Day 35

We woke up super early this morning to be able to pack up and head south again. Today was the day we were to say goodbye to The Dunlaps so we were going to finish the miles together then head our separate ways. Once we were all packed up and all filled up with a quick breakfast we hopped in the car and made it to our first spot pretty quickly - the highest spot on the parkway. I think this is one of my favorite photos or everyone from the whole trip!

We got back on the road and headed to Waterrock Knob for our last visitor's center. The kids were anxious to turn in their junior ranger books after working on them for the past month.  It wasn't supposed to be open until 10 so we said our goodbyes to Evey and Emily. It was awesome to have them with us this year in so many ways. Having never traveled together before it could have gone completely differently so we were both glad it didn't! 

We pulled on our hiking shoes and waved goodbye as they drove away and we started up the trail. This quick 1 mile trail was to be another awesome view and another straight up hike! It was a bittersweet climb as it was our last one on the parkway. The view was familiar but we could see the Smokey Mountains again.  All along our drive this morning I saw the Mountains To Sea Trail trail head snaking in and out of the woods and we passed it along this hike too. I think we might have to really consider hiking that soon!

The night before we talked to the kids about what they wanted to do on the way home. We had a few days to play with before we needed to be home. Brayden had always asked to go to Gatlinburg the few times we'd driven through so that was to be our first stop.  The kids were also itching to get into a swimming pool or semi-warm lake so they asked to go back to Cheaha in Alabama for another night before heading home. 

As we made the turn into Elkmont campground in the Smokey Mountains we saw the "campground full" sign. I made Dave keep driving hoping there were a few spots and they hadn't changed the sign. Lucky for us the check out deadline had just happened and we got first pick of the open campsites. We were so happy to be right on the bank of Little River. It was such a lovely white noise we had to raise our voices to be heard!

After we got everything set up we hopped back into the car to head to Gatlinburg. The kids were overwhelmed by all the stores and food, and people. I have to admit I was probably more overwhelmed more than them since I didn't get anything adjustment time since leaving the woods - so many people!! 

It also was about 50 degrees hotter than it had been in the mountains. About every 50 yards we ducked into a fudge shop to cool off and try some samples. I found a brewery after a little while so we slipped in there for some frickles, soft pretzels, and sandwiches. We reluctantly walked back outside to the heat searching for some ice cream. 

Now we were stuffed and I was tired of people and stuff everywhere so we hopped back in the car in search of ice and an easy breakfast for a quick departure in the morning.  When we are wanting to get on the road early it's no fun to have to cook and do dishes so I grabbed a protein shake for me and a danish for everyone else.

Once we made it back to the campsite it was challenge time.  The girls wanted to go walk around in the water and they challenged Dave to do the same. And that was just the beginning.  This water was so cold but they still all walked out to a rock which brought the water to the bottom of their shorts. Dave challenged them to walk out further then Ryan challenged them to dunk up to their shoulders. There was a lot of psyching up and screaming! Last Laney challenged everyone to dunk their heads and that was the end. There was no way Dave was going any further!

We started our last fire of the trip when it started to become dark while the kids snacked. How in the world they were hungry already I have no idea. Dave and I shared a few beers and I read before we all got tucked in our sleeping bags for the night. Another bonus of sleeping next to the relaxing river - no ear plugs needed!

Day 34

Dave and I were up with the sun this morning and everyone was sound asleep so I talked him into walking over to the Pisgah Inn next door to our campground. I was hoping to hike along a trail to see the view of the inn but we never really found it. Instead we walked around to the restaurant porch and enjoyed the stark white foggy view.  Their view definitely wasn't better than ours right now!

Today was our last full day with the Dunlaps so we decided to fill it up with hiking! After breakfast we loaded up our backpacks and loaded all of us into the car.  Our first stop was Devil's Courthouse - a highly recommended hike by websites and locals so we knew we had to go there first.

The view was spectacular of course. We decided to stay awhile to enjoy it as well as a snack. There were signs everywhere about nesting peregrine falcons so we were really hoping to see one but they were busy somewhere else unfortunately. We could see the Smokey Mountains from here!

Our next stop was Graveyard Fields - a hike that was so popular the parking lot was already full by 9am! Dave dropped us off and parked down the road like a perfect gentleman! 

At this spot we were only hiking to the upper and lower Yellowstone Falls. I'm not kidding when I say these kids love water! They could have explored this cold water for days!

Ryan was the first to go in but it wasn't on purpose! She slipped and dog paddled back to the rocks as fast as she could. The other two went in a few centimeters every few minutes but couldn't stand to go in past their belly buttons. Ryan ended up swimming very briefly several times!

The waterfall was beautiful but there were so many people there we decided to move on to our next spot. But not before we stopped at this cool tree on the hike out!

The last hike was to Skinny Dip Falls - a place that is no longer on the official map. I'd read about it and we'd heard from several people to make sure to go so we did!  The hike in was longer than I expected but it was cool with all the coverage from the trees and mostly downhill.  The water was so very cold that my feet hurt once they were submerged for longer than 10 seconds. It took me about 15 minutes but I finally talked Brayden into putting his feet in!

While we were playing around, Laney was finding owl-shaped rocks to paint and the other two were trying to build a little dam out of rocks. They were never successful but surprisingly weren't frustrated!

On our long uphill hike out Evey found another salamander that was a little camera shy. He left her with a sticky parting gift too!

When we got back it was finally shower time for the Clarke kids. Dave took them and assisted with all that goes wrong while I cooked dinner.  After we were all clean and fed we all walked over to the inn to check out the view now. We sat down in the rocking chairs just in time to witness the beginning of a wedding! The kids oooh-ed and awwww-ed at the flower girls, decorations, and the bride. What a lovely backdrop for a wedding!

We needed ice and needed to spend $10 for a debit purchase so we got a couple ice creams as well. The kids were initiated on the usage of Push Ups!

Evey grabbed the girls when we got back to continue exploring and learning their new wild child ways. Brayden, Dave, and I decided to play cards for a little while before the ranger program started. Brayden lost miserably!

In my excitement for the program we arrived very early which meant we were able to talk with the park ranger for a little while so it ended up being very nice. The program was about the history of the area and the parkway but first he had a short educational program on hiking. We volunteered to help figure out what things are actually needed on a hike. The kids thought this was hilarious (notice the toaster he'd packed)!

After their participation they all received fun little tokens for their efforts!

Some of the discussion turned to the CCC which caused Brayden to perk up quite a bit. Might need to add some kind of independent study for him on the depression and plans to help the country. 

We did our campground walk in the dark this night but were able to enjoy bunches of fireflies leading us around. It was earplugs again for me since I'd slept so well the night before. I'm hoping this doesn't have to be a regular thing once we get home!

Day 33

All of us were excited to start the day today as rafting day was finally here. Dave had booked us a trip down the French Broad River a few weeks before and we'd been talking about it ever since. It was in the afternoon so we had just enough time for a short hike.

We chose Frying Pan because it was short and because I thought the kids would enjoy climbing the old fire watch tower at the end. We also chose to park on the road close to the end. What we didn't choose was another straight up hike! We were all winded by the time we reached the top but poor Dave hadn't been hiking with us all these weeks so he was especially beat. I started a game of Contact for the kids to keep their minds off their tired legs but it worked for me too!

They had the access door to the actual tower locked but the view from the stop of the stairs up was beautiful of course. Dave decided he didn't trust the integrity of the tower and immediately went back down. The rest of us stayed for a little while trying to spot different mountains and roads then we came back down too.

It was Brayden's picture day be he decided to hand off the camera to Laney as we were going down because she spotted some neat flowers. She's getting a lot of practice!

We had some time to kill before our arrival at the rafting place so we decided to head into Asheville for lunch first. We ended up in West Asheville which Dave and I immediately thought we needed to go back to soon. We've been in the downtown and Biltmore areas so much we didn't even know there was so much there too! We decided on Asheville Sandwich Company and were highly impressed. Who doesn't appreciate a sandwich with the fries ON TOP!!

We made it to the rafting company with time to change before we were sent to watch the instructional/disclaimer video. Our guide did a great job of inserting a lot of humor into his talk but Evey wasn't thrilled with the all she was hearing. I told her she most likely would not fall out of the boat and wouldn't have to worry but it was good that she knew just in case. I'm not thinking she was believing me at that point!

We had a fun drive down to the river and were on the water within a few minutes of meeting our guide, Hadley. Dave and I were positioned in the front, Evey and Laney behind us, Ryan and Brayden behind them, and Emily in Hadley in the very back. We went down the first tiny rapids to test all our listening skills and to give Hadley a chance to see how strong of paddlers we all were.

The first couple sets of rapids were Level 2 and fun with the last one getting Dave and I pretty soaked. We went by Turtle Rock and Dave was able to tap him with his paddle for good luck in keeping with tradition.

At a calm section Hadley offered the option for all of us to swim so we all jumped in quickly to enjoy the frigid water. It did not take our breath away but it was very cold! Dave stayed in the boat to help Hadley get us back in once it was time.

We switched spots with Ryan and Laney to give them a chance up front. I was a little nervous for them as the second section of rapids were mostly Level 3 so they really needed to be tucked in to stay in the boat. On two of the rapids Laney bounced up and into the boat to save herself. Before we knew it the trip was over and we were back on the bus. Definitely too short!

The drive back to the campground was quick and we were all pretty dry by the time we got back. I headed straight to the showers ready for a super hot, super long shower. And it was definitely the best one of the trip. I'm not a long shower person but I have definitely turned into one for this trip!

After a quick dinner we headed to the program about native plants. We learned a lot about the history of the plants in the area according to the Cherokee and early settlers. While I certainly wouldn't use some of the plants to cure what they claimed it was definitely an interesting and fun program.

It was bedtime by the time we got back to our site and we were all pretty tired from the day anyway. I pulled out my secret weapon for sleeping after having a rough few days next to a snoring guy - ear plugs.

Day 32

About 3am I woke up to some solid lightning and thunder so I scrambled out of the tent for a bathroom break before the storm. Using my Poltergeist weather predictions I decided the storm was about 10 miles away so I closed up the tent and waited. After about 15 minutes with still no rain and the thunder seeming to be on the other side of us, I counted again and determined it was 17 miles away. I was thrilled we'd missed another storm especially right before we pack up!

We all got up pretty early this morning as we were anxious to leave this campground behind. We were careful not to jinx the next one though! Dave jumped into the car to drive to our next spot - SO nice! We headed toward our next spot - Mt Pisgah. We had to stop at an overlook because of the cool clouds over the mountains this morning. We are getting so spoiled with these beautiful views on our drives!

But up first was the Folk Art Center on the parkway. There were some very unique crafts and beautiful art. Nothing like seeing some amazing work to make you feel like an kindergarten artist at best! There was a man doing a demonstration on the making of kaliedescopes which was fascinating. He told the kids to search for Pringle can kaliedescopes and make one themselves at home. Dave was excited about eating 3 cans of Pringles!

It's Laney's camera day so she spotted quite a few flowers to capture just outside the building. She's getting better with every shot!

Dave was hoping to support the park and buy a long sleeve t-shirt so we made sure to stop at the Blue Ridge Visitor's Center next. There was a giant map of the parkway on the wall and the kids loved finding all the spots we'd stayed over the last month.

There were a couple activities for the kids they enjoyed. Ryan built an arch but she was pretty grumpy so I had to assist with her smile. Brayden and Laney built views of the things they would like to see. Of course Brayden's involved food and a town in the background!

Laney played with the camera for a little while taking shots of all the flowers planted around the center. And this was happening in the parking lot while we were waiting. It's like having an annoying older big sister around with Emily sometimes!

Our next stop was laundry so we could make it through the end of the trip. The kids were especially unhelpful as there were two adorable mascot dogs to play with. While we were there I investigated our next spot only to find out there were showers at our next spot. Hot showers. All the adults were doing a happy dance while the kids gave us mad faces and rolled their eyes. I reeled in my excitement though in order to not be disappointed. There were levels of showers at campground and I was just hoping this was going to be one of the higher ones.

I also took a minute to search for the best ice cream in Asheville. According to The Google, Ultimate Ice Cream was the best so we jumped in the car to find it. Luckily it was directly on our route back to the parkway so we took that as we were meant to go there for sure. They had a nice blend of regular and unique flavors. I tried an IPA flavor but didn't think I could eat a whole scoop so I opted for the Manna Banana to support the local Manna Food Bank. Emily opted for the Bing Cherry Goat Cheese that I almost picked. The others stayed safe with Dreamscicle and Cookie Dough.

We arrived at our last site to a mostly full campground with nicely secluded spots. We'd gotten exactly what we'd wished for - a site close to water, close to CLEAN bathrooms, with nice HOT showers. There weren't bugs to annoy us constantly either! What a way to end a trip!

The kids were most excited about our next outing so we made the executive decision to ignore the dark clouds around us and go to Sliding Rock. This stop had been on my list every time we'd gone near Asheville and we were finally actually really going!

I can only say we had an absolute blast. The water was freezing but all of us slid down many times with screams each time we hit the pool. We tried all the different paths down and recommended the best to each other after catch our breath. The lifeguards left and we stayed for another 30 minutes before finally deciding to head back for dinner. If we had time this was definitely going to be a stop again before we left!

Dave and I made dinner while the kids explored all the paths around our campground. They were back in training to be wild children. We could hear whistling all around us as they communicated new paths and wildlife. They were having a blast!

We bought some firewood but had to have a funeral before the fire. In one of the bear boxes a little weasel was dead so Emily doned some gloves and pulled him out. He was so small and cute now I want one for my birthday.

I made a nice fire for the kids to finish off the marshmallows and Dave and I to relax with a beer. We were enjoying our new spot but realizing we were missing the quiet of our empty campgrounds. It reminds me of the difference of going to Disney during Spring Break versus during September - a completely different experience!

Day 31

It rained most of the night but the kids were having a sleepover with Evey so they were fine.  Usually it takes Dave a day or two to adjust to sleeping in the tent but since he'd gotten up so early he was out all night. It's going to take me some time to get used to his snoring!

On the agenda for today was the hike to Crabtree Falls. A trail extension was right across from our campsite so once we were fed, dressed and backpacks were full we headed that way. Today was Ryan's camera day so I grabbed the monopod for a little waterfall photography fun while we were down there.

The hike was beautiful the entire way down with lots of ups and downs. Dave found this giant mushroom that had a ray of sun directly on it with lots of water from the showers the night before. The picture Ryan took turned out pretty cool!

At the bottom I took Ryan aside and showed her how to use the monopod to shoot the waterfall. She's still trying to understand the setup but her pictures turned out nice!

The kids all joined Dave down by the base of the waterfall next to climb around and see how close they could get. There was a nice spray of water coming off the waterfall keeping all of us cool.

As she climbed the rocks out Ryan noticed a pile of rocks which is basically an invitation for her to try to get to the same spot and add a rock or start a new pile. She figured it out and did both!

We chose the longer trail back to the campsite since it wasn't as sharp of an ascent. This part of the trail went through a few meadows of beautiful wildflowers. It still surprises me to see flowers in bloom in late June. They're usually pretty burnt up by then in Florida! Dave and Ryan went back down the beginning of the trail once we got back to capture the mushroom again. It's huge!

After lunch we decided to try another hike down the parkway a few miles. We'd heard from several people not to miss Craggy Gardens simply because of the plant life there. Apparently a glacier from Canada dropped off a unique set of fragile plants on this one spot that have survived ever since.

Unfortunately for us a foggy rainstorm began about 30 seconds before we parked. We ducked into the visitors center for a few minutes to see if it would pass. The girls even grabbed their junior ranger books for review since they hadn't seen a ranger in a few weeks. She was excited seeing all their work and was guessing they were probably the first kids this year to be so close to finishing.

After waiting about 30 minutes we decided to put on our ponchos and try the hike anyway. It wasn't raining anymore but it definitely was foggy! This hike was absolutely the most unique plant life we've seen. If only we'd arrived an hour earlier to see the view at the top when all was clear! I made a mental note to stop back by the next day if the weather was any better.

Fortunately back at our campground the weather was clear and we were able to cook dinner and fit in some activity. First up was a homerun derby which ended up being a nice tryout session for campball teams. Dave and I ended up taking on all four kids this time around.

We added a home run wall as the sidewalk for this match up which allowed for Dave and I to jump ahead right away 4-1. The kids came back quickly and we fought for the lead for the rest of the game. I may have intentionally struck out once or twice to keep the game exciting. A certain child gets grumpy when they get too far behind. The game ended kids 14, parents 12. They celebrated like it was the World Series.

We still had some daylight so the kids decided it was time to teach Dave how to play Emily's Golf game. He surprisingly didn't already know it so we destroyed him but the kids had a good time making fun of him. I think it will definitely make it in our regular card game rotation for sure.

Emily took a few minutes to braid each of the girls' hair. Laney opted for the faux-hawk braid and Ryan the triple doozy braid. I was only hoping it stayed in their hair for the next day to keep the crazy hair at bay!  They didn't scream at her like they do when I try to braid their hair - what gives?!














We took our traditional last night campground walk around our tiny campground. We were all extremely happy to be leaving this campground. We'd had an awful time with gnats every second of the day we were outside, the bathrooms weren't cleaned any of the four days we were there, and even though it wasn't the campground's fault it will be forever tainted by the yelling at 2:30am guy.  We still enjoyed our walk and were hopeful our last spot would be exponentially better.