On the way to North Carolina

It was a restful night, and we slept until 7:30 AM. We had expected to wake earlier, as we do most weeks. Since we're retired, this isn't usually an issue; however, we had a reservation at Rock City on Lookout Mountain at 1:45 PM. We planned to leave by 9:00 AM to allow time for sightseeing along the route.

We chose to relax on the back deck and enjoy the view of the pristine surroundings. Shelley ate leftover bacon and eggs, while I finished the egg bake. We managed to pack up and close the cabin by 9:20 AM. The GPS estimated our arrival at 1:50 PM, which seemed odd since yesterday's route was quicker. I then realized that the holiday resulted in less travel and fewer traffic problems.

We chose to drive through the countryside because it was 30 miles shorter and took about the same time. The journey was monotonous, with a two-lane road lined with trees on both sides. When we reached the Tennessee River in Guntersville, Alabama, I anticipated a clearer, more pristine waterway, but it instead resembled a shipping yard.  

We stopped at Love's for gas in Jasper. No, not near Allison’s lakeside house, but Jasper, Tennessee, just outside Chattanooga. We drove to Rock City at the top of Lookout Mountain. We arrived at 1:49 PM, close to our reservation time. We decided to have a quick snack since it had been a while since breakfast.

Upon checking in, we saw “The Smoky Gnome” restaurant. Unique name and sign!  

There is also a wall identifying four characters. 

Nimble the Adventurer: A fearless mountaineer who loves climbing and hiking, especially around the Swing-A-Long Bridge 

Bergmann the Miner: The largest and most recognizable gnome, he loves rocks and crystals and resides in Fairyland Caverns. 

Edvard the Soundcrafter: A musical spirit who builds instruments from nature and fills the Hall of the Mountain King with song. 

Leif the Soilsmith: A friend of the earth who loves plants, soil, and tending to the garden's seeds

It was time to weave through the tall boulders situated at Needle's Eye on the Grand Corridor Path (the red trail). It looks like a needle's eye, and we needed to squeeze through. The trails all connect, and soon we found ourselves at the 180-foot Swing-a-Long Suspension Bridge. Shelley took a deep breath as she started across the bridge. It moved a little, yet she was able to complete the crossing. When I went, the bridge was swaying and bouncing. It was a little unnerving, yet we survived.

We arrived at the Lover’s Leap lookout, claiming to offer a view of seven states. We enjoyed the area before heading to the Hall of the Mountain King Path and Fat Man’s Squeeze, but couldn’t reach them, so we visited the Fairyland Caverns and Mother’s Goose Village. 

  

We were ready to call it a day after over three hours at Rock City, and we headed to Lookout Mountain Inn, our stay for the night. We checked in and by 6:00 PM, hungry, we sought out options. We found Massey's nearby. It was a great night to sit outside. Shelley was happy to see they had fresh-squeezed blueberry lavender lemonade. To me, it was too tart, but she loved it. I had the burger, and Shelley had the Gyro Bowl. They were both outstanding, yet Shelley was unable to finish.

After dinner, we drove to Clumpies for ice cream. They had Watermelon Taffy Ice Cream, but it was average, and Shelley was disappointed. The website listed more flavors, but they had fewer. The quality was not as good as Jeni’s, which I enjoyed the day before.

Exhausted, we returned to the cabin, relaxed in the hot tub, and read before retiring for the night.

Carry on my friends, carry on!