Blue Haze and Painted Bulldogs


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Published: November 18th 2008
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Pigeon Forge, TNPigeon Forge, TNPigeon Forge, TN

Our hotel in Pigeon Forge, TN, and the first in a long while.
First off, it's been a long time since the last blog, and it's not really Cody's fault, but he's going to get blamed anyway. So be it, I apologize. Second, this will be the last blog, since the trip is now over, and has been for a month.

We had a beautiful drive through Tennessee, ending up in Pigeon Forge. We stayed at a hotel room (SOOO nice) and left early the next morning after our FREE pancake breakfast!! As we drove through the Great Smokies, some of the trees were just beginning to change color into bright reds and oranges. The rolling hills were really pretty, covered in trees and the blue haze they were named for. We drove up to the center of the park, which was at the border between Tennessee and North Carolina and right on the Appalachian Trail. After getting a look at the spot where FDR dedicated the park, we took a stroll along the AT, not quite making it the 1970 miles to reach the northern end of the AT in Maine.

After leaving the park we drove through North Carolina and into Georgia, arriving in Athens in the afternoon. Athens was
Pigeon Forge, TNPigeon Forge, TNPigeon Forge, TN

Our room with a view.
a neat college town, where they had painted bulldogs all over town. We stayed the night in Athens, leaving the next morning to drive a small portion of the Antebellum Trail. We saw a few old plantation houses. We continued our drive down through Georgia, and into Florida, where we stayed with Nickey's grandparents for a few days. While there, I got to go with Nickey's Grandpa Linscott while his Civil War buddies practiced firing their mortar for an upcoming competition.

*sigh* Our trip has finally come to an end. We had an awesome time, loving every (well, almost every) minute of it. We traveled 14,500 miles(!), made it to 26 states, and spent three entire months with just each other as company, much of it in a Chrysler Pacifica. After all of that, we are still talking, still happy, and we still enjoy being together. Who would have thought!




Additional photos below
Photos: 39, Displayed: 23


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Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Entering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

There were great views of beautiful green, rolling hills.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

If you can see the patches of red there, the trees are just starting to change.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

The hills were covered with a blue haze...I'd imagine that led to their name.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

As you can see, it was a gorgeous day. A refreshing change after having cloud cover for most of the last few weeks.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Hill after hill after hill.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

This is a view from the TN/NC border. Beautiful!!
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

More landscape.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Nickey and Cody in the Great Smokies.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

A pretty little butterfly eating a yummy flower.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Hills and hills
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

The spot where FDR dedicated the Great Smoky Mountains in 1940.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Look at that, the Appalachian Trail. Nickey and I decided to see how far we could go...didn't quite make it to Maine.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Caterpillar!
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Hiking the trail.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Some pretty leaves turning.
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

Cody was on the AT, too!
Great Smokies NPGreat Smokies NP
Great Smokies NP

It sure would be nice to be able to hike portions of the trail. We'll have to go back and do that sometime.


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