The rocks Trav had to climb to summit Chimney Tops, an incredible tough hike we made, with 1700 ft in elevation gain. I didn't summit it, though. Mara and I stayed back, drank a bottle, and hung out with some red squirrels.
On the way down from Chimney Tops, that is the only reason I look happy.
Beautiful sunset in Cades Cove.
On the way down from Chimney Tops, that is the only reason I look happy.
Trav posing with our happy hiker at the trailhead to the Appalachian Trail. She babbled at everyone she saw on the 3 hour, 6 mile hike. Look close, she is smiling from ear to ear! This baby backpack was absolutely awesome!
On old homestead we saw on a motor nature trail in Cades Cove. Also on this trail, we saw a grouping of bears (mom and babies). Mara and I stayed in the truck while Trav went to take pictures. He must have scared them, because all of a sudden, all the bears took off into the trees. I freaked out and made him come back to the truck to put up the windows. Not too much of an animal person, if you didn't know.
Beautiful sunset in Cades Cove.
Some more beautiful views.
Wildflowers on an off ramp into Asheville, NC.
So I wanted to go to Asheville to see the Biltmore (a 250-room mansion built by George Vanderbilt in the 19th Century, the largest home in the US). Needless to say that the drive took a lot longer than I anticipated- strike 1. The admission price was higher than their website said ($55/ea)- strike 2. When we tried to fine the Pisgah National Forest to do some hiking instead (I do have some smarts NOT to pay $110 to tour a mansion) so the whole day wasn't a loss, we couldn't- strike 3. We turned back and wasted the whole day seeing the interstate and the ticket center at the Biltmore.
So, as soon as we got back to camp, Trav headed out on a late afternoon hike to Jake's Gap. This pose is his Wisconsin 'W'.
Why they are called the Smoky Mountains. This was the view on our way out Sunday morn, when it was raining like crazy. The smoke comes from the abundance of closely grown trees releasing A LOT of carbon that does something and quickly makes the 'smoke.' But also, there are lots of places, summits and high tree areas, where the trees are dead or sparse. The acid rain from the coal plants in the valleys has burned the trees and killed them. The elevation here is no higher than 6600, so there is no tree line (line where trees and most vegetation won't grow due to lack of o2).
Overall, we had a good time and are happy to be home. On the way home we also passed by a Loc outlet (they sell cast iron cooking gear) and a Coleman outlet. We were sucked in and found a new tent and a saucepan. A 3-person tent does NOT work with two adults and a pack-n-play! Well, they had a great 7-person tent on closeout that we couldn't pass up, so we are anxiously planning our next camping trip over July 4th and Labor Day to include our new 'portable house.'
