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| Our View from the Mountain House |
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| Tweetsie Railroad |
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| Cousins..... AKA Thugs |
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| Duncan didn't want to watch but Gunner was all for it |
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| Riding the train makes me sleepy |
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| Wish I had one of these at home :0 |
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| Getting Ready to take Tweetsie by storm |
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| I almost threw up |
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| A good old fashioned Cowboy & Indian fight |
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| Ready to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail |
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| Not part of the trail but he took a detour :) |
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| Go Nana! |
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| After the trail.....NASTY |
First stop was Tweetsie Railroad! I remember going as a small child and completely being terrified at the Cowboy & Indian fight and the result was my sister and I finishing the ride underneath the train seats, black with soot. We figured it was high time our children shared in this joy.... it's kind of a right of passage. We were disappointed however that the Cowboy & Indian show is now pretty tame and family friendly and even comical. Oh well.... we have the memories. In spite of this however, Tweetsie Railroad is my most favorite family friendly park (besides Disney World of course). The place is clean, not crowded, no lines and *gasp* the park workers are so friendly! In fact, we had been 4 years ago and saw many of the same workers still working cheerfully. It is small enough that you don't die from all the walking but large enough you don't feel hemmed in. We just love this place and so did the kids.
The next day we went to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail. It is a 34 mile downhill bike ride that started as an Indian path & was travelled by Daniel Boone and later turned into a railroad. Then it was turned into a bike,walk, horse path. We just rode the 17 mile trip (saved the full 34 for another time) from White Top to Damascus. If you have never done it you are in for a treat and I highly recommend it (when it's not raining). It is downhill through the most beautiful country you have ever seen, right down the mountain. We were having a lovely time until about mile 6 when the bottom fell out and in monsooned on us. I mean a blinding, driving rain where you could see nothing. There was no shelter or cell service so you just keep riding, until I hit a bridge but I recovered nicely. After the rain passed, we then rode the last 10 miles in mud. Ever ridden a bike behind someone in the mud? Try it, it's quite the experience! All I can say is that my family are troopers! Yes, we whined & complained but we were so excited to have accomplished something. It took us 3 hours and I wouldn't trade the memories for the world. I will however look at the weather and take rain gear next time.
The last day we woke up liesurly (ok we were sore from the ride) and we went to Mystery Hill where your gravity is all thrown off and water flows up hill and a ball will roll uphill. I kid you not. Look it up.
We had a blast. We are exhausted but very blessed to have wonderful family and live so close to so many things!
