Smokies Spring 2018 Trip Part 5

Smokies Spring 2018 Trip Part 5 is the day after the Ramsey’s Cascades hike.  Given that we were all quite sore for the previous day, we decided to let our bodies decide when we would wake up.

I had only managed to get 2 hours of sleep.  Around midnight I was almost asleep when I heard a crash downstairs. Apparently the guys are heavy sleepers and didn’t hear a thing.  Not sure if a bear had broken in or what was going on, I stayed in my room but had trouble getting back to sleep.  I pretty sure the crash had been the porch screen door had not been closed all the way and the wind was crashing it against the frame.  I finally fell asleep around 5am.  Even with two hours of sleep, I still work up at 7am.  I thought for sure I would crash later. 

Apple Barn Cider Mill and Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant

Last time I was here I had wanted to go to the Apple Barn Cider Mill & General Store but I didn’t get a chance.  Along with the store, there is the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant which is where we decided to have breakfast. They bring out complimentary Apple Cinnamon Muffins and Apple Fritters along with their apple butter. They are so good. They also bring you a small glass of their Applewood Julep which is a combination of apple, orange, pineapple and lemon juices.  It quite good.  Tim ordered a large glass.  I ordered the hearty farmhouse breakfast with cinnamon roll pancakes. 

After breakfast we headed to the store where I picked up apple butter and the fritter mix.   Our next stop were the Cades Cove stores.  Both the one near the campground and the one near the Cable Mill. Not surprising, I picked up a few more souvenirs. The keychain that is in the photo on the left is one of the things I picked up.  It is 3 parts and has Cades Cove written on the butt.  I also picked up a tee shirt, lapel pin and another sticker for my laptop.  The original plan was to have lunch at the Cades Cove store but after the big breakfast, none of us were hungry.

We played another round of miniature golf.  Yet another round that I played badly.

For the last stop of the day, we head back to Greenbrier Road to do some roadside river shooting. Ramsey’s Cascades is off of Greenbrier. All of us were still sore from the previous day but I still managed to hike down to the water’s edge to take some photos.