Gatlinburg 2019

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Gatlinburg.  Mike and Chris's family joined us for a family vacation. (We missed you Tommy & Jena!)

On the way there we stopped for a night in Nashville.  The kids enjoyed eating at the Rainforest Cafe and walking through Opryland Hotel.

Our first day there we took the ski lift up to the top of Anakeesta.  

We found a wheelchair and put Chris in it. He broke his foot right before our trip. Olivia tried to push her Daddy up the hill.

 The next day we headed to the Smokey Mountains.  The kids all wore their swim suits and played in the water. We also enjoyed a picnic lunch there.

Olivia & Sunny went horseback riding one afternoon.  This was Sunnys first time on a horse.  She also said it would be her last!

We drove the Foothills Parkway one day.

We made the hike to the top of Clingmans Dome.  The view was pretty wonderful.

We went to the Pirates Voyage.  It was a dinner show.  We all thoroughly enjoyed it.  Mermaids, Pirates, Seals, Dogs, Trampolines, Diving - what is there not to like?

There were 4 bears walking by our condo!

From the ocean to the mountains

Steve and I took a quick trip out to LA to view the movie that Tommy directed and Chris wrote.  The Walters also attended.  The star of the movie, Clayne Crawford, has a TV series on the Fox Channel and there are signs all over LA advertising it!

Jena took us to a food market.  Cheri and I found this restaurant sign amusing.

Steve found the last bookstore.  I do think I have seen several more around though....

They had a lot of cute "artsy" things in the bookstore.

We also squeezed in a trip to see the Endeavor.  It was pretty cool!

The day after we returned from LA we hopped in the car and headed to Gatlinburg, TN.

We took a  nice hike up to  Laurel Falls in the Smokey Mountains.

These guys were out on the parking lot one morning.

The path up to Laurel Falls.

Gatlinburg

Here are a few highlights from our trip to Gatlinburg.  Steve, Vince & Mike hiked the Appalachian Trail for 4 days.  Karen, Julie & I drove down on the day before they were due to come out of the woods.  They ended up coming out the same day we arrived.  The last stop they were supposed to camp at was closed due to 2 aggressive bears so they pushed on and finished up early.  We went to Dollywood on Wednesday.  Steve didn't go with us.  He picked up some 24 hour virus on the Appalachian Trail and was sick.  They were having a BBQ festival.

Karen & Vince on the train around Dollywood.

It rained one afternoon and we were treated to a double rainbow.

As we walked around downtown Gatlinburg, we stopped in a store and Vince tried their hottest sauce.  He had to sign before they would give it to him.  I guess they didn't want to get sued!

This is the view from the top of the skylift.

There were at least 3 distilleries that had free samples. The guys had a good time!

This is one of the stops along the Roaring Fork Driving Trail.

The Good and The Bad

A few months back I asked my parents if they would like to make a trip to Gatlinburg.  It started out just the 3 of us, but the week before we were to leave, Steve piped up that he sure would like to go.  Well, what could I say?  Come on big fella!  I can always use another driver!  The fall colors had mostly disappeared but the trees at our condo were still beautiful.

Photo op on the strip where all of the hillbilly shops are.

Dad was sure excited when we found a store that makes their own whiskey and even gives out free samples!

This show was by far the worst I have ever seen.  It's The Lumberjack Feud.  I was hoping it wasn't as bad as it sounded.  After all these lumberjacks were national champions at throwing axes, climbing poles and cutting wood.  It was terrible.  Don't waste your money.  We all laughed afterwards.  Said they should have paid us to watch!

On the way home we stopped at Opryland.  Mom had never seen it before and really enjoyed it.  We also ate lunch at the Jack Daniels restaurant.  Dad more than enjoyed it!  He seemed to be giddy!

Everyone had a really good time.  But I am sure happy to be home!  In the last 19 days I've been to Cape Cod, Lake of the Ozarks and Gatlinburg!  I need to stay home, cook a turkey and get some Christmas shopping done.