Day 2 & 3: Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park & Back on the Road

We are currently en route to Hot Springs, Arkansas (10 hour ride from Great Smoky National Park) and find ourselves smack in the middle of a severe storm cell which has been spawning tornados all week. We have been driving through torrential rain for about 4 hours but nothing unmanageable as of yet. I posted a picture of the Nashville skyline in the rain (nothing exciting), but first let me fill you in on our visit to the Smoky Mountains.

It took us about 3 hours to get from our first campsite to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains. Before we headed to the camp site, Joe insisted we pick up some bear mace for our protection and sense of security. I didn't object, so we stopped at a camping store and purchased our peace of mind. We arrived at Cades Cove at 10:30am, setup camp, and ventured out to the famous 11 mile "loop" that boarders the cove. Cades Cove is famous for an abundance of wildlife within the park which includes black bears. Joe was particulary excited about driving the "loop". Besides being a pilot for continental express, he is a photographer hoping to expand his portfolio. Joe shoots with a Nikon D300S supplemented by various zooming lenses which makes for ridiculously clear and crisp photos. With that being said, Most photos in this blog will be from Joe. He is good at what he does, as I am sure you have already noticed. Check out his website if you have some time. (www.josephvincentphoto.com). Before driving the full loop our plan was to find a hiking trail and put our new hiking equipment to use. We came across a trail called "Elijah Path" but couldn't find it on the trail map I purchased For $1 (In retrospect I should have splurged on the $2 map). We decided to take the trail regardless. Below are some pictures Joe took of our hike.

After the hike, we jumped back into the car to finish out the 11 mile loop. During the remainder of the loop we were not lucky enough to see bears, but we did see great scenery and plenty of deer. On the way back to the campground we agreed to wash up, eat dinner (chex mix and progresso soup) and do a few more laps with hopes of seeing black bear. After about 4 more laps last night and 1 finale this morning, we were pleased to say the least.

So Day 2 is complete and we feel like we got the most out of Cades Cove. Last night the tent held up well against strong rains and winds, but there were a few times I was confident it was collapsing on top of us. Today will mostly consist of driving so there won't be a post tonight unless there is something of substance to report. Below is a picture of Nashville in the rain... Not very exciting, but it accurately depicts today's drive. We should be at the next campground by 8pm Central tonight.