Great Smoky Mountains National Park

When I first booked this trip, I was really excited to check out the most visited National Park in the U.S. and to hopefully see a little fall color change of the trees.  A few days before I was to leave for the trip, I started to wonder if I should change my plans as there have been wildfires in the area and I did not know how much that would affect the air quality, plus voluntarily being in the path of a fire is never a good idea.  It turns out I had nothing to worry about as the skies have been clear blue and beautiful during my time here. 

I arrived at the southern entrance through Cherokee territory and weaved my way through the park up to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where I would make my home for a couple of nights.  There were lots of winding roads with S turns and beautiful tree canopies raining falling leaves onto my car.  There are lots of areas to pull off the road and take in the view safely while giving other cars a chance to pass by and I took advantage of many of them.  I am not exactly sure how many photos I took over the last two days but it was a lot as it seemed every new vista was even more scenic than the last.  Part of the reason I always take so many pictures when trying to capture the beauty of an area is that no matter how beautiful the picture of the area is, it can never compare to seeing the view in person.

On my way up to Pigeon Forge, I decided to stop at Clingmans Dome for a short .5 mile hike to the highest point in Smoky Mountain National Park.  At 6,643 feet you get a beautiful 360 degree view of the area and I was lucky to have a clear day for a full view all around me.  The hike is paved the entire way but it is a steep climb and the high altitude had me winded while going up but they have several benches along the way to rest and let your heart stop pounding from the effort for a few minutes.  Bring your water and take your time enjoying the view at the top.  It was worth the effort.

I woke up early on Wednesday morning to get to the park before dawn and make the loop through Cades Cove to look for animals while the sun was still making its way up.  The early call time made it a success!  I saw lots of dear grazing in the open areas and walking along the side of the road.  There was an early morning fog that created a haze over the mountains and cleared as the minutes marched on.  Cades Cove has an 11 mile loop that you drive through with multiple pull offs at scenic vistas and areas you can pull off to view the wildlife including some wild turkeys I saw but had to walk a little off the path to get a better view.  Cades Cove also has several buildings including old homes and churches that show off some of the history of the area and paint a picture of the life of someone who lived in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

 Beautiful Autumn morning in the Smokys

 Young buck

 This doe was hanging out right alongside the road.

 In love with the bursts of color

 Wild turkey

 Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery in Cades Cove

 The view was so pretty that I had to pull over and take a picture.

After my two tours of the Cades Cove loop (to catch anything I missed the first go around), I made my way back towards the Sugarland Visitor's Center near Gatlinburg, stopping at Laurel Falls for an "easy" 1.3 mile hike to the falls.  I quote easy because I'm not sure that I agree with that assessment.  Easy to me would be barely breaking a sweat if you are in shape and moderately difficult if you are out of shape.  Maybe I'm in the last category and am in denial at this point.  The hike was worth it though.  Fall is such a magical time, especially for someone from Florida who rarely sees trees changing colors or gets to hear the crunch of leaves under her feet.  The falls themselves were pretty but not overly special however the journey through the trees and overlooking the mountains with bright bursts of colors was definitely worth the hike.

 The first level of the waterfall.

The view on the hike to the waterfall

When I started planning this road trip, my stop in the Smoky Mountains was really just a plan to kill a few days before meeting my friend in Asheville but I am so happy I decided to make this place a part of my destination.  I can understand why it is the most visited National Park in the U.S., it's easily accessible, entrance to the park is free, and it's beauty reasserts itself at every turn of the road. My only disappointment was that I only saw one bear (which the Smokys are famous for) and it was from far away.  Fall is probably not the best time of year to spot the bears so I guess that means I'll just have to make a return trip.

The only bear I saw.  That small black spot in the middle of the frame.

So I bought this bear ear warmer so I could see a bear every time I look in the mirror.  😄

A Gator in Athens, GA

A good old fashioned fall road trip with stops along the way to see good friends is one of the things I have been most looking forward to this fall.  My first stop was Atlanta, Georgia to see my good friend Adrienne who I met 15 years ago when studying abroad in London and have had many good times together since then visiting each other in whichever city one of us happens to live at the time.  The weekend was mostly about catching up with a good friend that I don't get to see as often as I would like to.

Lighted city mural at Ponce City Markey in Atlanta

Stop #2 is Athens, Georgia to see another good friend from graduate school.  She recently moved back here and since I was in the area, I am excited that I get to see her on this trip.  I spent a good part of the day in the Georgia State Botanical Gardens.  Unfortunately the welcome center and all of the buildings are closed on Mondays but the grounds are still open with many paths and trails to explore.  I spent over two hours here just walking around and taking pictures of the changing leaves, flowers, bees, and butterflies in the area.  It is very serene here with not too many people on a random Monday afternoon but the fall weather was perfect and hearing the crunch of leaves under my feet while I walk the trails is not something I often get to hear in Florida.

University of Georgia is, of course, one of the big rivals of my Florida Gators but driving around Athens and the University of Georgia it is interesting how similar both towns feel.  Big, beautiful brick buildings make up both campuses and while Georgia definitely has steeper hills both have lots of trees and greenery throughout the city and campus and no matter where you go there is that college town feel.

After picking up a quick lunch my next stop for the day was the Sandy Creek Nature Park.  Again, Monday is not the best day to go if you want to explore the facilities as they are closed but all the trails are open and there were very few people around when walking on the trails. 

We ate dinner at a place in downtown Athens called The Last Resort and it was hopping considering it was a Monday night... the line must be out the door on weekends.  I had the chicken praline with creamy grits and it was amazing.  I love anything sweet but it also had a little tang from mustard to cut the sweetness and green beans to go with it so you can feel like you are being healthy.

Charming Gruene, TX

Vanessa and I at the Gristmill

I lived and worked in Austin, TX for almost 6 years before deciding to move back to Florida and embark on the traveling physical therapist life.  In my time here I was able to go to several of the small towns and wineries surrounding the area in the hill country but never made it down to the town of Gruene (pronounced Green) located south of Austin between San Marcos and New Braunfels.  So when returning to Austin to visit friends and family, my amazing friend Vanessa and I decided to get out of town for a day and do a little wine tasting at some of the many wineries dotted around the area and ended up in the small, charming town of Gruene for the day. 

Gruene water tower

Our first stop was the winery, Winery on the Gruene, nestled right in the middle of the town and easy walking distance to all the attractions in the town.  They had one of the largest varieties of fruit wines that I have ever seen and seeing as I like my wines light and fruity, it was a perfect stop for me.  My two favorites were the seasonal Cranapple Chardonnay with a light crisp flavor and the super sweet Strawberry Riesling that makes you want to sit outside on the back patio and sip with a good friend over some good conversation.  My suitcase will be flying back a bit heavier with the bottles of wine I intend to tuck in there on the way home.

Just up the street from the winery is the famous Gruene Hall.  It is the oldest continually running dance hall in Texas and still draws some well known names to perform there including the Los Lonely Boys who were performing that evening and Lyle Lovett will be there in a couple of nights.  We ate at the Gristmill restaurant located just behind the hall, known for its big patio overlooking the river and beautiful trees draping along the sitting area.  The onion rings held true to the "Everything's bigger in Texas" idea and the cheeseburger was the perfect thing to enjoy sitting on a patio.  We lucked out with the weather as Texas can get very hot but the beginning of November was cloudy but comfortable and perfect for sitting outside.

 Oldest continually running dance hall in Texas

There are several little shops and an old general store in the town that are fun to walk through with many Texas and lake themed items to purchase.  Our final stop for the day was the Grapevine.  Another winery in town that lets you sample wines from several different Texas vineyard and has great outdoor seating with wine barrels as tables to enjoy your glass of wine and do a little people watching. 

I know charming is an often overused term to describe a town but at the same time it is the perfect word to describe the town of Gruene.  It's small town at its best and I am happy I finally got to spend an afternoon there.  Getting to spend it with a good friend who is always up for a new adventure and can tell what you are thinking with one look was definitely the cherry on top.