Smoky Mountain Getaway

We had to decide at the last minute how to spend a week vacation. I tried to plan something of a dream vacation for my boyfriend Terry, but there just wasn't enough time to get all that traveling in. So, instead, we decided on something that I haven't done and that is gone to the Great Smoky Mountains.

I have driven by or near them on my way to Bristol to see a race, but I had never really gone into them. Our first place to stay was at the Rocky Water Motor Inn in Gatlinburg. At the entrance of town, it was a bit quieter than the others I imagine, but still so close to traffic you really couldn't enjoy the sounds of the bubbling creek flowing just under our balcony. We did, however, enjoy the stay there very much. We had a fireplace and the evening cooled off good enough to actually make use of it. It was very cozy and a nice treat.

We did walk the streets of Gatlinburg, and a lot of walking it was. We were on one end of town and the good dining hot spots were on the other. We had a hard time finding our first restaurant, The Peddler, and we made a couple of trips back and forth on the main drag before we realized it was on another street parallel to where we were walking. It was then decided that if the food wasn't good we would have to burn the place down. LUCKY for them it was absolutely delicious and worth every step and penny.

The next day we went to Ripley's Aquarium and it was so much fun. I had never been to an aquarium before so it was a real treat for me. I very much enjoyed the underwater tunnel going through what is coined as the largest tank in the world (who's going to contest?). The sharks were just amazing as were the stingrays. The pirate display was also a fun learning experience. I can imagine all the kids were just having a blast there and I felt like quite the youngin' myself.

Our third day we checked out of the Inn and made our way through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The views are just amazing! We had a cloudy day, but watching the low-lying fog roll its way down the mountainsides was so beautiful and spectacular. I couldn't get enough of it on film. It is so sad that a camera just cannot do it justice. You really must see to believe.

We stopped at a quaint little farm just outside the park, and for the life of me I can't remember what it is called, but it basically told a story on what life was like living in the rustic mountains a century and more ago. After Terry left his territorial mark in the barn and I got chased by a rooster, we made our way through the Blue Ridge Parkway. There was some great lookouts there and quite a workout for Terry's truck. We began to wonder if it would make it. It is kind of a long story. The truck is actually quite fine, but it was a gasoline slach cleaning mixture that caused quite a bit of hesitation in little Red. We made it though! And alas, we were in North Carolina on our way to Ashville and the Biltmore Estate.

We first found a room in Ashville before we went to investigate the cost of mosying through the estate. Wow! 50 bucks a piece to walk through a really rich guys house. I had always thought it belonged to the state of North Caroline, but actually it is still owned by the Vanderbilt family. So they are making a pretty penny on ole granddads master planning. We decided that for that much money we will make a full day of it and bought tickets for the next day.

Terry had already seen the house before, but it had been a while for him and some things he didn't remember, but some he did and those things were also the same things that really stood out for me. One was the trophy room with all the hunting trophies, plus images, of all different kinds of animals found in the area and around the world. Quite the spectacle and likely something very interesting for those who enjoy the hunt. The next thing that really stood out for me was the library. The spiral staircase that led to the library's second floor was so awesome, and the fireplaces in this house you could make into an average person's bedroom they were so huge. I was impressed with the staff's quarters as it seemed they had a comfortable existence compared with the average joe and jane of their time. I do have to say though that some staff members had more comfortable quarters than others. There was quite a difference between the upstairs staff rooms and the basement staff rooms.

Speaking of basement. The indoor swimming pool was spectacular. Modern pools such as the one at my motel could not compare to this one. So incredible. You just imagine the men and women in their striped swimwear and caps diving off the hardwood balcony made for the deep end of the pool. When you consider when it was built, the indoor plumbing of this house is really ahead of its time.

We visited the winery and I got to enjoy some wine tasting. Terry stood back and declined some grape juice. He says it makes him feel like a kid when he is asked if he'd like some, but I say they are just being polite. Besides, I like grape juice better anyways, just doesn't give you the buzz you enjoy from wine. Hey, I'm a plain jane and prefer my wine sweet, cold and over ice if need be. I miss wine coolers. LOL

After our day at Biltmore, we went up to Black Mountain and spent the night. I thought it would be more interesting than it was and we didn't linger there once we woke up Friday morning, our vacation day. So we headed on home using a scenic route through the Cumberland Gap. Some spots weren't so scenic, like the folks that decided to put two school buses together and make it a house, but then there were some spots, like the lake between two mountains that just take your breath away.

It was a rough ride home though. Once we got into Kentucky and back onto I-75, all hell broke lose. First, we had a flat going 75 in the fast lane. Fortunately we were able to park on some paved area where there was construction going on so no worries about getting hit by a car. Then, second, we had another flat tire! We had one last spare and it was time to cross our fingers at that point. The second flat happened again in the fast lane, going 85 while Terry was on the cell phone and there was no where to go but up against a concrete wall. Needless to say, I was a freak at that point and about close to tears. A state trooper pulled up to help keep traffic off of us while Terry changed this one (in record time I might add) and we were on our way again. I was more paranoid than ever and yelped everytime he got over 60mph. I just wanted to get home in one piece and the rain wasn't helping either.

We stopped in Lexington and had dinner at Outback. Gathered our wits and made our way home. The last lag was quite simple, easy, clear and hazard free. We made it home safe and in one piece.

All in all, it was a great time. It was the end that almost did us in. Careful planning for next time will really make the vacation run a lot smoother. I'm already planning the next getaway for us and it won't be likely for another year. You really can't plan too far ahead.

New Sample Logos Created

I've created a couple more sample logos for businesses in the automotive and pet industries. You can check them out at the Net Petal logo samples page. I keep all sample logos in basic black and white (for the most part) because I believe colors are dependent on the business and the person(s) who own it. I just like to draw things up to use as building blocks towards an unique logo exclusive to your business.