Monday AM we got a wild
hair (as my Dad would say) and decided to go to Great Smoky Mountain Natl Park
for a few days. I had some free nights from
the Cherokee Casino which is on the edge of the park. We spent the last few days hiking, sightseeing,
wildlife spotting, eating BBQ, and a little bit of gambling in the evenings.
In Pigeon Forge (TN)
we visited Goats on the Roof where we got to ride an Alpine Coaster (more like
a Redneck Coaster). It is an all open
cart where you control the speed. I took the video while Vaughan controlled the
brake (bad choice). Open the link below to view the video –
sorry for the screaming.
It looked like it was made with bailing wire and barn boards.
We hiked Laurel Falls
(2.6 miles) and then drove thru Cades Cove where we saw a mama black bear and
her cub, a fox, lots of elk and turkeys. Trees are just starting to change
color.
Tuesday Vaughan hiked
Chimney Tops (4 miles) while I went to Gatlinburg (TN) shopping. This is not a
hike for the faint of heart (or people like me with bad knees and afraid of
heights). He insisted on wearing his old
hiking boots - I warned him. He made it nearly to the top when the soles
disintegrated. He finished the climb but had to walk back (2 miles) on the
inside padding of the boots – at least it was all downhill.
Here is the last part of the climb -
... and the view from the top.
Here are the boots as they started to disintegrate.
Lucky for Vaughan they kept the internal felt soles.
and now for some elk pictures and a video.
Open the link below to view the video
The bull elk with his harem -
We just watched this big guy chase off another bull. A tree got in his way so he brought part of it with him.
Calves still stick pretty close to the cows.
