My Trip to Hillbilly Central (or how Bella *finally* learned to appreciate nature)

I have never really been a country girl. Which is not to say that I’m not tough, no, I can handle things like cockroaches, the subway, not enough cream in my coffee. I just was never a behold-the-beauty-of-nature person. Never looked at a mountain scene in awe. Never had my breath taken away by a woodland-style snowfall. I’ve never been to Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. The only thing that ever really interested me was the sun, and I couldn’t really ever look at that, at least not the way I liked it, which was blazing hot overhead. So when my cousins invited me to spend the weekend in a town in the Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, Tennessee with them, I was in it for the outlet shopping. The OUTLET SHOPPING, people. I swear. No more Starbucks. No more skyscrapers.

But then I get there. And I really didn’t like it yet, I have to admit. Driving up the mountain I got nauseous. And it was too steep to walk up, even though I had to, multiple times, to get from cabin to cabin. And we all know there are easier things for me to do than climb a mountain. Nail Jell-O to a tree for instance. My cousin did nothing but play pool. My other cousin never put his plates away. My step cousin kept me up sleeptalking, so I was exhausted from that and the 13 hour drive. There was, however, a hot tub.

But then I got outside one day, right when the sun was setting. Pinks and purples and oranges over trees and blue blue mountains. It was like a painting. And I forgot about being tired and about the bears and all the scary things in the woods and the steep climbs. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Much better than a skyscraper. So I went back inside. I cleaned up after my slobbish cousin. I even hummed. And I agreed to a game of pool with my other cousin. That was it. And now I’m home and inexplicably contented. Life is so funny.

Ah, this is because the Appalachian mountains are the most beautiful place in the world. (Not that I’m biased or anything. Norway is pretty, too.) You couldn’t pay me to live anywhere else.

And, honey, the scary things in the woods are nothing compared to the scary things in New York City. :wink:

Exhaustion and sleep deprivation make natural beauty even more breathtaking… it’s like a natural hallucinogenic…

Try this experiment. Pick an uphill hike of some strenuousness, where the top is also accessible by car, and has a nice view. First drive to the top, and check out the view for a bit. Then drive down and hike to the top. Now appreciate the view.

It’s much better the second time!

I’m offended! You were 30 minutes away and you didn’t come visit me?! :smiley:

Seriously though, the Appalachian mountains are gorgeous. I usually go through Townsend or via Hwy 129 through North Carolina, so I avoid the outlet mall craptacular in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg (though, sadly, Townsend looks to be headed that direction).

But if you think the Appalachian mountains are beautiful, you’d probably be stunned at the beauty of the Cumberland Plateau. It’s landscape is much more dramatic, in my opinion, and the layering and depth of the gorges is utterly impressive.

Glad you enjoyed the trip.

Hey! Did you go to Pigeon Forge? I went there for a long weekend with some Internet-met friends in 2000 and we had a grand time. Most of it spent either yakking in the lodge or checking out the natural beauty of the Smokey Mountains. It’s a very different countryside from New England – beautiful in a dramatically different way.

Wow where did you stay? I was there Sunday night and Monday on my way home from Kentucky. It really is a beautiful place, especially in the fall, or when there’s snow on the ground.

Yeah, actually, I was in Pigeon Forge, ETF. peritrochoid I would have visited you had I known! And had I brought my own personal car. Which I didn’t.