Smokey Mountain Memories--Part II

Day Seven

The day we escaped the KOA. The view of the work shed was more than I could handle. Having my camper parked in a place that felt more like a parking lot and less like a mountain vacation...heck I just needed out.

One last Asheville destination--Biltmore Estate and Winery

If I could I would put a for sale sign in my yard and move into the Biltmore Estate. I would. I can't even begin to describe the grandeur of the estate. I really think my house would have fit into the Ballroom. The gardens--incredible. The winery--tasty. After six hours roaming and drinking our way through the estate we hit the road back to the Smokey Mountains National Park.



Since no road trip is ever complete without a visit to the Cracker Barrel we stopped and ate dinner before restocking at the Super Wal-Mart and setting up camp at the Cosby Campground.

This huge campground had only 12 camp sites occupied. It was a completely different feeling from Cades Cove (which was filled to capacity). No store, no visitor center; just us and nature. The first night a wicked thunderstorm storm with heavy rain rolled through the mountains. It was thunder like I have never heard; actually made my heart skip beats. We saw wild turkey stroll through the sites in the morning. We existed in a butterfly garden. Hundreds of butterflies lined the road sides, even resting on the edge of our campsite. It was a spectacular sight. With the campground being so uninhabited when the sun set darkness took hold. Then in the midst of heavy darkness as we rested we would hear the screech of an owl followed by the trademark whoo-whoo. D found it spooky while King Ralph and I found it to be an unimaginable sound.


Day Eight

We hiked to Hen Wallow Falls. Our least favorite hike, a short 5 mile round trip that lead to a 90 foot waterfall; that was not to my "usual" fall standards. (Princess A refers to me as a waterfall snob). It was pretty but more of a trickle as falls go. Not to mention there was no where to sit, eat lunch, gaze and read a book...instead you got stung by sweat bees and nibbled by nats. When we got back to camp we played games, sang Norah Jones songs and laughed. Laughing is something that our vacations are all about; it just makes us all love more.



Day Nine

We always like to end our hiking vacations on a good hike note. We set out to see the Mt. Cammerer Lookout by way of the Low Gap Trail to Appalachian Trail. It was a good, nearly six mile, hike up hill-- which made us look forward to the descending return trip. We hiked up and down to the rumble of thunder and a constant threat of a storm. We positioned our rain coats for quick grab but cared more for our water to quench our thirst as the start of the climb up was hot and humid; till we reached the AT. There is nothing more invigorating than a good sweat al fresco-- mountain air to cool the skin. It was fascinating to see all the 20-something backpackers making way across the AT. Natures beauty makes this hike well worth it. I would break from hiking to find myself just standing and gazing around at all that surrounded-- the hum of rushing waters in streams, the whisper of the wind in the thick-tall, hardwood trees, the magnolias.... It almost felt like being planted into the movie Fairy Tale A True Story; the moss covered rocks by the streams make you feel as if fairies could appear as any moment. As we climbed the rock that takes you to the edge of the mountain and entered the lookout the clouds let loose, heavy rain poured. We called that perfect timing. And, as fast as it came it left. When I looked out at the trees below the sun glistening rain drops rested on the leaves to where it looked as if silver sequence confetti was sprinkled about. We ate lunch while absorbing the 360* view at 5000 feet. As much as we desired to mark this fabulous hike with one of our self timed family photos no one had the bewitching powers to set up the camera, run to the top of the tower before the camera snapped photo. So instead we took a girls only photo.





When we got back to camp, which was to be our last night, King Ralph suggested we hit the road--for a hotel. He wanted to pack down the camper while it was still dry (there is nothing worse than putting a wet tent down). It took little arm twisting. We packed it up in record speed. We popped in the Carpenter's CD and all sang a song we found fitting for the days hike I'm on top of the world looking down on creation its the only explanation I can find....

We spent the night at the Country Inn & Suites in Cookeville, TN. King Ralph called first shower; he offered first shower to anyone who could beat his five minutes he stated was his shower needed time--there we no betters.

Each girl who entered the shower took longer and longer to scrub off the hiking funk. We had all had great "whore baths" while in the mountains. I boiled big pots of water, we stripped down and scrubbed...we felt good and clean but, there is nothing like hot water sprinkling down over your head, onto your body for an unlimited amount of time. Ecstasy. True bliss I say. Not only did we shower once but we showered twice. We longed to be water-logged. First shower at night, then in the morning we swam in the pool and soaked in the hot tub, then we showered again before hitting the highway for home (on day ten).

We're home. Some how we manange to end up in different rooms in the house (probably the square footage of the house allows spreading space; unlike the camper). We're home, still with lots of money in our pocket. Which made me realize, it isn't about what we give our kids but about giving them experiences. That I must say we succeeded at--experiences had by all.