Week 6 - 2021

Week Six of HOBOS going SOBO in their OBOZ ... and we never looked back.  Our In-Tents Journey on the Appalachian Trail

GATLINBURG, TN - Gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park!  Took a long break here and visited with family during our stay.

• It had been 42 days of living on the trail so when we arrived in Gatlinburg, we felt like we went through a huge culture shock!!!   There were people everywhere, it was so busy, and everyone seemed to be in such a hurry — I have to admit, at first we were uncomfortable and felt so out of place after living so long in seclusion.   It did take us a couple days to adjust back into society, settle in and enjoy our time. 

• Things that we learned this week while off trail:

• We stink. Okay, so WE already knew that about each other so it really isn’t new news to us but to get it confirmed by other people is quite humbling:

• when we got shuttled to Gatlinburg ( a 30 minute drive) all the windows were open even though it wasn’t warm enough to have them open; plus he drove like he was Jeff Gordon.  Do you think he just might have been in a hurry to get rid of us?!

• when we checked into our hotel the front desk clerk said it was too early and we’d have to wait to get into our room later in the day. The manager quickly appeared and whispered something to her and waala we got in our room!  I guess smelling does have its advantages! 

• when our cousins stopped by our hotel room, they politely suggested we might want to consider opening up our window.  Gotta love the honesty of family!

• Is there still a coin shortage going on? We checked 3 places to get quarters to do our laundry and each place said they didn’t have any coins. At the last place, all I can figure is he felt so sorry for this homeless couple carrying all the smelly clothes they owned in a grocery bag because he magically came up with quarters to give us even though he said he didn’t have any. 

•  5 bear sightings - our first sighting happened while we were sitting in a park in town and the other 4 were in the Smokies (Cades Cove) — none of these sightings happened while we were hiking on the AT but safely inside a vehicle.  Thank goodness!

•  Cades Cove:  We took a day trip and visited this 11 mile loop within the Smokies.  It was a settlement established in the 1800s by European settlers that included churches, cemeteries, log cabins, barns and a gristmill.  Very interesting to go back in time!  Now the settlers are a lot of black bears!!

•  Let me introduce you to our very own personal trail angels: Sheila and Randy. They have been there for us from the very start of this journey... letting us keep our vehicle and belongings at their house, taking us to the bus stop, sending our mail resupply boxes, receiving all our boxes that we send back, meeting up with us in Gatlinburg and driving us all around, and hopefully will be picking us up at the finish line AFTER we take a shower!  Thank you so much for helping us with whatever we needed.  You two are the best!!

• We’re not sure what to make of a church on the strip sitting in between a CBD store and a pizza/bar joint.  One lady on the street thought maybe you go to the church and ask forgiveness for going to the other places.  Hmmm...

•  What is all the fuss about pancakes? There is a pancake house on every block and the lines were very long to get in.  I mean I like pancakes and all but waiting hours to get in to get some? I don’t think so.  Same thing for moonshine, long lines and on every corner. I guess I can kind of understand about the moonshine since it’s something unique to the area, but pancakes?!

•  I would advise not sending a resupply box to Gatlinburg post office (which is about 3 miles outside the downtown congestion) if you don’t have a vehicle to go and pick it up.  We took the trolley which I might add, was confusing! You had to figure out what “color” trolley you needed to be on and then what direction you needed to go. We had the color right but ended up riding all over the city until we finally got there ... 45 minutes later!  Didn’t cost us anything but our time so it really was a good way to see the city.

• We were ignored! We went into one of the Mexican restaurants for dinner on the strip, got a seat, got some chips and salsa and then NOTHING!  Eating salty chips really makes one thirsty — so after 20 minutes we finally went to ask and no one knew who was supposed to be helping us so we just asked how much for the chips (which were free) and left. If I wanted to wait a long time I would have stood in line for pancakes!!!!  And just a side note because I’m sure you’re wondering... we had showered but now I wonder if we would have got service if we had smelled - just to get us out of there!!!