tourism

yesterday i drove from asheville down the blue ridge parkway, over newfound gap, with a sidebar to clingman's dome, then down through semi-quaint, tacky gatlinburg, and on to the northwest toward sevierville and i-40, aiming for oak ridge --- along the way, i experienced pigeon forge for the first time --- these images are but pale reflections of the awesomeness of that three or four miles of six-lane "parkway" --- the contrast with gatlinburg is a contrast between the mid-twentieth century and the early twenty-first century --- as have other towns across the country, both have thrived as "gateway" communities on the approach to a national park

and the newest addition is king kong showing his butt to cracker barrell --- he's oriented toward the front of the building here

and commemorating the centennial of the titanic ---