What a sight to see. The Smokies were much more than I was expecting. The mountains had these low-hanging clouds that gave it the appearance that they were almost smoking. It’s almost like they were named the Smoky Mountains for that reason. Maybe it’s just a coincidence. Pigeon Forge was madness – think of it as the Las Vegas of the Appalachian Mountains. We didn’t stop there, but we did get a hotel at its nearby little brother, Gatlinburg.
We went on a sky bridge, as you can see from the photo below, someone did not want to let go of the railing. Still madness in the town, however. Most things were geared towards the perception of what the mountains are known for, like hillbillies, banjos, and moonshine.
We were very fortunate enough to have our hotel directly across the street from the Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum. We, naturally, had to fit this into our itinerary before we left Gatlinburg because how often in one’s life does such a fate occur? And for only three dollars a person, we were able to tour the immense collection of salt and pepper shakers. Makes you wonder; where is the Napkin Holder Museum? Or the National Placemat Museum? But in all seriousness, there was a philosophy behind the collection. The collector found that across many cultures, only a couple things were alike. The presence of salt & pepper at the dinner table was one, showing the common natural inclination humans have to bond with each other, especially over food. We also got a sick shirt.
There are so many scenic lookouts in South Carolina, so we hit a couple of them one day this week. Bald Rock Heritage Preserve was a nice one except for the graffiti staining the rock. Still, we were able to see the foothills.
Caesars Head is a great hidden gem that I highly recommend to anyone driving along the east coast through western North or South Carolina. Boom. I just used the four cardinal directions in one sentence. Anyways, the elevation is 3,215. My ears popped on the ride up and down the mountain, but that is usually expected when driving anywhere through the Appalachian Mountains. My mother was very weary about us getting close to the railing (as any mother would instinctively be). There is also a little crevice you can maneuver through called the “Devil’s Kitchen”.
Next week is the farm, I am pumped and ready to harvest some vegetables baby!!!
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