Smoky Mountain Road Trip

 This is the morning that we left.  This is her fake smile through a frown.

 These bears in captivity were the only ones that we saw on our entire trip.  Unusual.

 Riding the carousel atop Ober Mountain.  We rode a tram to the top.

Pure joy.

Vroom, vroom!

 Overlooking Gatlinburg.

 One of the old houses in the Cades Cove loop.  This one was built in 1856.

 She loved playing in the mountain streams and waterfalls!

 Happy 4th of July from Gatlinburg, TN!

 Spectacular!

 Newfound Gap.

 Her new cowgirl boots!

 Waiting in line for the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show.

 A really fun show!  (We were Hatfields.)

 One of the many fun kiddie rides at Dollywood.

 The queen!

 Riding the Dollywood Express train named Cinderella.

 

 It was our last day at Dollywood and she was running through the misting area yelling: BEST.DAY.EVER!!!

 Swinging and reflecting on her favorite vacation memories.

 Our cottage:  Bear Necessities in Sky Harbor, Sevierville, TN.

We usually head up to the beautiful Traverse City area in Michigan each July, but this year we decided to see something new.  I am a flight girl who has long shunned road trips, but now that we have MVP, certain road trips just seem necessary and even appealing.  Off to the Smoky Mountains we went for a week in a lovely cabin!  (Jasper included!)  Except for some road construction delays on the way there, the drive was not so bad.  I was not prepared for the sites of Pigeon Forge as we pulled into town!  Very flashy and touristy, let me tell you!  It is truly something to behold!  Our cabin was perfectly located between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, and right by the entrance to the national park.  Gatlinburg, while touristy as well, is more toned down and quaint for the most part.  We did a lot of fun things:  rode up a mountain in a sky tram, spent an evening at a fun park and go-cart track, drove up through the national park and did some sight-seeing, played in some mountain swimming holes and waterfalls, netted crawdads, watched a spectacular July 4th firework display in Gatlinburg, Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show,  Patrick did a little mountain biking in North Carolina, went to Dollywood where a Kid's Fest was going on, went to Ana Yang's Gazillion Bubble Show, spent a day at Dollywood's Splash Country and had some really yummy southern meals.  There is so much to do and see that we weren't able to squeeze in everything on our itinerary!  We were really impressed by how nice and charming the local people were.  We would love to go back again, perhaps in autumn when the colors are at their peak beauty.  It is a very popular place for people to get married, but it is also a wonderful vacation spot for families.  So sad that vacation is over!  I am already scheming and dreaming about next summer....my eyes are on Lake Tahoe or Vancouver...weeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!