We just got back...

[Tom W.]

Lori & I just got back from a long needed getaway in Gatlinburg. I got to do something that I never thought I'd be well enough to do, make the walk to the top of Clingmans Dome. It's only .5 miles from the parking lot to the top. It was also about 50* up there with 50 some mph winds. But we made it.
I then made it a point to visit one of our members here, and had a short but enjoyable visit. Friday we went to Cade's Cove, and altho we got there a bit later than we liked to we did see 5 black bears and two deer. Turkeys were everywhere, a lot of the males in full strut.We did tourist stuff ad had a relaxing time, making it a point to go to Bud's gun shop, and even left a few dollars at Smoky Mountain Knife Works on a new set of steak knives.
Today we left about 0600, went back through the park to Cherokee, N.C. and saw several small herds of elk. It was relaxing, except for the drive through Atlanta. I hate that part of the trip.
We got home safely with no incidents and good memories, and one more thing scratched from my bucket list....

[Markopolo]

Very cool Tom.. now you need a vacation to recover from your vacation.. ��

[Tom W.]

We've been wanting to take a cruise to Alaska, but the cancer surgery and after effects put the kibosh on that for a while. Maybe before I leave this earth we'll be able to go....

[GregLaROCHE]

Sounds like you had a great trip. I don’t mind the open roads driving, but going through big cities is getting more and more stressful. I’ll drive longer and further to avoid it, if possible.

[GhostHawk]

I'm with Greg.

Coming back from New Orleans this winter we ran up I55, stopped for the night at Jackson, and at Memphis peeled off onto I555 which turned into 4 lane divided highway then 2 lane blacktop through the hills. Brought us eventually into Warsaw Mo which is truly lovely. Then good roads N to Chilicothe Mo, and west to St Joseph. Avoiding both Kansas City and St Louis.

The last day from Warsaw we made 750 miles as we were up early and figured out if we kept at it we could be home shortly after dark.

[lightman]

It sounds like You and the Wife had a wonderful time. Sometimes the best part of traveling is getting back home. I'm another that hates big city traffic! I mean, just how do you manage to cause a traffic jam on a flat concrete 4 lane road?

[Tom W.]

Some of those roads in Atlanta are 10 and 12 lanes. Way beyond how many fingers I have!

[abunaitoo]

Must be nice to just drive to another state.
From time tot time, friend and I drive to the other side of the island to buy eggs.
More for the drive, than the eggs.
Living here all my life, I think I've been everywhere at least once.
We had the Super Ferry a few years back.
There was even a National Geographic show about it.
Damacrats shut it down.
Republican governor in office at the time.
Never got to try it.
Those that did, said it was great.
Damacrats are talking about trying to bring it back.
Fat chance of anyone putting up the money, from what happened to the last one.
They must have lost billions of dollars.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Next time take 431 North to I 59 to Tennessee. Reverse course back home and you will miss Atlanta completely.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[EMC45]

It was great to meet you Tom! Next time we need to shoot.

I'm glad you got to see all the critters while you were here. We gather them all up at night and put them to bed until the next morning..........It was below freezing on the Dome this morning just to let ya know.

[Tom W.]

It's my favorite place to go and unwind... And it was good to meet you, too!

[popper]

Warsaw Mo - Truman reservoir best blue cat fishing in the state. She wanted to go to Gatlinburg, then the Ark. I did hear they will provide elec. scooters for me.

[WRideout]

When I lived in Knoxville, we went to the Smokies every once in a while to see the park, and explore the mountains. I grew up in the West, and had hiked in the Sierra Nevada mountains at elevations where nothing grew, not even lichens. Clingman's dome has trees all the way to the top. Once while driving the loop at Smoky Mountain National Park, we chanced to see a red wolf, soon after they were released, back in the nineties.

Wayne