3-9-2018  ride up into the Smoky's to Cades Cove:

Supposedly there was snow in the Smoky's.  So after the kids left for their weekend to Asheville, we took a day trip up to Cades Cove.

Stopped at a lot of places along the way up!

10-26-17  sunrise at Cades Cove!!!!


Since Tim and Faith had an early flight, I decided it would be a great opportunity to see Cades Cove at sunrise.  So we were up by 6 and on the road by about 6:30.  Dropped the kids off at the Knoxville airport.  Then continued on our way up into the Smokey Mountains.

Got to Cades Cove about 10 minutes before sunrise, only to find out they don't let you in until sunrise!  So we queued up---a little surprised to see so many people there already.

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.

5-5-17  back to the Smokys:

What a difference a day makes!  After the day of upper 80s 2 days ago, today it was only going up to about 50---in May!  It rained all yesterday and stormed a bit, too.
So when I saw some sunshine, I suggested we go back to the mountains and run up to Cades Cove.  Such a gorgeous ride, even to get to the park.

Love the barn quilt signs.

Got to the park only to find it CLOSED!!!!  The storms yesterday came with 80 mph winds and blew a bunch of trees down.

Great Smokey Mountains Park Closed!!!

borrowed from a National Parks photo---some of the damage in the park.

Great Smoky Mountain Park's photo

So we spent a little time by the river at the edge of the park---where we exited the park the other day.

the river was a flowing'

downstream

still some moisture around from the storm yesterday.

a couple fisherpeople.

another stream running into the one above.

so clear

one last photo of the river a little farther downstream.

Not the day I had planned, but it was still a pretty good one. 

5-3-17  Laurel falls in the smokys:

Shortly after the kids left, Ken and I headed to the mountains.  It was another pretty day for sightseeing!  This time we went by way of Gatlinburg.

Interesting tourist town.  We didn't stop, but I'd been there with Tim and Faith before.