Back from the Smoky Mountains

I'm back from my second East TN visit in consecutive weekends! This weeks destination was north of the family. My family lives in south-east TN (which was last week). This week, Hal & I met his office-mates in Pigeon Forge (Dolly Parton's world). PF is pretty much in the heart of the Smoky Mountains.

Hal's office has 5 people so there was a total of 10 including significant others (really, everyone is married except us). This is a beautiful time of year to visit the mountains b/c of the fall season. It was gorgeous. We stayed at The Cedars. The house was friggin fabulous. It was definitely a fun getaway.

We all got there Friday afternoon around 6pm. Traffic is stupid crazy in a tourist town in the mountains this time of year. We did arrive to the house with chilled beverages waiting. Nice!!! Friday night, we went to dinner at Tony Roma's. I'll spare you a personal review, but suffice it to say that it was my karmic revenge for laughing at someone's chain restaurant excursion recently. We then went back to the house while they all enjoyed a movie on the 12' projection tv that night. I opted to stay on another level of the house. It wasnt my kind of movie.

Saturday was a new day. Most of us slept late due to staying up until 3 or 4am. Once everyone was ready to roll (some of us after a couple of mimosas), it was time to go in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The place is huge & absolutely amazingly beautiful. The views are to die for. Our first stop was at the overlook where FDR spoke many years ago to dedicate the SMNP as preserved parkland.


We hopped back into the car after that to get to Clingmans Dome. It was only a half-mile walk from the parking lot to the top of the highest point in TN (3rd highest in the Eastern US), but ... omg... it's one of the steepest walks I've done. There was a lot of moaning & groaning by everyone, but the view from the observation tower was gorgeous. I was a Clingmans Dome virgin, but I am now happy to check that off my list. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time.

We didnt stop after Clingmans Dome though!!! We then headed down the mountain to the tourist trap known as Gatlinburg. As a child in East TN, I went there at least once a year. I havent been there since '95 or so though, and it is now mostly unrecognizable to me. It's become Disney-fied, or should I say, Ripley-Museum-ified.

We had an early dinner at a seafood restaurant that I dont care to talk about (karma again, Whit). It wasnt that bad really and we had great service, but I just dont like eating at tourist traps. It could have been worse, Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co. was across the street.

We still werent finished though!!!! We then went to play Hillbilly Golf. It was mostly fun, but after such a long day, I was ready to get back to the house. We then just bummed around the house again until 3am.

Sunday was another new day & some chatted in the morning/noonish (while some were out shopping--this unemployed person wasnt in that group). The TN Titans were off this weekend, but there were still football games on, so we watched one before Hal decided it was time to leave. Some of them stayed Sunday night also, but 'someone' wanted a chill out day at home. I'm here all the time, so it didnt matter to me, but I was happy to get home too.

I had so much more fun than I expected! I hope you all have had a fun weekend too. Have any of you been to the Smokies or Clingmans Dome? Memorable experiences of Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg? I like to hear from my awesome blog readers. Some people are shy commenters, but it's nice to hear from people so I dont feel like only 3 or 4people are reading. :)

The picture at the top of the post was taken by my assistant/photo & video-editor. Thanks "Lady!"

Here's a link to his flickr site with a few more.

Please also give props to my assistant/editor for hooking us up with the flickr link so quickly. Woop Woop!!!