Day 22 Gatlinburg

Well we are on vacation but good heaven talk about a slow start day! Never thought I would get that man going this morning, but since he does the driving and yesterday was a longish day I thought maybe I wouldn’t complain...much! We puttered and we lingered over coffee until the day was half done, then we set out to explore Tennessee.

I remember earlier in this blog referring to Hyannis as a combination of commercial PEI and Clifton Hill on steroids. With apologies to the fine people of Hyannis, I will have to ask for the Tackiest Place on Earth crown back! Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is the winner!

Our campground is a little town called Sevierville, followed by Pigeon Forge then Gatlinburg, one sort of runs into the other and they end at Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Yesterday when we drove in I mentioned that the billboards didn’t draw my attention away from the beauty of the mountains. When we drove into Pigeon Forge you just couldn’t escape it. David and I drove through shouting at one another to look this way and that as amusement after amusement screamed (maybe down here it’s hollered!) for our attention. Unbelievable!

The Incredible Christmas Place. I've been to Christmas Mouse, VA. I've been to Bronner's in Frankenmuth. I have never seen anything like this!



The Titanic Museum - half of a reproduction, iceburg embedded, with water splashing up around the bow, on the side of the road! Apparently they have actual artifacts but the slant here is true bible belt! They propose that the ship sunk because of greed. The disaster was God`s punishment for the greed in wanting to build such an opulent ship!!!

Moving on into Gatlinburg was no better! These towns have only one mile-long street, but every square inch is cluttered with every conceivable entertainment – if you’re into that sort of thing – we’re not! We think we may take the $2.00 Trolley back in one day to hear the music in the street and visit some of the craft shops. But that will be enough for us!

Gatlinburg is quite literally the entrance to the park so one second we are in a throng of humanity, entranced by the marquee lights and the latest offering from Ripley, the next we are in a tunnel of trees, winding more than 4,000 feet up onto a mountain range that stretches across two states (North Carolina and Tennessee) to explore over 800 square miles of forest that is home to such an incredible diversity of plant and animal life that it has been designated a World Heritage Site. All this and it doesn’t cost a penny! Folks thousands of feet below us are spending countless dollars to be entertained (in the visitor information centre a coupon book for just one of the towns claimed to save us over $1000!!) – different strokes for different folks! Written on the lookout of one of the pinnacles that straddles NC and TN is a quote from naturalist Harvey Broome, “Man has created some lovely dwellings – some soul-stirring literature. He has done much to alleviate physical pain.” (I would add and much to contribute to it!) “But he has not...created a substitute for a sunset, a grove of pines, the music of the winds, the dank smell of the deep forest, or the shy beauty of a wildflower.” Add a mountain ...and an ocean in there and you’ve got an Amen! God is good!

The road to the top is wide and well maintained with loads of spots to park and get out, even for a big truck!

Flocks of Pipevine Swallowtails!

 

Wings open or closed they`re beautiful!

Mountain stream

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come?

A ribbon of road far, far below!

The tunnels were built in 1933. When they had to be enlarged to accommodate tour busses and RVs in 2001. The original workmanship was so outstanding they decided to lower the road instead of raise the tunnel! That expains the strip on the bottom here!

Down off the mountain and back toward home, this time via a bypass road, we stopped at Mel’s Diner for a bite to eat. It’s exactly as you might expect down to the old Wurlitzer playing happily in the corner. Accents amuse me. I understand how they develop and even how they are perpetuated. I am constantly amused by how pronounced they remain even as the world shrinks and media provides us all with common teachings! The “accent” here in Tennessee is very pleasing to the ear. We are called darlin’ by the waitresses and folks we pass want to know how y’all doing. Everyone is very friendly and no one passes without a howdy.

 

Not an ounce of nutrition to be found!

David had a package delivered today so there is a bit of work to do. I can’t complain because his working occasionally from the road means we can take these extended holidays. Besides a quiet evening blogging is not a bad way to spend your time!