2009 Winter Break Trip Day 2 – Details

Breakfast
I mentioned yesterday that we chose the Holiday Inn Express for the free breakfast. Scrambled eggs, biscuits with sawmill gravy, hot cinnamon rolls, toast, bagels and so much more. Great way to start the day.

Plan Changes
The plan had been to travel over to Maggie Valley to go tubing. But a look at the weather indicated that the forecast of rain may come in earlier than expected. The tubing in Maggie Valley didn’t open until 4pm. After searching the net (free high speed Internet at Holiday Inn Express too!) we discovered that there was tubing at Ober Gatlinburg that started at 12pm. We had already wanted to drive up 411 to see The Great Smokey Mountains, so it was a decided.

Geocaching
Knowing that it might be warm and thus creating an environment non-conducive to snow creation, we had planned on doing some geocaching. We chose a virtual cache up in the mountains and visited an old restored mill. Amazing craftsmanship and engineering.

Snowtubing
It is only about 32 miles across 411 to Gatlinburg. However, we never traveled any faster than 45 mph.
We arrived in Gatlinburg with just enough time left before 12pm to get the kids dressed and in line. We had 105 minutes on the slope. It came out to be 4 runs for us.

Photography
On the way up the mountain, we had stopped a number of times to look out over the long, deep valleys and to take some photos. On the way home, we did the same.

Dinner at Dairy Queen
I know, we travel three hours from home to eat at Dairy Queen. Let me tell you this. It was clean. The food was great. The staff was amazing. Yes. Indians. No, not all dots. Some arrows.