No. 1 son, Ugsome Cur invited us up to the Smokies to spend a few days with them in their mountain top retreat. Spent three days riding, hiking and eating our way through the woods.
We are rather proud of our hiking achievements
due to age, weight and other health issues. First jaunt was a walk up to
Laurel Falls.Our next jaunt was a riding trip around
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This was a most impressive ride. We stopped and looked at the old cabins and viewed the second growth forest. Can't imagine what the original forest looked like. The trees here as 'second growth' were enormous. You do not see trees this size anywhere else.
Of course, we also did the Gatlinburg thing with the kids. Our second day, we were treated to a pretty good roaming mountain music band which played a nice set for Joe and myself.
Second day lead off with our trip to
Clingman's Dome and nice hike to the top of that sucker. Strength and muscles were ok, but boy, that air is sure thin. But we made it! The atmosphere was pretty dense (they are named the Smokies) but it was still awesome. Along the way we stopped at Indian Gap and Newfound Gap.
Originally, Indian Gap, a point two miles west, was thought to be the lowest gap in the mountains, but Newfound Gap was discovered to be lower in elevation, thus the name. Indian Gap has the Applachian Trail crossing and also a take off to the Chimney Tops trail. We ended our tour with Cades Cove, always a beautiful spot and drove back to Pigeon Forge through Wears Valley which is very quiet and for the most part still undeveloped and has a great view of Cove Mountain.
