Summer U.S. Trip 2014 - Part 2

We settled into a routine in TN.  We would load up the vehicles, particularly the S's minivan, head "down the mountain" to the National Park to do an activity in the park.  Then, we would have lunch at a nice picnic spot (Metcalf Bottoms?  Something like that) along the river.  After lunch, the girls would play in the river.  If we weren't too tired, we would stop at the community pool on our way "up the mountain."  We'd cook dinner in, the kids would play, and eventually go to bed.

Junior ranger waterfall hike / talk

The girls got their junior ranger badges, to match their ones from Yosemite last year.

Part of the waterfall hike

I ducked out one day to give a talk at UT-Knoxville and meet with a future co-author.  It was very productive, but it did make the trip feel less like a vacation for me.  To try and compensate, I left early and did a hike on the way - even saw three wild turkeys on the hike.

Did we see bears again this year?  You betcha, Margie!  Did I get any pictures this year?  No ma'am.  The second bear sighting was in the road as we were leaving for the airport.  As usual, I was speechless and didn't think to take a picture until the mama bear and her two cubs were in the woods and out of sight.  Still, it was quite exciting, especially for FABJ and me as the bears were on our side of the car.

Other highlights?  We bought an inner tube (and a tiny inner tube) and spent one afternoon taking turns rafting down the river near our lunch spot.  It was a short ride, but it had good entry and exit spots.  Once we realized that you needed someone to help with the dismount at the end of the ride.  Poor CS, as she basically had to dump KS in the water (who was in her lap), in order to get up out of the inner tube.  So the inner tube floated on down the river.  It took me 15 minutes to wade downstream (even the water was at most 1.5 feet deep), retrieve the inner tube, and return to our exit point.

Earlier that morning, FABJ and I did a scenic drive and hike through an old homestead.  It was quite interesting, and FABJ told me later that she had a great time (she really likes history).

My little hiker (wearing SS's dress)

The Smokies

It was an enjoying trip to the Smokies.  I'm already thinking of parks for future trips.  Shenandoah?  Rocky Mountain?  Yellowstone?  Glacier?  Acadia?  The list is so long!