All and nothing about that long weekend TN vacation ...

It was Tennessee or bust this past weekend ... we didn't bust, we made it, even though the interstate traffic was crawling so slow that I was kicking myself for leaving the GPS unit at home.  I had a sugar plum vision of a quiet back road which would could take us all the way to Knoxville.  After we passed the time sucking // stop and go portions of the interstate, some lady from Atlanta almost ran us off the road.  Ole heifer never even put on a blinker when she casually drifted over into our lane and my side of my friend's car.  Seriously lady, you are from Atlanta, you should know by now what a rear view mirror, a side view mirror, and your eyes are made for!  Even if you don't, there was nothing in your lane that caused you to steal our spot or peace of mind.   Thank goodness my friend has mad driving skills, because we could have seriously ended up careening into a ditch and possibly wrapping around a tree.  My friend cursed that lady for a good 5 miles.

After 7 LONG hours because of that holiday traffic, we finally reached our friend's apartment.  Barely out of the car good, we were on the go again.  Destination > downtown Knoxville to their market square district to tool around during their "First Friday" event.  On the way downtown, my friend and her fiance had us laughing like wanna be Buddhas.  The fiance is a riot ... he can imitate most anyone's voice, and can turn the most benign event into a hysterial story.   We arrive downtown on this happy vibe.   

We first hit a wine store, which I found less than interesting, and then left our paid parking to go find free parking (eyebrow raise from the peanut gallery) and wandered aimlessly first through an upscale general store and then the streets.  I am more of a people watcher than the type who chooses to wander aimlessly about, so I could have been super happy camped out on the square listening to the live music and watching a dozen or so highly skilled hula hoopers do their thing for an hour or so.   But, after 5 minutes of that pleasure, my friend's fiance was experiencing cranky hunger pains which were making my friend cranky so we decided it was best to get her fiance some groceries so the crankiness didn't get out of hand.  By the time we ate dinner, the hula hoopers were packing up.  I was bummed out about that, because those hula hoopers were a feast for the senses.  One lady looked like she was in love with her hoop.  Who knew serious hoola hoopers could make hoola hooping look so easy or sensual?  Who knew hoola hooping could rise to high art?  Don't you just love it when people make hula hooping, ballroom dancing or parachuting out of an airplane look as easy as an aimless walk in the city.

We next went into an art gallery where I found myself in love with some very arty owls.  That's right, owls.  I am not a collector of owls, but I have a small collection of owls which I love to put out on display near Halloween.  My latest find is a white owl made out of tree bark.  He's a beauty.  The most natural ones are my favorite, but, I am NOT a collector of owls, so don't send me any or tell anyone that I own any.  I once bought a vintage metal thermos to use as a vase, I now own about 20 vintage metal thermoses, none of which I bought for myself.  Not saying I don't love vintage metal thermoses or the "Halloween" owls or my black bound books cuz I do, but I'm not a collector.  Oh, I have digressed, sorry.

Onward to Saturday.  After a late breakfast, we headed over to Cade's Cove http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm.  A truly beautiful place, but a place I will FOREVERMORE avoid like the plague during popular holidays such as Independence Day.  The cove loop road and the cove sites were crawling with people.  Although that was a turnoff for me, this was my first time seeing Cade's Cove, so I tried to block out the fact that riding bumper to bumper around the cove reminded me of being a teenager cruising  front beach road in Panama City, Florida, during high summer.  That was hard to do though, because even though I didn't see any hot guys coming the other way due to the 11 mile road being a one way/one car lane and my view was meadow, surrounding mountains and wildlife (deer and turkey were prevelant) -- instead of an ocean view on one side with cute boys coming from the opposite direction on the other side, I still felt like I was somewhere that had been invaded, instead of the scenic and restful place we hope the mountains and the beach will be.  I have heard other people say they have visited Cade's Cove and that it exceeded their expectations, so my advice would be to GO, but choose a less popular time to go than JULY 4.  It is stunningly beautiful and truly worthy of your attention ... your attention and that of those 7 million other people who have visited it.

After escaping the confines of the cove loop road, we headed over to Gatlinburg, which was another FIRST visit for me.  Again, filled with tourists.  We ate at a restaurant that made a liar out of it's world famous claim.  Note, never believe a world famous claim unless you see people hanging out on the sidewalk waiting for a table.  Unless of course, you find yourself in Warm Springs, Georgia, and you ask the lady at Paradise Grill what she would recommend ... believe her when she says they are KNOWN for their hamburgers, because their hamburgers will seriously make you look forward to your next visit.  Digressing again ....

Onward ... to aimless bullshit walking in a touristy town called Gatlinburg.  Did I mention that I detest aimless walking amongst hundreds or even thousands of other people?  Apparently this area is the hot spot for fun in the mountains.  I am not anti having fun, and people watching, but just walking around with no destination in mind isn't my cup of tea.  After about an hour of aimless walking, it was back in the car ... heading back to Knoxville by way of Pigeon Forge, TN.  Another town that looks like it will be great to visit and camp out in for a long weekend, if you have children and like lots of people around.

After a full day, we reached Knoxville and bed ... ahhh sweet sleep! 

The next day was my kind of day ... Sunday ... laid back ... they went to the movies (Eclipse), and since I am not for Team Vampire or for Team Werewolf (who gives a cross or a stake or a silver bullet about who that girl chooses to do or love?) or a Twilight FANATIC, I went shopping BY MYSELF ... WHOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO.  Some alone time on day 3!!!  Awesome.  Later that day, we didn't even leave the apartment, we watched Criminal Minds on TV, snacked on cheese, crackers, dip and apples, and later watched fireworks from the hill across from my friend's apartment.  This was my favorite day ... less people, less driving, less riding, less noise, less less less IS MORE, MORE, MORE in my vacation book.

Monday, we headed back down to the deep south .......... ahhhhhhhhhhhh .... did I mention I feel slightly claustraphobic when I visit Teneessee?  I love hiking and being in the woods, but being in the mountains for more than a day or so gives me the feeling of being closed in.  Too contained.  I know that feeling is totally psychological, but once we headed south and were out of the mountains, I felt like my old self .... like my soul had room to breath.  Home at last even though we had miles to go.

O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Why yes, yes it does!

(Disclaimer:  Sorry for any boo boos, but I'm not going back to "read" and correct this post right now.)

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