Beech Tree News Network

Last weekend, technically Wednesday through Sunday, my family and I took a trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  We stayed at Margaritaville, which was very relaxing.  Also relaxing was the waterfall in the shopping square outdoors.  The water is set to music.  About every half hour or so.  Across from our hotel was Sweet F.R.O.G., which stands for Fully Rely On God.  Sweet Frog is a frozen yogurt place.  The place got a glowing recommendation from a friend.  Towards the end of our stay, we went one afternoon.

The afternoon we went to Sweet F.R.O.G was capping off the day spent touring the Smoky Mountains. Have you ever been above the clouds? It’s cool.  And I didn’t have to get in an airplane to do it! On the mountain trip, we went to Cherokee, North Carolina and toured Newfoundland Gap and Clingman’s Dome.  Clingman’s Dome is actually where you’re above the clouds at some points. 

Another stop on the mountain tour was Mingus Mill.  This park is in Swain County, North Carolina.   This grist mill opened in 1886. It currently has demonstrations of its still-functional sluice, turbine and other machinery.  The Mingus family was one of the first families to settle in the Oconaluftee river valley in 1790.  It was common practice at that time for wealthy families to own slaves and their graves can be found near Mingus Mill.  It’s worth a stop at this quiet spot, which can be found atop a hill adjacent to the parking lot.  At the far end of the parking lot is a gate that is the trailhead from the Mingus Creek Trail.  There are no names, dates or headstones-only rocks that mark the head and feet of the graves. The Mill currently sees 1,000 people a day with 5 countries represented daily.

I took in the Grand National Truck Show that was being held in Gatlinburg that weekend.  Technically, I saw about 30 minutes of it.  You can’t really enjoy even walking when you’re swimmy headed.  Luckily, I’d feel better but I did catch the tram back to the island.  That afternoon was one of the many times I caught the fountain show.

There were 700 trucks at the Grand National Truck Show in Gatlinburg last weekend.  The models were pre-1976.  The models were F100’s on back. 

Friday we played Hillbilly Golf.  They take you up a mountain on a tram.  If you listen hard enough, you can hear the yodeling sound from The Price Is Right.  Maybe not but my sister started yodeling like the little guy.  Lunch was Big Daddy’s Pizzeria.  They have locations in Gatlinburg, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge.  If you like wood-fired pizza, Big Daddy’s is your place if you’re travelling through either location. 

There’s plenty to do, see and eat in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and surrounding areas.  I really didn’t mean for that to sound like I was writing a brochure.