Day 7: Gatlinburg, TN

Well we are in Gatlinburg, TN. Everyday has been so fast paced, and even though we thought today we be slower, it was no exception.

We started out the morning by driving into Atlanta (the hotel we had stayed in was in the Atlanta vicinity, near the airport) to get to the World of Coca-Cola. There we learned about the history and culture of Coke, listened to overly enthusiastic tour guides, went on a 4D trip to find the secret recipe (the answer: YOU! You are what makes Coca-Cola Coca-Cola!), and I took a picture with the legendary Coca-Cola polar bear. We also took our taste buds on a trip around the world as we sampled 60+ beverages under the Coca-Cola umbrella. I felt pretty sick after that, I rarely drink soda so it didn't feel so happy in my tummy.

After that we drove north towards Tennessee, stopping briefly for a lunch at Cracker Barrel, we swung by the Chattanooga Choo Choo Train Depot, but decided a 55 minute long tour was too long because there was more driving to do up to Gatlinburg than we had originally anticipated (I don't think either of us had googled the distance the night before). So we got back on the road and drove up to Gatlinburg for our hotel and dinner.

By the time we got to Gatlinburg it was already 6 pm, so we had to skip the Arts and Crafts Trail (we're planning on stopping by tomorrow morning). We got dinner at the Alamo (our second Alamo) Steak place and walked around downtown Gatlinburg.

As we wandered, we tried to find a nice place to get some Jack Daniel's and Coke to celebrate our day of World of Coca-Cola and entering Tennessee. Unfortunately, Gatlinburg is a more conservative town than we originally anticipated so we headed back to the hotel after wandering for an hour or so through the souvenir shops (that stay open until midnight!). So no savvy sipping for us tonight, but that's all right, we still had a fun time wandering around the cheesy Gatlinburg area and we're looking forward to tomorrow.

Tomorrow we head into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park towards Asheville, NC (about 87 miles).

Leah's already in bed, she owes you two photoblogs, so you should text her to tell her you want pictures tomorrow!

<3 Al