Disclaimer: We have been home two weeks and I have not finished the last blog entry for this Leaf Peeping Rally. It has been hanging over my head. For better or worse, I am going to finish it up. Truth to tell: here at the end of the camping season I am tired of blogging and ready to be done with it. Monday, Nov 4 Three of our camping couples left this morning, leaving 3 more in camp for a few more days. We said goodbye to those leaving, fixed hamburgers at the campsite for lunch, and headed into Gatlinburg at 3:00 to meet up with Caleb and Halie for supper at Calhoun’s. We were back at the campground by 8:00 – dark, tired, and ready to relax. Tuesday, Nov 5 Something we have not done yet this trip – Tom fixed a breakfast of hash and eggs! Caleb and Halie had a very full schedule today, so we headed out to drive the other end of the Foothills Parkway . . . to Chilhowie Lake. On the return trip we took the old (but freshly paved) Happy Valley road up to Top of the World where we linked back up with the Parkway. We spent the afternoon at the campground – a beautiful warm and sunny day and perfect for sitting outside. Our dinner was Cornish hens, roasted potatoes . . . a great meal. Wednesday, Nov 6 Our last day in the Smokies. We hardly feel that we have been gone a total of 16 days – 11 of which were boon-docking in the GSMNP! We celebrated this successful mini-vacation with breakfast at Crockett’s Restaurant with Caleb and Halie, and headed off with them for a driving tour of Newfound Gap and Clingman’s Dome – all new sights for Halie. We were thankful for cloudless blue sky and great visibility at this high point of the Park. We returned Caleb and Halie to Gatlinburg for their last afternoon/evening, and we went back to one more cook-out (steaks!) and to begin cleaning up camp. Thursday, Nov 7
The plan was for Caleb and Halie to drive to the campground at 8:30 so we could travel together home. They were 45 minutes early, and we quickly finished hooking up and headed out. Before long we were in rain. which lasted until Cincinnati. After that it was very clear sailing all the way home. . . where we arrived before dark!
0 Comments
Saturday, Nov 2 Tom, and a company of 8, were up early for a hike to Grotto Falls. Early was required because the parking spots at the trailhead fill by mid-morning! The group left at 8:00 and drove the 7 miles to Gatlinburg to get on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail -- the trailhead was near the end of that 11-mile loop road. The hikers were back early in the afternoon, just in time for Tom to have a a rest before Caleb and Halie arrived! They had been unable to do the Smoky Mountains as planned for their honeymoon -- so this little trip was to celebrate their 2nd anniversary! We were terribly excited to have them join us and witness Halie's introduction to the GSMNP! In the afternoon we took them on a tour of the new end of the Foothills Parkway, where we were totally in awe of the views and the colors! The end of the drive which conveniently dumped us in Pigeon Forge for a little introduction to Margaritaville. Caleb and Halie rode the giant Ferris Wheel, we walked a few shops, and had dinner at Margaritaville Restaurant – the noise was at a decibel that did not allow much conversations. We completed the circuit tour through Gatlinburg and back to Elkmont, arriving just in time to go to bed! With 4 people/2 dogs in the camper, it was warm inside overnight – even though the temperature dipped down to 27! (We set the furnace temperature at 55 degrees, but it barely came on during the night!) Sunday, Nov 3 The four of us set out early in the morning to Townsend, eating breakfast at the Carriage House – a buffet. From there we took a quick trip to my hometown of Maryville and then made our way to Cades Cove and drove the loop road. It was beautifully sunny, and color was at its peak!. We hurried back to the campground where Caleb and Halie packed up and we moved them into a hotel on the downtown strip of Gatlinburg. They hadn’t eaten since our big breakfast, and we turned them loose in Gatlinburg to eat and explore on their own. Their hotel allowed them the convenience of going out the door and being steps away from restaurants, junk shops and attractions! Back at the campground Tom and I joined our friends around a campfire until bedtime/darktime. . . which came very early with the time change!.
The End . . . of Alumalina! We were splitting off from our friends and John, Suzie, Tom and I were heading for the Great Smoky Mountain National Park – less than 3 hours away. On the road by 10:30 we were on the outskirts of Gatlinburg by 1:30, and stopped for a BBQ lunch at Jimmy’s – enjoying the outdoor patio dining. By 3:00 we were circling the Elkmont campground, claiming our sites and getting set up. It gets dark in the deep forest very quickly, and the temperature goes down dramatically with the sun. By 7:30 we were done with supper, sitting around a fire and enjoying “real camping.” Bedtime was 9:00 and we made it through the night in good shape without the furnace. Monday, Oct 28 - Thursday, Oct 31 John, Suzie, Tom and I spent the first 3 glorious, sunny, warm, days at Elkmont, waiting for the rally to officially begin on Thursday, October 31. I’m not blogging the details of those first 3 days, although we made some admirable shopping and driving and out-to-eat trips to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. On Wednesday Georgia and Rick joined us. Unfortunately, the rain also moved in, and the weather took a nasty turn. The campground had been closed due to high winds (80 mph) and downed trees on Saturday and Sunday . . . and again on Thursday morning! Rick and Georgia had gone for a Thursday morning drive and found themselves unable to get back to the campground until the road was opened at 2:00 p.m. Yes, it was windy, but only 25 mph gusts. Many campers packed up and left, but we just packed everything up under cover and put down the awnings and waited it out. By mid-afternoon the winds seemed to be over, the temperature had dropped from 70 – 55, and the rain was still strong. Tom and Judy Moran arrived in their beautiful, long, vintage Airstream, and we had a chance to briefly meet them. Alan, Carie, Chris and Lauren appeared in the afternoon, having driven in wind and rain all the way from Kentucky Horse Park. They set up and headed into town with John and Suzie . . . where a Halloween party was going full-force in the streets despite the damp and cold. Friday, Nov 1 I guess you could say today was the first “real” day of the rally. Several (four couples) had cancelled out due to the weather, and we were left with six rugged couples . . . facing four days of beautiful sunshine with temperatures in the 50’s! It takes longer to get up and fed in the morning when the temperature is 29 degrees and there is no electricity; nevertheless, Georgia and Rick left at 8:00 for the trails. Sue, Carrie and I loaded up in our truck, and Tom, John, and Alan in the Couger truck as we headed out for the Roaring Fork Motor Trail, just 8 miles away. The narrow, one-way road meandered through the woods; the sun hadn’t reached the canopy yet and the trees were decorated with a sprinkling of snow-frost. We were all in awe, and hanging out the windows for pictures! By 2:00 we were in Jimmy’s restaurant enjoying a wild and crazy lunch as our waiter mixed up every order, food delivery, and the bill! The boys headed back for the campground, and the girls hit the streets for a little shopping expedition. By 4:30 we were all back at the campground ready to socialize with a pot-luck dinner!
Friday, Oct 25 The general plan today was two-fold: A cheese factory and a winery. Eight of us loaded up in two trucks, and Mike led the way to the cheese factory. It was a small operation that had down-sized from a large dairy farm. The cheese curds were savory and tender. The wine tasting was . . . wine tasting! We settled up to the bar, paid our $10, and tasted . . . from light and fruity and crisp, to red and dry. Depending on the palate, there was something to suit the needs. We walked out with our wine glasses and our purchases. Down the road was a little country restaurant, and it was already past lunchtime. We were seated just in time, as the traffic picked up considerably. Tom’s meatloaf on toast was exactly that . . . dry meatloaf with dry toast . . . NOTHING else! Dinner at the rally was a Tacos and Burritos feast, washed down with margaritas! The dining pavilion was again short on seating, so we loaded our plates and returned to our headquarters. John had set up an outdoor TV station, and at 8:00, as the World Series nightly feature began while people rotated in and out to watch. Saturday, Oct 26 The morning began with a pot-luck breakfast, and it was a true smorgasbord of offerings. I was not aware that it was from 8:30 – 10:00 and thought I had missed it when I didn’t wake up until 9:00. After a quick breakfast in the Silvermine, I walked up to the pavilion to see what was going on . . . still breakfast! LOTS of food. GALLONS of food! eOne of the events today was a flea market/craft fair and both Tom and I had brought stuff to put on a sale table. Tom covered the table at the pavillion until 11:30 when he moved everything to our awning and headquarters – where the Buckeye game started at noon. We sold some things, made some money, and then packed up the rest of the stuff. We didn’t really work too hard at selling! The afternoon was dedicated to the Ohio State game. Airstreams do not have outdoor TV areas like the big motor homes, and John’s outdoor set-up was a popular walk-by. Rain set in by suppertime, but from the comfort of the huge pavilion we were able to settle down for a Class A fish dinner – flounder, shrimp, crab, hushpuppies! There was more than enough for second and third helpings . . . and for carryout!
The rain and damp chased most inside by 7:00 – but some of the guys stayed out to watch another football game! During the night we heard rain off and on. In the morning we were grateful for the thick grass of our campsites as we packed up and took off! |
Archives
October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |