Tennessee Trip Day 5 - Smoky Mountain National Park

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October 1, 2014 (Wednesday)

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I set my alarm for 6:30 this morning because I wanted to get an early start. I was headed to Cades Cove in the national park. I had been told if you went either early in the morning or late in the evening you would see more wildlife. The drive there is beautiful and there are a lot of places to stop. The road follows a creek just about the whole way. Cades Cove was an old settlement that existed before the national park was established. I toured some of the old buildings and churches that had been preserved. The Methodist and Baptist church had old cemeteries beside them. The families in the cemeteries were families that settled the area. There were old graves and then some as resent as 1980. The park must still allow the original settlers still be buried there.



I was walking in the cemetery by the Methodist church when this man walks up to me and ask if I was Methodist. I told him no I was Assembly of God. I asked him what church he attended and he said “Rio”. At least that is what it sounded like he said. He started talking about how we are to render to Cesar, obey the law of the lands and everyone was equal. He also started talking about Hitler murdering all the Jews and that Obama was doing the same thing in Syria. He said I would hear about 2 miracles. One was in heaven and one was on earth. He said he loved his country and it would be straightened out before he left this world. I just told him ok nice talking to you I needed to get going. He said I love you. I walked off before he could say anything else. I was glad there were other people around!!



The highlight of the day was seeing a black bear. I was leaving the Cove when I saw a black bear in the road. He was walking back and forth across the road.

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Photos

Smoky Mountain National Park
View driving to Cades Cove in the park.

Water fall in creek on road to the Cove
A river runs next to the road just about the whole way from national park north entrance to the cove.

Methodist Church in Cades Cove in Smoky Mountain National Park
This building was built in 1902 and replaced the original log building church established in 1820. The civil war divided the church. Dissidents formed another Methodist Church on the opposite side of the cove.

At visitor center in Cades Cove
I was there on one of the day where they have live music at the visitor center in the middle of the 11 mile loop road that goes thru the cove. He was playing old mountain tunes.

At visitor center in Cades Cove
He played several different musical instruments.

Old mill in the cove.
You could buy corn meal inside that was being ground there.

Leaving the cove saw a black bear walking back and forth across the road.
The people in the car that is stopped with the back up said their was another bear climbing a tree but I wasn't able to stop long enough to see it . Cars were coming.