Pigeon Forge, TN

October 5, 2013

This week has reminded me of a saying in veterinarian medicine.  Here is an illustration of the saying. 

Well an RV life is very similar. We are truck drivers, plumbers, campers, water treatment technicians, and this week exterminators!
As per our previous post, we have had some ‘fun’ squashing bugs this week. I had read a lot about keeping ants and other common insects out of your RV, but I had never heard about stink bug infestations. I am proud to say that we are now pros at the removal of the dreaded stink bug.  It took many long days, but we have succeeded.  We had to clean and check every orifice of this machine (multiple times).  Our many thanks go to apple cider vinegar, lemongrass, and an outdoor pesticide.  On a positive note, everything is now very organized!  Hopefully, that will be our last encounter with stink bugs, or any bug for that matter.

We chose to visit Pigeon Forge for its close proximity to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.  Our camp this week is up close and personal with Walden Creek, just outside the bustling Pigeon Forge.  It is very nice to gaze at a fire with the sound of a bubbling creek and crickets in the background.  Although, I could do with a little less gnats and mosquitos.  On Monday, September 30 we visited Cades Cove in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.  I mention the date because sadly now it is closed while the US Government is shut down.  Come on America!!  Politics aside, we enjoyed a nice drive around Cades Cove. We also hiked the 5 mile round trip trail to Abrams Falls.  The mountain trail was breathtaking, both in beauty and in physiological breath.   We walked within feet of a young doe. She didn’t seem to mind us at all!  The falls were very nice, but a smidge disappointing after an hour-long mountainous hike.  That’s ok as I love being immersed in nature!  After our stroll we continued our drive to discover black bears.  Of course there was the famous ‘bearjam’.  However, we parked the car and wandered into the field to get up close and personal.  The first bear was a ~2 year old that was at the top of a tree.  Pretty cool. However in the next field there was  a mother and a cub!  They too were in a tree but not very high up and at one point the cub almost came down.  Needless to say we respectfully admired their Presence.  After a bit, the sun was setting and it was time to head back to camp.

Since the Park is now ‘closed’, we have been exploring the rest of the area.  I have to say that Pigeon Forge is too commercial for our taste.  It is the Myrtle Beach of the mountains.   Chain store, after chain store.  However, we enjoyed an evening at The Island in Pigeon Forge  This new establishment/development has a huge Ferris Wheel, arcade, and restaurants.  It also had a local band performing in its promenade.  The food was mediocre but the scenery was nice.

If man-made entertainment is your thing, then you will love Pigeon Forge. Of course Pigeon Forge is famous for Dollywood. I originally wanted to visit this amusement park, but after driving up to the gate we decided to spend our $130 elsewhere. I have been there, just not in there, so it is checked off my bucket list. In addition, nightly entertainment abounds; the Smokey Mountain Opry, The Lumberjack Feud, Dixie Stampede, Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show, The Comedy Barn Theater, all sorts of Ripley events, and the Hazzard County Hoedown just to name a few. In addition, lots of adventure activities abound too. Everything from ziplines, horse back riding, bumper cars, go-cart racing, golf (mostly miniature), and tons of shopping! We however, chose to save our money, enjoy our creek side oasis, and practice our culinary skills. We spent most of our evenings doing just that with an added bonus of a sunset fire.

We did however visit downtown Gatlinburg, TN. We were drawn in by Ober Gatlinburg. This is a local ski resort, but it holds a Oktoberfest festival this time of year. We hopped on the Ariel Tram and enjoyed our view. Once at the ski resort we were slightly disappointed as not much was happening. They did have some good beer on tap, an alpine slide, and a wildlife encounter but the usual Oktoberfest activities were lacking. We did however enjoy the view and play a couple of games of skee ball. We also watched an older figure skater in their ice rink. Then we descended again via the Ariel Tram. The ski trails did look fun, so I think if we ever go back it will be to ride the slopes! Next, we wandered along the quaint streets of downtown Gatlinburg. It is a very nice downtown. It holds a lot of chain stores and attractions, but lots of small shops too. And some great whiskey and moonshine tasting! We really did enjoy our stroll (and tasting!) and ended our evening at the Smokey Mountain Brewery. Overall, we had a delightful time in downtown Gatlinburg.

Our last two days here consisted of relaxation creek side. We did enjoy the UGA game on our outdoor patio TV!

So my last thought is, Whiskey or Moonshine?

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