Time Travel (1818 & 1912) and an Alpine Slide

We all needed a good sleep so I wasn't too upset when I woke up (first one) at 8:30 am.  It felt good to get a solid rest in.  We had a nice breakfast and got ready to start the day.  While Scott packed the Jeep, the kids helped me to pack a picnic lunch.  We left the RV park around 11:00 am heading toward Smoky Mountain National Park.

Of course, the place is gorgeous!  We stopped briefly at the Gatlinburg Visitor Center for some motor tour maps and a Access Pass for Sammy (she will get free entry into all national parks for life).  As we left the visitor center we headed west toward Cades Cove.  We made a few stops to check out the scenery.

 

At noon, Sammy decided it was time for lunch, so we had to eat.  There wasn't a good place to stop so we just ate our picnic lunch in the car and kept moving.

Cades Cove is a beautiful valley set between the mountains that is rich in history.  It was home to several families who settled the area.  The park put in an 11-mile one-way loop to tour the area which includes stops at several original buildings.  Its also said to be the best place in the park to see wildlife.  We took a hike to see inside the oldest home in the valley (dating to 1818), passed several original church buildings and learned a bunch about life during that era.  

 

 

Although we didn't see any bear, we did find 3 groups of turkeys and 6 deer.  When we were finished, we decided to leave the park on a different road.  It was actually an original path used by the settlement to exit the valley and once used as a Cherokee trail.  Today it is a one-way single lane gravel road that leads up and over a mountain to exit the park.  I'm so glad we took this trail... it was bumpy but beautiful.

On our way home, we an alpine slide park named Goats on the Roof.  Honestly, I never would have stopped based on the name alone, but it was awesome.  Sammy rode with me and Tyler and Scott shared a ride.

 

Next, we decided to get some ice cream for Sammy and fudge for Tyler.  It was just before 5 when we got back to the motor coach so the kids took a break while we made plans and I prepped dinner.

After Szechwan Shrimp & Rice, we headed out to the Titanic Museum.  It was well-worth the visit.  The employees all wore time-appropriate clothing and they had hands-on exhibits as well as actual pieces from the wreckage.  Sammy liked playing with the telephone-like listening devices we all received to listen to the tour.  Tyler enjoyed playing a video game what measured your reaction time to see if you could save the Titanic from hitting the iceberg in the 38 seconds the crew would have had.   My favorite part was the biographies on the survivors and Scott enjoyed reaching his hand into the cold water to simulate the temps of the ocean the night Titanic sank.  It was fascinating... Tyler couldn't get enough!

It was a big day again today.  There were a few tears before bedtime and we decided that tomorrow will require some down time.  

The weather has been warm... hit 90* today but with the light rain in the early afternoon, it was so humid!

Smokey Mountain National Park - Day 3

As we left Ober Gatlinburg, we decided to find a new route home and followed "main" roads down the mountain to Gatlinburg and the start of the Smokey Mountain National Park.


We pulled off along the road to see a little creek that was well-flooded from last night's rain.  We stayed quite some time throwing stones into the water!

The drive was almost as much fun as the stops!  It was 71* on the mountain (80* back in town).  We drove with the windows down and absolutely beautiful views of the mountain.

A little ways up the road we found the Welcome Center and took a nature walk to see a waterfall.  There was lots to see and explore in the half mile hike!

Next we headed to the Chimney Tops Picnic Area on the recommendation of a friend.  We intended to let the kids play in the water for a bit but the current was just too strong!  The roar of the river was so loud and yet so mesmerizing to watch.  We all enjoyed climbing the rocks along the shore and seeing the rapids pass us by.

We did find one calm area in the water where we let the kids go into their knees.  It was FRIGID water but they were enjoying it... that is until Sammy slipped and went in up to her chest.  After that,
Tyler played in the water while Sammy and I climbed the rocks "to China".  After we finished up, we stripped her down to her underwear and drove back to the RV.  (She thought this was quite funny!)