September 6th, 2006 ~ Back from trip to the Mountains

Wish I was still there, but unfortunately some people who were with me had to work and all.  ugh.  lol.  Got home at 5:00 am this morn. Totally tired right now.  Had an awesome time, but it ended way to soon, and we did not have enough time to do everything we had wanted to do.  So guess that means we have to go back.  We are planning on maybe spending Christmas up there and staying in the exact same cabin.  It was amazing.  And if we are lucky then perhaps it will snow.  It rained so damn much while we were there I thought I was in Seattle.  So there was much we could not do because of the rain.  But we did hike up a mountain in the rain to see an amazing water fall, we could walk behind.  That was tricky because the trails became pretty slick and the path ran right along the edge of cliffs which dropped down 100 plus feet. I thought for sure we were going to lose someone, if not myself. Almost lost LaTrisha, she has the mud stained clothes, bruised knee and hurt ankle to show proof  her boyfriend cared more about trying to race her mother down the mountain then protect her.  lol. So get this,  a 41 year old woman with cancer and I beat them all to the top and back down. They could not keep up. I paid for it later, being in pain and all, but it was worth the work out.  Now the next morning pretty much every inch hurt, shoulder blades, butt cheeks, toe muscles, and well everything.  Kinda made myself feel as much pain as I was in 6 months ago, accept I caused this.  But as I said well worth it and I would do it again.   The day before that Justin, Richie and I attempted the mountain adjacent to our cabin.  It pretty much went straight up.  We had to literally climb with our hands and feet.  You could not stand up, without flipping backward and tumbling down the mountains side.  Almost lost Richie that way, but who saved him – “Yep I did”!!! I happened to grab on to a tree, (a little below him) just about the time he lost his footing, so I was able to grab him as he was falling without falling myself.  And why was he in such a hurry to get down off the mountain you ask…  lol because he and Justin were running from the bear. I could not get them to stay and trek forward. 

Got up close and personal with a very large bear. Scary as heck. Came across some Llama’s while hiking, go figure.  And a raccoon who thought he was Mohammad Ali and did not like us being in our cabin I guess. Funny stuff. But yea I will be going back when ever possible.

The Cabin is called “Yogi”, and when we arrived we were greeted by a Sweet black and white kitty.  So friendly except for the few times it attacked a few people.  But hey if you don’t learn the first time it attacks someone from touching it’s belly, then really you deserve to get cat scratch fever. Anyway when we went grocery shopping I bought her some food, and we named her Yogi.  Could not help it, but we did let her in the cabin and, of course we got pics of her.  Anyway by the time we left she would answer to her name.  We left a Journal entry at the cabin so visitors that follow will welcome her and call her by her name.  Even left food there for her.  She became our protector, she was very alert when the bear was near.  Anyway, the cabin was three stories and each of the 3 bedrooms were on different floors. Each with its own private bathroom, and an additional bath for guest. A traditional log cabin.  Inside and out.  Wood floors, walls and ceilings.  Large stone fireplace. Beautifully decorated. Game room with pool table, three separate decks over looking the mountain side, hot tub. Completely secluded. 

Just to let you all know Tennessee takes “Pancakes” pretty darn seriously.  There is a pancake house atleast every block and they can serve those things in like a 100 different ways.  Some of the ways you just don’t even want to think about.  First afternoon there we ate at an Italian Restaurant, owned and ran by Italians- it sucked.  So make a note, even Italians can’t cook Italian food in the mountains.  Got to stick to the good stuff.  Sunday night  made a good country dinner. Honey glazed ham, Mashed taters, green beans, and corn. (forgot to get the fixins for cornbread). I actually taught Marina how to make my green beans.  So she can officially now cook french toast and green beans.  Preferrably not together. lol.  Monday morning a large country breakfast (to sustain us on our mountain journey).  Bacon, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Home fries, grits, bisquits with sausage gravy.  Good stuff.  yummy. Now I am getting hungry damn it.  I tell you it all just taste better in a cabin in the mountains, with good people to share it all with.

So the biggest downfall with Tennessee is that they make it hard as hell to locate some alcohol and yet they allow smoking everywhere (yuck).  They only sell liqour at liqour stores, no beer at all.   Beer is not liqour, so it makes getting a variety of both liqour and beer a real journey.  We had to locate a liquor store that carried what we ALL were looking for, that took a few stops at the very few places there were, and then find a grocery store to buy beer.  So if we ran out of stuff, it was just a real adventure.  Alcohol hunting should be a sport in TN.  But walking into a restaurant and them asking “smoking or non-smoking” blew my mind and well, made it hard to breath and enjoy your food.  The Tiki Club we went too was so full of smoke it made you sick and eyes burn like hell.   Em huh, good times. 

There is just so much to see and do in Gatlinburg and the surrounding areas.  Pigeon Forge has great outlet malls, so yea we did some shopping too.  I can’t wait to go again as soon as possible.

So yawl come back now, ya here!