life as a dog…

Ah, finally some free time. Well…free time while I’m here in DC. Finally able to comment on my little half-week vacation (which I thought originally was supposed to be more days, but oh well).

Gatlinburg is not anything like I remember it. Sure, there are a few things still just like before, but it has grown so much more (and so much more touristy). Same goes for Pigeon Forge. Granted, October is supposed to be one of their worst times to visit (I can vouch for this – it shouldn’t take an hour to drive 5 miles). Anyway… here’s the breakdown….

Day 1. Friday. Left home around noon (a few hours later than I had planned). Got to Pigeon Forge at about 8:30 maybe. Took another half hour to get to the Wal-Mart to pick up some snacks and the prerequisite rationing of diet coke. Made my way to the cabin. Wasn’t really sure what to expect. The pictures do not do it justice. This place was really nice. Only about 2 miles outside of the tourist infested town, and yet you’d think there was no big attraction nearby. Nice and quiet. Took me a bit to get into the thing, though. No lights. Finally got in. Very cozy, two porches, fireplace, and a hot tub! Since I was the only one there, I figured I might as well take advantage of that. While it didn’t work completely as it should, it was still nice to just sit there outside in 100 degree water. Went to bed. Awakened by people moving around at about 4am, I think (when the others arrived). Fell back asleep.

Day 2. Saturday. Spent the day primarily in Gatlinburg just walking around. TOO MANY PEOPLE!! Looked for ostriches (don’t ask). Found where they were, but didn’t actually see them. Went by Pigeon Forge Pottery, but it’s gone. Or rather, it’s been renamed. Some of their stuff was ok, but I’m not gung-ho about two tone stuff. Was going to eat at this old mill, but the wait was two hours. Ended up eating at a bakery, which wasn’t too bad, actually. All I ate was a caesar’s salad. How’s that?

Day 3 and 4 coming next.

Well, my couple days of hell are about to start. 5:45AM tomorrow – fly to Alabama. 6:10PM the next day – fly back. At least I’m getting 2,000 miles for it. Then, when that’s finished I get to head to Gatlinburg. I’m looking forward to that…and not just because it gets me out of here for about a week (actually, that’s the least of why).

I’m shocked how many people around here have never heard of Gatlinburg. Especially considering it’s right at the entrance to the most visited national park, Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I guess people around here are too involved in going to Ocean Beach or something. So trying to describe it, I mention Wisconsin Dells, which of course, even fewer have heard of. Oh well. More to do in Gatlinburg, though. Hopefully the leaves will be at or near their peak. They are suddenly changing here. Quite fast, actually.

VH1 is showing “I Love the 80s” now. Damn, Mo Rocca needs to go. That idiot simply isn’t funny at ALL.

The family slides are finally finished. Now it’s on to my own personal slides. Still a long way to go.

OK, I just don’t understand this…. I go to get my hair cut. Why is it, every time I do, when they are done, they try to style my hair in the “slicked back blow dryed” look? I have NEVER worn my hair that way, and I have NEVER walked into a hair salon with it that way.

I just don’t understand…

Oh, scanning of the family slides is very near complete – the ones I have, anyway. There are more at the parent’s house. I’ve got about 20 left to do.