Where In The World Is Sum1?

Springfield Virginia, Second Time Round

         After a week of being home, I came back to Springfield Virginia to deliver another class to the State Department.  This one was as uneventful as the first, and I didn't visit Mount Vernon again.  However, I'm due to be in Atlanta this coming week, so I drove this week.  I could have flown of course, but I wanted to get a couple of things that I can't carry on a plane.  I drove to North Carolina on Friday, spending the night in the town of Belmont.  While there, I had the chance to see the plane that Capt. Sully landed on the Hudson, or 'The Miracle On The Hudson Plane'.  I find that whole thing unbelievable, even today.  At least it hasn't stopped me from flying. 
         Yesterday I wanted to play tourist, so I headed out for Gatlinburg, Tenessee.  Why there?  To visit another Bubba Gump Shrimp of course!  For some reason, I love dining there.  It's one of two national restaurant chains that I try to dine at when traveling.  Other than that, I make a point to dine at local places.  But Gatlinburg is a big tourist attraction, and yesterday everyone and his brother was there.  And a few more.    I couldn’t get out of town fast enough, lol.
         On my way to Gatlinburg, I thought I’d stop at Clingmans Dome, the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi.  I saw it on Google Maps while I was looking at the driving route, and it seemed a good idea.  I went to the website for it, and saw that it is seven miles off the highway at the end of its own road.  No big deal really.  The website also stated, “The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360° views of the Smokies and beyond for visitors willing to climb the steep half-mile walk to the tower at the top.”  They lied!  That walk up the hill is at last five miles long!  It was a bit steep; I’m glad I wasn’t the only one huffing and puffing as I made the climb. Everyone had trouble making that walk it seemed, except for one sick individual.  Here I was walking up that hill, my breathing labored, the back of my left knee aching (no idea why, I’ve never had knee problems), when suddenly a man passes me pushing one of those strollers that have the wide bar for your hands so you can jog as you push it.  But he was running!  I told you there was one sick individual on that trek.   I finally got to the summit, and the temperature seemed to have risen 30 degrees.  It was in the mid 70’s when I started on the climb, but seemed to be over 100 at the peak there, with humidity just as high.  Plus, once we got to the top, you had to climb another 100 feet by walking a circular ramp that was about 400 feet long.  Talk about adding insult to injury!

         Seriously though, it was a nice walk, a little challenging, but fun all the same.  After all that, on to Atlanta!  Or is that 'Hotlanta'?

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