Back!

[icepixie]

*waves*

Well, I'm back from becoming one of the statistics that make the Great Smoky Mountains National Park the most visited National Park in the country.


- These mountains are lovely. It rained a good bit of the time we were there (more on that later), creating the blueish "rising smoke" mist that gives them their name. Had I a four-wheel drive vehicle, I think I might consider living in them at some point. I thought Nashville and the surrounding Highland Rim was pretty hilly. Dude, I practially live in the flatlands compared to those things.

- I thought Middle Tennessee had a monopoly on mimosa trees. Again, totally wrong. East TN has more mimosas lining the interstates than I thought possible. The pink did help break up the green, though. (Green is great. I'm all for green. But I got rather a lot of green after these past three days, and there's something to be said for other colors.)

- Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have some kind of obssession with pancake houses. Seriously, there was one every quarter mile or so along the main drags. The butterscotch pancakes at one were yummy.

- The little cabin-in-the-woods deal we stayed in (so cute! So far up a vertical incline!) had some kind of sulphur/sulfer (don't remember which is the correct spelling on this side of the pond) thing goin' on with the water. We all came home reeking of rotten eggs. It seemed to be just a problem with being kind of far out, though--the city water didn't smell bad. However, even the little mountain streams and such in the park stank--even the rain smelled bad.

- Speaking of rain, guess who was almost a mile up a trail when it began to pour? Yeah. That was entertaining. Other than that, though, the park was great. We wanted to take the road up to Clingman's Dome (highest point in TN), but were worried that the car wouldn't make it. It probably hates us now even without that particular road. We did wander around in the little recreation of a valley village they had, which was interesting, and we saw some waterfalls and such. Lots of good pictures that I'm too lazy to resize and upload at the moment, but will at some point in the future.

- Saw the aquarium. rowdycamels, you were right--better than the Tennessee Aquarium. Woo-hoo, sea dragons! Those things are pretty amazing. Not to mention the sharks and various kinds of sting/manta/Southern rays. Hooray for rays! And tubeworms!

- Had a blast at Ripley's Believe It Or Not. I always wanted to see a shrunken head, not to mention all the other things they had there. theusual, one of the gravestones they had which you'll like was for a John Yeast, who asks us to "please forgive me for not rising." *snerk*

In other news, the iBook has to be sent off to California. Hopefully they'll find whatever's wrong with it and I'll get it back at some point in the near future, all better...

Comments

[spleeny.livejournal.com]

theusual, one of the gravestones they had which you'll like was for a John Yeast, who asks us to "please forgive me for not rising."

Hee. If he became a zombie, the Yeast would surely rise, though. :)

[icepixie]

*attempts to make bad joke about Yogurt the Zombie-Slayer, but realizes that probably only females would understand that one*

There was another gravestone that was quite punny as well, but I didn't write it down, and now I don't remember it. Alas.

[spleeny.livejournal.com]

I think I know where that joke is going, but I have no clue what the exact path is. And that's fine by me. :)

You didn't write down the pun? I've never been so disappointed in you. That's inexcusable.

[icepixie]

I think I know where that joke is going, but I have no clue what the exact path is. And that's fine by me. :)

Be glad. Be very, very glad.

And yeah, I'm a horrible person for forgetting to write down the pun. *sniffs dramatically* I should just throw myself over the edge of a tall building right now...

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

You came over here and you didn't even tell me?? No fair! You should've come down on a Saturday - we could've gone to Dollywood! Bleh on you.

It rained a good bit of the time we were there (more on that later), creating the blueish "rising smoke" mist that gives them their name. Had I a four-wheel drive vehicle, I think I might consider living in them at some point.

Hah. When the mountains get rainy and smoky for two weeks straight, you'll realize that although you are surrounded by pretty scenery, your sneakers may never be dry and non-stinky again...

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have some kind of obssession with pancake houses.

Oooooh... get the chocolate chip ones with powdered sugar. They're the best.

You *so* owe me a trip to Dollywood now.

[icepixie]

You came over here and you didn't even tell me??

Au contraire, I believe I mentioned in a comment in your journal last week that we were heading thataways. The non-Saturdayness of it was all due to my parents, though. Had it been up to me, it most certainly would have been on a Saturday, although perhaps Dollywood wouldn't have been involved.

Hah. When the mountains get rainy and smoky for two weeks straight, you'll realize that although you are surrounded by pretty scenery, your sneakers may never be dry and non-stinky again...

Dude, last year? Rain. April through the end of June. Every. Day. My shoes had mold in them. The roses in the back yard had mold in them. I think my lungs were starting to mold.

Oooooh... get the chocolate chip ones with powdered sugar. They're the best.

I gave them serious thought, but settled finally on butterscotch, since both Chandra and ARA have made me chocolate chip ones in the past (Chandra's being infinitely better, of course...).

You *so* owe me a trip to Dollywood now.

Duly noted. We need to drag Chandra and Whitney over here, too. Dollywood when we visit you, and...uh...art galleries here. 'Cause Opryland got turned into a mall...