We love going to Gatlinburg! Just like the Queen of Useless Knowledge, when spring starts to trickle in, my thoughts turn toward a Road Trip! Wish it wasn't so - wanderlust is not a comfortable companion. Gatlinburg, TN is handy because it's not so far away and has a completely different natural landscape to look enjoy. Since I've gone with boys most of my life, I don't get all jazzed about the shopping, although I hear others rave about it. One of my favorite places is the Tool Outlet, unfortunately. Yes.
When we go, we get up early, eat breakfast somewhere cheap, and head out to the mountains. Hiking is something all of us can do. Except the year we tried to hike some un-godly high mountain - Mt LeConte - I thought I was going to die! I had to keep taking photos of flowers, random twigs, holes in trees, anything just to get to stop and get a breath! It was sad! My Dear Spouse practically leaped and ran up the mountain - sickening. I love him anyway. Here is the view from the very top, but I don't know how we got up there, as I blacked out near the very top. Extremely dangerous - I don't see how people (like me) don't fall and kill themselves bumping down the steep cliffs to the very bottom. (BTW, my parents hike this every year...)
We almost always go to Cades Cove to spend a day. When the boys were little, the part they loved the best was riding through the park with no seat belts, shocking, and hanging out the windows to point at fat deer. Reaching some historic building, they would tumble out of the car, and run to explore. Spoiler Warning: the same excitement does NOT occur when taking teenage sons.
Here are my grandparents on the same porch about 35 years ago!
Book recommendation: Scavenger Hike Adventures. This guide book has 14 hikes of various difficulties and highlights things to search for along the way! I love scavenger hunts, and kids usually do, too, so this is an ideal hiking companion for families with kiddoes! Can't go wrong with Apple Barn apple fritters, either - we never leave the Smokies without some...hmmmm - I'm just NOT going to connect the breathless hike up a mountain with too many fritters...
Wow! This is such a great post! I love the picture of you and your DS and then the one of your grandparents...how cool is that? I've never been to Gatlinburg, but I'm sure it's somewhere we'll visit at some point.
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Court
STOP, STOP, STOP!!
ReplyDeleteYou're starting to make me think you're actually reading my thoughts. You're freaking me out a little!
As soon as the temps get warmer I start wanting to just get in the car and drive. Nevermind two children who don't really enjoy the car, the searing pain, or a husband who hates traffic, let's just GO SOMEWHERE.
Someday, Dearheart you and I will just head out. Even if it's in heaven, I'm totally with you for the roadtrip of a lifetime!
P.S. I've never heard of the Wild Plum Tea Room before, so now I'm totally excited to try that.
Oh, Queen! I'm looking forward to a girl roadtrip!
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