The kids are out of school this week for Fall Break, so we stole away to the mountains for a three-day getaway. We rented a cabin in Wears Valley and tried to find fun things for everyone to do. Of course, "fun" meant different things for each of us. For Anne & Ellie, it meant spending some quality time at the outlet malls in Pigeon Forge, while Tim took Jake to find his fun at Nascar Speedpark. 
We also visited the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and went on several hikes, including Laurel Falls and going to the highest point in Tennessee at Clingmans Dome. The 20-mile drive up to Clingmans Dome was pretty effortless, but the half mile walk from the parking lot up to the observation tower was a challenge. It's a paved trail, but very steep. Tim ended up carrying Ellie "piggyback" for the last half. 
But the views at the top were spectacular. We were lucky to visit on a very clear day and we could see all the way to Mt Mitchell, which is more than 100 miles away in North Carolina.
But the views at the top were spectacular. We were lucky to visit on a very clear day and we could see all the way to Mt Mitchell, which is more than 100 miles away in North Carolina.
Other fun activities included soaking in the hot tub at the cabin (and Jake enjoyed the Play Station 2), trying to cross the mountain streams by hopping from one rock to the next, browsing the "tacky tourist" hot spots in Gatlinburg, and Tim even got to ride his bike in the mountains one morning. Ellie even had a visit from the tooth fairy in the mountains.Everyone had a great time and we came home exhausted! Good thing we've got the weekend now to rest up before school starts again next week...
