Day 11 - Gatlinburg

Some Trip Vitals:

States to Date - 8

Miles to Date - 1392

License Plates Found - 35/51 (including DC)

Day 11:

Apparently we have a bear issue.  Found out that a bear has been seen on the landing outside our room and again at the other end of our building rummaging through the trash.  The front desk is handing out pamphlets about how to deal with a bear if you see one.  Welcome to Gatlinburg! 

We spent much of today hiking and driving through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  We started with a tour led by a Park Ranger (he started our tour with how to deal with a bear if we see one.)  After his tour, we went on a couple of extended trail hikes on our own.  Apparently, the bears have been handing out pamphlets about the Fergusons, because, luckily, we didn't encounter any along the way.  

Fighting Creek

Cataract Falls

Ownby Cabin

Next we drove up the mountains to the Newfound Gap lookout which is situated on the Tennessee/North Carolina state border.  It has beautiful vistas of the Smokeys and is also a crossing point of the Appalachian Trail - a 2,150 mile hike form Georgia to Maine.  If anyone is up for the challenge, Janell says she's in.

  

Newfound Gap

Big Man

Anyone for a hike?

Tyner and Ileana with the only bear we saw

Gatlinburg is to the Smoky Mountains as Vegas is to the Grand Canyon.  You go from one of the most pristine natural places you can imagine to one of the most man made and artificial.  It's Branson on steroids.  All kinds of activities to do:  miniature golf, go carts, Ripley's type museums, Monster Truck ride alongs, etc.  The kids chose something a bit different:  indoor skydiving.  It is a giant indoor turbine which allows you to simulate floating in a free fall.  They all "jumped" at the opportunity so quickly I kind felt like I had to do it with them.  It was hilarious to watch.  Especially little Tyner and Ile flapping in the wind.  The instructor did a good job of keeping hold of their suits.  Otherwise I'm afraid they may have shot to the roof. 

Top Gun

Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, until recently, had more miniature golf courses than any other destination in the country.  (recently surpassed by The Dells, Wisconsin).  We chose the most unique one we could find.  In fact, you take a rail tram to the top of the course and play down a mountainside.

From there, we headed to a Jurassic Park style ride and then to a sit down pizza meal at The Mellow Mushroom -- a place Janell and I used to frequent in Athens, Georgia.  With all the pizza delivery and Little Caesar's pickup we do back home, there is something to be said for going to the Pizza Parlor as a family.  The atmosphere is casual fun and the pizza comes out piping hot.