Super 8 - Kingsport to Super 8 - Cookeville

Another BEAUTIFUL day and no clouds late in the afternoon. On our last visit to the Great Smokey Mountains when we drove through the National Park it was rainy and overcast, but not today. Just spectacular views, vista, snow covered mountains, and short sleeve weather. But I'm getting way to far ahead of myself.

We left Kingsport after a Super 8 breakfast of raisin bran for me and biscuit and gravy for Den with coffee, of course. We entered the new I26 at mile post 0. We found a great difference between original I routes and a new one like I26. Wider lanes, broader medians or higher Jersey barriers. Tennessee controlled the truck speed by keeping everyone at 50 and NC upped it a bit to 60 but also supplied “run-away” truck ramps. It is a bit hilly and the road engineers must have loved cutting through mountains and building bridges across the gorges. We pulled of onto a overlook with a magnificent view of the valleys. We needed to take US19 for awhile that increased our appreciation of the I routes.

We wanted to get back on the Blue Ridge Parkway but, alas the Park service had it closed. A quick push of the Garmin (GPS) detour button and back to US19 and 441 to Gatlinburg. The indicated extra time was only 5 minutes but it did take us through Cherokee and is far more twisty that the BRP.

We passed through Maggie Valley, yes I did stop and pick up stuff for Maggie, on the way to the entrance to the National Park. The ride up the mountain is wonderful. The water flows against you in the stream along the roadway. Over rocks, meandering here and there. The higher we got the more snow there was on the ground. The forest is unspoiled and doesn't inhibit the beauty. As we rose in elevation the reason they are called the Smokey's is clear (pun intended) as you look out you can see row upon row of mountain tops each a little grayer than the row closer to the viewer. Down the mountain you have become acclimated to the beauty so you just want to get to the end. Slower cars tend to annoy you and the river is now flowing with you but just as pretty.