The Great Smoky Mountain Adventure BY AN DRE W PEG MAN
At long last, the big day had arrived. It was the moment we had been waiting for: the start of our family vacation. Soon, we would embark on a glorious road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Of course, we had a few small matters to address first. We roll out of bed early, before the phone alarms and the first glimpse of the sun. We begin the process. The process involves relocating packed and loose items, both large and small, from their current rooms to different rooms closer to the car. My primary role in the process has always been arranging the luggage in the vehicle. The vehicles have changed over the years, but the process has not. I wrangle the notso-compact cooler, the stuffed duffels, the bulging backpacks, the fishing gear, the hiking gear and the water jugs. And more. So much more. The 8-bit music began to play somewhere deep in the recesses of my mind as I shifted the cooler into a back corner. It’s a complicated game of Tetris that isn’t complete until the final piece of the puzzle slides neatly into its place. I’m an expert at it now. Everything has its place, and I cover the entire contents with a plaid blanket. Nice and tidy. I’m done—except I forgot the three extra bags of food, drinks and snacks on the kitchen table. Let’s try that again. Cue the music. Once we’re on the road, we’re all smiles. It’s still early, well, kind of early. We swore we’d be on the road by five. It’s a bit later than five, closer to nine, but that’s OK. The sky is blue, the windows are down, the traffic is light and we’ve got great tunes, all we really need. We make great time passing through Ohio and into Kentucky. We travel through rural farms and big cities, enjoying the sights and sounds. Eventually, we settle into silence, that is, until we catch the signage for the Cumberland Gap. It’s clearly time for a song that captures the moment. Now, we are in the groove. It’s that special part of the trip when we’ve been on the road for a while, and we need a little lift of the old spirit, a boost of morale that only music can give us. My son and I belt out the lyrics word for word at the top of our lungs. After a while, we cruise across the state line into sunny Tennessee. Aha, another landmark ahead! Rocky Top! The riders are again happy and content. We’re getting close. Eventually, we slowed down for the increased traffic and rolled through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. We’re staggered; we’re overwhelmed. It’s incredible. T R O U T
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