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FAVOURITE PHOTO -

SMOKY MOUNTAINS COLLAGE

WE HAD EXPERIENCED THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND A MAGNIFICENT
CULTURAL ADVENTURE IN NEW ORLEANS.

NOW IT WAS TIME TO DO THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS.

WHY IS IT THAT MOST FLIGHTS IN THE US DON'T FLY DIRECT?....
IT'S ONLY AROUND 3 HOURS FROM NEW ORLEANS TO CHATTANOOGA
HOWEVER WE HAD TO FLY VIA ATLANTA....?

I HAD PLANNED TO DRIVE UP VIA LYNCHBURG AND CHECK OUT THE
JACK DANIELS DISTILLERY. DID YOU KNOW THAT LYNCHBURG IS A
DRY STATE?.... LOL.
ANYWAY, THERE WAS NO ACCOMMODATION IN LYNCHBURG
BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME SORT OF COOKING COMPETITION IN TOWN.

OH WELL.......... OK..... PLAN B - FLY.

I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SPENT A FEW DAYS IN CHATTANOOGA
EXPERIENCING MORE GREAT MUSIC AND THE CHATTANOOGA CHOO
CHOO RAIL. WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.

SO WE ARRIVED IN CHATTANOOGA, PICKED UP OUR AVIS RENTAL AND
HEADED TO OUR FIRST DESTINATION - OCOEE NOT FAR OUT OF TOWN.

I DISCOVERED OCOEE DOING MY USUAL GOOGLING BETWEEN TOWNS.
OCOEE IT SEEMED WAS THE WHITE WATER RAFTING CAPITAL OF THE US.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT! THIS SEEMED TO BE A GOOD PLACE
TO STAY ON THE WAY UP TO ASHEVILLE IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS.

I HAD ALSO WANTED TO EXPERIENCE CABIN VACATION LIFE THAT USA
DOES SO GOOD. A CABIN IN THE WOODS COMPLETE WITH LOG FIRE
AND A GOOD RED WINE....... AHHHH.... HEAVEN!

WELCOME VALLEY VILLAGE CERTAINLY FIT THE BILL! LOCATED RIGHT
ON THE OCOEE RIVER AND IN THE WOODS, OUR CABIN WAS ABSOLUTELY
DEVINE! IT COULD EASILY ACCOMMODATE SIX OR SEVEN PEOPLE.

OWNERS KEVIN AND JENNY WERE FANTASTIC HOSTS. THEY EVEN
HAD WRITTEN OUR NAMES ON THE WELCOME BLACKBOARD HANGING
ON OUR CABIN LOVE THE PERSONAL TOUCH!

THE WOODS WERE FULL OF SQUIRRELS WE COULD HEAR THE BIRDS.
AND THE RIVER...... JESSE JUMPED IN! COLD!!
I MADE HIM DO IT 3 TIMES TO CAPTURE A FEW GREAT PICTURES LIKE
THE ONE ABOVE

ON THE RIVER THERE WAS A CABANA WITH SEATING TO ENJOY THE
RIVER VIEWS. ALSO THEY HAD PLACES WHERE YOU COULD MAKE A
FIRE.

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS - FALL IS IS A BLAST OF GLORIOUS COLOUR
WHEREVER YOU LOOK. IT WAS HERE IN OCOEE WE GOT OUR FIRST
GLIMPSE OF THE MAGNIFICANT FALL MOUNTAIN FOLIAGE.

CHEROKEE MOUNTAINS - OUR DAY HERE WAS JUST FABULOUS!
WE WENT TO A PLACE CALLED CHILHOWEE RECREATION LOOKOUT.
THIS HAS CAMPING FACILITIES SO WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR
HIKERS AND BIKERS TO GET AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE

IT IS VERY POPULAR FOR MOUNTAIN BIKERS. I CAN SEE WHY.
THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS TELL ALL.

FUNNY AUSSIROSE STORY -

"WE'VE GOT CHERRY Piii, APPLE Piii, STRAWBERRY Piii, PECAN Piiii........"
I CAN STILL HEAR IT NOW

HUBBY WAS TAKEN BACK WITH THE SWEETS MENU AT THIS CAFE IN OCOEE.
IT SEEMED LIKE THEY HAD EVERY SWEET PIE UNDER THE SUN!
HUBBY WAS IN HEAVEN!!

ALL I WANTED WAS A BEER.....

I DIPPED OUT. HUBBY WON!

IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER THE WAITRESSES HAD ADVISED ME
THAT THEY DON'T SELL BEER AND THAT THEY WORE QUAINT
OLDEN DAY DRESS - BIT LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE LOL...
WE SOON REALISED THAT WE WERE SITTING IN AN AUTHENTIC
AMISH CAFE!! WHAT FUN!!

I AM NOT A SWEETS FAN BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND HUBBY'S
DELIGHT AT ALL THE SWEET DESERTS ON OFFER. SEEMS
LIKE THEY HAD JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF.

BUT THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES HIGH PITCHED VOICE IS WHAT WE BOTH
THINK ABOUT WHEN HUBBY AND I RELIVE OUR MEMORIES HERE LOL.
IT TOOK ALL OF MY ENERGY AT THE TIME NOT TO TOTALLY CRACK UP
LAUGHING..... I CAN STILL HEAR THAT VOICE RINGING IN MY EARS....

LONG STORY SHORT....... IF YOU LIKE SWEET PIES..... YOU JUST
HAVE TO PAY A VISIT TO THE WHITEWATER GRILL IN OCOEE!!!

WHITEWATER GRILL - OCOEE RESTAURANT TIP -

IN SUMMARY, OCOEE WAS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. OUR CABIN
ACCOMMODATION WAS FABULOUS! I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT.
THE FALL SCENERY AND COLOURS WERE THE BEST IF HAVE EVERY SEEN!
AND THE LOCALS WERE VERY FRIENDLY. IT WAS ALSO A GOOD
INTRODUCTION TO THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY THROUGH THE GREAT
SMOKY MOUNTAINS.
IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE.... OCOEE IS WELL WORTH A VISIT!

NEXT STOP ASHEVILLE - GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

FAVOURITE PHOTO -

SAMMY THE SQUIRREL!!! ISN'T HE JUST TOOOO CUTE!!
MORE ABOUT SAMMY LATER....

WE HIT THE ROAD EARLY AS WE HAD HEARD THAT THIS PART OF THE TRIP
HAD WINDY ROADS. WELL YES IT DID ..... BUT WE ENJOYED THE MOST
GLORIOUS FALL COLOURS AND THE TRAFFIC WASN'T AS BAD AS WE
IMAGINED. IT WAS A NICE JOURNEY OCOEE TO ASHEVILLE.

CHEROKEE INDIAN VILLAGE

I AM GLAD THAT WE STOPPED OFF AT CHEROKEE INDIAN VILLAGE.
I HAD PROMISED TO BUY OUR OLDER SON DYLAN AN AUTHENTIC
INDIAN PONCHO. DYLAN IS LUCKY THAT HUBBY SQUEEZED IT INTO HIS
TRAVEL BAG

WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE STAYED HERE FOR A NIGHT.
CHEROKEE LOOKED REAL NICE. REMINDED ME A BIT LIKE OUR NIMBIN
(HIPPY TOWN) BACK HOME.

ASHEVILLE

I HAD GRAND PLANS FOR ASHEVILLE. UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T GET TO DO
ANY OF THEM.

HOWEVER THERE IS ALWAYS PLAN B. AND SOMETIMES PLAN B IS BETTER!!!

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES MORE ABOUT THAT SOON.

ASHEVILLE WILLOW WINDS CABINS

THIS PLACE STILL EMAILS ME NOTIFICATIONS ON THE LATEST DEALS.
EVERY TIME I RECEIVE ONE.... I SOOOOO WANT TO GO BACK!!

I HAD PICKED ANOTHER GREAT PLACE TO STAY! OUR CABIN CALLED
MOM'S MANOR WAS DECORATED IN RICH WOOD AND LOADS OF RED!
IT HAD ALL THE MODERN COMFORTS INCLUDING A FABULOUS
VERANDAH AND A SPA!! WHERE WE ENJOYED SOME WINE EVERY
EVENING OVERLOOKING THE BEAUTIFUL PARK SURROUNDINGS AND
LAKE COMPLETE WITH FOUNTAIN.
BTW, RED IS MY FAOURITE COLOUR...

SAMMY! THE RESIDENT SQUIRREL PAID US A VISIT EVERY DAY.
HE IS JUST ADORABLE!

I SO RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!! ONE DAY WE WILL BE BACK!

DID WE MISS OUT ON ALL THE FUN STUFF TO DO IN AHSEVILLE?...

I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT MAYBE IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
COME BACK! SO.....

INSTEAD OF VISITING THE FAMOUS BILTMORE CASTLE, INSTEAD OF
WANDERING AROUND ASHEVILLE AND SOAKING UP THE FUNKY
ATMOSPHERE..... INSTEAD OF GOING ON A PUB CRAWL ON THAT QUIRKY
BEERMOBILE OR ....... BALLOONING!!!!.....

INSTEAD.......

WE WENT WHITE WATER RAFTING FOR OUR FIRST TIME!!
WHAT AN AMAZING ADVENTURE!!
IT WAS EVEN MORE SPECIAL BECAUSE I HAD PLANNED FOR US TO
DO IT IN OCOEE BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE THE DOWN
STREAM WATER CONDITIONS WEREN'T RIGHT.

INSTEAD, IN OCOEE WE SAW THE MAGNIFICENT FALL COLOURS
AND HIT THE WHITE WATER RAFTING HERE IN ASHEVILLE.
DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER!!!

BLUE HERON WHITEWATER RAFTING ASHEVILLE

SON JESSE OPTED TO TAKE HIS OWN TRANSPORT.
HE FELL OFF..... BUT REMEMBERED HOW TO GET BACK ON BY HIMSELF.
MUM WAS PROUD
YOU DID A GREAT JOB MATE!! XX

WE STOPPED ALONG THE WAY FOR JESSE TO JUMP IN! HE'S GAME

TRIBUTE TO SANDY OUR INSTRUCTOR. SHE WAS FANTASTIC!
THANKS FOR TAKING GOOD CARE OF US. IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE THAT WE
WON'T FORGET IN A HURRY

COPPER RIVER GRILL - BEST MEAL IN ASHEVILLE.

LOOKING FOR A GOOD STEAK? WHAT ABOUT FLAVOURSOME SMOKED
CHICKEN WINGS?.... LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE COPPER RIVER GRILL.

OUR WAITER WAS VERY ATTENTIVE MAKING SURE WE FELT AT HOME...
HE EVEN PLAYED THE LAND DOWNUNDER FOR US.... TACKY FOR US LOL
BUT VERY CUTE

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE CHICKEN WINGS WERE THE BEST IN THE
SOUTHERN STATES AND WE AGREE!! YUMMY!! WE GAVE OUR WAITER AN
EXTRA TIP FOR HIS GREAT SERVICE

THE COPPER RIVER GRILL HAS WON THE LAST 3 YEARS IN A ROW FOR BEING
THE BEST ALLROUND RESTAURANT. NO WONDER WHY!
DON'T MISS IT WHEN VISITING ASHEVILLE.

AND A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF WHAT I MISSED OUT ON.....
NEXT TIME.

NEXT STOP SAVANNAH....