Horsin’ Around the Great Smoky Mountains (Plus Mammoth Cave!)
Is that a blog post that Richard posted on Facebook (or sent to your email) again? Well, yes it is! Lena and I are back in our traveling ways. This time we are taking advantage of a different part of the world: the United States of America. That’s right, we (like half of this country) are embarking on a National Park trip! Or at least the trip is held together by the couple dozen or so parks on our itinerary, from the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee (and North Carolina) to Redwoods National Park in Northwestern California.
We are replacing the motorbike and buses of Asia for a humble sedan, filled to the brim with luggage, tour books, and camping gear. Schlepping from country to country has been replaced with zipping from state to state. And the mess of securing visas and transport has been replaced with booking accommodations and park tours. In other words, we are embarking on a Great American Roadtrip™.
Packing
I get really into packing (I even had a whole post on it for my Asia trip!), and this time has been no exception. I did not realize how far along camping gear has come along in technology, weight, and functionality! Sure, we have the classic forest Green Coleman camping stove, but I also got a surprisingly comfortable sleeping pad that weighs just over a pound! I also invested in merino wool socks and shirts, which are quick-drying, moisture-wicking, odor-fighting superfabrics.
Space this trip is valuable, even moreso as two of our best friends are flying into Montana to join us for a segment. The car tetris will be real. Thankfully, Lena led the organization and packing, and I could not be more grateful for her efforts.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Little did I know, but the Great Smoky Mountains are America’s most visited national park, with over 10 million visitors annually! [thanks Lauren & Alex :)] That’s a lot of people, especially when you realize the park is solely comprised of two-lane roads. It’s a beautiful park, reminding me significantly of Shenandoah in forestry and topography. We stayed in the peaceful, wooded Elkmont Campground, and performed a trial-by-propane learning to cook with our camp stove. Thankfully, the inaugural meal, mushroom quesadillas, went surprisingly well. Preparation and cleaning take much longer than in a kitchen, and it has made me immensely grateful for the comforts of a proper kitchen and the ease it provides.
We went on three hikes during our time: an 8-miler called Charlie’s Bunion (the summit has a big round boulder reminiscent of a Bunion), a very popular half-mile hike to an observatory, Clingman’s Dome, and to a cute Waterfall called Grotto Falls. While Charlie’s Bunyon was peaceful and serene, the other two had quite a bit of traffic on the paths — it’s not hard to believe the high amount of people that visit the park.
In addition to the hikes, we also went on a horseback ride, which was a treat. I rode on the majestic “Sunny Bones”, while Lena went on the mischievous “Colt”. I really enjoyed the tranquility of weaving through the woods on horseback. We were even visited by a super friendly black bear mama and his cub, who got shy and started climbing up a nearby tree.
Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge
Now you might be wondering “Why is the GSM the most visited park? Are you sure it’s not the Grand Canyon? Yellowstone?” Well, I’m no expert, but I think the park’s popularity has quite a bit to do with neighboring Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, monuments to America’s innermost desires.
Oh man, where do I begin? Let’s just jot down a list. Perpetually traffic-choked main street? Check. Pancake houses on every block? Check. Paula Deen Store? Check. Numerous water parks? Check. Theme Park dedicated to Dolly Parton? Check.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so amazed by a vacation spot that I would never, ever return to. Gatlinburg has one main street smooshing right up to the national park border. It’s jam-packed with hotels, restaurants, and family-friendly gimmicky establishments for miles. The fun extends into neighboring Pigeon Forge, where the titan Dollywood theme park attracts visitors from all over the South and Midwest.
The place felt quite like an America that I did not grow up in and seldom frequented. It felt heavily Republican for reasons I cannot quite put my finger on (though I did see a preteen with a “Trump 2024” shirt on). It was a vacation destination that was primed for familiarity and All-American comforts. What Gatlinburg does it does exceptionally, but I would rather break out of my comfort zone into the new and unfamiliar than indulge in family-friendly American pleasure. But perhaps that will change one day.
Nashville (& Knoxville)
Heading out from Tennessee, we made a dashing roadtrip across the state, eating at the lovely Bolter Beerworks for lunch in Industrial Knoxville. But what really caught our eye was the nextdoor “Glitterville”, a shiny, pastel, hodgepodge of artsy items, collectibles, and works by the artist Steven Brown. It would be right at home in Carytown.
From there we darted to Nashville, and immediately found ourselves in the partying epicenter of Broadway, with Honky-Tonks and party-buses abound. As someone who did not know about Broadway before I saw it with my own eyes, it was quite a shock. I had no idea Nashville was party central! But we were not there to party.
We toured the Country Music Hall of Fame, which was a great crash course into a genre of music that I am mostly unfamiliar with. One interesting item on display was Elvis’ Gold-Plated Cadillac. I did not know the King of Rock N’ Roll was a country star, and the Cadillac was actually white.
I also had the pleasure of meeting up with one of my cousins, Ellie, who gave us the low-down on the city and took us to a wonderful Asian street food place called Hawkers. It was doubly fun as the food stalls in Singapore were called Hawker Stalls, and we had a lion’s share of Asian street food not too long ago! We devoured Korean Fried Chicken, Hong Kong Wonton Soup, and Basil Fried Rice while catching up on our adult lives. An unexpected, yet totally wonderful detour en route to Mammoth Cave.
Mammoth Cave
Well, they didn’t lie. It is indeed one Mammoth Cave. In fact, it is the largest cave in the world (though we were told otherwise), with over 400 miles of spaghetti-like caverns weaving below the surface. We did the most popular tour, the guided Historic Modified Tour, which was quite spectacular. The volumnous rotunda and caverns made up of limestone reminded me of the dim, brutalist, half-circular DC Metro.
We had to veer though “Fat Man’s Misery”, which was no joke- the path was 18 inches wide and meandered like the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. We walked over the “Bottomless Pit”, and I was not about to call that bluff. And we learned about the history: enslaved people worked in pitch-black darkness for 12 hours a day to haul the nitrogen-rich dirt out to make gunpowder for the War of 1812. It really seems that racism has touched each and every corner of American History, and Mammoth cave is no exception. With that being said, it was still a great and quick trip to a behemoth of a geographical feature rich with history and geologic wonder.
Next up — Gateway Arch & Indiana Dunes National Park! Plus, St. Louis, Chicago, & Madison, WI.
