Tanner Life

Our Weekend in the Mountains
Friday

We started thinking about a month ago that we desperately missed the mountains and couldn't wait to take a fall trip up there. (Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, TN that is, we just say "the mountains") Before long the trip turned into.... well, should we just go to Disney for a few days or is there a 3 night cruise that works with our dates? Imagine that huh? Just like us. Eventually we wound our way right back to the fact that we missed the mountains. Last year was only the 2nd year of our 11 together that we didn't make it up there.

We left Friday morning although we were a little leery of what the gas situation might be up that way. Other than road construction north of Knoxville, we made great time. We stopped for gas and for lunch, noticing that not only did everywhere have gas... but it was also cheaper!!

A trout in the creek, from our balcony. Can you see him?



Fall has arrived in the mountains. Every hotel, place to eat or shop, etc.. has a fall display. Very neat, love it! I had a fit because all the displays had "girl" scarecrows with pig tails, they were too cute and I'd never seen them at home. We found one with a price tag and saw it came from Old Time Pottery, we hit Old Time Pottery before we left. I have my very own scarecrow with pigtails now!!



I had made reservations online after several nights of browsing places to stay. We've pulled the camper up there a good bit, but weren't about to consider that with the gas issue. Anyway, I thought I booked the perfect place right downtown. I walked in the lobby to check in and it looked like a section of the Haunted Mansion. The ceiling was falling in, the wall paper was coming off, the carpet was an inch deep in dirt. Dust was everywhere so deep I could write my name in it and cobwebs galore. There were holes kicked in the wall in the halls and well, I'll stop there. Still, I checked in. It was only for 2 nights, it was cheap.... we would be fine.... wouldn't we? After opening the door to our room, we gave up trying to be brave and went down to check back out. Thankfully we got our money back. We don't mind "cheap OLD" hotel, we can handle it. Dirty and scary though, it's another ball game!

We found a fantastic Fairfield Inn & Suites downtown. It wasn't that much more, it had a balcony over the river. We could also see the tram to Ober Gatlinburg going by, see the trout in the water, watch people fish and hear the sound of the water running through there too. Perfect! It was only a block walk to get to main street. The room was HUGE! It had a fire place, 2 queen beds, a large chair & foot stool, a desk & chair, jacuzzi, fridge and tons of room to spare! Ahhh.... much better!!

The tram came right by our room, pretty neat. We took it up the mountain Saturday night.



The creek behind our hotel, our balcony was right over it.



We headed to town to walk up and down main street, then find a place to eat. We ate at Calhoun's Ribs. (Neither of us had ribs though, LOL!) After supper we walked around downtown a bit before it started raining enough to make us ready to head back. We drove back into Pigeon Forge and did some outlet shopping! I got a few Christmas presents for Mom & Dad, the great nieces and nephews, plus of course our little one "to be" as well. We picked up the laundry list of requested candy for my parents, bless their hearts. (They haven't traveled in over a year now and it's there favorite thing too) We ended our evening with HOT OUT OF THE OVEN Krispy Kremes, yummy!! Just what everyone needs as a bedtime snack....