We’ll be headin’ back to the park in a couple of days and it can’t come soon enough.  Loonie is ready for a break and hopefully we’ll be treated to some spectacular colors as the leaves change.  The only real hiking we’ll be doing this trip is an overnight to Siler’s Bald and back.  If the forecast holds, we’ll be treated to some excellent views overlooking the North Carolina side of the AT.  Right now the forecast looks great for the time we’ll be out.  Clear and in the 50’s day and night.  Excellent!  Fingers crossed.  Rest of the the week will probably be spent up in the north (or east…I always think of the orientation of the park as it relates to the AT…are you headin’ north or south?).  Attendance is at it’s peak now and I can’t stand all of the people and traffic.  So, we’ll probably stick to Greenbrier/Porter’s Creek, Cosby, Big Creek and not even bother with trying to get through Gatlinburg or coming in through Wear Gap or Townsend.  Screw that!  You can’t move on 441 from Gatlinburg or down Little River Rd and through Cades Cove right now.  Too jammed up.  In fact, we’ll be taking 441 up from Smokemont real early in the AM with the hopes of not having to deal with all of that.  It’ll be bad enough getting through Cherokee to Smokemont where we’ll be spending a night before the AT hike.  I’m told the bears are out in full force right now…probably gorging while they can.  Maybe we’ll finally get some decent pics of some.

More to come…soon…