Some trips are all about the miles. This one was about a little bit of everything: bikes, bears, rollercoasters, bean pie, and a champagne toast on a private farm. Here’s how our week in the Great Smoky Mountains went down.
Sunday: Arrivals and chili night
Everyone flew in on Sunday, and we kicked things off the way every good group trip starts: with a grocery store run. Once we were stocked up, we checked into the cabin and settled in. Dinner was chili and baked potatoes, followed by a long night of hanging out and catching up.
Monday: Biking Cades Cove
We were up and out early to beat the crowds to Cades Cove, where we rented bikes from the Cades Cove Campground Store and set off on the loop. Seeing the valley from a bike seat instead of a car window is a completely different experience, and it paid off: we spotted our first bear of the trip! We stopped about halfway through for lunch before finishing the ride.
After heading back to the cabin to clean up, we went to Local Goat in Pigeon Forge for dinner. With a name like that, we had to.
Tuesday: Kuwohi and Dollywood
The plan was to hike Grotto Falls, but the parking lot was completely full when we got there. So we pivoted and kept driving to Kuwohi, the highest point in the Smokies. Best change of plans ever. We saw three more bears along the way, bringing our trip total to four, and we made it to the summit.
Then came the costume change. We headed back down, cleaned up, and spent the rest of the afternoon at Dollywood, where several of us challenged ourselves on the rollercoasters. Summit in the morning, coasters in the afternoon. That’s range.
Wednesday: Pancakes, beans, cider, and a helicopter
Our last full day was the biggest one. We woke up early for breakfast at Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg, then made our way to the Bush’s Beans Visitor Center and museum. Yes, a baked beans museum. And yes, we tried the chocolate pinto bean pecan pie.
From there we went to the Apple Barn for cider tastings before heading home to get ready for the main event: a helicopter tour with Scenic Helicopter Tours. They flew us out to a private farm, where a charcuterie board and champagne dinner was waiting for us.
We held our closing ceremony there, then headed back to the cabin to pack up.
Thursday: One last goat stop
Before heading to the airport, we checked out of the cabin and made one final stop at Goats on the Roof. It felt like the only right way for a group of GOATs to say goodbye to Tennessee.
Until next time, Smokies
Four bears, one summit, one full parking lot that turned into a better day, and a group of women who showed up ready for all of it. Thank you to everyone who came along. We can’t wait for the next one.
