Gatlinburg

This past weekend, C and I decided to take a trip to Gatlinburg. As some of you know, we have only been on one other strictly recreational trek together -- three years ago, I think, we went to Chattanooga. We had planned on heading to Kentucky for Spring Break this year, but a family emergency ended those plans.

To avoid that this year, we didn't tell anybody we were going. :)

We selected our cabin using Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg. They were friendly and they had virtual tours of all the cabins. Why is this important, you ask? Well, we were interested in seclusion -- a wise move, once we saw downtown Gatlinburg -- and looking out the windows in the tour gave us some idea of how close the other cabins were. We also wanted a screened porch with the standard outside hot tub because C's blood is sweet, sweet nectar to mosquitos. Finally, and we didn't know we had to look for this until we read a few reviews and looked at some cabins -- we wanted to guarantee that the bathroom in the cabin had a door. Who knew that was a perk?

Friday morning, we got up and got ready to get out of town. It's been a rainy few days here in Alabama. We just got a new roof. What does that mean? Well, it means that the new roof leaks. We were late getting on the road and we hadn't figured on the time change. So, we were running a bit behind already when we hit Pigeon Forge. Now, looking at that web site, you wouldn't think that Pigeon Forge would have eight solid lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic. Actually, it started before Pigeon Forge -- and went right through it. Took us almost an hour to get from the main highway to the rental company. It was probably twenty miles. But we made it.

During the drive, one thing became very clear -- folks in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area love their pancakes. I can't think of anything to compare it too. I think that pancake houses there are more numerous than Starbucks' in Seattle. I am very much not kidding.

We unpacked our stuff at the cabin -- which was cleaner than either of us had dreamed -- and headed downtown to search for some noms. It was almost ten o'clock, and we were pretty famished. To say we were unprepared for the titanic crush of humanity that is downtown Gatlinburg on a Friday night is an understatement. Everything in downtown Gatlinburg is pay-to-park, which isn't really a huge issue, but we were hoping to pop down, pick up some food, and go home. We didn't want to pay $5 to $10 to do that.

So, we drove back up to the cabin, stopping at Capelli's Pizza along the way. We placed our order and had enough time to walk down to a local convenience store and buy some homemade cookies. If you have never spent an evening sitting in a hot tub on a porch, eating pizza and cookies and drinking Original Sin, trust me, it's decadent. I didn't think I'd be nearly as fond of it as I was.

The next morning, we watched the weather and decided that, of the two days, Saturday would be the best day for downtown Gatlinburg and Sunday would be the best day to hike. We drove downtown and parked -- still in awe at the sheer number of people in this place -- and headed to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. This was a pretty neat aquarium. I took lots of photos, but, being photos of fish in tanks, they didn't turn out great. I'll never know what compells me to take these pictures, but I know I get much less upset about it now that I have a digital camera.

As time wore on, C started thinking of lunch. Catfish sounded nice.



As did lobster.



Maybe crab?



So, we set out in search of food and found, after a long walk, Best Italian Cafe and Pizzeria. They're not kidding. We ate. I don't even remember. Fried ravioli. Vegetable ravioli. Garlic rolls. The garlic rolls were amazing. I can't even begin. So. Good.

Since it's not an adventure if you don't do something completely out of your comfort zone, I convinced C that I wanted to ride the Sky Lift. No, it doesn't sound like me at all. Not only did I convince him that I wanted to ride, I convinced him to buy the all-day ticket because I knew I wanted to go once during the daylight and once at night.

And I was terrified the entire trip up. There's a point at the crest where they take your photo before they let you off. I made C buy copies as proof we were there. I'll post them when I scan them. Here is what we rode up on.



It was a stunning view of the mountains.



See? I really made it.



And C still has both arms, even though I almost squeezed one off.




Walking back up the main drag, I forced C to do a little shopping. Actually, Gatlinburg's main street is lined with hundreds of little shops -- many selling the type of crap you would buy at a fair, and an inordinate number offering to create Olde Tyme Photos. At least one every block. But there were also spots -- again, at least one a block -- where one storefront was missing and the area opened-up to a sort-of outdoor mall behind the other shops. Sometimes, it was miniature golf and games. Sometimes, it was theatres and sweet shops. Sometimes, it was higher-end consumer goods. All the time, it was clean public restrooms. (Just as an aside, I was impressed because even the men's rooms had baby changing stations.)

Specifically, we stopped-in at Hills Creek Gallery. We got a witch ball to hang in the kitchen and -- thought I'm supposed to forget -- cardinal earrings that I'll probably get as a holiday gift this year. :) We also went to The Shops of Southern Highland Craft Guild. Since she doesn't read the blog, I can tell you that Grandma got a tiny carved wooden turtle for her birthday and I got more earrings for Christmas.

We had some time to kill before I had another heart attack on the Sky Lift, so we looked around for dinner. We ate at Blaine's. Not that we needed much after lunch. This place was right next door to Bubba Gump's Shrimp House. The line there was so long, that some of the people who were there before we went into Blaine's still had not been seated by the time we ate our meals, watched it get dark, and left. I don't think the food could have been that good.

Blaine's had the added bonus of making me think, "That's a major appliance, that's not a name!" I know, I know. Nobody gets it.



Made it up the Sky Lift again -- down was definitely worse -- and the view at night was, if you can imagine, better.



After that, it was more hot tub and bed.

Sunday, we decided to give one of the many pancake houses a try. Flapjacks was right at the end of the road we stayed on, so, we ate there. The eggs were cooked to order. I didn't eat the bacon or biscuits. The hashbrowns were nothing to write home about. However, I really enjoyed the pancakes, which is rare for me. C didn't like the pancakes -- I think it's a reflection of how we enjoy different textures in our baked goods.

We had planned on spending the day at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We took lots of photos, but they just don't do the real thing justice. There are pictures at the above link. It was an amazing, beautiful place. One of the things that impressed me (again) was the accessibility of the area -- one of the waterfalls has a paved path to it so that even wheelchairs and strollers can make it. I think it's important for national parks to have some areas that everyone can make it to. I'm not saying pave the whole place, just make sure that everyone can interact with a part of the park.

We saw a snake. Since we were warned by a bunch of kids, I did not scream like a girl.





That stump? Covered in salamanders.



C did this without getting wet.



"By perseverance the snail reached the ark."





Behind Grotto Falls. This was an easy, short hike (1.5 miles each way). I wasn't sure how long my hip would hold out -- and the weather was rainy. We didn't want to get three miles in and have the rain make it too muddy to continue.



C at Grotto Falls.




After the national park. we ate at The Brick Oven -- probably our most lackluster meal. Then, we spent another evening in the hot tub. Check-out was easy-peasy Monday morning, as was the trip home.

Even for us -- we do enjoy the good tourist trap -- downtown Gatlinburg was almost too much. That's not saying we wouldn't go again. I'm all about removing my Sky Lift fear. However, we probably won't be so concerned with a cabin that makes eveything easy to drive to -- we would likely focus on the national park. I can't recommend it enough. Even in the sometimes rain, it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. In the park, people were polite and friendly. There was very little litter. While the children were biosterous, they were not obnoxious or out of line. And yes, there were a lot of children. And pregnant women. And families. And seniors. And, well, all kinds... :)

I can't say enough about the company, either. C is brave and lovely and fun and I don't know what wonderful thing I did in a past life to deserve his patience and the ease with which we are able to coexist.

I keep thinking I must have been Ghandi.