7-12-17  back to Georgia:

But first---breakfast at Nick and J's.  Wish there was one of these in Buford!

 It was another hot hazy day. 

7-11-17  last day of Knoxville vacation:

We decided to stay another day.  Faith had taken off work, so we stuck around to annoy her.  After breakfast at First Watch, she and I ran to Walmart.  She had suggested we go to The Beach (one of the pools at the fitness club she's a member of).  I don't often pass up going to a pool,  or ocean,  or lake, ... .  So we had to go shopping so I could get a swim suit first.  I've gotten some from Walmart before, so figured that was a good place to check.  Eureka, it was even on clearance for $11!  Pretty sad that they clearance summer clothes out in early July!  But I was happy to get a swimsuit for $11. 
It was a hot day today---over 90.  The pool was great!  I was surprised how big it is.  I was also surprised at how few people were there---until we'd been there about 30 minutes, then a bunch of families and kids groups showed up.  But it was still a great couple hours.  This was about half of the pool.  No "beach", but the zero entrance area had a squishy rubber bottom to it. 

Had to leave after a couple hours.  Faith had a Dr. appointment.  Then we just hung out until Tim got home from work.  Dinner was at some unimpressive brewery in Turkey Creek.  We didn't know that it was trivia night and would be very loud.  My salad was good, though, but we were ready to leave as soon as we were done eating.
Spent a few more hours visiting at the house, then said our good-byes figuring we wouldn't see them before they headed off to work.  It was a fun 5 days.

7-10-17  back to the Smokey's to get the kids.

We were pleasantly surprised last night when we got a text from Faith saying they had made it to the cabins.  We didn't think they'd have service there.  They didn't either.  They also said they weren't thinking they'd make it back down by the 1pm time we had agreed upon.  So Ken and I took our time getting back to the pick up spot---a different trail head from where they started from.  This trail was shorter, but steeper and the trail the llamas use to haul stuff up and down to the cabins.  Anyway---Ken and I went to Nick and J's for breakfast, then continued on to the Smokey's.
 I suggested we head to Sinks and check it out again.  So we did.

 Lots of people playing in the water there, but we didn't see any kayakers.

7-9-17  a walk in the woods:

Today was the day the kids have been waiting for for quite some time.  Today they were hiking up Mt. Le Conte and sleeping in a cabin.  So after they cooked us breakfast, we all headed off to the mountains.   Wasn't sure what kind of weather they were going to have----

 Lots of low hanging clouds.

7-8-17 a day with the kids:

We got to spend the whole day with both of them today.  So we started it off by heading to another new breakfast place for Ken and me.  It's actually in the same family as another one we like to go to near them---Nick and J's.  This one is Sami's and is just as crowded as Nick and J's.  There was a line waiting for seats, but the hostess said we could sit outside if we wanted to, so we did.  It was an interesting outside area---up a little hill and with stores on 3 sides of it.  But the weather wasn't too hot, so we decided to try it.  Breakfast was very good, but then, how can you ruin breakfast?

After breakfast the kids wanted to get a couple last minute things for their hike tomorrow.  So we went to REI and to another store whose name I forget.   It is interesting looking at all the outdoor stuff.   Like this stand up paddle board with stepper on it.  Apparently they've been around awhile, but it's the first one I've seen!

7-7-17  off to Knoxville---

And we're off, again.  This time to Knoxville to visit Tim and Faith, and watch the animals while they go on an overnight hike into the mountains (Le Conte Mt).  There are cabins on top of the mountain that you can only get to by hiking to them.  They're so popular that there's a lottery to get to stay at them---even with the $300, or so, reservation fee (which also includes dinner and breakfast).  Wish I was young and healthy enough to do that, but I imagine the 3300+ elevation climb would probably kill me!  But we still had a good time visiting with the kids before and after their trip and Ken and I enjoyed running around the Smokey's by ourselves when we weren't hanging out with the grandanimals.
Their hike wasn't until Sunday the 9th, but we headed up on Friday so we could spend some time with them.  The 4 hours ride is actually rather enjoyable.
Although at first it did look like we could be hitting some rain along the way!  Luckily we didn't.

 I took pictures along our way.  Love the Christmas tree at this barn!