The Great Smoky Mountains… “Am I dreaming? Am I dying?”

“Either way I don’t mind at all…” (Sturgill Simpson, Just Let Go). Yikes, but Mrs. Jones really really does mind! However, this journey is about learning to face the fears accumulated in thirty years of raising kids. Let’s face it, she’s a chicken… So, as we climbed up into the Smokies those unsettled feelings were gaining altitude with the RV. Here’s to baby steps that will end this journey with Mrs. Jones really not minding at all!

Mrs. Jones started out mellow with a beautiful scenic drive (with Otter) along the Pigeon River located just down the road from our EPIC campground, Smoky Bear RV and tent camping, Gatlinburg.

For the record, no dogs on the trails in the National Parks – be ready to leave poochy home by the campfire if you want to hike. (Gatlinburg Trail is a 3.8 mile hike and the only one in the park that allows dogs.). No one said we couldn’t throw the curious fellow into the mini though for an icy cold dip in the river!

Sometimes Mrs. Jones needs to climb out of the woods, have Mr. Jones check her for ticks, and get a little shopping done! (Still needs to work on her ego?). Day tripping to Knoxville brought us through beautiful countryside with some quirky highlights…

Can’t forget to pick up some Old No. 7!

Finally, Mrs. Jones got to drive the zippy little stick shift Mini Cooper through the mountain roads. Stay tuned RV folks for a full tutorial on the ease of flat towing…

Suffering from a moderate case of altitude poisoning and confusion, Mrs. Jones signed up for zip lining and white water rafting for day three’s little outing… Looking those fears straight in the face! Thankfully God was watching out for her and the zip lining was cancelled for storms… nothing like zip lining through torrential rains and lightning! Turns out the rafting folk don’t pay too much attention to weather…

After rafting and actually LOVING IT it was time to head back to camp for a little Kentucky bourbon (sorry Tennessee but next stop Kentucky) & lemonade (only Chic-Fil-A diet lemonade) and some night blogging. Mrs. Jones was happily interrupted by friends Patrick and Klaire, proprietors of the Smoky Bear RV Park and Campground and great new friends forever!! Their place is great and they are even better! Highly recommend.

Mrs. Jones never saw a bear, even though she insisted on being loaded for bear. She did master the rapids, consent to a zip line, and drive like a wild woman through windy mountain roads… Baby steps forward in her quest to, “Just Let Go.”

Bye bye Great Smoky Mountains – Kentucky watch out! One shot of whiskey and off we go…