The Smokies (4 pic mini TR)

[jbc28]

We decided to take a quick trip to the Gatlinburg this weekend. We drove up Saturday morning and checked into the Econo Lodge on the road leading to the Roaring Fork Nature Trail. I used my bonus points to score a free room. We spent some time up on the Nature Trail Saturday. The kids went swimming (read: flailing while dad fished them out) in one of the larger creeks up there. The water was pretty cold so it wasn't long before they were shivering and ready to bounce. Later on we walked the short distance downtown to The Best Italian restaurant in Gatlinburg. This place has the best damn garlic rolls ever. I ate 6 along with a salad and a plate of filet tips, peppers, onions, with marinara and pasta. Freakin' stuffed after all of that.



The amount of a$$hattery, redneckiness, and overall dbag stuff present in downtown Gburg is overwhelming. Although, the kids were on sensory overload. They stood at Ripley's and just stared for at least 10 minutes. The large granite sphere was seriously messing with their heads. We picked up some supplies and crashed at the room.



Woke up bright and early Sunday, walked across the street to the Log Cabin Pancake House, and absolutely destroyed some blueberry pancakes with 2 sides of bacon. Next stop was Laurel Falls. Our oldest, Laurel, now believes that this is her falls and wouldn't stop talking about it. We did the 2.6 mile hike with kids on our shoulders nearly the whole time. My neck cracked about 10 times after that.



We then headed on down to Cade's Cove to eat some lunch and do the obligatory loop drive. Wildlife was almost nonexistent unless you count the rednecks riding in the back of the trucks in lawn chairs. Also saw what I believed to be a pack of Gipsies. I have never seen so much crap and people packed into an Astro van. It looked to be their permanent home for most of the year. There were a lot of park staff in the Cove. One thing they had going on was an old school blacksmith operation. Some older guy was teaching one of the park staff various techniques. The blacksmith was the real deal. His hands were mangled and missing a few fingers. I saw him burn the crap out of his thumb (ie: it was smoking) without even flinching. He later said that he couldn't feel anything anymore these days, and that he didn't even know he did it until the smell wafted up.



We then looped back around to the cut through road and took Rich Mtn road out of the park. I had never been down this one way gravel road. It was a nice drive and was completely uncrowded. Along the way I spotted a black bear nosing around in the bush. I hopped out and tried to get a few pics. He was completely oblivious to me and never would look my way. I closed to within 15' of him at one point, but he just kept the nose to the ground and meandered around. After that it was time to hit the highway and head back home. Good times.



Shy bear





Laurel Falls (a little soft, but I was handholding this...forgot the tripod)





The rugrats





Burly blacksmith

[bamapilot]

I've been trying to talk Misty into going up to the mountains for a few days. She can't handle the heat of the beach, being that she is 6.5 months pregnant, so I suggested the mountains. I'm still working on her, but with football practice starting and school starting in a couple of weeks, it's going to be a hard sell. Sounds like y'all had a good family time.

[afrobigfoot]

Would have been nice if you couldve gotten that black bear to glance at you. I love Rich Mtn road though I hate it when I get behind any one because there is always a car from Ohio or Indiana that likes to do 5mph on it. We have roads like that in my area that are two lanes and people easily do 30-40mph on them with an exception of the corners. I guess some people are not used to roads like that and find it a requirement to crawl when on the Rich Mtn road. On a crowded day its a great way to get to Townsend fast if you do not get behind some one from a flat state.



How was the Econo lodge? I have been searching for a good "cheap" motel in the area but always seem to spend $50 or more a night, noticed some of the Econo lodges are around $30 if you book in advance.

[KneeDeep]

Look who decided to use their camera.

[jbc28]

Afro,



Yeah, I tried whistling at him a few times, but he had his mind on grubs or something. I followed him for a bit, but didn't want to be "that guy" you always see harassing the wildlife. I had a 180mm prime, but it wasn't too useful with all of the limbs and leaves in the way.



The Econo Lodge was nice. It was clean....a little dated, but didn't smell like curry or an armpit.



KD,



Tell me about it. I had to dig it out of the closet. I need to get out more solo or just with the wife. Trying to to take pics with kids in tow is virtually impossible.

[afrobigfoot]

@jbc28 180530 wrote:Afro,



Yeah, I tried whistling at him a few times, but he had his mind on grubs or something. I followed him for a bit, but didn't want to be "that guy" you always see harassing the wildlife. I had a 180mm prime, but it wasn't too useful with all of the limbs and leaves in the way.



The Econo Lodge was nice. It was clean....a little dated, but didn't smell like curry or an armpit.









Im usually one of those people that likes to book my hotel months in advance and plan everything out to the minute. The past couple trips my girlfriend and I took we decided we would stay at one of the hotels that flashes $29.99 on the sign out front. What we never noticed before is that for just 1 second after they flash that price it will mention tickets to a particular show, the prices the motel advertises werent for their rooms, but for shows! How ****** is that? We stayed in a $55 a night room that looked like it had blood drops on the wall and smelled like armpit and dog **** combined (im lieing im dieing) in the hallway. I think it was called the Riverbend Inn, near the Christmas Village and Econolodge in Pigeon Forge, we will never stay there again.



Also, I am also usually the guy "harassing" wildlife. I was using the schools 300mm f/2.8 one time shooting deer, I must have been 10 feet from them and got yelled at by a park ranger. She said something about being able to get photos just as good while being a hundred feet away. In my mind I was really hoping to fill the frame with the deers head. On another occassion I followed a pair of deer for a while through a field, eventually getting within arms reach of them. Probably not the smartest thing but kind of neat being so close to a wild animal. And one other time we were walking alone on Sparks Dr just after sunrise and hear a sound above us in the trees, it was a bear cub. We did keep our distance from it Ive tried jingling keys, honking horns, and making the same sound I use to get my cats attention to get a deer to look at me, but it never really works. I pretty much sound like a **** head now.

[jbc28]

I don't know what the rates are at that particular Econo. I used my bonus points and stayed in their largest room. They actually own a house behind the hotel that has been converted into "suites". The card in the door quoted $149, but that is usually the highest rate of the year. You should be able to get an accurate quote on the Choice Hotel website.

[KneeDeep]

That bear picture looks like an anteater.

[swamphox]

@KneeDeep 180536 wrote:That bear picture looks like an anteater.



lols i was thinking almost the exact same thing "whats an anteater doing in the great smokies nat'l park?"

[jbc28]

That bear was super skinny. I am not a bear expert, but I would have thought that it would be fatter this time of year.