, and Tommy McKnight couldn’t make it. But, they were all either working or at a wedding. I had mentioned to Ginger that I wanted to see Aunt Opal and she offered to take me by to see if she was at home. Carlos was of the same mind as me, so he followed, too. We were there in about 5 minutes.
Aunt Opal was at home, and sitting out on her patio enjoying the beautiful evening. Ginger pulled in, and we pulled in behind her. Ginger was worried that Aunt Opal wouldn’t recognize her, as she hadn’t seen her in about 5 years, and Aunt Opal is 85. But, the first thing Aunt Opal says is “Are you going to get out of the car or not” with a big grin. She also recognized Carlos and me. We had a great visit. And, about half way through, Aunt Opal’s daughter, Shelia and her husband, Bill Rhodes came over. This made me very happy, as I got to see one more cousin, and got to visit with her and Bill. He is quite a character and made the evening that much more fun.
But it was getting dark, so it was time to call it a night. Carlos had left earlier, as he both wanted to say good bye to Aunt Ellen, and he had a long drive to get back home to Somerset, KY. I was torn between going back to Aunt Ellen’s or to get to my bed. In the end, bed won. Margo and I were still running on a sleep deficit and we were beat. So, after a stop at Wal-mart to throw something in the microwave for a late meal, we ate, and went to bed.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Shelia, Aunt Opal, and Bill
Sunday, was our last day in Ashland. That was sad. We had a good time visiting with everyone. But, maybe we would still get to see some people that couldn’t make it. Margo and I ate breakfast at the hotel again, and then drove over to Aunt Ellen’s. Gary, his son, Joey and his wife, Peggy were all there. They had spent the night at Aunt Ellen’s. Gary and Uncle Tom were busy in the kitchen frying bacon and making gravy. We had eaten, but we weren’t about to be rude. And the food was great. The bacon was fried perfectly, and the sausage gravy was very good, too.
After breakfast we talked quite a bit, with Joey and me dancing around politics. He was gently baiting me on politics, but I had promised Margo I wasn’t going to get into that on this vacation. But there was much other ground to cover with family and various other topics, so it was all good. We talked the morning away and the first nearly two hours of the afternoon, before Gary and his kids had to leave. They also had a long drive down to Tennessee. That left just Ginger, Margo, and me. Ginger had to leave a couple of hours later, so she could get dinner going, plus Elizabeth was sick. But, the time seemed to fly by, and we were sad to see her go home.
We had managed to squeeze in both a light lunch and a visit to Rose Hill to see grandma, and my Aunts’ graves, when Gary and them left. That was another thing that we had hoped to accomplish. That only left seeing Teresa, Amanda, Sharon, and Tommy. We had not seen Uncle Bill either, but he was down in Lexington on some sort of church retreat, so we wouldn’t be seeing him. But, unless some of the others were going to come over, it wasn’t going to happen. I really wanted to spend what little time we had left over at Aunt Ellen’s. Tommy had called Ginger, and let her know that he was working overtime and would not be home until late. So as the hours went by we were not hopeful that we would get to see anyone else. The Tommy called around 7 PM, and told his mom that he was off at his normal 7 PM time. She wasn’t sure if he would be over, but she mentioned that we were still here, and about 15 minutes later so was Tommy.
It was really great to see him again. We had a nice time comparing travel notes. He really likes the Rocky Mountain region, and I was really looking forward to seeing the Smokys. I invited him to come out when he could. That would be fun to take some time off, and visit some of Colorado with out-of-towners. I have never done that before, and I think it would be a lot of fun.
But, by 8:30 I was starting to think about that long drive down to North Carolina, and we had to say our good byes. Aunt Ellen started to well up, and I almost started as well. We are going to come out again, as soon as we can. But, you just don’t know when that will be. We have a couple of trips planned already, and God willing we can work in another one here.
After breakfast we talked quite a bit, with Joey and me dancing around politics. He was gently baiting me on politics, but I had promised Margo I wasn’t going to get into that on this vacation. But there was much other ground to cover with family and various other topics, so it was all good. We talked the morning away and the first nearly two hours of the afternoon, before Gary and his kids had to leave. They also had a long drive down to Tennessee. That left just Ginger, Margo, and me. Ginger had to leave a couple of hours later, so she could get dinner going, plus Elizabeth was sick. But, the time seemed to fly by, and we were sad to see her go home.
We had managed to squeeze in both a light lunch and a visit to Rose Hill to see grandma, and my Aunts’ graves, when Gary and them left. That was another thing that we had hoped to accomplish. That only left seeing Teresa, Amanda, Sharon, and Tommy. We had not seen Uncle Bill either, but he was down in Lexington on some sort of church retreat, so we wouldn’t be seeing him. But, unless some of the others were going to come over, it wasn’t going to happen. I really wanted to spend what little time we had left over at Aunt Ellen’s. Tommy had called Ginger, and let her know that he was working overtime and would not be home until late. So as the hours went by we were not hopeful that we would get to see anyone else. The Tommy called around 7 PM, and told his mom that he was off at his normal 7 PM time. She wasn’t sure if he would be over, but she mentioned that we were still here, and about 15 minutes later so was Tommy.
It was really great to see him again. We had a nice time comparing travel notes. He really likes the Rocky Mountain region, and I was really looking forward to seeing the Smokys. I invited him to come out when he could. That would be fun to take some time off, and visit some of Colorado with out-of-towners. I have never done that before, and I think it would be a lot of fun.
But, by 8:30 I was starting to think about that long drive down to North Carolina, and we had to say our good byes. Aunt Ellen started to well up, and I almost started as well. We are going to come out again, as soon as we can. But, you just don’t know when that will be. We have a couple of trips planned already, and God willing we can work in another one here.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Over the last two days I had gotten the same advice from both Gary and Carlos, with respect to which way I should take to get from Ashland to the Smokys. That would be the eastern route on Highway 23, which goes through Virginia. However, on the way up from Knoxville, we had followed the GPS which led us through the Lexington area, and more importantly, right past Fort Boonesborough State Park. This is important because my (and for that matter, Gary, Tommy, and Carlos, too) 4th great-grandfather, Joshua Penix, was at Boonesborough with Daniel Boone. His name in on the big obelisk monument in the parking lot there at the fort. I wanted to see, at least the monument, and take a picture there. So in the end I decided to retrace my route back the same way.
It was a two hour drive to the fort, which was perfect for us, as we usually stop every two hours when we take a road trip. Someone always has to go to the bathroom by then. We got there and snapped my picture. I really need to learn to smile in these things. I look like I am being forced to do this at gun point. The walls to the fort make it hard to see what is inside, but the gate was open for a minute while a worker went to his car, so I got a quick peek inside. It looks like a very interesting place to spend a couple of hours learning about 18th century Kentucky. But, we didn’t have the time to spare on this trip. We will likely be back one day.
It was a two hour drive to the fort, which was perfect for us, as we usually stop every two hours when we take a road trip. Someone always has to go to the bathroom by then. We got there and snapped my picture. I really need to learn to smile in these things. I look like I am being forced to do this at gun point. The walls to the fort make it hard to see what is inside, but the gate was open for a minute while a worker went to his car, so I got a quick peek inside. It looks like a very interesting place to spend a couple of hours learning about 18th century Kentucky. But, we didn’t have the time to spare on this trip. We will likely be back one day.
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Our next stop was Pigeon Forge, TN. Home of Dollywood and the fairly new Titanic exhibit and museum. Margo is a Titanic fan, and while checking out Pigeon Forge on the internet, just a few days before we left I found out about the Titanic thing. It was too late to drop Dollywood, as I had pre-purchased tickets; Margo wanted to do that, too. So, I decided that I would have her choose either skipping Titanic or cutting Dollywood short. I already knew the answer, so I had Titanic’s address pre-programmed into the GPS. That made our first stop in Pigeon Forge, the Titanic attraction. We got there about 12:15 PM and decided to forego lunch until we finished seeing if Titanic was any more unsinkable than history had shown. Two hours later we discovered it wasn’t. But, we did discover we really liked it. The museum walked us from construction all the way until James Cameron and Kate Winslet got together to make a movie. It was a very good museum. Margo and I have been to the one in Orlando, twice. This was much better. The museum building is made in the image of the historic ship, and there are quite a few re-enactors there to tell up about historic or important parts of the ship’s past. Liberally sprinkled were artifacts and stories of real people associated with the ship. It was very interesting and I was glad that we did it. It goes out with saying (but I’m saying it anyway) that Margo had a good time.
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Next up was Dollywood. I had only minimal interest in going. It was more on the order of being able to say I had been there, than having some sort of burning desire to visit. Normal, like below Disney/Universal Studios level, amusement park rides are not high on my to do list any more. But, I knew that Dollywood was themed to be more like a backwoods cultural experience. Not high culture, but more my speed anyway. I was sure I would still enjoy being there. We ended up riding exactly zero rides. But, we did bounce around and visit the shops and various artisans. Then, by accident, we came across Eagle Mountain Sanctuary. This is a bald eagle sanctuary, and easily the best bird exhibit I have ever seen. There were many bald eagles, all of which were unable to be released to the wild due to various circumstances, in the sanctuary. Margo and I were able to get several really good pictures, as they were so close. They are so much more impressive in person, than at Barr Lake (back home), or on TV.
Then we noticed that a free raptor show had begun next door and we hurried to grab seats. This ended up being as good as the sanctuary. The highlight was when a bald eagle was brought out on stage. But we enjoyed the Red Tailed Hawk as well, especially when it let out one of it’s distinctive screeches. There were several other birds of prey they put through their paces. They had a couple of them fly around the small arena, and the final bird, would take cash from your hand and put it in a box. This was done to raise money for the sanctuary. I contributed, and the bird is very fast. Margo couldn’t get the picture he was so fast. By the time we were done, I was wishing we could have seen it again, which from me is high praise.
We didn’t spend a lot more time in the park, partly because it was getting late and they close at 7 PM. It was about 6:30 when we left, but it was time. We were tired and still had another 2 hours to drive to our cabin. We got on the road, and in no time we were in Gatlinburg. The traffic was not too bad. Gary and Carlos had said delays through town could be bad, but as it was Monday, and after the kids were back in school, and early evening, it was just slow going, instead of stopped. The drive through Smoky Mountains National Park was slower than I expected, but that was due to the twists and turns of the highway. We were often the slowest moving vehicle, but we would get out of the way anytime there was someone behind us, which was not often.
It was getting dark when we pulled into Bryson City, and I had to call our cabin manager to let them know we were close. We were staying at Rock Creek Cabins, and that is part of their security precautions. The road leading to the cabin started out as a wide two lane. They we turned onto a narrow two lane, which had about an 11% grade. Then we came to a narrow one lane, sometimes paved and sometimes not, road, which got steeper. Margo was not pleased. It was past dusk and light was low. Then we turned onto a narrower, paved road that felt like we were going straight up. You had to look out the sides to see the road. Looking out the windshield you only saw tree tops. But, that was short, and it got a bit better. 100 yards later and we were parked in front of our cabin.
The cabin was a nice hewn log variety, about 20 x 25 foot. It has an upstairs with two beds, a master bed room, a bathroom, and a large combination sitting room and kitchen. It has an 8 x 25 foot porch, with a swing and two rocking chairs. Plus, there is a hot tub. We decided to use that the first night. We elected not to go back down the mountain in the dark, for dinner. We were hungry, but we had some snacks to tide us over until morning. So after a dip in the hot tub, and Margo getting us settled in, it was time for bed.
Then we noticed that a free raptor show had begun next door and we hurried to grab seats. This ended up being as good as the sanctuary. The highlight was when a bald eagle was brought out on stage. But we enjoyed the Red Tailed Hawk as well, especially when it let out one of it’s distinctive screeches. There were several other birds of prey they put through their paces. They had a couple of them fly around the small arena, and the final bird, would take cash from your hand and put it in a box. This was done to raise money for the sanctuary. I contributed, and the bird is very fast. Margo couldn’t get the picture he was so fast. By the time we were done, I was wishing we could have seen it again, which from me is high praise.
We didn’t spend a lot more time in the park, partly because it was getting late and they close at 7 PM. It was about 6:30 when we left, but it was time. We were tired and still had another 2 hours to drive to our cabin. We got on the road, and in no time we were in Gatlinburg. The traffic was not too bad. Gary and Carlos had said delays through town could be bad, but as it was Monday, and after the kids were back in school, and early evening, it was just slow going, instead of stopped. The drive through Smoky Mountains National Park was slower than I expected, but that was due to the twists and turns of the highway. We were often the slowest moving vehicle, but we would get out of the way anytime there was someone behind us, which was not often.
It was getting dark when we pulled into Bryson City, and I had to call our cabin manager to let them know we were close. We were staying at Rock Creek Cabins, and that is part of their security precautions. The road leading to the cabin started out as a wide two lane. They we turned onto a narrow two lane, which had about an 11% grade. Then we came to a narrow one lane, sometimes paved and sometimes not, road, which got steeper. Margo was not pleased. It was past dusk and light was low. Then we turned onto a narrower, paved road that felt like we were going straight up. You had to look out the sides to see the road. Looking out the windshield you only saw tree tops. But, that was short, and it got a bit better. 100 yards later and we were parked in front of our cabin.
The cabin was a nice hewn log variety, about 20 x 25 foot. It has an upstairs with two beds, a master bed room, a bathroom, and a large combination sitting room and kitchen. It has an 8 x 25 foot porch, with a swing and two rocking chairs. Plus, there is a hot tub. We decided to use that the first night. We elected not to go back down the mountain in the dark, for dinner. We were hungry, but we had some snacks to tide us over until morning. So after a dip in the hot tub, and Margo getting us settled in, it was time for bed.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday was our first full day in the Smokys, and our plan was to drive back into the park and take a horseback ride to Chasteen Falls. We would be in the saddle for about 2 ½ hours, which should be plenty for a couple of spoiled city dwellers. Our guide was named Gin, and she appeared to live in the saddle. She was just returning from one ride, made her apologies for needing to switch the saddle pad on her mount, before we could go, and then we were being introduced to our equine companions for the day. Margo had a gelding named Midnight, who would prove to be very gentle and easy to manage. I had a mare named Pearl, who Gin described as a diva. She was doubled padded under her saddle, and I was warned that I would have to pay extra attention to my balance. That turned out to be nothing. I was also warned not to let her stop to graze. Pearl did have a bit of an issue with that. I had to give her bridle a good jerk a couple of times. Pearl also decided she would walk a different path on the trail then Margo’s mount. But, who was I to argue with her. She had made the trek maybe hundreds of times, and I was taking my first turn. So she got to choose her own path. And if truth be told, I could have dropped the reins, and she would have gotten me to the falls without guidance.
The ride up to the falls took about an hour, and we spent about ten minutes there. Margo and I got several good pictures, and the other couple that was with us took a shot of us together. They had a stool so we could remount our horses. That was thoughtful of them; because I was not alone in thinking that without the mounting assistance I would be screwed getting back on the horse. As much as I wish it were otherwise; I’m no cowboy. The ride back was about the same as the ride up, except that I was getting sleepy. I had often read about sleeping in the saddle, and now I thought that I might actually be able to pull it off. But, in do course we were back at the stables. I gave Gin a $20 tip, as she did a good job, and she is a student. I always like to help those working their way through college.
As we had to go right through Cherokee, in the Cherokee reservation, we decided to stop and have a look in the shops. We had plenty of souvenirs to buy, and we might as well get started. We found a place to park and made lunch our first stop. We decided on a place called The Pizza Inn as it had a lunch buffet. They had a decent salad bar, but the food wasn’t that good. Except for the cinnamon cannoli, that was a dessert option. That was pretty good. Afterwards we bounced around from shop to shop, not really buying much. We figured we had some time, so unless we found something perfect, we just past it by.
We were soon getting tired, and then gave a little thought to what we would do for dinner. We opted to find a grocery store, and pick up something for dinner, as well as some wine to last us all three remaining evenings. We decided on meatloaf and mashed potatoes. By the time we got back to the cabin I was starting to feel a little hungry, so I started dinner. About half way through, I started feeling ill. Not really bad, but an upset stomach, and a flushed feeling. Not what you want on vacation. I finished cooking, and by the time it was time to eat, my appetite was gone. I had a few bites of my dinner, and just gave up. This was not like me at all. Margo took pity on me and did the dishes. I would have just gone to bed, but I wasn’t feeling overly tired and decided to just work on the computer a bit. After a couple of hours, I started to feel better, tired, and a bit hungry all at once. I had been more than a bit concerned I would be feeling much worse, but by the time I went to bed, I was feeling fine. No idea what happened or why it left. I’m just thankful it did
The ride up to the falls took about an hour, and we spent about ten minutes there. Margo and I got several good pictures, and the other couple that was with us took a shot of us together. They had a stool so we could remount our horses. That was thoughtful of them; because I was not alone in thinking that without the mounting assistance I would be screwed getting back on the horse. As much as I wish it were otherwise; I’m no cowboy. The ride back was about the same as the ride up, except that I was getting sleepy. I had often read about sleeping in the saddle, and now I thought that I might actually be able to pull it off. But, in do course we were back at the stables. I gave Gin a $20 tip, as she did a good job, and she is a student. I always like to help those working their way through college.
As we had to go right through Cherokee, in the Cherokee reservation, we decided to stop and have a look in the shops. We had plenty of souvenirs to buy, and we might as well get started. We found a place to park and made lunch our first stop. We decided on a place called The Pizza Inn as it had a lunch buffet. They had a decent salad bar, but the food wasn’t that good. Except for the cinnamon cannoli, that was a dessert option. That was pretty good. Afterwards we bounced around from shop to shop, not really buying much. We figured we had some time, so unless we found something perfect, we just past it by.
We were soon getting tired, and then gave a little thought to what we would do for dinner. We opted to find a grocery store, and pick up something for dinner, as well as some wine to last us all three remaining evenings. We decided on meatloaf and mashed potatoes. By the time we got back to the cabin I was starting to feel a little hungry, so I started dinner. About half way through, I started feeling ill. Not really bad, but an upset stomach, and a flushed feeling. Not what you want on vacation. I finished cooking, and by the time it was time to eat, my appetite was gone. I had a few bites of my dinner, and just gave up. This was not like me at all. Margo took pity on me and did the dishes. I would have just gone to bed, but I wasn’t feeling overly tired and decided to just work on the computer a bit. After a couple of hours, I started to feel better, tired, and a bit hungry all at once. I had been more than a bit concerned I would be feeling much worse, but by the time I went to bed, I was feeling fine. No idea what happened or why it left. I’m just thankful it did
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday’s plan was to take a jet boat ride on Lake Fontana. We started the day, with breakfast at The Iron Skillet, in Bryson. We had tried it yesterday, and decided it was worth doing again. Afterwards it was about a 20 minute drive to the lake. The GPS worked great and took us right to the door. We were early, so we snapped a few pictures and then waited for our bus. The office for this place was not on the lake, as it turned out. The wait was short and soon we were at the lake. We had the first trip of the day at 11 AM, and the ride itself was to be about 35-40 minutes on the lake. These boats are powered by some sort of vectored exhaust thrust engine, and have the ability to turn very tightly. They also have a shallow draft and we were told they could travel in 4” of water, once they got going.
The boat ride itself was interesting and fun, but not exactly roller coaster thrilling. The spins that the captain did were fun, and so was the flat out running on the lake. We enjoyed it, but it was too short. We did learn a little about the lake and it’s area. The most impressive thing was the cost of the few homes that had been built there. There was one that was described as a 7000 sq ft vacation home, which cost 5 million to build. After we saw the homes, the ride was over. We got on the bus and went back to the office.
The boat ride itself was interesting and fun, but not exactly roller coaster thrilling. The spins that the captain did were fun, and so was the flat out running on the lake. We enjoyed it, but it was too short. We did learn a little about the lake and it’s area. The most impressive thing was the cost of the few homes that had been built there. There was one that was described as a 7000 sq ft vacation home, which cost 5 million to build. After we saw the homes, the ride was over. We got on the bus and went back to the office.
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That was our planned activity of the day. So we decided to go back to Bryson and check out the shops. We covered about all of them, plus lunch in two hours. We ate at a sub shop called The Filling Station, which was very good. As for the shops in Bryson; not so much. I convinced Margo that we had to go back to Cherokee to get most of the gifts we would bring back, as Bryson didn’t have much of anything. So that’s what we did. After a few hours of that, in which Margo spent way too much, but had a good time doing it, we headed back towards Bryson, with an eye towards dinner plans. Margo had saved most of the meatloaf and potatoes from yesterday, and that would be enough for me. Margo decided she wanted to have the scalloped potatoes for her meal. Plus, we had snacks. So that’s what we did.
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Afterwards Margo was in a generous mood, and did the dishes again.
I had trouble sleeping that night. Maybe it was too much wine. But, I couldn’t get comfortable. I was too hot, or the pillow was not right, or my stomach was off. So I was up and down several times. Once to pound on the room wall, as some sort of critter, mouse or squirrel, was gnawing on the wood. I finally scared it off, and some time after 3:00 AM, I finally drifted off.
I had trouble sleeping that night. Maybe it was too much wine. But, I couldn’t get comfortable. I was too hot, or the pillow was not right, or my stomach was off. So I was up and down several times. Once to pound on the room wall, as some sort of critter, mouse or squirrel, was gnawing on the wood. I finally scared it off, and some time after 3:00 AM, I finally drifted off.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Thursday I had been most looking forward to, and dreading. We were going to zip line in Nantahala Forest, in the same area as Lake Fontana. It promised to be a lot of fun. And Thursday was our last real day of vacation. We would be travelling all day on Friday. Anyway zip lining is where you are strapped into a harness, and then the harness is clipped to an aviation grade cable that is anchored between a couple of trees. Then you let gravity zip you to the other side. I had wondered if Margo would be up to trying it, and to my surprise she jumped at the idea.
We drove to the forest, and had just a small bit of trouble finding the place, as it was off the road, and down a dirt road that did not look right. But, we were early so it didn’t matter. We got checked in and after a short wait for another couple who had made a reservation to do it, we met our guides; Charley (4800 + zip line trips) and Keith aka Batman. Charley was mid-20s and looked like a 6th year college student. Keith was in his 50s or maybe 60s and quite a character. You might expect that from someone who is known as Batman and has the cape to go with the moniker. But, they both were very professional and very good.
We drove to the forest, and had just a small bit of trouble finding the place, as it was off the road, and down a dirt road that did not look right. But, we were early so it didn’t matter. We got checked in and after a short wait for another couple who had made a reservation to do it, we met our guides; Charley (4800 + zip line trips) and Keith aka Batman. Charley was mid-20s and looked like a 6th year college student. Keith was in his 50s or maybe 60s and quite a character. You might expect that from someone who is known as Batman and has the cape to go with the moniker. But, they both were very professional and very good.
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They got us, which consisted of four couples, into our harnesses, and took us outside for our safety briefing and the basics of how to zip line. It was pretty simple stuff, and they put a lot of emphasis on safety. The next part of our trip was the worse, especially for Margo. In order for zip lining to work, you have to start at elevation, and let gravity take you down. There were 11 zip lines we would be negotiating, so we had a bit of hill climbing to do. I was OK, but a little out of breath. Margo had to stop. She was complaining that she could not breathe. But, we were close enough that you could see the end and she soldiered on. She was very glad that she did.
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For the next 1 ½ hours, give or take, we zipped from one location to another. The whole time Batman would be joking and bantering with one or more of us. He kept a close eye on Margo, but she was completely fine after getting up the hill. Batman would stop us a various points to explain the geological history of the area or tell us about the trees. All the while he would be in radio contact with Charley, who was receiving us zippers, making sure all was clear and safe. The time passed quickly and too soon we were at the very last zip, which was over 600 feet long. We were instructed to yell and make lots of noise, to give the next group that was setting up something to think about. Most everyone did. Neither Margo nor I are much on yelling, but she gave out a credible scream, and I did my best “Yee-Haw”. The best was a girl named Lori, who sounded like she was being murdered. It had to have given pause to those in the office.
Then it was over. It had been a great morning, and the feeling of dread that the vacation was coming to an end was starting to creep in. Reality, which had been kept at bay, was starting to intrude. Things like, the cars we had had the kids drop off at the mechanic. Both Margo’s car and Jessi’s car were broke. Margo’s heater/A/C was not working, and Jessi’s car would not stay running. Margo’s car also needed all four struts replaced. So, I offered to pay for Jessi’s car repair if Pete would install the struts, and do the brakes on Margo’s car. That was probably about 6 hours of labor, and the cost of the repair on her car looks to be about $525. I’ll find out on Friday. Margo’s car was still being diagnosed, but it will likely not be any cheaper. Still it’s better than the cost of replacing them.
More reality. Jessi had called us Sunday evening and told us that Pete had fainted. It had happened once before, several months ago. He was fine one minute, and then just passed out. The first time he hit his head. This time he was already sitting down, and he just felt sick before fainting. This time Jessi talked him into seeing the doctor. We haven’t gotten the full story, but the doctor said he has got some sort of condition, with a long medical name, that means that sometimes, unpredictably so, when he has a full bladder, pressure is exerted on a nerve. When that pressure is relieved it causes the biological conditions, like low blood pressure, and he faints. I don’t really understand that, but it’s a long, varied, and growing list of things I don’t understand.
Then it was over. It had been a great morning, and the feeling of dread that the vacation was coming to an end was starting to creep in. Reality, which had been kept at bay, was starting to intrude. Things like, the cars we had had the kids drop off at the mechanic. Both Margo’s car and Jessi’s car were broke. Margo’s heater/A/C was not working, and Jessi’s car would not stay running. Margo’s car also needed all four struts replaced. So, I offered to pay for Jessi’s car repair if Pete would install the struts, and do the brakes on Margo’s car. That was probably about 6 hours of labor, and the cost of the repair on her car looks to be about $525. I’ll find out on Friday. Margo’s car was still being diagnosed, but it will likely not be any cheaper. Still it’s better than the cost of replacing them.
More reality. Jessi had called us Sunday evening and told us that Pete had fainted. It had happened once before, several months ago. He was fine one minute, and then just passed out. The first time he hit his head. This time he was already sitting down, and he just felt sick before fainting. This time Jessi talked him into seeing the doctor. We haven’t gotten the full story, but the doctor said he has got some sort of condition, with a long medical name, that means that sometimes, unpredictably so, when he has a full bladder, pressure is exerted on a nerve. When that pressure is relieved it causes the biological conditions, like low blood pressure, and he faints. I don’t really understand that, but it’s a long, varied, and growing list of things I don’t understand.
cont
Calaboose Winery
We finished up at Nantahala Canopy Tours at about 1 PM. I had scouted out a winery about an hour’s drive west of where we were. We had never been wine tasting, and Calaboose Cellars sounded like a good first experience. It is located in Andrews, NC, and is the smallest complete winery in the United States. There is a smaller winery in Napa Valley, but they don’t have a tasting room. Calaboose, called such because the building it was housed in was used as a jail in the 1920s, doesn’t have one either. They have a tasting corner of a room. But, it worked just fine.
Lori, the wife part of the husband and wife team that own and operate the winery was very gracious and gave us a tour of the winery, and explained the wine making process. While the tour obviously did not take long, you had to marvel at how they were able to do what they do in such a small space. We tasted seven different wines, starting with the driest and moving to the sweetest. Margo and I both liked the Revinoor's Red and the Strawberry Rhubarb, so we bought a bottle of each and had Lori ship it to us. With that done, we left and made our way back to Bryson.
But, there were a few hours of real vacation left, so we decided to spend them doing what else, more shopping. I complain about it, but I like seeing most, well, a few of the shops. It is interesting to see the things that are sold in various parts of the world. For instance, I have now been introduced to Kudzu Blossom Jelly and Boiled Peanuts. I don’t recall if I saw kudzu in Kentucky. I have seen it all over the deeper south, and it was ubiquitous on this trip. It is a Japanese plant, imported into this country in the 1930s to help with areas prone to soil erosion. However, it can grow at a foot per day, and will take over any place that it is planted. I have seen it turning whole 30 foot trees into a green tower. But, I had never heard of a productive use for this plant, which is classified as a noxious weed. Now I have.
As for Boiled Peanuts; they are a cousin to Deep Fried Peanuts. Whole peanuts shell and all are tossed in to hot oil to cook. We tried them, and they are pretty good. Boiled are done in boiling water, and come out the consistency of a cooked pinto bean. Or so, we are told. Even though the signs indicating there sale were all over, Margo could not be talked into trying them. And what fun would it be for me to be the guinea pig?
So it was shopping in Bryson for one final tee-shirt. That actually only took a few minutes, as Margo had both the tee shirt and the store where it could be found in mine. So with that accomplished we decided to something crazy. We went back to the cabin and took a nap. Margo climbed into bed and was out in minutes. I wanted to post a few pics on Facebook, and I got that done. Then as Margo was snoring away, I didn’t want to disturb her, so I went upstairs and laid down on one of the beds up there, and got about an hour’s worth of sleep.
When we got up we were getting a little hungry so we decided to spend our last evening in town. We had not eaten dinner in Bryson, yet. Margo suggested the Iron Skillet again, but we had eaten there three times for breakfast, and while that was good, I wanted to try a different place. We pick three possibles, and drove to town. Margo kind of wanted a chicken fried steak. The first two places did not have it on their menu, and she gave up, so we ate at the second place, The Station Restaurant. The food was good, but not spectacular. I had chicken alfredo and Margo had meatloaf. Their meatloaf had a lot of peppers and celery, which gave it color and character. But, Margo was not enamored with “all the shit in it”. But, the mashed potatoes were good. We encountered a tomato variety here, as well as at the sub shop. I’m not sure what it was, but it was flavorful, had a good red color to it, and had some sort of white marbling on the inside. While that was a tad put offing, they were really good. I wish I had asked what kind they were.
After dinner, vacation was for all practical purposes over. As quick as we got back to the cabin, Margo started packing, and I got to work on this letter, as I knew I would ramble on. I pushed hard to get us to bed by 10 PM, as we were getting up at 4 AM. But, it was closer to 11 AM before we turned in.
Lori, the wife part of the husband and wife team that own and operate the winery was very gracious and gave us a tour of the winery, and explained the wine making process. While the tour obviously did not take long, you had to marvel at how they were able to do what they do in such a small space. We tasted seven different wines, starting with the driest and moving to the sweetest. Margo and I both liked the Revinoor's Red and the Strawberry Rhubarb, so we bought a bottle of each and had Lori ship it to us. With that done, we left and made our way back to Bryson.
But, there were a few hours of real vacation left, so we decided to spend them doing what else, more shopping. I complain about it, but I like seeing most, well, a few of the shops. It is interesting to see the things that are sold in various parts of the world. For instance, I have now been introduced to Kudzu Blossom Jelly and Boiled Peanuts. I don’t recall if I saw kudzu in Kentucky. I have seen it all over the deeper south, and it was ubiquitous on this trip. It is a Japanese plant, imported into this country in the 1930s to help with areas prone to soil erosion. However, it can grow at a foot per day, and will take over any place that it is planted. I have seen it turning whole 30 foot trees into a green tower. But, I had never heard of a productive use for this plant, which is classified as a noxious weed. Now I have.
As for Boiled Peanuts; they are a cousin to Deep Fried Peanuts. Whole peanuts shell and all are tossed in to hot oil to cook. We tried them, and they are pretty good. Boiled are done in boiling water, and come out the consistency of a cooked pinto bean. Or so, we are told. Even though the signs indicating there sale were all over, Margo could not be talked into trying them. And what fun would it be for me to be the guinea pig?
So it was shopping in Bryson for one final tee-shirt. That actually only took a few minutes, as Margo had both the tee shirt and the store where it could be found in mine. So with that accomplished we decided to something crazy. We went back to the cabin and took a nap. Margo climbed into bed and was out in minutes. I wanted to post a few pics on Facebook, and I got that done. Then as Margo was snoring away, I didn’t want to disturb her, so I went upstairs and laid down on one of the beds up there, and got about an hour’s worth of sleep.
When we got up we were getting a little hungry so we decided to spend our last evening in town. We had not eaten dinner in Bryson, yet. Margo suggested the Iron Skillet again, but we had eaten there three times for breakfast, and while that was good, I wanted to try a different place. We pick three possibles, and drove to town. Margo kind of wanted a chicken fried steak. The first two places did not have it on their menu, and she gave up, so we ate at the second place, The Station Restaurant. The food was good, but not spectacular. I had chicken alfredo and Margo had meatloaf. Their meatloaf had a lot of peppers and celery, which gave it color and character. But, Margo was not enamored with “all the shit in it”. But, the mashed potatoes were good. We encountered a tomato variety here, as well as at the sub shop. I’m not sure what it was, but it was flavorful, had a good red color to it, and had some sort of white marbling on the inside. While that was a tad put offing, they were really good. I wish I had asked what kind they were.
After dinner, vacation was for all practical purposes over. As quick as we got back to the cabin, Margo started packing, and I got to work on this letter, as I knew I would ramble on. I pushed hard to get us to bed by 10 PM, as we were getting up at 4 AM. But, it was closer to 11 AM before we turned in.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Part of the Appalachian Trail. I hiked it! Well, a hundred yards of it anyway
4 AM is just as dark in the North Carolina Smokys as it is in Colorado. So, we sleepwalked our way through loading the car and were soon on our way. I actually did not make 4 AM. I was allowed to linger until about 4:25 while Margo got ready. But, we were on the road by 6 AM, and filled the tank before leaving town. Our next stop was Pigeon Forge. I was wrong when I mentioned we had bought our last tee shirt. Margo wanted one from the Titanic museum we had visited. The one she wanted when we were there on Monday was out of stock, but one lady thought they might be getting more in later in the week. I promised Margo we would try to stop when we passed back through.
My plan was to be there when it opened at 9 AM. Then we could spend up to ½ hour there, and still get to Knoxville in time for the rental car return, check the bag, security, and all of the fun associated with 21st century air travel. If we got into Pigeon Forge early, which we should, leaving at 6 AM for about a 1 ½ drive, we could also have breakfast there. I also thought that maybe we would stop at the Newfound Gap overlook to maybe see the sunrise.
We made it to Newfound Gap, and even stopped at an additional overlook before hand. Sunrise was happening, but it was not really visible, so it was not what I expected. It was still very beautiful. The Newfound Gap overlook also has the distinction of being right on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, and has a trailhead to the Appalachian Trail system. I have thought of hiking on the Appalachian Trail, so I did; for about 200 yards. It was all up hill, however, with many roots and rocks, so that should count for something.
Once we were back on the road, I, as I had been, kept my eye out for wildlife. I wanted to see a bear, but so far I had not seen any. I supposed Davy Crockett had thinned them out too much nearly 200 years ago. We had seen a very nice elk on the Carolina side, on Monday, but that had been the highlight of our animal sightings. As we rounded one of the numerous curves in the park we came upon a group on animals I never even given a thought to seeing; wild hogs. I had never even given a thought that they might inhabit the Smokys. I had thought that was an Ozark kind of thing. But, there were four or five of them rooting around in and near the road. Our car spooked them of course, and I had not had my camera ready.
The rest of the drive to Pigeon Forge was uneventful, and we pulled into the Log Cabin Pancake House to have breakfast, at about 8 AM. Our meal was very good, and we were then able to arrive at The Titanic museum in plenty of time. We spent that taking a few more pictures of the outside, including the back which had the iceberg, which we had failed to notice until it was too late, back on Monday. History repeats itself, albeit on a much less tragic scale.
My plan was to be there when it opened at 9 AM. Then we could spend up to ½ hour there, and still get to Knoxville in time for the rental car return, check the bag, security, and all of the fun associated with 21st century air travel. If we got into Pigeon Forge early, which we should, leaving at 6 AM for about a 1 ½ drive, we could also have breakfast there. I also thought that maybe we would stop at the Newfound Gap overlook to maybe see the sunrise.
We made it to Newfound Gap, and even stopped at an additional overlook before hand. Sunrise was happening, but it was not really visible, so it was not what I expected. It was still very beautiful. The Newfound Gap overlook also has the distinction of being right on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, and has a trailhead to the Appalachian Trail system. I have thought of hiking on the Appalachian Trail, so I did; for about 200 yards. It was all up hill, however, with many roots and rocks, so that should count for something.
Once we were back on the road, I, as I had been, kept my eye out for wildlife. I wanted to see a bear, but so far I had not seen any. I supposed Davy Crockett had thinned them out too much nearly 200 years ago. We had seen a very nice elk on the Carolina side, on Monday, but that had been the highlight of our animal sightings. As we rounded one of the numerous curves in the park we came upon a group on animals I never even given a thought to seeing; wild hogs. I had never even given a thought that they might inhabit the Smokys. I had thought that was an Ozark kind of thing. But, there were four or five of them rooting around in and near the road. Our car spooked them of course, and I had not had my camera ready.
The rest of the drive to Pigeon Forge was uneventful, and we pulled into the Log Cabin Pancake House to have breakfast, at about 8 AM. Our meal was very good, and we were then able to arrive at The Titanic museum in plenty of time. We spent that taking a few more pictures of the outside, including the back which had the iceberg, which we had failed to notice until it was too late, back on Monday. History repeats itself, albeit on a much less tragic scale.
cont
Margo, playing the part of "The Iceburg"
Pictures and t-shirt on hand we were soon on our way to the Tyson McGhee Airport in Knoxville. The rental car check-in was the first on many things that would annoy me through out the remainder of the day. When we travel, Margo does the driving, with me occasionally spelling her. But, I don’t tell the rental car people this. They like to charge a hefty fee for an additional driver, even though they have no additional liability because of it. I’m not a guy in favor or government regulations, and I’m not suggesting that they get involved here, but the rental car industry takes as many liberties as credit card companies do, with respect to fees. Anyway, I made the mistake of listing Margo as the driver, with the credit card paying for the car in my name. So of course they added a $10, per day, fee to the total. I would have objected, but under what grounds? I did drive, so I was caught. $70 spent, in which I got nothing in return for, except a little knowledge.
Next up was our check in (went smooth) and airport security. This did not go smooth. Their magnetometer did not like my artificial hip, so I had to under go one of the new intensive pat downs. The TSA agent was very professional about it, but I fumed the whole time. Why was this really needed? If a stranger did this to me, I could have him charged with 3rd degree sexual assault. I am much more in favor of profiling; that effective but politically incorrect technique that targets investigative efforts on traits and characteristics exhibited by past perpetrators. But, that would mean that Middle Eastern males would have to be more scrutinized and mentally retarded children with diapers on could be left alone.
We moved to boarding and the flight from Knoxville to Houston. That went smoothly. No hiccups there until landing. It was at this time that our plane would make a god-awful screeching sound when we would slow. If this had been a car, I would assume that the brakes were metal on metal. But this was not a car, and I was thankful I had not known about the screech prior to take off. The landing would have worried me. As it was, I dismissed it as something minor that they would have addressed, and my ignorance of aeronautical mechanics was assigning it greater import than it deserved.
We arrived at Bush Intercontinental Airport, in Houston, on time. We would not leave on time. First for a reason that was never explained by the Continental crew we did not begin boarding, nor did we even have a gate agent, until it was nearly time to depart. Even the airplane crew showed up before the gate agent. Once we were all seated, I was anxiously awaiting for departure, so I could set my watch to Mountain Time. I always have my watch set to local time, and when in an airport I never reset it to the arriving time zone until we are in the air. I have learned the hard way that you just might have to set it back. That just adds an extra annoyance to the delay. This delay that we were about to experience was another mechanical thing. The pilot informed us that the additional uniformed men who entered the plane were Continental mechanics intent on fixing something in the cockpit. The delay was not expected to be long. But, after being late by ½ hour with boarding, and this new ½ hour delay with the mechanical issue, we were now an hour late leaving Texas. Oh, goody. I just knew my bladder would be happy with that.
The two hour flight from Houston to Denver was uneventful and even a little productive, as I worked on this tome for at least an hour. But, as predicted, by the time we were getting close to Denver I had to go to the bathroom. We had encountered enough weather so the pilot had the seatbelt sign on, and I have been through enough sudden drops to respect the warning. So my bladders call for relief was going to have to be ignored for awhile. By the time we were landing my only thought was on the restroom. Maybe the pilot had the same thoughts, or maybe it was the weather which had turned a bit worse, but for whatever reason the landing was a huge jolt. Suddenly my bladder said “Never mind, I was only funnin’”. I, thankfully, didn’t feel the overwhelming urge to go anymore. I can’t explain the physiological, or maybe psychological, reason for this, but it was real. Plus, we were home, and I could get an early dinner, and just relax on the couch for awhile.
Or so I thought. The same weather that was the cause for the seatbelt sign to be on, and of the recent landing was now putting on quite the electrical show. We had been taxiing towards our gate, and then pulled up about 100 or so feet short. The Captain came on the speaker and announced that we had a ground stoppage due to the lightning. There was nobody on the tarmac with those cute flashlights to guide us the last ½ a football field to our gate. So we sat. Then we sat. Then we sat some more. The Captain came on three times to advice us that it would just be another 10 or 20 minutes or so. The first two were greeted with silence from the captive patrons. The last one was punctuated with groans and other noises of disappointment and disgust. After an hour of sitting within a stone’s throw of our gate, we moved the last few feet. This two hour leg had more than doubled. But, we were back under our own control.
From this point in time my day improved. Pete picked us up, we talked about our trip and what went on while we were gone, and when we got home began distributing all of the goodies we had brought home. We had a nice dinner outside, and I even got in a nice walk. Soon Friday was over and I was crawling into my own bed for a nice rest.
The last travel day not withstanding, we had a great time! It was everything (except seeing a bear) that I had hoped for. We will definitely be back to see the Smokys, again. This next time we will see it from the much more commercialized Tennessee side. I am actually looking forward to seeing one of the dinner shows, or one of the many other activities in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge. Maybe Dolly will be in town this time!
One note on this trip; we got very lucky weather-wise. We were in North Carolina when Hurricane Irene was hitting the east coast of the country. As it turned out we had perfect weather and were unaffected. However, days after we left the remnants of Hurricane Lee came up from Louisiana and soaked the western part of the state. We would have been miserable for at least part of our trip. I guess God blessed this trip with not only good weather, but no accidents, injuries, and a really good time!
Next up was our check in (went smooth) and airport security. This did not go smooth. Their magnetometer did not like my artificial hip, so I had to under go one of the new intensive pat downs. The TSA agent was very professional about it, but I fumed the whole time. Why was this really needed? If a stranger did this to me, I could have him charged with 3rd degree sexual assault. I am much more in favor of profiling; that effective but politically incorrect technique that targets investigative efforts on traits and characteristics exhibited by past perpetrators. But, that would mean that Middle Eastern males would have to be more scrutinized and mentally retarded children with diapers on could be left alone.
We moved to boarding and the flight from Knoxville to Houston. That went smoothly. No hiccups there until landing. It was at this time that our plane would make a god-awful screeching sound when we would slow. If this had been a car, I would assume that the brakes were metal on metal. But this was not a car, and I was thankful I had not known about the screech prior to take off. The landing would have worried me. As it was, I dismissed it as something minor that they would have addressed, and my ignorance of aeronautical mechanics was assigning it greater import than it deserved.
We arrived at Bush Intercontinental Airport, in Houston, on time. We would not leave on time. First for a reason that was never explained by the Continental crew we did not begin boarding, nor did we even have a gate agent, until it was nearly time to depart. Even the airplane crew showed up before the gate agent. Once we were all seated, I was anxiously awaiting for departure, so I could set my watch to Mountain Time. I always have my watch set to local time, and when in an airport I never reset it to the arriving time zone until we are in the air. I have learned the hard way that you just might have to set it back. That just adds an extra annoyance to the delay. This delay that we were about to experience was another mechanical thing. The pilot informed us that the additional uniformed men who entered the plane were Continental mechanics intent on fixing something in the cockpit. The delay was not expected to be long. But, after being late by ½ hour with boarding, and this new ½ hour delay with the mechanical issue, we were now an hour late leaving Texas. Oh, goody. I just knew my bladder would be happy with that.
The two hour flight from Houston to Denver was uneventful and even a little productive, as I worked on this tome for at least an hour. But, as predicted, by the time we were getting close to Denver I had to go to the bathroom. We had encountered enough weather so the pilot had the seatbelt sign on, and I have been through enough sudden drops to respect the warning. So my bladders call for relief was going to have to be ignored for awhile. By the time we were landing my only thought was on the restroom. Maybe the pilot had the same thoughts, or maybe it was the weather which had turned a bit worse, but for whatever reason the landing was a huge jolt. Suddenly my bladder said “Never mind, I was only funnin’”. I, thankfully, didn’t feel the overwhelming urge to go anymore. I can’t explain the physiological, or maybe psychological, reason for this, but it was real. Plus, we were home, and I could get an early dinner, and just relax on the couch for awhile.
Or so I thought. The same weather that was the cause for the seatbelt sign to be on, and of the recent landing was now putting on quite the electrical show. We had been taxiing towards our gate, and then pulled up about 100 or so feet short. The Captain came on the speaker and announced that we had a ground stoppage due to the lightning. There was nobody on the tarmac with those cute flashlights to guide us the last ½ a football field to our gate. So we sat. Then we sat. Then we sat some more. The Captain came on three times to advice us that it would just be another 10 or 20 minutes or so. The first two were greeted with silence from the captive patrons. The last one was punctuated with groans and other noises of disappointment and disgust. After an hour of sitting within a stone’s throw of our gate, we moved the last few feet. This two hour leg had more than doubled. But, we were back under our own control.
From this point in time my day improved. Pete picked us up, we talked about our trip and what went on while we were gone, and when we got home began distributing all of the goodies we had brought home. We had a nice dinner outside, and I even got in a nice walk. Soon Friday was over and I was crawling into my own bed for a nice rest.
The last travel day not withstanding, we had a great time! It was everything (except seeing a bear) that I had hoped for. We will definitely be back to see the Smokys, again. This next time we will see it from the much more commercialized Tennessee side. I am actually looking forward to seeing one of the dinner shows, or one of the many other activities in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge. Maybe Dolly will be in town this time!
One note on this trip; we got very lucky weather-wise. We were in North Carolina when Hurricane Irene was hitting the east coast of the country. As it turned out we had perfect weather and were unaffected. However, days after we left the remnants of Hurricane Lee came up from Louisiana and soaked the western part of the state. We would have been miserable for at least part of our trip. I guess God blessed this trip with not only good weather, but no accidents, injuries, and a really good time!