A D V E N T U R E   I N   T H E   S M O K I E S

Sunday, November 7, 2004

I wake at 8am to another sunny morning in yet another Walmart parking lot. The weather for the past few days has been absolutely superb. I hope it holds out for the remainder of my trip. I'm not sure when I'll be back home to Portland, OR because I have so many things to see and do between here and there. I have to admit, sometimes traveling alone can be a bit lonely, however, each and every new day brings with it a fresh set of sights and sounds. All of this pleasant distraction usually keeps me from feeling lonely. I'm alone, but not lonely.

Today I'll be spending the entire day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I've heard a lot about the park, but I have never had the pleasure of visiting it. As I prepare to depart, I notice that I'm surrounded by interesting terrain. In my side view mirror the Great Smokys beckon.

Today's driving will be short but steep. I'll be heading for the North Carolina border and in the process I'll enter into the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Passing through Pigeon Forge, TN on my way to the park, I'm overcome with how over-developed this city is. The main drag is filled to the gills with tourist traps, hotels, restaurants. You name it, they've got it. This reminds me of my drive into Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. The border town there aims to take as much of your hard earned money as they can. The only difference with this place is Pigeon Forge is at least 3 times its size.