A Smokies/Dollywood Weekend

Last Friday after Picture Day at school we headed to Pigeon Forge to enjoy some hiking in the Smokies on Sabbath. We hiked the Grotto Falls trail off the Nature Motor Trail in Gatlinburg.

There were several such structures along the motor trail we stopped to have a look at.

It was so hot on Friday that we decided not to drag the trailer and risk over heating the van, as has happened to us on a hot day when we were pulling the Casita, a couple thousand pounds lighter than our Catalina. So we stayed at this old Microtel turned Guest House Inn in Pigeon Forge.

Sunday we enjoyed Dollywood's Blue Grass musical programs. We heard The Spinney Brothers from Nova Scotia (one of our favorite Blue Grass groups that we heard that day), Sierra Hull and Highway III (she's about 20 and has a great voice - she reminded us of Kerri France), Mountain Faith (a family from NC who are also made great music and sang a lot of hymns - a dad, son, daughter, nephew...), The Larkins (another family with 3 daughters), and the usual Kingdom Heirs program that we always enjoy at Dollywood. There weren't nearly as many people there as the end of July when we last were there, and it was even a little cooler. Our next trip will be to hear their National Southern Gospel and Harvest Celebration programs in October. We're really enjoying our season pass.