Pigeon Forge TN to Broadway VA

Today we left Pigeon Forge and headed to Virginia for an overnight stop at Mom's house.  She made a special dinner and a red velvet birthday cake for Aric and I.  We finally learned how to play Mexican train and had a blast doing that.  She even found some dominoes and made a template so we'd have our own set to play with.  Thanks, Mom!

We left Austin behind and are now heading to PA.

Our Special Fun in Tennessee

Updating our blog, because I don't think Aric ever got around to sharing what we saw at the park.  First, I have to ask people who live in Tennessee to explain the above picture to me.  In North Carolina we saw people riding in the back of trucks.  I don't mean sitting in the back of trucks.  I mean couches and lawn chairs were in the back of trucks, with people riding in them. 

In Tennessee, we saw this happen though.  More than once.  Vans driving down the road with doors open and people hanging out.  I don't get it, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ok, now to the fun.  This is what we encountered at the park.

Those were Nathan's shots.  He had a great view because he was very close to this guy.  I won't tell you how nervous that made me.  I won't tell you what I had to say about that on the ride home.  I'll just say it was an amazing experience to be that close to this creature.  And next time, I hope Nathan does not have my camera in his hands.  It would be a real shame to lose both him and my camera.

Wild Woody Fun

Earlier today, Daryl and his crew, or as my MIL says "Daryl's" and Austin went to visit the Cherokee Nation.  I'm hoping Austin will blog about it since I wasn't there so I can't.  When they returned back to our campground, they invited us to do some Go Kart racing.

Nathan was hesitant, and I suspect that is because I have won every race we've had in Go Karts since we got married.  He says it is because I am lighter.  I had no idea that being lighter makes you a better driver, but he is the engineer so there ya go!  Daryl and Diana are hard to turn down though.  And they know just what to say/do to make it work.  So off we go!  (thank guys!)

On the way into the racetrack, the crew stops for a moment of silence.  Or awe.  Or wonder.  Or something.

Because there is some crazy person detecting device here.  Nathan always says you can't fight with crazy, because crazy always wins.  I see now why.  I mean who could beat someone who is willing to do this.  Willing and actually PAY to do it.  I forfeit right now.  You win!

Now we're off to the track.  Let's get ready to rumble!

We do the first race.  I ride with Josh to help offset that lightness factor that Nathan worries about.  That and Josh asked me to ride with him, and I can't tell Josh no.  Daryl and Lauren ride together.  Everyone else rides alone.  I don't know much about the singles, because they left way before us so it was just us doubles fighting for the lead.  We won't discuss this race.  Let's just say I came in dead last.  Hmmm....maybe there is something to that lightness factor.  We still had fun.

We take Josh over to the little guys track, so he can drive his own car.  He loved how I drove, but he wanted to do his own thing!

Josh was made to race cars.  He's a thinker.  He's independent.  He is a risk taker.  And he knows the important rules like let the cute girl pass you because you can lap her later, but never ever let the other boy pass you.  If he does, pass him right away.

If the other boy gets upset...well, that's just part of the game.

In this game, you just gotta do your own thing.  Josh takes first place.  Further supporting Nathan's theory.  The other boy cried a bit.  Which broke my heart.  But not so much that I didn't high five Josh for beating him.

The kids all want to do one more race on the big track.  The adults want to take pictures.  It's a fair deal.  Josh and Aric just do their thing.  Austin beats up on girls.  Lauren is all by herself.  I understand that, because she drives like a mad woman.  She tried to make me spin out in the race I drove/lost.  Not once.  But twice she did this.  She's fierce! 

At some point Aric tries to lap Austin.  Austin doesn't let him.  They are content to do this for a few laps.  Aric bumping into Austin.  Austin letting me know that they've got nothing on him.  Then they catch up to Lauren.  It's the end of the race.  She's in front.  She doesn't understand the concept of "they already lapped me a few times".  She just knows..she is in front.  She won!

My guys are so gracious, they let her believe she won.  Now that's real love.  Of course, once you are married...it's a whole different tune.  You only win if you win.  And it's still real love.  Just a different kind.

Living the life in Tennessee!

Hike to Grotto Falls

Our travel buddies arrived yesterday, but we didn't meet up until later that night.  Today they joined us as we made our way back to the National Park.  We picked what we thought would be a very short hike, because we were concerned about how Josh would do.  Somehow we messed up.  We picked a trail that was twice as long as yesterday's hike.  Let's just say that we didn't need to worry about Josh one bit.  He hiked faster than all of us and didn't seem tired at all.  I can't say the same for me.  My calves are still on fire!

Great Smoky Mountains NP-Grotto Falls

After our very long hike, we made it to the Falls.  The 30-foot Grotto Falls is formed by the cascading Roaring Fork, which has its headwaters near the summit of Mount Le Conte. Above the falls, the trail, also known as the Trillium Gap Trail, continues to Mount Le Conte. This route is taken by llamas used to carry food and linens to Le Conte Lodge twice weekly from late March to Thanksgiving.

 This is the only waterfall in the park that you can walk behind.

Great Smoky Mountains NP-Grotto Falls

The Gang at Grotto Falls in TN

Here is what we all thought of the falls and the day:

Living the life in beautiful Tennessee!

Laurel Falls in Great Smoky Mountains NP

Today we headed to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  We hiked the Laurel Falls Trail.

Laurel Falls is one of the most popular destinations in the park. 

Laurel Branch and the 80-foot high Laurel Falls are named for mountain laurel, an evergreen shrub which blooms along the trail and near the falls in May

 It appeared to me that the falls were not as abundant as they are sometimes, so I'm guessing the water levels must be low. 

They were really beautiful!  This is the upper falls.

Here you can see the upper falls and lower falls.  The upper falls are in the far left corner.

The lower falls from below:

I didn't go down to the lower falls.  Nathan and Aric did.  They ended up having lots of excitement down there.  I'll let Aric share it with you, which you can read on his blog here: Aric's Blog  

If you go back and look at the first picture, it will give you a hint of what they got pretty close to down there.

Living the life in Tennessee.