ACROSS THE SMOKIES

We took a short hop from Cherokee across the Smokies to Gatlinburg. This location is another one of Eric's key projects - a major expansion that nearly doubles the number of campsites and cabins on the property. Although Eric has shown me pictures of the property as work progressed for the past few months, it looks SO much more beautiful in person. Crews were still paving the interior roads and installing outdoor furnishings when we arrived, but it will soon be open to guests.


 

There aren't many amenities for kids on this property yet, so it was more of a low-key week for the boys. We did take a few trips into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - familiar territory for me since it was my family's vacation destination every summer (and quite a few Christmases) since I was four years old. I don't like the commercialized chaos of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg anymore, but the national park is still beautiful as always. And how refreshing it was to go for a sunset drive up to the higher elevations and find temps in the mid-60s!

A highlight for John was getting his first pocket knife at Smoky Mountain Knife Works. He is eager for any opportunity to use it, from whittling sticks to cutting pizza, but he respects that it must be used carefully. He has been showing it off to everyone and at one point he whispered to me, "I feel like a man now." Ha ha!





We left Gatlinburg on Saturday and had a full day's drive to Louisville. It was rainy, the roads were rough, and we had some traffic delays due to construction and a dead body found under a bridge, but we are now settled here for the rest of the week with plenty to do and all the stores we need close at hand. Grocery stores have been few and far between at most of the places we've stayed, so prices are high, quality is mediocre at best, and it's a 20-30 minute drive just to get there. I sure do miss Publix!