Mammoth Cave Trip

In June we went on our 2nd annual trip with friends. This consists of our good friends the Hearns and their friends and family. Last year we went to Stone Mountain, GA and this year we went to Mammoth Cave, KY. We ended up going to KY twice this year, the second time was with Craig for his job. We got to visit Cincinnati, OH and the little towns of Greendale and Lawrenceburg, IN, as well as Erlanger, KY. I can't find any pics of our 2nd trip although I do know that I took photos. Here are some pics of our KY trip with friends. For some crazy reason, I had no camera, and thus relied on the kindness of Marni to email me some of her photos.

For these vacations, we all bring our RVs. This trip we camped at Yogi Bear's family campground just outside of the cave. The weather was scorching hot, so we cooled off often in the pool. Nearby we found antiques and a fun park where we could drive little race cars, crash each other with bumper card, jump on tramps, take a ski lift up the side of a small mountain, etc. I took my 3 kids (this includes Tayler Hearn, my "adopted" child) to some on-site activities such as tie-dying shirts. Luckily I found 2 white shirts we already had for the boys to use. I ended up doing all the work though, no big deal, it was easy and fun. Each family provided a big dinner each night, and we had Smore's. The food we eat when we geat together is phenomenal. We provided a low country shrimp boil (my favorite dinner ever!)

When we got to the cave ticket windows and saw just how much they charged for their numerous tours, we all opted for the cheapest one and the shortest one to appease the small kids: the self-guided tour. With sweat rolling down our backs, we started our walk to the cave entrance, when suddenly one feels the breeze from the cave entrance. Wow, what a difference in temp. It didn't even feel chilly inside, just heavenly. After the cave we walked down to the river. Chase and Tayler found a dying bat on the ground, I felt so bad for it, but had no idea what to do other than to tell a park ranger on our return walk.

Sharp Curve Ahead!

It's been a while since I have posted. Since then, we went on 2 trips to Alabama and Tennessee. We travel a lot with Craig but sometimes we get to go just for pleasure. So, from May 24th til June 2nd we were able to take a vacation to the Smoky Mountains and then to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN.

First we went to AL to help our friends out with their son Tyler's graduation party. Craig's friend Ray came up and spent the weekend with us in Pelham, AL at the Sam's Club. Chase and Peyton met 2 boys Chase's age and they had a blast riding their bikes on top of two big rock piles over and over.

Then we drove to Elkmont campground in the Smoky Mtns where we spent time with Craig's uncle Carroll. He is a host there for 2 months this summer.

Uncle Carroll with Peyton and Chase.

  It was so beautiful, but the trip up to the campground was fraught with danger. Craig bought a special GPS that is made just for RVers. Leaving Alabama and entering TN thru Chattanooga, Craig typed in the size of our 5th wheel, the height and the weight, and our destination and the GPS was supposed to only send us on roads that would accommodate our RV and vehicle. I think Rand McNalley uses the term 'accommodate' loosely because the road it took us up was so frightening that the ONLY way we made it to the campground alive is because a higher power allowed it to be so.

The road up the mountain was very skinny, oftentimes with either a sheer drop on one side and/or a steep cliff with low overhangs of rock on the other. Our trailer is as tall as an 18 wheeler and is 40 feet long, not counting the Ford F250 Craig towes it with. It was also very winding with sharp, blind corners. My stomach was literally in my throat the entire 10 miles up which lasted 40 minutes and felt like 40 miles.

 Craig had no choice but to swing wide into the oncoming lane many times as we took these sharp, blind curves in order to avoid scraping off the top half of our trailer on the sharp overhangs. At any given moment a car could have been taking the same curve going in the opposite direction and we would have had a head on and a descent down a cliff. Many times Craig would swing wide and honk his horn to try and warn any oncoming traffic, but thank Heavenly Father that EVERY single curve that we had to take wide, there wasn't a vehicle in sight.

 If you do not believe this was a miracle, then let me tell you that the next day when we took the same road down the mountainside (sans trailer) that every time we came down around a sharp, blind curve there was a car right there taking the same curve travelling up the mountain. (Coming down the mountain not towing anything we were able to stay in our lane the entire time.) I am shaking just writing this and my heart is pounding very fast with the memory of it.

Needless to say Craig was very upset with the GPS for taking us up that particular road when there was another road that started at Gatlinburg that had no cliffs, only flat "breakdown lanes" on either side of the road in which one could pull over if needed. Of course, we didn't know about that road until we got to the ranger station in Elkmont where the ranger about had a fit when he heard what road we took to get there. No one could believe we made it up there in one piece.

Stress aside, it was fun to hook up with Uncle Carroll again. He showed us the neat village of abandoned vacation homes that is nearby, we got to see the famous fireflies, we saw live bears, drove around Cade's Cove, and the guys got to go inner tubing. Both Chase and Craig each lost a flip flop in the river. Carroll came and ate with us each night and we had a great time talking and reminiscing.

Our 5th wheel in Elkmont Campground.

Bear near Cade's Cove.

Kids looking at the abandoned village.

Restored Appalachian Clubhouse near abandoned village. It is in use for weddings, reunions, or other parties.

 

Later in the week, we changed campgrounds to one in the valley near Gatlinburg and were able to see other sights around both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and see other parts of the Smokies that we had never seen before. We were able to go mini-golfing twice and the boys got to drive the world's slowest go-carts in PF. Chase and Peyton met two more boys their ages at the campground and had a grand time playing with them.

River in Greenbriar section

Moonshine Brewery in Gatlinburg.

Two Thumbs Up!

Yesterday my parents, who are here visiting from Utah, Chase, Peyton and I went on a drive to see the North Georgia Blue Ridge mountains. We packed a lunch and when we happened upon a nice area by Lake Chatuge we decided to pull over and make sandwiches.  The boys played with their trucks and threw rocks into the lake. The weather was quite pleasant. We met two nice visitors from the UK there as well. Peyton refused to pose for pictures with us so I snagged this one and as you can see, he was not happy about it. We then drove to Hayesville, NC where we walked around the town square. There was a variety store called Tiger's where we shopped and browsed and ate ice cream. All in all it was a pleasurable day.

Craig finished the guest bathroom just in time for my parents' visit. We found this cute shower curtain with matching hooks. The bathroom is absolutely beautiful and we couldn't be happier about the results. I want to give a big thanks to my hubby Craig and his friends Ray and Reed who worked very hard to help him finish the entire basement.

UTAH Vacation

Our family was able to fly to Utah for 2 weeks to visit my family. While we were there I celebrated my 38th birthday. It was nice to have a family party, the last one I got to celebrate with them was way back in 2001.

Waiting to fly from the Birmingham Airport.

Peyty sat by me. He was very good.

Dinosaur museum at BYU.

Ginger and her dad Bill.

Craig with Bill.

My  hands and feet in cement at my grandma's home in Springville.

I was one and my sister Genise was 4.

My best friend Christine and I celebrated our birthdays together. Hers is the 10th and mine is the 11th.

We had a mini-reunion with cousins from my mom's side.

We got to ride on the Heber Creeper.

Grama and cousin Tori.

Chase and cousin Xavier. They got along so well. I was sad that they don't live closer to each other.

My sister Louise's boys with my boys.

We hiked to the Grotto up Payson Canyon.



Papa Bill drove us to the SLC Airport.



Bye bye to the beautiful Wasatch Range.

Here is a list of things we did on our trip:
1. Monte Bean and Paleontology Musems at BYU.
2. Birthday party for me.
3. Family reunion.
4. Chuck E Cheese.
5. Band concert in Payson Park.
6. Swimming at Payson Pool
7. Hiked to the Grotto.
8. Craig and I looked at many houses for sale.
9. Kids played like crazy with their cousins.
10. Kids got sick.
11. Rode the Heber Creeper.
12. Had a good time!
13. Got professional family photos taken.
(not all necessarily in that order either)