Great Smoky Mountains NP #4

 Big Cataloochee:  Much like Cades Cove, this valley supported a relatively large population and actually was nearly self sustaining for many decades.  From Wiki:  Cataloochee is a valley in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, located in the Southeastern United States. Now a recreational and historic area within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee was once home to a substantial Appalachian community and Cherokee hunting ground.

Elk were reintroduced into the park in February 2001 when 25 elk from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area were released in Cataloochee. Most of the original $1.1 million cost was funded by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, which provided $700,000.^[33] Elk once roamed the highlands of Southern Appalachia, but were eliminated by overhunting and loss of habitat. Elk herds are a common sight in Cataloochee in the Spring and Fall.

 I am actually standing in a creek bed near the old curch building looking back at the road that disects the Cataloochee Valley.

 We found out later that this old girl was sick and unable to eat the natural grasses and other mast falls available for some reason, and was susceptable to taking handouts from tourists, which is a big NO-NO.

They love apples.

 We saw hundreds of turkeys over our two week journeys in the Smokies.  Below is a Ruffled Grouse.

There are many such roads one can choose to cruies at a liesurely pace, and stop whenever to take it all in and breathe the fall scents of falling & decaying leaves.  Just so nice here in the mountain, so primitive still.

 We had just a lovely day touring around the Cataloochee Valley.  We took it all in.

So, this wraps up GSMNP #3.  Until next time (and the Skyway photos too), RVing Beach Bums.



Great Smoky Mountains NP #3

 This cabin was in the Roaring Fork drive above Gatlinburg. Here is a clip from the NP website: The narrow, winding, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. The 6-mile-long, one-way, loop road is a favorite side trip for many people who frequently visit the Smokies. It offers rushing mountain streams, glimpses of old-growth forest, and a number of well-preserved log cabins, grist mills, and other historic buildings.  You can see the rain again.  Ugh!

 All these pics are from our drive down the Roaring Fork Nature Drive.

 This was one of the more modern cabins (house?) in the Park (Nature Drive). It was near the end of the drive.

Above, part of Fontana Lake on the NC/TN border, just above Fontana Village.

 Have you ever heard of the Tail of the Dragon? It's on US129 in NC just above Fontana Lake.  Here is a clip from a website.  The road has 318 curves in 11 miles, is America's number one motorcycle and sports car road. The nearby CHEROHALA SKYWAY is quickly becoming number two with its remote 60 miles of scenic mountain highway. We went on that too.  I will share the pics from that drive in my next blog.  These two "bike riders" were professionals.  They went at unbelievable speeds passing us on our way to this spot.  I mean very fast.  They had these knee pads that were dragging in the curves making sparks as they turned & leaned left & right.  Quite a show, but very dangerous as there was lots of traffic on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

 Yoe have to look carefully, but both these guys took off and left on ONE wheel, all the way around that curve about a quarter mile away.

 I hate to get power lines in my pics, but sometimes you just can't help it.

OK, that's about it for this blog, as I will now get on with my next one and it will include our pics from the Cherohala Skyway drive we took.  It was quite a contrast from the valley to high above in the clouds, literally.  So, till then, RVing Beach Bums.

Great Smoky Mountains NP #2

Nancy blazing the trail up the Middle Prong above Fremont.  This used to be a rail bed for the Little River Lumber Company (LRLC).  We walked up about two miles and walked back just enjoying the colors and the rushing sounds of the Little River.

An old Cadillac hulk left behind at the CCC Camp that was here.  I am told that the car belonged to the Camp Foreman.

Nancy trying to find a long sleeve shirt with a bear on it.  No luck.  This was at the Cades Cove Visitor's Center gift shop.

This a view of the Cable house at the far western end of Cades Cove.

Cades Cove midway looking north.

 A couple of pics of the Little River.

 It was pretty wet while we were in the Smokies for two weeks.  Not every day, but in the fall when it rains in the Smokies, it seems to just stay wet for days.

I snapped several pics of this hungry bruin, but there wasn't much light so the pics weren't great.  We did keep our distance as I had the 300mm on at this time, which is not a wide angle lens and that added to the dimness.

 Throughout the Smokies there just countless opportunities for pics such as these.

 Me with my Old Dominion hat on.  Our football team went to the playoffs their first year in bowl competition.  Go Monarchs.

Here I am behind the pulpit at the Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church.  I'm preaching to Nancy, but she fell asleep.  :-)

Let me stop here for now as I will follow up with my next blog on the Smokies shortly.  Obviously I am way behind, but I do want to get caught up as we prepare for our departure back to southwest right after the new year.  Till the next time, RVing Beach Bums.