anolefan turns 40 in the Snowky err...Smoky Mountains

[stefa70 205]

That cabin is beautiful!! The second one, not the first one.

I forgot to mention, I was teasing you on the 40 thing. I'm over that hill. It's only a number!

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

Great TR. I love the smokys. Mt Leconte got 3' out of that storm!

BTW, it's Newfound Gap......sorry....couldn't resist....it's a pet peeve ;-)

[anolefan 8]

Wow, that is some "cabin!"

That thing is sweet.

I love the views.

And the bar!

Good job on picking that cabin out.

I wouldn't want to leave there.

TCD

It was a great cabin and we were definitely not roughing it. We would stay there again should we return.

Love the snow photos... nice job with them... The one of your daughter running shows her excitement at playing in the snow... Beautiful "cabin"... and awesome looking steaks.... Oh yeah... Phineas and Ferb on the TV ... nice Disney tie in...

Thanks! I love that picture too. I LOL at the Phineas and Ferb after I took the photo.

40? You young thing!

That cabin is beautiful!! The second one, not the first one.

I forgot to mention, I was teasing you on the 40 thing. I'm over that hill. It's only a number!

Thanks! I know 40 is not really that big of a deal. I just remember when I was a kid how "old" I thought 40 was. That first cabin is what we drove by to get up to the community where our "real" cabin was located.

Great TR. I love the smokys. Mt Leconte got 3' out of that storm!

BTW, it's Newfound Gap......sorry....couldn't resist....it's a pet peeve ;-)

Thanks! My mom told me she heard that 3' of snow had fallen there. Crazy.

LOL at the road screw up. I bet that happens a lot from all the rookies traveling through the area. I thought it looked long when I typed it, but failed to do my homework. Maybe I secretly thought it was NewfoundCumberland Gap :)

[anolefan 8]

I forgot to ad one thing in Friday's update. Each day our boys were documenting their trip. DS7 was writing in his journal and DS10 was documenting on his iPod. I couldn't get quality photos of the handwritten entries, but here is what I got from DS10's iPod.

Pretty cool:

I'm off to work and hope to continue on later this evening.

[stefa70 205]

Very cute! That's the kind of thing you hold on to.

[Southern Blessings 4]

There is quite a temperature change from Cherokee to the top of the mountain. It's so cool, though to see all that snow when it's not freezing outside! I loved seeing your kids faces while they were playing in the snow! Priceless!

[beccaewert 10]

great! Love that the kids are documenting it as well!!!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

First of all, Happy 40th!

We love going to the Smokies too. We have camped in the area, stayed in hotels and condos in downtown Gatlinburg, and occasionally stay with my aunt and uncle who live in the area. We have talked about renting a cabin and would be very interested to know who you deal with.

I see lots of potential Christmas card photos in this report.

[Starbuc71 162]

Tom,

Great report. Many fiends know my favorite place is gatlinburg and the smokies. We have always wanted to go when there was snow. We went years ago for thanksgiving but no snow back then. Keep up the great report

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

First, Happy 40th! I hit my 50th this past summer and I know what you mean. It just sounds so different to say, "I'm 50!" :)

Second. I'm so glad your kids got to see the snow! I just love seeing their excitement!

Third. I love that your boys are keeping a journal. BTW, he did a great job with his writing!

Fourth. I LOVE your outfit! Go Noles!

Looking forward to more!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Hey Tom-

Thanks for sharing the journal entry from your son.

It's interesting to see how kids perceive things.

It looks like the kids had a blast on this trip. That kids' room in the cabin is pretty awesome.

TCD

[kampfirekim 260]

Wow, snow!

I wish there was a photo of you in a BK crown.

I think that's what your son was smiling at.

TCD

:rofl2: I was thinking the same thing.

The scenery photos are absolutely stunning! The photos of kids playing in the snow are even better!

The photo of your wife is very lovely but I don't think she was really showing support for BK.

Your son's journal is absolutely priceless! <3

Enjoying the report!

[anolefan 8]

Very cute! That's the kind of thing you hold on to.

Thanks!

I encourage them to document their trips as I think it will be really neat to read as they get older. DS7's was really neat as well, he had drawn pictures as well.

There is quite a temperature change from Cherokee to the top of the mountain. It's so cool, though to see all that snow when it's not freezing outside! I loved seeing your kids faces while they were playing in the snow! Priceless!

On the trip up the weather was pretty mild on the top of the mountain, about 43 degrees. The way back however was very cold.

It's funny how much they enjoyed it, I bet that would get old if we had to deal with it every year :) At least it would for me anyway.

great! Love that the kids are documenting it as well!!!

Thank you for reading!

First of all, Happy 40th!

We love going to the Smokies too. We have camped in the area, stayed in hotels and condos in downtown Gatlinburg, and occasionally stay with my aunt and uncle who live in the area. We have talked about renting a cabin and would be very interested to know who you deal with.

I see lots of potential Christmas card photos in this report.

Thanks! We used Jackson Mountain Homes. We have used them for years and have been happy with their cabin listings and service.

Christmas cards already on order :)

Tom,

Great report. Many fiends know my favorite place is gatlinburg and the smokies. We have always wanted to go when there was snow. We went years ago for thanksgiving but no snow back then. Keep up the great report

Thanks Starbuc! I have enjoyed your trip reports of the area! I also remember your campground and if we ever get their to camp, we will be staying there.

First, Happy 40th! I hit my 50th this past summer and I know what you mean. It just sounds so different to say, "I'm 50!" :)

Second. I'm so glad your kids got to see the snow! I just love seeing their excitement!

Third. I love that your boys are keeping a journal. BTW, he did a great job with his writing!

Fourth. I LOVE your outfit! Go Noles!

Looking forward to more!

Woot! Finally someone likes the Nole gear! Thanks for for the kind comments and for following my report.

Hey Tom-

Thanks for sharing the journal entry from your son.

It's interesting to see how kids perceive things.

It looks like the kids had a blast on this trip. That kids' room in the cabin is pretty awesome.

TCD

Thanks Andrew. I agree and was one of the highlights of the trip. I read each of their entries each night before they went to bed.

:rofl2: I was thinking the same thing.

The scenery photos are absolutely stunning! The photos of kids playing in the snow are even better!

The photo of your wife is very lovely but I don't think she was really showing support for BK.

Your son's journal is absolutely priceless! <3

Enjoying the report!

Thanks Kim! You're right, there was definitely some sarcasm in that photo :)

[anolefan 8]

Unbelievable! I just finished an update and with a phantom click it all went away!

I'll try this again.

We left off enjoying a nice steak and reading the boys trip highlights from the first day.

I was up early Saturday and enjoyed my coffee while taking in the views from the deck out back:

You may get a little tired of pictures from out back because I took a lot of them, I really enjoyed looking out at the mountain :)

It didn't take long for me to retreat back inside to the warmth of the cabin as it was just a little bit chilly outside:

After everyone was up and getting ready for the day I took the opportunity to finish taking photos of the cabin.

Here is a shot of the living area as you enter through the front doors:

And looking up towards the loft bedroom:

DS10 is heading downstairs to the lower level.

The view downstairs from the loft:

Here is the bed in the loft:

And this is what you would see each morning as you get out of bed:

Here is a shot of the bathroom in the loft:

Here is a shot from the main level deck:

This cabin is located in a community and is not isolated. I imagine during the peak season there could be some noise to contend with, but that would not deter us from staying here again in the future.

Here are some more shots of the kids bedroom / gameroom:

Our bedroom:

I took this picture from the deck just to give some perspective as to how high up the cabin was. Looking directly out and seeing the tops of trees is something I'm not accustomed to in FL:

Here is a shot of the raccoon / bear proof garbage can on the front porch:

And here is an interesting sign hanging directly above the garbage can:

As much as we enjoyed seeing the snow in the mountains, I'm glad I did not have to use this during our stay:

But it's good to know it is there just in case :)

Here's a shot of the boys in front of the cabin:

When I went back inside I was greeted with DD playing dress up from all the stuff that her nana brought to play with:

Up next, we head out for Roaring Fork and meet up with our brother and family for lunch.

[kampfirekim 260]

That is one gorgeous place to hang your hat! I'm glad it was quiet but a little, or a lot of community noise would be a small price to pay! Very nice!

Bear and raccoon proof stuff is good. We've never had to deal with bears but growing up we had our share of raccoon issues while camping.

Great photos of the kids. I especially love the dress up one. Way to go Nana for thinking to bring that stuff.

[Judy in Texas 150]

I've found that writing up the trip report first in MS Word and then copying it into FF.net saves the frustration of having the post disappear or get stuck during the upload process. That's happened to me several times.

Lovely area. Thanks for sharing.

PS: 60 isn't so bad either as long as you pay attention to your health.

[stefa70 205]

What a beautiful cabin!

I'm pretty certain that it would be a waste of my money though. I would never get out of that bathtub!!

I'm loving everything about your trip, except for the 35 degree temps. Brrrr!

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

What is one awesome "cabin"!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

OK, Tom, would you be willing to share a link to the place where you rented that cabin?

I am very interested in knowing what something like that goes for for a week.

That view is amazing, and the inside and furnishings look really nice and fun.

If you didn't mention that you were in a development, I wouldn't have known. The view is still great. I wouldn't mind a little noise.

TCD

[MetalDad 33]

This is awesome! Would love some more info on the place!

The Rays gear looks so foreign in the snow!

It'd be weird taking a roady and not pulling the popup. But, I'm willing to learn!

[anolefan 8]

That is one gorgeous place to hang your hat! I'm glad it was quiet but a little, or a lot of community noise would be a small price to pay! Very nice!

Bear and raccoon proof stuff is good. We've never had to deal with bears but growing up we had our share of raccoon issues while camping.

Great photos of the kids. I especially love the dress up one. Way to go Nana for thinking to bring that stuff.

Thanks Kim! It is a great place to hang my FSU hat on :). We have had raccoon encounters camping at Fort Desoto, down past St Petersburg, Fl and they can definitely be a nuisance. Nana always comes through with activities to keep the kids busy. They love when she visits. She also brings lots of food goodies as well, which I love.

I've found that writing up the trip report first in MS Word and then copying it into FF.net saves the frustration of having the post disappear or get stuck during the upload process. That's happened to me several times.

Lovely area. Thanks for sharing.

PS: 60 isn't so bad either as long as you pay attention to your health.

Thanks, and that is a good suggestion. I write my reports a little differently in that I prepare everything as I write them. I find that having the photo webpage open and looking at the pictures helps me put my thoughts together easier. I will try this in the future for sure.

What a beautiful cabin!

I'm pretty certain that it would be a waste of my money though. I would never get out of that bathtub!!

I'm loving everything about your trip, except for the 35 degree temps. Brrrr!

Thanks!

I can tell you that it would not be a waste of money just hanging out inside, or outside in the real hot tub. It was very relaxing. Yes the morning temperatures were a little cold for us as well.

What is one awesome "cabin"!

Thank you!

OK, Tom, would you be willing to share a link to the place where you rented that cabin?

I am very interested in knowing what something like that goes for for a week.

That view is amazing, and the inside and furnishings look really nice and fun.

If you didn't mention that you were in a development, I wouldn't have known. The view is still great. I wouldn't mind a little noise.

TCD

This is awesome! Would love some more info on the place!

The Rays gear looks so foreign in the snow!

It'd be weird taking a roady and not pulling the popup. But, I'm willing to learn!

I would be more than happy to share. We have been renting from Jackson Mountain Homes for the past several years and have stayed in a couple different areas. This was probably the one area we enjoyed the most.

http://www.jacksonmountainhomes.com/

We stayed in the pink area on the map this visit, the Arts and Crafts Loop area

http://www.jacksonmo...mes.com/map.htm

And this was our cabin

http://www.jacksonmo...tains/183/alpha

MetalDad I agree, something seems weird about seeing TB gear in snow :). There are some awesome campgrounds in the area, and I would love to take a week and pull the pup up there to camp when the weather is warmer.

[Duane 151]

Great trip report... looking forward to reading "the rest of the story"...

We love Gatlinburg... The best thing about the area is that you can have all of the hustle and bustle of the town, then in a matter of minutes can be out in the middle of no where with the place all to yourself.

I'm happy to hear that you guys know about the Roaring Fork Auto Trail... In the past when I have talked to folks about Gatlinburg and asked them if they took in the trail, they didn't know anything about it. There is SOOOO much to explore around that area.

[anolefan 8]

Great trip report... looking forward to reading "the rest of the story"...

We love Gatlinburg... The best thing about the area is that you can have all of the hustle and bustle of the town, then in a matter of minutes can be out in the middle of no where with the place all to yourself.

I'm happy to hear that you guys know about the Roaring Fork Auto Trail... In the past when I have talked to folks about Gatlinburg and asked them if they took in the trail, they didn't know anything about it. There is SOOOO much to explore around that area.

Thanks! I totally agree about Gatlinburg, and the reason we enjoy it so much also. Roaring Fork is always a must do for us when we visit. In fact, when we stay for longer periods, I will get up early and drive it myself so I can take my time and get lots of photos. When the kids get older we will try some of the hikes located along the drive.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I would be more than happy to share. We have been renting from Jackson Mountain Homes for the past several years and have stayed in a couple different areas. This was probably the one area we enjoyed the most.

http://www.jacksonmountainhomes.com/

We stayed in the pink area on the map this visit, the Arts and Crafts Loop area

http://www.jacksonmo...mes.com/map.htm

And this was our cabin

http://www.jacksonmo...tains/183/alpha

Thanks for the links!

When you consider what Disney charges for a cabin at Fort Wilderness, these prices look great!

TCD

[anolefan 8]

It is now mid morning Saturday and everyone is up and ready to go. We had plans to meet my brother in Pigeon Forge at noon for lunch so we decided to hit Roaring Fork Auto Trail. For those who are not familiar with this trail, here is a link with some information about it. I highly recommend doing this if you visit Gatlinburg. The trail is located just shy of the GSMNP entrance at stoplight #8. Seeing how we had the kids and we were on a tight schedule, we didn't get to stop at all of the cabin areas, or get all the information that goes along with each stop, but we did get some pretty good pictures.

http://www.nps.gov/g...roaringfork.htm

And here is a map of the drive in case you are interested:

Here is a shot of the beginning of the one way road that you follow through the trail. Notice how narrow the road is. This made for some interesting, stressful driving as we climbed through the trail. There are no guardrails and I was a little nervous at times:

There are many breathtaking views along the drive. If you do go, be sure to take your time and get out of the car often to enjoy the views. These were taken at both nature overlooks along the trail:

The kids and Nana:

Most everyone will be happy to see there is no Nole allegiance here:

Here is the first cabin stop we made. We chose not to stop at the Ogle Cabin at the beginning of the drive because when I asked the kids if they wanted to see it, they said "no". Well, after we saw the others on the drive they wanted to go back, but the drive is one way so they lost out :)

Here we are walking up to Jim Bale's place:

Just imagine living here around 100 years ago and having this view right outside your cabin:

Still can't picture it? How about another:

Here are some shots of the cabins and the property they sit on:

And a shot of the kids enjoying the sounds of the rushing water:

These cabins along the trail are really amazing in that they are still standing and have withstood all the elements over the years.

I'm off to work, and will finish up with another small update of Roaring Fork and the rest of Saturday later on this evening.