On Monday morning we drove to Gatlinburg. Our hotel was perfectly located for walking to our main attraction, Anakeesta, and just across the street from the parkway strip of tacky souvenir shops interspersed with moonshine tastings, wine and cider tastings, and restaurants. The Trump Superstore, loaded with fightfightfight shirts and hats, with its storefront a giant thumbs-up Trump, looms over the nearby jason aldean bar…
I began to regret my choice of get-away destinations…
But we learned how to avoid that area and found the best bloody marys in town with a real good hamburger at the Italian place, I don’t know its name.
The weather was beautiful 70degrees and there was little wind, so our gondola rides to the top of Anakeesta were enjoyable, but not sure I’d do this experience in cold weather. I’d been sold on the rope walk in the treetops and we strolled to the back, stopping to shop some.
The place is smaller than I expected, but the rope bridge went on and on and I did not like it — why did I think I would??? Hey, it’s all about birthday boy, and he enjoyed watching me almost-freak-out on the swinging bridges…
We came back down the mountain for lunch and then went back toward sunset and opted to travel up in their truck. About halfway up we stopped to watch a bear slouching alongside us.
We had a drink and got the birthday-guy a new hat, took some pictures…
The next morning, we drove the familiar Little River Road through Smoky Mt. Natl Park toward Cades Cove and Townsend, the peaceful side of the Smokies. This is our usual destination, where we have stayed dozens of times over the last 35 years. The Air and Light are different over there, but I notice it’s growing, with several new galleries and restaurants. I want it to stay quiet! We resisted the urge to drive Cades Cove Loop and headed home.
The mountains helped to clear my mind, but I’m still not okay. I am to S in my CD collection, just past Santana, Bob Seger, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, to Paul Simon. Lord help me, I broke down listening to American Tune…
” I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
I don’t have a friend who feels at ease
I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
Oh, but it’s all right, it’s all right
For we lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the road
We’re traveling on
I wonder what went wrong
I can’t help it, I wonder what’s gone wrong”
I’m ready to haul out the holly, but waiting until Santa and the Mrs. arrive in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I need a little Christmas…
Peace
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Good grief, a rope bridge in the trees? I’d be screaming help. You are a brave one.
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I was terrified, and the air seemed thin, so I called for last rites… Brave? or Stupid? But I survived to tell the tale!
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