The Super Fast Totally Unplanned April Smokies Trip

Chandler, Rhoen, Jake, Elan, Ben
at Nick-A-Jack Lake
Chattanooga

Our Third Stop en route!

There were 3 wreck-caused traffic jams along the way that slowed us up, the second taking FOREVER to get past.

Check out Amanda, driving with the back of her thumb while tying her shoe.
Woo!

After seeing a dozen bilboards, I was compelled to at least photograph 'Crazy Ed's'.

We got in well after dark, unloaded and unpacked and then went grocery shopping for the week, then had dinner and went to bed!

************************************************************

Day Two

Breakfast and feeding the condo squirrel, packed lunches, bought Jake new shoes-men's 9.5

Off to the mountains to look for snow!

It did not take long to find it, all the way from the Chimneys to Clingman's Dome, the streams were frozen, ice hung in sheets and snow drifts were all around.

Newfound Gap!

Rhoen makes the first snowman of the day!

I wonder what Ben is thinking?

Rest break partway up the trail to Clingman's Dome ends with another snowman.

Clingman's Dome
Highest point in Tennessee

The view is fantastic!

Smokies

That loose tooth FINALLY came out on the trail. It had been loose since November.

Cataract Falls

We saw bears-mama and 2 babies, on the way down from Clingman's Dome. Yay!

********************************************
Day Three

Roaring Fork Motor Trail


We drove around the Roaring Fork Motor Trail, stopping at several cabins and doing a nature trail.

After that, back to the condo! But first, a stop at Atlanta Bread Company to download e-mail and eat soup!
We had no power at the condo because of a storm that came through, so we sat tight for about an hour and finally everything worked again, so off to the pool!

We swam an hour or two before the cloudy water finally made us a little leery, then headed back to eat dinner and watch a couple dvd's.

Day Four

The Big HIke

We headed to Cade's Cove to see Abrams Falls.

We stopped at the John Oliver Cabin first and played in the field.
The weather was sunny, but cool and very windy.

We saw this turkey just before the visitor center

After visiting the visitor center, we looped back around via Hyatt Lane and got back to the trailhead.

We got to the falls without issue! Yay!
The hike was a bit steep, but we did fine, no one had to stop and rest going up the hills.

Falls with my fisheye lens

We got out as it was starting to get dark.
The kids claimed to be pooped.

Well, who COULD resist?

Saw several deer as we pulled out of the parking lot.

A little Bischon Something dog barked at them from the car ahead and they ran.
Bad dog!

This blurry shot was possibly the coolest sighting the whole trip other than the bears.
A coyote on the hunt!

Got back and had dinner, packed up a bit and hit the sack.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Day Five

We drove home the LOOOONG way, back through Wears Valley, over the Foothills Parkway, up 29 and the Tail of the Dragon and finally across the Cherohala Skyway and back to the Interstate.

We did our usual stop and hike to Hooper's Bald

This rooster joined us for lunch on the way home!

Ben keeps an eye on him, you never know what they might do!

We got home about 8:15 Friday night and so concludes our unplanned trip to the Smokies.