Smoky Elk
After the unfortunate interlude on Clingman’s Dome, we continued on down through the Smokies and Appalachians. There’s a pretty road that runs all the way along a mountain river in the dappled shade. When we got to the very fringe of the National Park, a whole family of elk was hogging the road. They milled and loitered and stood around.
There was a big moose of an elk with huge antlers. He was probably the daddy. There were small baby elks, too. We got out of the car, like everyone else, and just watched them until they moved off down the road. Elk disappeared from the Smokies in the mid-1800s. They were introduced back into the park in 2002. It was wonderful.
Tall Blonde Cleaning Fluid Latte
We stopped at a gas station in the mountains outside the national park. I had to ditch the coffee I bought for $1.27 because it tasted like cleaning fluid. (Not that I have ever actually drunk cleaning fluid, but I can imagine). The woman who sold it to me was related to Quasimodo and said, “God bless ya,” when she handed me back my change. No. God bless you, ma’am, and are you trying to poison me? Whatever.
Leaving the Smokies
We left Pigeon at 6:45 a.m. and entered Atlanta at 11:30 a.m. Not bad. I finally had a coffee at The Purple Leaf Café at Hartsfield. It was really good.
Maureen got first in sparring, first in forms, and second in combat sparring. Here she is jumping for joy.
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