Let's Finish Off Spring

 with this:

Heading Home From Nashville

On Thursday we drove through Knoxville back to Nashville. We were sure to stop at Bucees for gas. I had never heard of this place, but Reggie has gone to it many times on his business trips in the south, and loves it. (Yup, I picked up a couple stocking stuffings.) I admit, their hot BBQ pork sandwiches were amazing. They are also famous for their clean bathrooms, and darned if they weren't - cleanest public bathroom I've ever used!

We stopped at Nashville's life size replica of The Parthenon. Unfortunately the inside, which is a museum, was closed for renovation, so this is one of many reasons why we want to go back some day!

Afterwards we dropped Marianne & Sergio off at their hotel, as they were heading to Dallas the next day to see his Mom. We went to our hotel and got a good night's sleep for our last day of vacation.

On Saturday morning we went to The Country Music Hall of Fame. It was fascinating, and gave me lots more ideas of people and traditions I want to look up and learn more about, and it reminded me of artists that I used to love back in the day. I will be looking up their music and making more playlists.

Finally, we walked down Broadway street, where you could hear live music coming out of every restaurant/bar/building. It was very busy, but clean and not too crazy, as we were there around noon. 

We decided to eat at Blake Shelton's "Ole Red". The band that was playing said they would take requests for $20 since they know hundreds of songs. Reggie wanted to tip them anyway, so I asked them to play "Wagon Wheel" or anything by Darius Rucker. They said ok, but then announced that they wanted the audience' help because they didn't really know the words. What?! So I helped them, as in I took a video on my phone and sang harmony. I don't think they heard me but my kids will as I play it for them! The band really was great - on every other song.

On Saturday we headed home. While we were on the airplane I started getting nervous. I started wondering "what is the next big thing?" as in unexpected trial heading our way? We got home to our beautiful, cold, Bay Area weather and a broken furnace. I don't mind our beloved Bay Area weather, but I do like warm air in the mornings. We weren't able to get an appointment till tomorrow, so wish us luck! But just coming off this trip, I decided that if Dolly Parton could grow up in an unheated cabin then I could live in an unheated house for a couple of weeks. So, no matter what little or big things come our way, we are grateful for our blessings, and for the chance we had to take this adventure together. 

More Green & More Gatlinburg

 We got one good/easy hike in at the Smoky Mountain National Park before it started to rain; which is another reason we want to go back, for more more more! 

I just can't get over this bright green.

Another one we had planned to take was in Gatlinburg, but still part of the park. Apparently, it takes you to and behind a waterfall, but is also very muddy and slippery when wet. So maybe next time time! 

We did enjoy walking around Gatlinburg. 

We ate a great breakfast at  Cumberland Jack restaurant. Besides the tasty food I loved the atmosphere - more history!

The Skypark!

 Well, I think that the 4 of us - Reggie, Marianne, Sergio & I, would say that the Gatlinburg Skypark was the funnest thing we did in The Smoky Mountains. Some of Gatlinburg is, in fact, part of the national park. We entered this adventure at the bottom by hopping on the "ski lift" type of chair, which carried us up the mountain. Getting on the chair was an adventure in and of itself, as you stand on the mark and wait for it to come behind you and scoop you up. The chair does not stop, so you've got to be ready. Even though I knew all of this it was a surprise as the chair bumped into the back of my legs, and off we went! I felt a little motion sickness going up more than coming down for some reason. But it was so worth it!

The lift lets you off on the first level. We sat on the comfortable chairs and enjoyed the views of Gatlinburg and talked about how fun this was, already.

Then you have to walk up 60, easy stairs to get to the top level. There we walked across a long suspension bridge with a partial grate and then glass bottom. The more people on the bridge, the more it swayed and rocked up and down. Luckily we were not there during peak season, though we did have funny Sergio and Reggie rocking it a little bit for fun. Though I was usually the slow one in our group, this bridge freaked Marianne out a bit, as she was holding onto the side rope for dear life, and laughing all the way! I have to admit, that made me feel good!

Above - a view of the bridge from Gatlinburg

Below - Inside the park

On the other side of the bridge there were trails to walk, and a tower in the shape of a tulip to climb. 

Oh, the views we got from the top of this SKYPARK!

We noticed one cabin in the distance, that seemed to be the highest on the mountain. I wondered who could afford to live there. Later Marianne said she was talking to a group of women who coincidentally were renting that cabin for a week long vacation. It was huge and pretty affordable with that many people in it, so we started dreaming of how much fun it would be to have a family reunion in Gatlinburg in cabins like that.

There were more seats to sit and relax in, and I enjoyed looking in the gift shop. I got a couple of Christmas presents on this trip, because, well, that's what I do.

Reggie's priority pick for The Smokies

"Located at the top of the tallest mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, is the Kuwohi Observation Tower Trail. The observation tower has breathtaking, 360 degree views of the Smoky Mountains."

So, naturally the hike was all uphill. Thankfully my hiking pole, and the cortisone shot I got in my knee a week before, helped me get there. I was still slower and needed a lot more breaks than most people, but Reggie stuck with me the whole time, which was quite romantic. A real "for better or worse, in sickness and in health" moment for sure. BUT WE MADE IT, TOGETHER, and it was well worth the climb!

I was pretty excited to walk a few feet on The Appalachian Trail, and can't wait to learn more about it now. Marianne & Sergio went further on the trail and met us at the car. They looked like a couple of teenagers, off on an adventure, as they headed down the mountain trail.