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#121 | |
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"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 7,325
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Ace, Me, and the Guy with CP - 1st TR Happy Birthday Bill 6/08 Introducing Amy to "Walt's World" 10/08 Where everybody knows Bill's name 11/08 Does this mean we aren't going to the mountains? 11/09 Birthdays, surprises, Magic & Merriment 12/10 An Imagineer fell for Bill 5/11 Bill and Tracy’s Kinda Excellent Adventure!! Dec. 2011 It's the Little Moments that Count!! -5/12 Justice for Travis |
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#122 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,580
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That house is GORGEOUS!!! I love Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg. We haven't been since the kids were born though. You didn't eat at Mel's your first night? We always eat there! Can't wait to here more. That 2 story KFC always cracks me up.
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#123 | |
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Practically Prefect in Every Way
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: 17 Cherry Tree Lane
Posts: 4,893
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#124 | |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: South Florida
Posts: 4,024
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Tracy - love the update and the pictures of the view from the house are gorgeous! I don't blame you about the mountain roads. We lived in the GA mountains for a few years and it took me a while to get used to them - after all, there aren't many mountains in Florida!
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Michelle
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#125 |
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edited to make myself look better!rrrrrrrooooooowwwwwwwrrrrr ...pssst pssst... toilet paper is dangerous Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 18,987
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That cabin is sooooo gorgeous!!!
![]() Okay...get on with it. I'm waiting. I need to know more about the beautifulness of the cabin and running around town in the loud-mobile!
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'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, 'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, It will be in the valley of love and delight. |
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#126 | |||
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"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 7,325
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Quote:
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. Since you are waiting I will post another installment now.
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Ace, Me, and the Guy with CP - 1st TR Happy Birthday Bill 6/08 Introducing Amy to "Walt's World" 10/08 Where everybody knows Bill's name 11/08 Does this mean we aren't going to the mountains? 11/09 Birthdays, surprises, Magic & Merriment 12/10 An Imagineer fell for Bill 5/11 Bill and Tracy’s Kinda Excellent Adventure!! Dec. 2011 It's the Little Moments that Count!! -5/12 Justice for Travis |
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#127 |
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"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 7,325
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Mountain views and a scenic hike Part 1
It was decided the next day that we would grab something quick and head up into the mountains. A side note here, we NEVER had one meal in the cabin this trip, not one. The kitchen was pretty but never used
.We went to KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) in Gatlinburg. I asked for a roasted twister wrap with NO dressing, NO DRESSING. We went through Gatlinburg, and headed up to the mountains. We ended up at the “Chimney’s picnic area”. I have a confession, there are NO food porn pics in this report, not one. Bill’s parents tolerate our Disney addiction, but would think I was crazy insane to be taking pictures of food. For the sake of my relationship with them, I had to act “normal” ok? They handed out the food, not only was my wrap not roasted, it was smothered with dressing. I used napkins and wiped it off the best I could. The weather was supposed to be low 80’s or so several weather sites said before we left. Well it was in the high 80’s/ low 90’s the entire time we were there. After we ate, nobody enjoyed it, we got back in the van. There are several pull offs on the winding roads for taking pictures, enjoying the view etc. That is what I thought we were doing, but I was wrong. Bill’s mom wanted to take me to the trail that led to the start of the climb to the top of the “Chimney’s”. She kept telling me it was steep and rocky and to tell her if I needed to take a breather. We walked for a bit and saw this bridge: ![]() I kept taking pictures of Bill’s parents backsides throughout this trip (sorry about that). Here is what we saw on our walk: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() On the way back she wanted to take pictures of me. Being an overweight woman I avoid a camera like a person with a peanut allergy avoids a Payday candy bar plant, but she insisted. I knew this shirt was too big on me now, but I could really see how it hung on me and made me look bigger in the picture. I will not wear it in “public” again: ![]() Notice the incline? I didn’t think it was too bad, she kept asking me if I was ok. I almost ran her over a couple of times she stopped to ask me, I was fine. Here is the last upward part of the trail back to the van: ![]() I wore a pedometer with me on our outings. It was motivation to see how well I was doing. I am definitely wearing it at Disney this trip. They wanted to take us to Clingman’s Dome ( I think that is it), the highest point in the Smokey Mountains National Park. Here are some pics along the way: ![]() ![]() I was very annoyed with the graffiti on the rocks at the look out areas. Look at the view people, I don’t care who “was here” or who “loves” who. Don’t deface a National Park. ![]() In this picture, you should see a lot of grayish trees? They are dead or dying Hemlock trees. There is a huge problem with bugs killing them, it was so sad to see this everywhere. ![]() It was kind of foggy at one of the observation points so they said we would just go all the way up. Bill suggested we watch the outside temperature gauge to see how much it would change the higher we got up. It started at 86 degrees, we saw fog on the way up: ![]() We got up to the top and it was 60 degrees. We pulled in up there and saw this view: ![]() ![]() View, um, hello, where is the view? Then it started pouring rain again. As we made our way down it started clearing and I got to take these pictures: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Continued in next post...........
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Ace, Me, and the Guy with CP - 1st TR Happy Birthday Bill 6/08 Introducing Amy to "Walt's World" 10/08 Where everybody knows Bill's name 11/08 Does this mean we aren't going to the mountains? 11/09 Birthdays, surprises, Magic & Merriment 12/10 An Imagineer fell for Bill 5/11 Bill and Tracy’s Kinda Excellent Adventure!! Dec. 2011 It's the Little Moments that Count!! -5/12 Justice for Travis Last edited by mrsksomeday; 07-05-2009 at 11:22 PM. |
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#128 |
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"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 7,325
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Mountain views and a scenic hike Part 2
We then stopped at a handicap accessible trail:
![]() Bill’s mom, Bill, and Henry on the trail: ![]() Aww, here is my sweetie, he didn't like me taking pictures of him this trip. Well he better get past not wanting pictures taken of him, I prepaid a photopass CD .![]() Now here is where Bill’s mom started talking about her scrapbooking and how it is good to get tight shots of nature. She had forgotten her camera, I offered her mine. She went nature/mushroom picture taking crazy: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Here is Bill and his dad walking on the trail: ![]() We then went to a part of the park where people used to own homes and the park took it over and let it get into disrepair. Matt joked saying he was taking Bill house shopping and to pick one out. How about this beauty: ![]() We saw some other old houses close to one another, Matt said: “here is one for Tracy and Bill”, I said thanks for including me. He said “someone has got to take care of us”, we all laughed. That almost made me cry, my parents are both gone, sometimes it is so odd to be part of a family again. They decided to go back to the house so we could actually drop Henry off and let him stay alone . I can’t get enough of this view:![]() They wanted to take us to the Old Mill Restaurant, I got this bad picture: ![]() Here it is from the other side: ![]() Birds: ![]() Again it KILLED me not to take food pictures. I know Bill’s mom would love it if I lost a bunch of weight. I am doing it for me, not anyone else. I have a strategy when it comes to eating out. Usually grilled chicken, salad no dressing, things like that. They had a fruit plate that I wanted to try. The Old Mill is known for their homestyle meals, corn chowder, fritters, ribs, dessert included etc. The fruit plate was WONDERFUL!! It had apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, strawberries, and jello. I loved it. I told them to give my dessert to Bill, I wouldn’t need it. They all had ribs. After dinner we decided to walk the trail at Patriot Park: ![]() There was a very pretty Magnolia tree: ![]() ![]() I loved the gazebo lit up at night: ![]() I think Marianne and I could have walked the path twice to Bill and Matt’s walk, they were doing more talking than walking, . It amazed me how much energy I had this trip, it made me very happy!! We got back in the van and went back to the cabin.Next installment… A buffet, shopping, and a miracle
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Ace, Me, and the Guy with CP - 1st TR Happy Birthday Bill 6/08 Introducing Amy to "Walt's World" 10/08 Where everybody knows Bill's name 11/08 Does this mean we aren't going to the mountains? 11/09 Birthdays, surprises, Magic & Merriment 12/10 An Imagineer fell for Bill 5/11 Bill and Tracy’s Kinda Excellent Adventure!! Dec. 2011 It's the Little Moments that Count!! -5/12 Justice for Travis |
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#129 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 13,749
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I've already told you this but I'll say it again, beautiful photos!
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#130 |
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edited to make myself look better!rrrrrrrooooooowwwwwwwrrrrr ...pssst pssst... toilet paper is dangerous Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 18,987
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First of all...where is the love without conditions??? No food porn pics??? Pfffft. Don't they KNOW??? Clearly...they don't KNOW. But I KNOW that they don't KNOW...what you KNOW...about how important it is to include every last detail in a trip! Pfffft!
![]() And your pictures are soooooo beautiful. Well, except for the "view" from the top...that turned out to be no view from the top. And... to you and Bill...who thought I was funny. So, now I like him even more. Which doesn't make me crazy...because I don't KNOW him know him...I just know him. ![]() Thanks Tracy. For the awesome update.
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'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, 'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, It will be in the valley of love and delight. |
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#131 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: South Florida
Posts: 4,024
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Another wonderful update Tracy! Bill's parents sound like lovely people and you are lucky to have eachother.
(Except for the not understanding food porn pictures thing... )
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Michelle
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#132 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NH
Posts: 7,881
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Great updates from the Smokey Mountains trip!! Beautiful pictures - the cabin & the nature shots. Can't wait to read more.
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![]() Amy Tim Alex(12) & Zach(9) Family, friends, teachers & Stacy too! Cheers to Friendship! October 2012 Girls Weekend! (TR) Cheers to Friendship A ladies weekend Oct. 12 Group PTR Bumps, bruises, too many teenagers & swimming with sharks! 4/12 TR It wouldn't be spring without an Epcot F&G Festival! 4/12 PTR I finally saw the lights! Our super special anniversary trip! Finally getting to see the lights! Nov 2011 Anniversary/Holiday/F&W PTR Spectrum Moms take on the World! - January 2011 PTR/TR No kids, no husbands & no rain! Girls weekend at BWI! Fall 2010 "Mom, this is like a whole new Disney!" An April 2010 TR |
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#133 |
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I'm
If you're old enough to hold a job, you're old enough to not burn popcorn Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 11,121
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beautiful photos.
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4/93-Dixie Landings*12/96-Dixie Landings*2/02-POR*DLR-8/05-Royal Stovall's Inn*3/06-POR*12/07-POFQ**8/08-POP/Dolphin*10/09-POFQSwan 12/10*Podcast cruise 12/10*AKV 8/11*AoA 1/13*AoA 4/13 Universal: 7/08 HRH, 7/09 RPR, 8/10 RPR *A vegetarian and pescetarian do Disney dining 12/07*Hedy and the Carnivores 08/08*Hedy and Lexie Rock Vegas 12/08* 'Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten |
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#134 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Metro Atlanta
Posts: 2,661
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I am loving this Pre Trip report. The Cabin is gorgeous! DH and I got married in Gatlinburg!
So we are very fond of that area.The trail photos are so neat. I'm lovin' those mushrooms. We have eaten at the Mill House before it is yummy. You did really well if you had fruit! Great job sticking to the diet. Keep up the good work. |
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#135 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 904
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How pretty! I want to go there someday soon! that cabin is just beautiful!!! Cant wait for more!!!
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Ashley & Clint ![]() |
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